Soc 100      Introduction to Sociology     Fall 2010
Instructor
: Dr. Gonzalo Santos          T.A.: Mr. Roberto Rodriguez
email  Dr. Santos: santos_class@csub.edu
                         Mr. Rodriguez: tupapi@sbcglobal.net

Classroom: DDH-G102

Class Time: MWF 10:55 am - 12:15 pm

Offices: DDH-AA205 (GS) / AA204 (RR)
Office Hours
: Dr. Santos: 9:00 am - 10:30 pm MWF
Mr. Roberto Rodriguez: By appointment only, Tue/Thu 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Phones:
Dr Santos: 654-2191
Mr. Rodriguez (messages only): 654-2718

 
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Textbook: Anthony Giddens, Michell Duneier, Richard Appelbaum, and Deborah Carr. "Essentials of Sociology", 3rd. Edition, 2010. WW Norton & Co., New York.

Course content: This course is designed to introduce the field of Sociology to lower division college students. Students learn why and how the systematic study of our contemporary, highly complex social world is important, even urgently needed, in fact possible, and very rewarding. General areas of interest are culture; socialization; social interaction; networks, groups, and organizations; deviance, crime, and social control; social stratification; globalization, inequality, and development; race and ethnicity; sexuality and gender; family, collective action and social movements. Specific social institutions we may explore include religion, education, politics, work, health and aging. All these areas and topics will be approached at three levels: at the global/national (mega), institutional/ethnic (meso), and community/family/individual (micro) levels.


Classroom activities: The class meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for an hour-and-a-half sessions. Attendance is mandatory. We will cover in ten weeks 14 chapters from the textbook (two, chapters 12 & 14, are omitted). Usually, Dr. Santos will lecture, then have class discussions & exercises. Occasionally, there may be a video shown. The Power Point presentations may be found at the course's Blackboard 9 site.


Chapter tests: The course does not have a midterm exam nor a final exam. Instead, students shall take a multiple-choice test for each of the assigned chapters of the textbook, 14 in all. Each chapter test is due on the Sunday midnight of the week in which it is assigned. Students that score too low on any given chapter test may re-take the test a second time, as long as it is taken before that particular chapter's Sunday deadline. In that case, the final score will be the average of the two scores.

To see when each chapter is assign, go to the end of this syllabus, where a schedule has been placed. The tests shall be taken through CSUB's testing site BlackBoard 9, accessible through the internet (see detailed instructions below). Students are free to test at anytime during the week in which a chapter is assigned, from Monday to Sunday midnight. In fact, students may take chapter tests ahead of the week it is assigned, but NOT fall behind. The tests are one hour long and consist of 20 randomly chosen, multiple-choice/truth-false questions.

Instructions on Taking Chapter Tests at CSUB's BlackBoard 9:

All testing and writing activities will be performed in CSUB's online testing system, Blackboard 9, located at CSUB's web portal and at:

        https://bb.csub.edu/webapps/login/

For those students who need to be introduced to this system, please go to:

       
http://www.csub.edu/els/bb9/

If you need help: Contact the Student Technology Help Desk for Blackboard-related question in the library at (661) 654-2315; or, for computer-related questions, contact the Student Help Desk at (661) 654-2307. Or simply go to the E-Learning Services at the lower level of the campus library, accessible through the East entrance door (by the pond) during regular working hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. No help available on Saturday, or Sunday.

Be prepared!  The maximum duration for each chapter test is 60 minutes. After each weekly deadline, access to any given chapter test will be closed and only rare testing extensions will be granted. So make sure you prepare well, choose a testing day, time & place well, and have enough time available and peace & tranquility (no distractions) to begin testing; take time to read carefully each question before you answer it - do not rush! (a common mistake). You may take the test with the open book, but exclusively on your own, please. Never plan to take a test in two or more sittings; plan always to take each test in a single session (the computer tends to freeze with incomplete tests).

Save your answers every time. If you change your mind on a specific answer, don't forget to save it again! And don't forget to send your quiz/test to grade when you are done (lots of students forget this last step and their scores are not computed!).

Security precaution: If you are using a public computer always quit both the Blackboard site and the browser after you are done with testing  -- otherwise, someone may access your own Blackboard account and "try out" some tests! This is because your access codes stay active until you quit the browser. And remember, never share your testing access codes with anyone!

Cheating Warning: Students are hereby formally forewarned that anybody caught cheating on the tests will automatically fail the course. Blackboard has a monitoring capability that automatically "flags" for instructors a variety of potential cheating cases and situations  -- including comparing student answers, times of testing, etc.

Plagiarism: To prevent students from wittingly or unwittingly engaging in plagiarism, Dr. Santos strongly recommends students to carefully read and abide by the document CSUB Classifications of Plagiarism found at: http://www.csub.edu/tlc/options/resources/turn_it_in_help_page.shtml


Anyone found guilty of engaging in plagiarism will automatically fail the course and be reported to the Office of Student Discipline and Judicial Affairs for further disciplinary action.

Extra Credit: There are several ways students may obtain extra points:


1) Perfect Attendance: Those students that accumulate perfect attendance (zero un-excused absences) during the quarter will receive 5 extra points.


2) Campus Activities: Occasionally, students will be encouraged to attend certain events on campus and write a one-to-two page report on it, for extra credit. Some of these activities have already been identified in the schedule below.


Grading: The average of the accumulated 14 chapter test scores will count for up to 100 points. Extra credit will be added, and un-excused absences subtracted, to arrive at the final grade, which will be assigned according to the following table:

94-100+ = A

87-89 = B+

77-79 = C+

65-69 = D

90-93 = A-

84-86 = B

74-76 = C

< 65 = F

 

80-83 = B-

70-73 = C-

 


Office Hours & E-Mail to Dr. Santos & Mr. Roberto Rodriguez

Dr. Santos will generally be available at his office, DDH-AA205, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, MWF. Students are encouraged to come see him or to call him (654-2191) during these times. You may also email him at the address above, but please be advised your email communication has to be very brief and to the point. Expect an equally brief answer.  Clearly identify your business in the subject heading, and make sure to sign off with your full name.

Mr. Roberto Rodriguez, the Teaching Assistant for this course, is available to meet with you
at his office, DDH-AA204, by appointment only, during the time block between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Tues/Thurs.; he's available for tutorial help or if you have any questions or concerns. If you wish to set up an appointment, send him an email at his address above, leave him a phone number where he can reach you, and sign off with your full name.

Schedule of Reading Assignments for "Essentials of Sociology"


Monday Wednesday Friday
Sept. 13 Sept. 15 Sept. 17
INTRODUCTION TO CLASS

Ch. 1: Sociology: Theory & Methods

Ch. 1: Sociology: Theory & Methods

Sept. 20 Sept. 22 Sept. 24
Ch. 2: Culture & Society

Ch. 2: Culture & Society

Ch. 2: Culture & Society

Sept. 27 Sept. 29
Oct. 1
Ch. 3: Socialization, the Life Course, and Aging

Ch. 3: Socialization, the Life Course, and Aging

Ch. 3: Socialization, the Life Course, and Aging

Oct. 4
Oct. 6
Oct. 8
Ch. 4: Social Interaction and Everyday Life in the Age of the Internet

Ch. 4: Social Interaction and Everyday Life in the Age of the Internet

Extra Points: Movie "The 800 Mile Wall" 7:00 pm, DDH-G102
Ch. 4: Social Interaction and Everyday Life in the Age of the Internet


Oct. 11 Oct. 13 Oct. 15
Ch. 5: Networks, Groups, and Organizations



Ch. 5: Networks, Groups, and Organizations

Extra Points: Carlos Fuentes talk on Globalization, 7:00 pm, Doré Theater
Ch. 5: Networks, Groups, and Organizations



Oct. 18 Oct. 20 Oct. 22
Ch. 6: Conformity, Deviance, and Crime



Ch. 7: Stratification, Class, & Inequality


Ch. 7: Stratification, Class, & Inequality

Extra Points: Sunday, Oct. 24, Guelaguetza Festival, 11:00 am-5:00 pm, CSUB Amphitheater
Oct. 25 Oct. 27 Oct. 29
Ch. 8: Global Inequality

Ch. 8: Global Inequality

Ch. 9: Gender Inequality

Nov. 1
Nov. 3
Nov. 5
Ch. 10: Ethnicity & Race

Ch. 10: Ethnicity & Race

Ch. 11: Families and Intimate Relationships

Nov. 8
Nov. 10 Nov. 12
Ch. 13: Politics & Economic Life

Extra Points: Victor Villaseñor talk on his book "Burro Genius", 7:00 pm, Doré Theater
Ch. 13: Politics & Economic Life



Ch. 15: Ubanization, Population, and the Environment



Nov. 15 Nov. 17 Nov. 19
Ch. 16: Globalization in a Changing World

Ch. 16: Globalization in a Changing World

Ch. 16: Globalization in a Changing World