Syllabus Nicole Vadino SOC 212
Syllabus
Nicole Vadino
Introduction to Sociology
Community College of Philadelphia
Professor: Nicole Vadino
Phone Number: 610-306-3143 (this is my personal cell phone so please only use in a case of an
emergency—Always email me in Canvas first!)
E-mail: nvadino@ccp.edu
Skype: nicole.vadino (I am usually on my computer a lot so feel free to contact me)
Textbook: The Essentials: Andersen and Taylor 7th Edition (this is a custom book isbn-13:978-
1-133-83552-3 or isbn-10:1-133-83552-x) Make sure you get this edition
"Once knowledge is achieved, the sky is the limit."
(Greek Proverb)
This course will provide an opportunity for students to understand different sociological
approaches to various social issues and give students the foundation required for a more
comprehensive understanding of this social science. A variety of topics will be discussed that
will allow the students to delve into important social issues and become familiar with techniques
and perspectives that are integral aspects of the field. Since this course is an on-line course, you
will be required to participate in the forums as well as complete the assignments on time. Where
Course information
Since this course is an introductory course in Sociology, there are no pre-requisites for the class. Since the
class will be very interactive, it is important that the students feel that they have an open forum for their
thoughts, ideas and perspectives. Consideration and respect is the key for this interaction to be successful.
This class is a journey into understanding of the world around you and the trail will not always be an easy
hike. As with every journey, preparation and forethought as well as open mindedness and hard work will
be expected throughout. I look forward to guiding you into some bright horizons. Since much of your
interaction will be in the form of a forum, you are requested to be mindful of your statements. The forum
is based on our group discussions and therefore students need to feel that it is a safe environment to discuss
openly and honestly.
Instructor Information
A bit of background material... I graduated with my M.A. and B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in
1995 in Sociology with a concentration in deviance and social control. My main research interests at Penn
were the death penalty, the Italian Mafia, crime control and due process as well as death and mourning.
After graduation, I spent three years in Greece and I speak both Greek and Italian. At the University of
Delaware, I did my PhD course work and my research interests were in Law & Society and Criminology.
I taught a variety of Sociology and Criminology courses at University of Delaware, Penn State Delco and
CCP. Currently, I am a full-time faculty member in Sociology at the Community College of Philadelphia.
Since this course will be providing many areas of interest, I would like to hear from as many of you as
possible so I can focus the class discussions and readings to best suit the overall interest of the class.
you may send your assignments earlier, no late papers will be considered.
Course information:
During the semester, there will be three sections that will break topics into areas of interest. Each section
will involve class readings from the main text as well as supplementary readings and lecture materials.
After each new section, there will be a comprehensive mid-term exam. There will be a total of two exams
during the semester and a final during the exam week. Each week there will be discussion questions for the
forum as well as mini-quizzes on the chapter readings. All materials need to be completed when stated in
the reading list.
Course Description:
Understanding the social nature of humans and the social world in which they live. Analysis
of such topics as culture, socialization, social groups and social institutions, stratification, the
family, gender relations, race and ethnicity, minorities, social deviance, social change and
technology, the urban community, population and the environment. Both Western and non-
Western cross-cultural comparisons are provided throughout the course. Fulfills Interpretive
Studies, American/Global Diversity and Writing Intensive requirements.
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
· Describe how sociologists seek to understand the social world and human social
behavior as contrasted with other disciplinary attempts to understand it.
· Describe the varieties of methodological approaches to sociological explanation.
· Explain what variables account for the maintenance of and change within social
systems.
· Discuss how the individual becomes a functioning member of society.
· Discuss the explanatory models used by sociologists to understand and explain
the nature of social deviance.
· Describe how sociologists understand and explain the nature and consequences
of stratification systems in human societies in the context of social class, race,
ethnicity, gender, age, and global inequality.
Course Objectives
The main course objective is to provide the students with the tools and information needed to
look at the world through a different set of eyes. As we journey through different sections, we
will debunk many of the myths that are prevalent in society and continue to misinform the general
population. The students will be provided the opportunity to use the techniques of social science
research and put theory into action. This will not be a course of passive learning or memorization
but rather an active learning environment that requires the students to gather the information
from the readings and apply this information to other aspects of social interactions. During some
weeks students may be required to read a newspaper (from the internet, or newsstand) and write
short reaction papers. The objective of the course is to provide the building blocks throughout the
course to make connections in each of the course sections.
Since the course is an introductory course, the main objective will be to introduce the class to
a variety of topics that are important in the field of study. You will be able to access standard
lectures that will be on power point, which will be available on line. Make sure you review the
lecture notes while you complete your readings. The lectures are a guide to your learning and
there will be many questions posed throughout. The forum will be a major portion of your grade.
Participation and discussion will account for a portion of the overall final grade.
Course Requirements
Sociology 101 is a writing intensive course and you will be required to complete many writing
assignments. You will be graded on content as well as your writing ability. I suggest that you review
prior to submission and even go to the college writing labs for help. Your content will be 75% of the
grade and your writing will be 25%.
As students in this Introduction to Sociology class, you will be required to interact with your fellow
students in groups to discuss a number of issues that will be debated in the forum. These discussions will
require students to do some outside research at the library or on the web. Some weeks students will be
required to post their reaction papers to the forum and comment on other postings. Course Policies
Where this is an online class, it does not mean that you can skip a week or two. If you will be unable
to access internet, this is not a class for you. You will be responsible for doing a group project as well
as being involved in the weekly forums. Where this class allows you the flexibility to access the class
materials and do work at all hours, there are strict deadlines for assignments. The assignments will be
closed after the deadline so you will get NO credit and will not be able to post your work if it is after the
dedicated deadline. Every class is different so make sure you are aware of the deadlines and requirements
of the class.
You need to participate actively in the forum discussion and post your responses in a timely manner.
Failure to do so will result in a lowering of your grade. If you miss 2 weeks of forums (at any point in
the semester), you may be dropped from class for lack of participation. The forums are the way I take
attendance and account for your participation. Where you may be able to do some of your assignments
ahead of time, it is important that you follow the forum discussion on a weekly basis or you will not be able
to complete some of the required work.
Issues regarding Cheating and Plagiarism
Lately there has been an increase in plagiarism and I will not tolerate any forms of plagiarism. You need to
cite all of your work and make sure that read the definitions below.
Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of words or ideas from an existing source as if they were your own
work. In academic circumstances, plagiarism may be divided into three categories: (taken from: University
of Delaware Academic Integrity)
• Copying directly from another source without using quotation marks or a footnote;
• Changing a few words in a passage from another source without using quotation marks or a footnote;
• Putting ideas (judgments, opinions, inferences experiments, etc.) from another source in your own
words without using a footnote.
If any student is caught cheating on an exam or in any act of plagiarism, the instructor has the right to fail
the student for the course and the assignment. Please refer to the attached sheets from CCP's student code
of conduct on plagiarism and cheating. If a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing one time during the
semester, it will result in the student failing the assignment as well as the class for the semester.
Missed Assignments and Late Work
As with the missed quizzes, missed assignments cannot be made up. No late work will be accepted after
the due date unless there are extenuating circumstances. There will be no make-up exams.
Grading, Evaluation Policies and Procedures
Every assignment and exam will have a certain amount of points allotted.
Exams and Quizzes are worth: 400 points
Weekly forums are worth: 150 points
Papers Throughout the semester 800 points
Group Assignment Grade 150 points
Total Amount of points 1500 points
Course Summary:
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