SOC 202 Section 001: Analysis Social Problems
Spring, 2010
3 Credit Hours
Primary Instructor: Paul Mills
Core Designation: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Office Hours: Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays 12pm – 1pm and 3pm – 3:30pm
Analysis of contemporary social problems which includes their definitions, descriptions, and analyses. Emphasis is on social change perspectives and cultural complexity. SOC 202 is a Social Behavioral Science core course.
GENERAL LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Students will be able to identify key concepts in sociology that provide a broad perspective on the human condition.
2. Students will be able to discriminate between reliable and less reliable information in their decision making, especially about social problems.
3. Student will be able to demonstrate effective written communication skills.
COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1. To practice using the sociological imagination and the sociological paradigms/perspectives through the analysis of specific social problems. The paradigms are introduced in the first chapter and will be used though out the course.
2. To understand the social, political, economical, and cultural processes and how these processes impact society and human behavior.
3. To apply specific social science concepts found useful in the identification, explanation, and development of policies and programs to ameliorate specific social problems.
4. To examine the social processes which promulgate or are impacted by specific social problems.
5. To grapple with the problems of studying social problems from a social science perspective, with particular emphasis on the ethical issues in such research.
6. To begin to understand those social policies and social movements that may identify, sustain or solve specific social problems.
As a survey course, SOC 202 will examine a broad range of social problems and how various social institutions (e.g., education, poverty, economics, etc.) affect society and human behavior. This course will present essential characteristics and basic processes of the analysis of social problems. The course will focus on the complexities and inter-relations of social institutions, social processes, and social programs. While SOC 202 is a sociology course, it does attract students from a wide range of discipline. The course is not limited to majors in any particular discipline nor does the course focus on professional skills, methodology, or any particular country or region. SOC 202 provides an overview of the major social problems.
COURSE CALENDAR
The following schedule of topics and chapters is being provided as a guide to the students. However, the instructor reserves the right to modify this schedule should the university cancel classes, coverage of a specific topic requires additional time, or other circumstances warrants an alternation of this proposed schedule. Students will be notified of such changes in a timely manner. Students should use the college email to inquire about changes. The U. of A. proposed calendar for spring 2010 provides for 43 class sessions. The final examination for this course has been scheduled by the U. of A. for Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM
The textbook divides the chapters into 4 units. This division provides the structure for the class and test dates.
1. January 11 Unit One – frameworks and social institutions Introduction Chapter 1
Assignment #1
2. January 13 Assignment # 2
3. January 15 Assignments #1 and 2 due
January 18 Martin Luther King Day – No class
4. January 20 Chapter 2 Assignment #3
5. January 22 Assignment #3 due
6. January 25 Chapter 3 Assignment #4
7. January 27 Assignment # 4 due
8. January 29 Chapter 4 Assignment #5
9. February 1 Assignment #5 due
10. February 3 Review Last Day to turn in Assignments 1-5
11. February 5 TEST #1 Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 Last Day to run in Assignments 1-5
12. February 8 Unit 2 Social Inequality Chapter 5 Assignment #6
13. February 10 Chapter 5
14. February 12 Chapter 6 Assignment#6 due
15. February 15 Chapter 6 Assignment #7
16. February 17 Chapter 6 Assignment #7 due
17. February 19 Chapter 7 Assignment 8
Each student will be assigned a “mid-term” indicator grade based on the scores earned as of
February 19th. This is not an actual grade, but merely a way to assist students to evaluate their
progress in this course.
18. February 22 Chapter #7 Assignment #8 due
19. February 24 Chapter #8 Assignment #9
20. February 26 Chapter #8 Assignment #9 due
21. March 1 Review Last Day to turn in Assignments 6-9
22. March 3 TEST #2 Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8
23. March 5 Unit 3 Social Deviance Chapter 9 Assignment #10
24. March 8 Chapter 9
25. March 10 Chapter 9 Assignment #10 due
26. March 12 Chapter 10 Assignment #11
SPRING HOLIDAY – MARCH 15-19
27. March 22 Chapter 10
28. March 24 Chapter 10 Assignment #11 due
29. March 26 Chapter 11 Assignment #12
30. March 29 Chapter 11 Assignment #12 due
31. March 31 Review Last Day to turn in Assignments 10-12
32. April 2 TEST #3 Chapters 9, 10, 11
33. April 5 Unit 4 Macro Sociological Problems Chapter 12 Assignment #13
34. April 7 Chapter 12
April 9 HONORS DAY No Class
35. April 12 Chapter 12 Assignment #13 due
36. April 14 Chapter 12 Assignment #14
37. April 16 Chapter 13 Assignment #14 due
38. April 19 Chapter 14 Assignment #15
39. April 21 Chapter 14 EXTRA CREDIT PAPERS DUE
40. April 23 Chapter 15 Assignment #15 due
41. April 26 Chapter 15
42. April 28 REVIEW
43. April 30 Review Last Day to turn in assignments 13-15
Final Examination – May 6, 2010 11:30 AM-2:00 PM
GRADING PROCEDURES – Lectures, discussions, homework assignments and tests
1. Four tests will be administered during the semester (see proposed course calendar). All tests will include objective (multiple choice) items, short answer essays, and concepts requiring definitions. One or more of the essay questions may be an out of class essay. One week prior to each test, students will be told the textbook pages and lecture material covered by the specific test. The first three tests will be 50 point tests, while the final or fourth test will be 100 points. The total points that can be earned from a perfect score on tests are 250 points. Students are advised to use the objective and essay questions at the end of each chapter to measure of their mastery of the chapter. Should a student be absent from a scheduled test and have an acceptable reason, a different set of questions will be provided. The time for a second testing of one of the first three tests will be mutually set. However, a student may only make up one test during the semester. Students may not retake a test.
2. During the semester up to 15 specific homework assignments will be announced. For most of the 15 weeks of the semester these weekly and chapter assignments will be announced on Thursdays and due the following Tuesdays. Most assigned questions can be answered in a one page essay. However, for each written assignment, you must write a critical analysis of the subject/topic. I am not looking for you to just repeat what you have read. I am looking for you to think critically about the topic and to apply and integrate knowledge you have learned from other assigned readings into the current assignment. Homework reports must be typed. I do not accept assignments sent through the e-mail system. Students are encouraged to use the U. of A. writing lab for help in developing a thoughtful essay. If the assignment is turned in on time and contains a well developed argument or application of specific sociological concepts the student may earn 10 points. If the essay is turned in late by one class 3 points will be deducted. If it is late by two class periods then 5 points will be deducted. However, if a student has an excused absence and then turns in the assignment upon their first day of return to class they will not lose points. The maximum points possible for turning in well written assignments are 150 points.
3. Class attendance is required as each student’s contribution to class discussions and projects is valued. At the beginning of each class a student attendance sheet will be provided and must be signed. Two points will be awarded for each class attended. Being tardy or leaving early without permission will reduce the points by 1. If a student is absent from class due to a college recognized acceptable reason and the student presents the reason for the absence at the first class they attend following the absence, they will be marked as having been present for that class. The maximum points earned for perfect attendance will be 50. However, if a student is absent 12 or more class sessions, regardless of the reason they will be assigned an F.
4. During the semester there may be opportunities to attend departmental presentations and to receive points for such attendance. All students may also earn up to 10 points by presenting an essay telling about their experience at a special event and connecting that experience to the course content.
GRADING SYSTEM
The proposed maximum number of points that can be earned is 460. Following the final examination each student’s cumulative points will be used as her/his numerator. That number will be divided by the mean of the total points earned by those students who rank in the top 10% of the class. The resulting number turned into a percentage will then be used to assign a letter grade. A+ for 96.5% or higher, A between 93.5% and 96.5%, and A- between 90.0% and 93.5%. Similar designations will be used for grades: B, C, and D. The grade of F will be assigned for performance below 59.9%.
Class attendance is required as each student’s contribution to class discussions and projects is valued. At the beginning of each class a student attendance sheet will be provided and must be signed. Two points will be awarded for each class attended. Being tardy or leaving early without permission will reduce the points by 1. If a student is absent from class due to a college recognized acceptable reason and the student presents the reason for the absence at the first class they attend following the absence, they will be marked as having been present for that class. The maximum points earned for perfect attendance will be 50. However, if a student is absent 12 or more class sessions, regardless of the reason they will be assigned an F.
Class attendance is required as each student’s contribution to class discussions and projects is valued. At the beginning of each class a student attendance sheet will be provided and must be signed. Two points will be awarded for each class attended. Being tardy or leaving early without permission will reduce the points by 1. If a student is absent from class due to a college recognized acceptable reason and the student presents the reason for the absence at the first class they attend following the absence, they will be marked as having been present for that class. The maximum points earned for perfect attendance will be 50. However, if a student is absent 12 or more class sessions, regardless of the reason they will be assigned an F.
All students in attendance at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student.
The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.
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