Download Pr. Shelley McDonough Kimelberg Fall 2010 Office: Holmes 535

SOCL 1101: Introduction to Sociology
Fall 2010
Mon. & Wed. 2:50 – 4:30 pm
Location: Snell Engineering 168
Pr. Shelley McDonough Kimelberg
Office: Holmes 535
Office hours: Wed. 9:30-11:30, or by appt.
Email: [email protected]
Course Description
Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social life. It analyzes how human beings
influence – and are influenced by – other people. In particular, sociology focuses on how our
membership in different groups, and our interactions with social structures and institutions, affect
our daily lives.
So what does that mean? Here’s a sampling of the kinds of questions sociologists study:
 How does a prison record affect a person’s chances of getting a job?
 Why do women earn less than men?
 Are high school athletes more prone to violence than their peers?
 Do abstinence-only sex ed programs delay the initiation of sex?
 What effect does poverty have on health?
 Why does the U.S. have a historically low voter turnout rate?
 Does money really buy happiness?
 How do couples decide who is responsible for household chores?
 Are cities more dangerous than suburbs?
 What effect does immigration have on labor markets in the U.S. and abroad?
Course Objectives
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To (hopefully!) get you excited about the field of sociology
To develop your “sociological imagination” – i.e., to encourage you to look at the
world around you in a new way
To introduce key concepts, theories, and ideas that comprise the study of sociology
To teach you what sociologists do: the questions they ask, the research methods they
use, and what their findings mean for all of us
To encourage you to read and think critically, and to develop clear analytical writing
skills
To help you explore the study of sociology here at Northeastern, and see the kinds of
things you might learn with a major/minor in the field
Course Requirements
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Exams (3 @ 25% each = 75% total): There will be three exams based on the readings,
lectures, and classroom discussions. I will hold a review session prior to each of the exams.
Please note that make-up exams will only be given in the case of an emergency (e.g., death
in the family, serious illness) or an excused absence. Proper documentation (e.g., note from a
health care professional, coach, etc.) will be required before any make-up exam will be
granted – no exceptions.
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Essay (25%): You will select a topic portrayed in popular culture (e.g., music, TV show,
movie, magazine, blog, etc.), and write a 6- to 8- page essay analyzing the way in which a
sociological perspective can help us understand or explain the issue or phenomenon in
question. You will be expected to incorporate and reference material from the course
readings and lectures in your essay, but you are welcome to draw on outside readings as
well if you wish. Proper citation of all references will be required. I will provide additional
details on this assignment in class. A brief description of your paper topic (worth 5%)
will be due on 11/17, and the final essay (worth 20%) will be due in class on 12/6.
Hard copies only, please!
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Extra credit: You will have an opportunity to submit one optional extra credit assignment
during the semester. If you choose to complete an extra credit, you will select from two
different assignment options (to be distributed at the beginning of the semester). The
assignment may be submitted at any time during the semester, but must be received no
later than the last day of class (12/8). No extra credit assignments will be accepted
after that date! Additional information about the extra credit option will be provided in
class.
Grading Scale
The following scale will be used to calculate your final grade:
94-100 = A
80-83 = B90-93 = A77-79 = C+
87-89 = B+
74-76 = C
84-86 = B
70-73 = C-
67-69 = D+
64-66 = D
60-63 = D0-59 = F
Incompletes
In order to be eligible to receive an incomplete in the course, students must have completed
at least 2/3 of the class requirements and maintained a minimum of a C- average overall.
Pass/Fail
If you would like to take this class Pass/Fail, you must notify me on or before 11/17.
Late / Missed Work
Grades will be reduced for any work that is turned in late, except in case of a documented
emergency. The essay will be reduced by one half of a letter grade (e.g., from A to A-) for
each day that the assignment is late. If you will not be able to make an exam due to an
illness or other emergency, you must notify me prior to class and provide proper
documentation (see above). The make-up exam must be taken within one week.
Policies & Procedures
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Attendance & Participation: Attendance and participation are important components of
this course. Missed lectures are the responsibility of the student. I will post all lecture
slides on Blackboard, but these are intended only as a reference; they are not a substitute
for good lecture notes. If you need to miss a class, please be sure to obtain notes from a
classmate. During lectures, you should not engage in any behavior that will distract you or
others from the discussion. This includes the use of laptop computers, cell phones, or any
other technological devices.
Blackboard: Students are expected to consult Blackboard regularly for all relevant course
material and announcements, including:
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Lecture material: All presentations used during class.
Reading material: Links to required articles (not books).
Assignments: Homework assignments, instructions for essays, and exam study tips.
Grades: Grades for all exams and other assignments.
Announcements: Important announcements (e.g., office hour cancellations, special
instructions, helpful hints, etc.).
Discussions: Student questions, conversations about the course content & related
material, etc.
Other stuff: Anything else that I – or any of you – come across that might be of
interest to the class.
If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, and/or have difficulty accessing it, please contact
Information Services, or visit http://infoservices.neu.edu.
Student Services & Special Needs: Northeastern provides a number of academic
resources to support students. These include the Writing Center, the Disability Resource
Center, and the College of Arts and Sciences Tutoring Program. For more information on
any of these resources, visit the MyNEU Academic Guide at http://www.advising.neu.edu/.
This course will make every reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities.
Please register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC, 20 Dodge Hall, 617-373-2675),
which will inform me of any particular needs that you may have. Please understand that to
receive such accommodations, you must be registered with the DRC.
Academic Honesty & Integrity Policy: All students should familiarize themselves with
Northeastern’s policies concerning cheating, plagiarism, and other academically dishonest
practices. (See http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academichonesty.html.) Any work that is
taken from another student, or copied from printed material or the internet without proper
citation is expressly prohibited. Any student who is found to have been academically
dishonest in his or her work risks failing this course. We will discuss the accepted
guidelines for citing references in sociological work in class. For additional information, see
either of the following sites: http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html
http://www.asanet.org/page.ww?section=Sociology+Depts&name=Quick+Style+Guide
Ground Rules: To ensure a productive learning environment for all students, please
adhere to the following ground rules. Repeated disruptions of any kind will be duly noted
and will be reflected in your final grade:
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Arrive to class on time and stay for the entire class period.
Turn off all electronic devices (cell phone, Blackberry, laptop, etc.) before entering
the classroom.
Do not engage in side conversations. This is disrespectful to the speaker (whether
me or a classmate), and can affect the ability of others in the class to learn.
Be respectful of your fellow classmates. Do not interrupt when someone is speaking,
monopolize the conversation, or belittle the ideas or opinions of others.
Complete the assigned reading for each class in advance, and come prepared to
discuss.
Required Reading Materials
Book: There is one required book for this course. It is available at the Northeastern
University bookstore:
Conley, Dalton. (2008). You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like a
Sociologist. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Articles: In order to minimize the cost to students, any other readings will be posted on
Blackboard. For information on printing in the Northeastern computer labs, adding money
to your printing budget, and tips on how to conserve paper, please visit the Information
Services website: http://infoservices.neu.edu
Schedule of Readings & Assignments
Please note that all readings are due on the date for which they are assigned.
BB = Material can be found on Blackboard
Date
Topic
Reading Due
9/8
Lecture 1: Course
introduction
None
9/13
Lecture 2: What is
sociology?
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Conley, Chapter 1
9/15
Lecture 3: Methods
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Conley, Chapter 2
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Venkatesh (2008): “How Does It Feel to Be
Black and Poor?” (BB)
Best (2001): “Telling the Truth About
Damned Lies and Statistics” (BB)
9/20
Lecture 4: Methods
9/22
Lecture 5: Culture &
media
9/27
Lecture 6: Socialization
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Conley, Chapter 3

Conley, Chapter 4
Other
4
9/29
Lecture 7: Networks &
organizations
10/4
Lecture 8: Exam review
None
10/6
Exam #1
None
10/11
NO CLASS
None
10/13
Lecture 9: Social control
& deviance

Conley, Chapter 6
10/18
Lecture 10: Education

Conley, Chapter 8
10/20
Lecture 11: Capitalism
and the economy

Conley, Chapter 10
10/25
Lecture 12: Religion

Conley, Chapter 9
10/27
Lecture 13: Family

Conley, Chapter 7
11/1
Lecture 14: Gender

Conley, Chapter 12
11/3
Lecture 15: Exam review
None
11/8
Exam #2
None
11/10
Lecture 16: Race

Conley, Chapter 13
11/15
Lecture 17: Health
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Conley, Chapter 16
11/17
Lecture 18: Stratification

Conley, Chapter 14
11/22
Lecture 19: Poverty

Conley, Chapter 15
11/24
NO CLASS

Conley, Chapter 5
Exam #1
Exam #2
Paper topic
due
5
None
11/29
Lecture 20: Globalization
TBD
12/1
Lecture 21: Social
Movements
12/6
Lecture 22: TBD
TBD
12/8
Lecture 23: Exam review
None

Conley, Chapter 18
Paper due
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