Prairie View A&M University P.O. Box 519 Mail Stop 2203 Prairie View, TX MWF 8:00-8:50am; 12:00-2:50pm; Additional hours by appointment n/a

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1 Term: Spring 2016 Course Title: General Sociology Course Prefix: SOCG Course No.:1013 Section No.:P01 Department of Division of Social Work, Behavioral and Political Sciences College of Arts and Sciences Instructor Name: Michael D. Royster Office Location: Woolfolk 304 Office Phone: (936) Fax: (936) Address: U.S. Postal Service Address: Prairie View A&M University P.O. Box 519 Mail Stop 2203 Prairie View, TX Office Hours: Virtual Office Hours: MWF 8:00-8:50am; 12:00-2:50pm; Additional hours by appointment n/a Course Location: JJPY 365 Class Meeting Days & Times: Catalog Description: MWF 9:00-9:50am The course is designed as an introduction to the discipline. It focuses on why and how sociologists study social and cultural phenomena such as inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, populations, family, political behavior, deviance and social change. Prerequisites: Co-requisites: Required Text: None Croteau, David and Williams Hoynes. Experiencing Sociology: Additional articles will be provided. Recommended Text/Readings: Anderson, Elijah, The Code of the Streets Access to Learning Resources: PVAMU Library: phone: (936) ; web: University Bookstore: phone: (936) ; web: Course Goals or Overview: The goal of this course is to provide students from across the University with an introduction to the fundamentals concepts, principles and processes of Sociology. 1

2 Course Outcomes/Objectives At the end of this course, the student will 1 Demonstrate knowledge of the reciprocal effect of social institutions on the lives of individuals and groups within society. 2 Develop an awareness of how social institutions shape and constrain individuals choices and experiences. 3 Be able to analyze and critique social events using sociological concepts and theories. 4 Employ critical thinking skills to social phenomenon. Course learning outcome aligns with Program Learning Objective Core Objective Demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological concepts used in the study of social phenomena and apply these concepts top local and broader social contexts SLO#1: identify and apply basic sociological concepts used in micro and macro sociological theory CO#4: Social Responsibility Develop an awareness of how social institutions shape and constrain individuals choices and experiences Be able to analyze and critique social processes using sociological concepts and theories Write a critical essay discussing the influence of social institutions upon social processes. SLO#4: examine social institutions and process across cultures SLO#4 examine social institutions and processes across cultures SLO# 4: examine social institutions and processes across cultures CO#4: Social responsibility CO#1: Critical Thinking CO#2: Communication CO#1: Critical Thinking CO#4: Social Responsibility 2

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4 Course Requirements & Evaluation Methods This course will utilize the following instruments to determine student grades and proficiency of the learning outcomes for the course. Course Evaluation Criteria: Course Requirements & Evaluation Methods This course will utilize the instruments listed in the following grading matrix to determine student grades and proficiency of the learning outcomes for the course: Quizzes There will be 10 quizzes consisting of 10 points each covering specific course material; these quizzes are designed to assess students students basic knowledge of sociological concepts and will be used to assist in preparation for broader analysis and synthesis of material. One quiz will specifically address students ability to examine, analyze and interpret numerical data associated with emerging social trends. Exams There will be two multiple choice exams a Midterm and Final Exam; the Midterm Exam consists of 50 questions and the Final Exam, 100 questions. Critical thinking and social responsibility and core objectives will be stressed on these exams to assess students ability to critically evaluate information and apply the information across cultures. Essay/Writing Assignment There will be one writing assignment designed to assess students comprehension and application of course material. The critical thinking, communication and personal responsibility core objectives will be emphasized in this assignment to assess students ability to effectively apply basic sociological concepts in the discussion of the differential impact of social processes across cultures. Grading Matrix Instrument Total Quizzes (10 highest) 100 Alternative Assessment 100 Midterm Exam 100 Final Exam 100 Extra Credit Penalties Total: 400 Grade Determination: A = pts; B = pts; C = pts; D = pts; F = 237pts or below; Academic Dishonesty; or Excessive Absenteeism. 4

5 Course Procedures Quizzes cannot be made-up without a University-excused absence. If you are absent on the day an assignment is due, the assignment must be present in my possession. Late written assignments will not be accepted beyond the due date without a University-excused absence. Critical Analysis Essay/Writing Assignment written, short essay assignment designed to enhance understanding of course material and stimulate critical thinking; students will take a position on an issue critical to the understanding of social processes upon minority groups Alternative Assessment: This assignment will draw from course contents related to the Elijah Anderson s The Code of the Streets. This essay will count as a major grade and will be used for assessing the course. Submission of Writing Assignments Policy: Writing assignments are to be submitted online via ecourses on assigned due date and a hard copy brought to class for discussion as directed. No late assignments will be taken under any circumstances. All essays must be typed, double-spaced, in 12 point font. Your essay should be about two pages of text (500 words, with the 10% rule). It will require students to take a position on an issue critical to the understanding of social processes upon minority groups. Papers will be graded according to the following four criteria: 1) organization; 2) social knowledge analysis; 3) evidence; and 4) problem-solving Submission of Assignments: (Instructions will be provided specifically for each assignment.) Formatting Documents: Microsoft Word is the standard word processing tool used at PVAMU. If you re using other word processors, be sure to use the save as tool and save the document in either the Microsoft Word, Rich- Text, or plain text format. Exam Policy Exams should be taken as scheduled. No makeup examinations will be allowed except under documented emergencies (See Student Handbook). Special Notes: Attendance: (1) Students are expected to attend all classes. Students are not assessed an absence if they are representing Prairie View A&M University such as athletics, observing a religious holiday with prior notice, military service or field training, and documented jury duty. All other absences are personal absences. Academic Dishonesty (additional forms): Falsified Doctor s Notes or unauthentic written statements presented as if it came from the such a person in authority or the act of copying and pasting significant portions of work and submitting them as one s own or placing one s name on another s work exceeds plagiarism and constitutes forgery which is a criminal act in the state of Texas and can be considered a felony. 5

6 Civility Statement: Members of Prairie View A&M University, which includes faculty, staff, and students, are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all aspects of campus life. Prairie View A&M University holds all members accountable for their actions and words. Therefore, all members should commit themselves to behave in a manner that recognizes personal respect, and demonstrates concern for personal dignity, rights, and freedom of every member of the academic community, including respect for Prairie View A&M University property and the physical and intellectual property of others. If a student is asked to leave the classroom because of uncivil behavior, the student may not return to that class until he or she arranges a conference with the instructor: it is the student s responsibility to arrange for this conference. Due to the nature of the course, alternative perspectives are embraced such that hostility is not provoked; however, profanity, derogatory statements towards individuals or groups, and their euphemisms are intolerable and will be considered as uncivil behavior. Reading Intensive: This is a reading intensive class, if you are not willing to complete all of the assigned reading which includes the assigned chapters and articles prior to each class, then this class is not for you. It is highly recommended that you read ahead of schedule. There are no short cuts to success. Amendments to the syllabus: The instructor has the sole authority to make reasonable amendments to syllabus at his discretion. Penalties: Late Assignments: (-25 points) after each week an additional (-25 points) Missed Quizzes: (No make-up) Excessive Absences: Seven cumulative absences (-40 points) Excessive Absences: Eight cumulative absences (-80 points) Excessive Absences: Nine cumulative absences (-120 points) Excessive Absences: Ten or more cumulative absence (Failure of course) Absences are assessed the first day class begins; therefore, if you enroll in the class at a later date, then you will have fewer grace days than someone who has in the class since the first day. Academic Dishonesty: (Failure of course) Extra Credit Opportunities: Submit Abstract for 11 th Annual Research Symposium: (+4 points) Submit Abstract for 11 th Annual Research Symposium (5 calendar days early): (+8 points) Submit Paper for the 11 th Annual Research Symposium Competition: (+12 points) Presentation at the 11 th Annual Research Symposium: (+12 points) Attend Sessions of the 11 th Annual Research Symposium: (one session +8 points; two sessions +10 points) Perfect Attendance and Punctuality: (+12 points) One Absence, Tardy, or Early Leave: (+4 points) Submit Alternative Assessment (5 calendar days early): (+8 points) Professional Organizations and Journals Professional Organizations (an abridged list of associations related to the discipline) AAR(American Academy of Religion) website ABS(Association of Black Sociologists) website 6

7 ASR(Association for the Sociology of Religion) ASA (American Sociological Association) SSSP(Society for the Study of Social Problems) website website www. asanet.org website References n/a 7

8 16 WEEK CALENDAR Week One Topic(s): Sociology in a Changing World Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 1; Elijah Anderson, The Code of the Streets January 18, 2016: (Campus Holiday, Classes do not meet) January 20, 2016 January 22, 2016 Week Two Topic(s): Sociology in a Changing World Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 1; Elijah Anderson, The Code of the Streets January 25, 2016: January 27, 2016: Student Assembly (This class will not meet) January 29, 2016 Week Three Topic(s): Understanding the Research Process Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 2; Elijah Anderson, The Code of the Streets February 1, 2016 February 3, 2016; Deadline for selecting Alternative Assessment 2, Essay Assignment February 5, 2016 Week Four Topic(s): Culture Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 3 February 8, 2016 February 10, 2016 February 12, 2016 Week Five Topic(s): Socialization Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 6 February 15, 2016 February 17, 2016: (early Submission of Research Symposium abstract) February 19, 2016 Week Six Topic(s): Social Structure Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 4 8

9 February 22, 2016: (Research Symposium abstract due) February 24, 2016 February 26, 2016 Week Seven Topic(s): Deviance and Social Control Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 8 February 29, 2016 March 2, 2016 March 4, 2016 Week Eight Topic(s): Class and Global Inequality Chapter(s): (a) Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 9 March 7, 2016: March 9, 2016: March 11, 2016: (Midterm Exam) Week Nine (Spring Break, Classes Do Not Meet) Topic(s): Chapter(s): March 14, 2016 March 16, 2016 March 18, 2016 Week Ten Topic(s): Class and Global Inequality (cont d) Chapter(s): Croteau & Haynes, Chapter 9 (cont d) March 21, 2016 March 23, 2016 March 25, 2016: Holiday (This class will not meet) Week Eleven Topic(s): Class and Global Inequality (cont d) Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 9 March 28, 2016 March 30, 2016 April 1, 2016 Week Twelve Topic(s): Gender and Sexuality Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 11 Mid-Term Exam 9

10 April 4, 2016: (Last Day to Withdraw from with academic record W ) April 6, 2016 April 8, 2016 Week Thirteen Topic(s): Race and Ethnicity Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 10 April 11, 2016: April 13, 2016: April 14, 2016: (11 th Annual Research Symposium) April 15, 2016: (Alternative Assessment due; Graduation Application deadline Summer & Fall 2016) Week Fourteen Topic(s): Politics and the Economy Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 16 April 18, 2016: April 20, 2016: April 22, 2016: Week Fifteen Topic(s): Family and Religion Chapter(s): Croteau & Hoynes, Chapter 12 April 25, 2016: April 27, 2016: April 29, 2016: Week Sixteen Topic(s): Course Review Chapter(s): none none May 2, 2016: (Course Review Day) May 4, 2014: (Final Examination Period Begins) May 6, 2014: (Final Examination Period Continued thru May 10, 2016) Final Exam Week Sixteen 10

11 University Rules and Procedures Disability statement (See Student Handbook): Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in class should register with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) early in the semester so that appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal laws, a student requesting special accommodations must provide documentation of their disability to the SSD coordinator. Academic misconduct (See Student Handbook): You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of this course and all other courses. Make sure you are familiar with your Student Handbook, especially the section on academic misconduct. Students who engage in academic misconduct are subject to university disciplinary procedures. Forms of academic dishonesty: 1. Cheating: deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered; giving or receiving aid unauthorized by the instructor on assignments or examinations. 2. Academic misconduct: tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of a scheduled test. 3. Fabrication: use of invented information or falsified research. 4. Plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation and/or paraphrase of someone else s words, ideas, or data as one s own in work submitted for credit. Failure to identify information or essays from the Internet and submitting them as one s own work also constitutes plagiarism. Nonacademic misconduct (See Student Handbook) The university respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to learn. Maintenance of these rights requires campus conditions that do not impede their exercise. Campus behavior that interferes with either (1) the instructor s ability to conduct the class, (2) the inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or (3) campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated. An individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. Such incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic procedures. Sexual misconduct (See Student Handbook): 11

12 Sexual harassment of students and employers at Prairie View A&M University is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any member of the university community violating this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. Attendance Policy: Prairie View A&M University requires regular class attendance. Excessive absences will result in lowered grades. Excessive absenteeism, whether excused or unexcused, may result in a student s course grade being reduced or in assignment of a grade of F. Absences are accumulated beginning with the first day of class. Student Academic Appeals Process Authority and responsibility for assigning grades to students rests with the faculty. However, in those instances where students believe that miscommunication, errors, or unfairness of any kind may have adversely affected the instructor's assessment of their academic performance, the student has a right to appeal by the procedure listed in the Undergraduate Catalog and by doing so within thirty days of receiving the grade or experiencing any other problematic academic event that prompted the complaint. Technical Considerations for Online and Web-Assist Courses Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements: -Pentium with Windows XP or PowerMac with OS 9-56K modem or network access -Internet provider with SLIP or PPP -8X or greater CD-ROM -64MB RAM -Hard drive with 40MB available space -15 monitor, 800x600, color or 16 bit -Sound card w/speakers -Microphone and recording software -Keyboard & mouse -Netscape Communicator ver or Microsoft Internet Explorer ver. 5.0 /plug-ins -Participants should have a basic proficiency of the following computer skills: Sending and receiving A working knowledge of the Internet Proficiency in Microsoft Word Proficiency in the Acrobat PDF Reader Basic knowledge of Windows or Mac O.S. Netiquette (online etiquette): students are expected to participate in all discussions and virtual classroom chats when directed to do so. Students are to be respectful and courteous to others in the discussions. Foul or abusive language will not be tolerated. When referring to information from books, websites or articles, please use APA standards to reference sources. Technical Support: Students should call the Prairie View A&M University Helpdesk at for technical issues with accessing your online course. The helpdesk is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. For other technical questions regarding your online course, call the Office of Distance Learning at or Communication Expectations and Standards: All s or discussion postings will receive a response from the instructor within 48 hours. 12

13 You can send anytime that is convenient to you, but I check my messages continuously during the day throughout the work-week (Monday through Friday). I will respond to messages during the work-week by the close of business (5:00 pm) on the day following my receipt of them. s that I receive on Friday will be responded to by the close of business on the following Monday. Submission of Assignments: Assignments, Papers, Exercises, and Projects will distributed and submitted through your online course. Directions for accessing your online course will be provided. Additional assistance can be obtained from the Office of Distance Learning. Discussion Requirement: Because this is an online course, there will be no required face to face meetings on campus. However, we will participate in conversations about the readings, lectures, materials, and other aspects of the course in a true seminar fashion. We will accomplish this by use of the discussion board. Students are required to log-on to the course website often to participate in discussion. It is strongly advised that you check the discussion area daily to keep abreast of discussions. When a topic is posted, everyone is required to participate. The exact use of discussion will be determined by the instructor. It is strongly suggested that students type their discussion postings in a word processing application and save it to their PC or a removable drive before posting to the discussion board. This is important for two reasons: 1) If for some reason your discussion responses are lost in your online course, you will have another copy; 2) Grammatical errors can be greatly minimized by the use of the spell-and-grammar check functions in word processing applications. Once the post(s) have been typed and corrected in the word processing application, it should be copied and pasted to the discussion board. 13