Intro to Sociology Sociology 1301 Introduction to Sociology Fall 2010 CRN 13500/16634 TR 12-1:20 WELCOME!!! "People who like to avoid shocking discoveries, who prefer to believe that society is just what they were taught in Sunday School, who like the safety of the rules and maxims of what Alfred Schutz has called the 'World-takenfor-granted', should stay away from sociology." (Peter Berger, Invitation to Sociology) The aim of this course will be to introduce the student to the sociological perspective, a perspective which isn't particularly designed to enable us to discover new, unknown things but rather to discover a new way of seeing old, familiar things; a perspective that is both dangerous and liberating. We see the world the way we do not because that is the way it is, but because we have these ways of seeing, and sociology is a way of seeing. Education is a journey, not a destination, hence students will be highly encouraged to integrate their formal readings with their own personal life experiences and to practice doing sociology rather than merely learning about it. We will also be doing various "experiments" in "de-socialization" wherein we will use ourselves as a laboratory and we will, to some degree, become our own sociological experiments. Borrowed in part from Bernard McGrane. Sociology professor Chapman University Author of The Un-TV and The 10 MPH Car. "I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand." (Old Confucian Proverb)

Intro to Sociology Instructor: Teri Hibbert Office: Old Main 313 Office Hours: TR 10-11 or by appt. Phone: ` 747-5714 Email: [email protected]

TA: TBA

In any email, please include the subject of your message in the subject line and let me know who you are in the first line of your message and what class you are attending.

Teaching Philosophy: My approach in teaching any course including Sociology 1301 is to allow the student to experience individual responsibility in the college environment. While I will be lecturing, discussing and guiding student activities, it is the students’ personal responsibility to actively participate in the role of college student. The successful student comes to every class prepared, which means all assigned material has been read, any written assignments have been completed, and he/she is ready to engage in possible discussion of the readings in class. As the instructor, my responsibilities are to provide a positive learning environment, guide students through the semester with timely feedback about progress, and involve the TA with the class in an effective way. Students should feel comfortable in asking questions in person or through email.

Required Texts and Materials SOC by Benokraitis, Nijole 2009-2010 edition Email access: UTEP and Blackboard Green scantrons for exams

80 points 10 points 10 points 100 points

Grading policy: 4 Exams 75 multiple choice questions Getting to Know You on Blackboard discussions DVD A Class Divided found on home page of Blackboard total

Intro to Sociology

Exams: Green scantron and two # 2 sharpened pencils are required. DVD will be shown in class and essays will be due in word format. (see information next page).

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Preparation The successful student comes to class and is prepared. Bring your text and other necessary materials. Have assignments ready to hand in at the beginning of class because that is when they will be collected.

may not be made up.

No late work will be accepted and exams

If you miss a class, contact a classmate for information you may have missed. To assist you in this, we will have an icebreaker and you may gather info from your group members.

Class member_________________Phone___________E-mail_______________ Class member_________________Phone___________E-mail_______________

Assignments Appearance: assignments must be typed, double spaced, on white paper using black ink, using a 12 pt font with one inch margins. Cover page will include student’s name, name and time of class, instructor’s name, due date and title of assignment. All pages must be stapled together. A stapler will NOT be provided in class. Please do not use a

Intro to Sociology folder, shiny plastic cover or other “container.” Papers that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted.

Participation and Miscellaneous Considerations Students should come to class prepared. Every student is a vital part of the class. In some instances, coming to class unprepared will result in an absence. In class, students are expected to be alert, attentive, and focused on the subject at hand. Participation and attitude are very important in this class and throughout your college career. You have unique and special qualities to share with the rest of the class. In order to provide you with a positive learning environment,

I ask that you silence your cell phones during class and keep them out of view. Also any music players, etc should be turned off and put away. If you use a laptop for note taking, please do not use for other sites during class time—such as your email, facebook or any other non-academic site. Please observe basic etiquette: listening when another is speaking, not working on assignments during class, paying attention, and treating others with respect and courtesy. This is a large class and certain guidelines are needed to provide the best instruction possible therefore: Cross-conversations during class are disruptive and will delay instruction. All students have the right not to be disturbed in this manner during the instruction time they have paid for. Continued disruptions will result in the student/s being asked to leave and deductions will be made from participation points. If the disruptions are ongoing (2nd time I have to ask student/s to stop talking), I will send student/s name/s to Dean of Students and drop with an F. Arriving late is also disruptive so please be on time or you will not be allowed into the classroom. If late arrivals continue, the door will be closed and no one will be allowed to enter the classroom. With regard to exams, everyone needs to be in class on time. After 10 minutes, the door will be closed and no one will be admitted to the exam.

Intro to Sociology Your instructor may choose to make an exception to the above policies if she deems the circumstances warrant it.

Also the UGLC has very specific rules about food and drinks in the classrooms so please do not bring any drinks or food to class. If students do not comply with these rules, they will be asked to leave the class and lose points as a first warning. Expensive computer equipment was damaged last semester so the rules will be enforced. Additional University Information 

Copyright Statement Some of the materials in this course are copyrighted. Violation of US copyright law can result in civil damages up to $100.000 for each work copied. Copying of textbooks is not “fair use” under the Copyright Act. The “fair use doctrine” only permits noncommercial copying of part (in general, not more than 10%) of a copyrighted work. Do not bring a copied textbook to this class. Your cooperation is expected

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1.3 Student Conduct: [From the Handbook of Operating Procedures: Student Affairs] Each student is responsible for notice of and compliance with the provisions of the Regents Rules and Regulations, which are available for inspection electronically at http://www.utsystem.edu/bor/rules/homepage.htm.

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1.3.1 Scholastic Dishonesty: [From the Handbook of Operating Procedures: Student Affairs] It is the official policy of the University that all suspected cases or acts of alleged scholastic dishonesty must be referred to the Dean of Students for investigation and appropriate disposition. It

Intro to Sociology is contrary to University policy for a faculty member to assign a disciplinary grade such as an "F" or zero to an assignment, test, examination, or other course work as a sanction for admitted or suspected scholastic dishonesty in lieu of normally charging the student through the Dean of Students. Similarly, students are prohibited from proposing and/or entering into an arrangement with a faculty member to receive a grade of "F" or any reduced grade in lieu of being charged with scholastic dishonesty. Any student who commits an act of scholastic dishonesty is subject to discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts. 

1.3.12 Plagiarism: [From the Handbook of Operating Procedures: Student Affairs] "Plagiarism" means the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one's own academic work offered for credit, or using work in a paper or assignment for which the student had received credit in another course without direct permission of all involved instructors.

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Students with Disabilities Policy: If you have or suspect a disability and need an accommodation you should contact Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) at 747-5148 or at [email protected] or go to Room 106 Union East Building.

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Syllabus Change Policy: Except for changes that substantially affect the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.

Intro to Sociology