PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY - SYG 2000

Instructor: Anne MookSummer B, 2016
E-mail: ection: 4F46
Office: 3102Turlington HallM -F | Period 4 (12:30 PM - 1:45 PM)
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-3PMClassroom: TUR 1315

Course communications:

E-learning in Canvas: - this will be used for readings, grades, weekly assignments, and the final paper.

Webmail: I will send out class updates via Canvas and/or your UF webmail account

Course objectives:

1.Introduce students to sociology

2.Explain how the scientific method is used to generate the research evidence for Sociology

3.Develop and refine the research skills necessary to write a sociologically informed paper

4.Connect social science research with the development of contemporary social policies

Course Description:

This is an introduction to sociology as a social science and analysis of American society. This course will encourage you to develop what C. Wright Mills called a sociological imagination, which refers to the capacity to see how seemingly personal matters are shaped by larger social forces. The sociological imagination involves making linkages between private issues and public problems. It requires students to think about the familiar routines of daily life and consider how events that seem to concern only the individual actually reflect larger social issues. Topics include gender, class, minorities, deviance, health, the family, socialization, and social stratification among others. In this course, you will learn to analyze your personal experiences using the sociological imagination; apply sociological concepts to the analysis of social issues and problems, explain the effect that social forces and social institutions have on individual and group behavior, and comprehend how structural inequalities based on race, class and gender affect society.

Required Text:

Dalton Conley. And You May Ask Yourself: An Introduction to Thinking Like A

Sociologist. 4th Edition. W.W. Norton.

Available Formats:

Paperback: ISBN 978-0-393-93773-2 $68.75 (Available for purchase at local bookstores, University of Florida Bookstore or online from Amazon)

Warning: A textbook with the same title, author, and publisher, but with a different ISBN number, and the word “core” edition on the cover is also available at bookstores. It has only 10 chapters. Do not get it. In week 10, you will wonder why everyone else is studying a different topic than you.

Grading:

Weekly quizzes / 20%
Weekly assignments / 30%
Final paper proposal / 10%
Final paper / 20%
Attendance & participation / 20%

Grade /Percentage:

A / 93-100%
A- / 90-92 %
B+ / 87-89
B / 83-86
B- / 80-82
C+ / 77-79 %
C / 73-76 %
C- / 70-72 %
D+ / 67-69 %
D / 63-66 %
D- / 60-62 %
E / Below 60 %

Statement on Final Grades:

Please do not contact me at the end of the semester and ask if I can “bump your grade” by a few points. This is unfair to the other students and it is unethical. I can assure you that I will be careful, thoughtful, and impartial in assigning grades. I also hope that you will come and see me if you ever have questions, concerns, or need additional help.

Course Requirements:

Each week you have the following requirements:

  • Review the chapter learning objectives and key concept maps
  • Read the assigned chapters.
  • Complete the weekly assignments and submit on Canvas. Late assignmentswill not be accepted.
  • Take the weekly quiz.
  • Write a final research paper

Course Policies:

Attendance Policy: I expect you to come to every class on time and with your reading and writing assignments completed, prepared to participate in discussion and group work. Accommodations will be made for university-excused absences. In all such instances, you must notify me in advance; notification must be in writing or via email. Graded coursework must be turned in to me prior to the date of your absence(s). Examples of excused absences are serious illness; illness or death of family member; University-related trips; major religious holidays; other circumstances you find to be "reasonable cause for nonattendance." Instructors have the right to request "appropriate verification" when students claim an excused absence.
Extra credit:There are no extra credit opportunities in this class.
Make-up Policy: I allow make-ups only in the case of university-excused absences.
Late assignment Policy: I do not accept late assignments. If you anticipate being unable to finish an assignment on time, let me know as soon as possible. Please be honest. I am more understanding when students talk to me and tell me the truth.
Statement on Laptop Computers and Cell Phones:I want all of my students to be fully engaged in every class session. As such, students should please turn off cell phones and other electronic devices at the beginning of class. I also ask that no laptops be used in the classroom.

UF Policies:

University Policy on Accommodating Students with Disabilities:Students requesting accommodation for disabilities must first register with the Dean of Students Office ( The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodation. You must submit this documentation prior to submitting assignments or taking the quizzes or exams. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore, students should contact the office as soon as possible in the term for which they are seeking accommodations.
University Policy on Academic Misconduct: Academic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student Honor Code at
Netiquette: Communication Courtesy: All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy in all email messages, threaded discussions and chats.

Course schedule:

Date

/

Readings

/

Assignments

/

Due date

Week 1

/

Chapter 1 & 2

Monday

/

Syllabus

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

/

Quiz 1

/

07/01

Week 2

/

Chapter 3 & 4

Monday

/

Assignment 1

/

07/03

Tuesday

Wednesday

/

Final paper proposal

/

07/06

Thursday

Friday

/

Quiz 2

/

07/08

Week 3

/

Chapter 5 & 6

Monday

/

Assignment 2

/

07/10

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

/

Quiz 3

/

07/15

Week 4

/

Chapter 7 & 8

Monday

/

Assignment 3

/

07/17

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

/

Quiz 4

/

07/22

Week 5

/

Chapter 9 & 10

Monday

/

Assignment 4

/

07/24

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

/

Quiz 5

/

07/28

Week 6

/

Chapter 11 & 12

Monday

/

Assignment 5/ Final paper

/

07/30

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

/

Quiz 6

/

08/04

Friday

/

No class

Support services:

Technical issues: For issues with technical difficulties for Canvas, please contact the UF Help Desk at:

  • (352) 392-HELP (4357)
  • Walk-in: HUB 132

Any requests for make-ups due to technical issues MUST be accompanied by the ticket number received from the Help Desk when the problem was reported to them. The ticket number will document the time and date of the problem. You MUST e-mail your instructor within 24 hours of the technical difficulty if you wish to request a make-up.

Counseling and Student Health:Students sometimes experience stress from academic expectations and/or personal and interpersonal issues that may interfere with their academic performance. If you find yourself facing issues that have the potential to or are already negatively affecting your coursework, you are encouraged to talk with an instructor and/or seek help through University resources available to you.

  • The Counseling and Wellness Center 352-392-1575 offers a variety of support services such as psychological assessment and intervention and assistance for math and test anxiety. Visit their web site for more information: On line and in person assistance is available.
  • You Matter We Care website: If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, you can reach out for help through the You Matter We Care website, which is staffed by Dean of Students and Counseling Center personnel.
  • The Student Health Care Center at Shands is a satellite clinic of the main Student Health Care Center located on Fletcher Drive on campus. Student Health at Shands offers a variety of clinical services. The clinic is located on the second floor of the Dental Tower in the Health Science Center. For more information, contact the clinic at 392-0627 or check out the web site at:
  • Crisis intervention is always available 24/7 from:

Alachua County Crisis Center
(352) 264-6789

Course evaluations:

Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of instruction in this course based on 10 criteria. These evaluations are conducted online at Evaluations are typically open during the last two weeks of the semester. Students will be given specific times when they are open. Summary results of these assessments are available to students at

Disclaimer: This syllabus represents my current plans and objectives. As we go through the semester, those plans may need to change to enhance the class learning opportunity. Such changes, communicated clearly, are not unusual and should be expected.