Introduction to Sociology
Soc. 1 – Online Summer 2008
Class Website: //bb.redwoods.edu

First week of instruction information:	On or shortly after the first day of class go to the Blackboard login site at http://bb.redwoods.edu/   Username and password instructions are available at this site. After you login you will find a link to the class where you will receive detailed instructions on how to proceed. You must participate fully by the end of the first week (Sunday) or you may be dropped from the class.
Instructor and contact information:	Linda Ellis, instructor. You can reach me by email at linda-ellis@redwoods.edu. I check my email on a daily basis during the summer session.
Course Information	This course is taught entirely online and is not self-paced. There are weekly assignments that are due at the end of each week (click on the tool bar that says “weekly schedule” to know what is required for each week). You are required to read the textbook and chapter notes; participate in nine weekly group discussions; complete two paper assignments, four quizzes; and a mid-term and final exam. You are free to pick the time during the week that you want to be involved in the class work, but there are timelines and I will not accept late assignments. .
Required Textbooks:	Society: The Basics, 9^th edition, by Macionis, (2007) published by Prentice Hall. This edition is a paperback special ordered textbook covering chapters 1-11. The text is available at College of the Redwoods bookstore or by phone at (707) 476- 4130. Phone orders have no charge for shipping and handling but require a credit card payment. It is important for you to have the textbook before class begins. I strongly encourage you to purchase the text as soon as possible and well before the semester starts.
Course Description:	Sociology one is an introduction to the discipline of sociology including basic concepts, principles and research techniques of sociology. It emphasizes the study of the structures and patterned social interaction including the analysis and explanation of society, human culture, social groups, social institutions, social structure, social stratification, social deviation, and social change.
Computer Skills Required:	In order to take an online course you are required to have an up-to-date email address. You must be comfortable navigating websites, opening and downloading or reading files, using a word processor and converting files to rich text format, submitting files to Blackboard, and Turnitin.com, and taking quizzes and exams online. Most computers and internet providers will be satisfactory, but you must be able to access the internet at least twice a week and for upwards to an hour or two at a time. I would recommend broadband services such as cable, satellite, or DSL. If you have difficulty assessing the online course, computer issues, etc., please contact Instructional Technology Support (ITS) at (707) 476-4160.
Taking an Online Course:	Taking a course on-line is different in many ways from a traditional classroom course. While you do not need to attend class, there are still responsibilities and tasks that must be completed on a weekly basis. If you were taking the course on campus you would be expected to spend three hours a week in class and approximately six to nine hours outside of class doing the required assignments. This class requires at least as much time as a traditional class and greater self discipline. You will need to read weekly course notes, carefully read text chapters, participate in online discussion board questions, write and submit chapter papers, and be able to take online quizzes, a midterm and a final exam.
Code of Conduct:	Please read the Student Code of Conduct Standards in the college under the campus policies and regulations. As a student in an online class, you must do your own work. All assignments and exams must be completed by you, the student who is registered for the class. Please be respectful of your fellow students. Be kind and considerate in all of your postings and responses to the discussion forum (please read taking an online course and netiquette in the course note section).
Grading Criteria and Distribution:	Grading Criteria: Mid-term and final exam (200 points) Four quizzes (50 points) Nine weekly discussion responses (90 points) Two chapter paper assignments (60 points). Total Points: 400 Grade Distribution: A = 95% and above A- = 90-94% B+ = 86-89% B = 85-83% B- = 80-82% C+ = 78-79% C = 70-77% D = 60-69% F = 59% and below
Additional Accomodations:	If you need accommodations to succeed in the online class you should contact Disabled Students' Program and Services (DSPS) at 707-476-4280.
Chapter Paper Assignment, Discussion Board Questions, and Exams and Quizzes	I will be assigning a chapter paper assignment for each chapter we cover.  You will choose two (yes, only two for the semester) chapter papers to complete for the semester. Choose the chapter questions that interest you.  The paper assignments are given in lieu of a term paper. Your papers should be at least three complete pages in length (if they are less than three, you will not receive the total points available).  Your papers are to be typed, double-spaced, with a 12 font, and 1.25 inch margins. Please do not include the chapter question in the content of your paper, your name, my name, or course number. You will submit your completed papers to Turnitin.com.   To set up your own student account, please go to the website Turnitin.com and log-on by using the class I.D. number 2004694 and use the password "redwoods1".  There is a student training video or a student quickstart (PDF) available to assist you in navigating the site.  After you have given your information to the site, you can start submitting papers.   I will only accept papers through Turnitin.com, so it is important that you learn the process early in the semester.  The purpose of sending your papers to Turnitin.com is to review your papers for plagiarism.  The site will give each paper a similarity percentage of what portion of the paper, if any, has been copied, etc., and you will not receive points if it has been plagiarized.   Turnitin.com will accept most formatted papers with the exception of "WordPerfect", and the "Text" format. If you have a WordPerfect word processing program, please try to save your paper in the "Rich Text Format (rtf)", and do not use a text formatting if at all possible.  The site is currently trying to correct the problem. Once your papers have been graded you will be able to access them through Turnitin.com.  You can locate your graded paper by clicking on the red and black "Grade Mark" icon near your submitted paper.  You should be able to read my comments by clicking on the icons displayed throughout the paper and the written comments I have made at the end of the paper. Discussion Board Questions/Responses: You are required to participate in at least nine discussion boards questions (11 are available worth ten points each). It is important that you answer the discussion board question early in the week. To receive the allotted points you will need to answer the questions asked on the topic no later than three days before the discussion ends (5 points). You are required to respond to the comments of at least two other students (5 points) before the week ends. If people respond to you and you have not responded to them because you have waited until the last day and time, I will also deduct points because you are not participating in the discussion. You do not have to answer every single one response, just those that bring about further thoughts and ideas. You will receive credit for the top nine scores. If you choose to complete more than nine, I will choose the best nine scores. Exams and Quizzes: Two exams will be taken online. I will provide a study guide before each exam. The exams will consist of multiple choice questions (50 points) and two written exam question (50 points) for the mid-term and the final. They are not open-book or open-notes. There will be four quizzes. The quizzes are open-book. See the reading guide for the dates and times.