SOC313

Syllabus | Fall 2020

Professor

Joanna Pepin, Ph.D.

Email: jpepin@buffalo.edu
Consultation hours: Thursdays 1 - 3pm (On Discord) or by appointment

TA

Zhe (Rachel) Zhang

Email: Zzhang67@buffalo.edu
Consultation hours: Wednesday 10 - 11:30am (On Discord)

Need help? Look for answers on Discord. Your peers are the best source of information (after the syllabus)! And, if you have a question, someone else in class probably does, too. This helps everyone get the necessary information. It is also the most transparent and fair way to ensure all students are receiving the same information about the course.

If you have a question about your personal circumstances, you are welcome to contact your TA on Discord during her office hours. You can also send her a private message or conduct a voice or video call at that time. Your third option is to send your TA an email. I am also available on Thursdays from 1-2:30 on Discord. I try to also answer questions posted on Discord throughout the week. This is the most efficient way to reach me.

The land on which the University at Buffalo operates is the territory of the Seneca Nation, a member of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations Confederacy. This territory is covered by The Dish with One Spoon Treaty of Peace and Friendship, a pledge to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. It is also covered by the 1794 Treaty of Canandaigua, between the United States Government and the Six Nations Confederacy, which further affirmed Haudenosaunee land rights and sovereignty in the State of New York. Today, this region is still the home to the Haudenosaunee people, and we are grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and share ideas in this territory.

Course Description

This course provides a critical analysis of families using a life course perspective. We will pay attention to historical transformations of families in society and to family transitions over the life course of individuals. This course emphasizes the linked lives of individuals to each other, to institutions such as work, and to their cultural contexts. The intersections between the family and other social institutions, as well as growing diversity between families will be central foundations of this course.

We will examine trends in family life such as racial and economic inequality, technology’s transformation of romantic relationships, and demographic trends. Other topics include historical trends in courtship, family formation, parenting, families and work, and divorce and remarriage.

This is a fully remote (online) course with no face-to-face meetings and no required meeting times (asynchronous). The structure of the course is for 1 or 2 modules to be released each week.

Learning Outcomes

What will I learn?

The course will introduce you to sociological concepts and issues pertaining to contemporary family sociology. You will finish the course with a better understanding of the differences between families and the ways that social forces shape families. You will apply the sociological perspective to the institution of the family and examine how social factors such as race, class, and gender shape contemporary families. You will demonstrate these skills through weekly assignments, exams, by producing mini projects and fact checking news about families in society.

Course Outcomes

Outcome	Method of Assessment
Understand and evaluate the family as a socially and culturally constructed institution.	All exams and InQuizitive
Think critically about how race, class, gender, age, and social location shape how individuals experience family life within society.	Exams 1 and 2; Flipped Quizzes; Word Cloud
Have an awareness of historical and demographic trends shape and change family patterns in American society.	Exams 1 and 3; Sociological Memes
Be able to form arguments and think critically about family life and broader society.	All Mini Projects; Fack Check Project; Word Cloud

Diversity Outcomes

Outcome	Instructional Methods	Method of Assessment
Understand the challenges and possibilities inherent in a diverse society.	Readings & lectures on: The Family in History; Images, Ideals, and Myths; Framing Families; The Future of the Family; and Family Policy	All exams and InQuizitive
Think critically and with an open mind about controversial contemporary and historical topics stemming from issues such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, religion, and disability in American society.	Readings & lectures on: Race, Ethnicity and Immigration; Families and Social Class; Gender; Sexuality;	All exams; Flipped Quizzes; Fact Check Project
Understand that categories of diversity develop and change over time.	Readings & lectures on: The Family in History; Race, Ethnicity and Immigration; Gender; Sexuality	All exams;
Describe how categories of diversity intersect or connect with each other, creating complex identities and perspectives.	Readings & lectures on: Race, Ethnicity and Immigration; Families and Social Class; Gender; Sexuality;	Exam 1; Sociological Memes
Recognize that categories of difference create both institutional inequalities and advantages.	Readings & lectures on: Families and Children; Work and Families; Family Violence and Abuse; Family Policy;	Exam 2 and 3; Fact Check Project
Explain how historical contexts (such as Western global expansion, slavery, capitalism, gender inequality, immigration, and/or social movements) have shaped contemporary realities.	Readings & lectures on: A Sociology of the Family; The Family in History; The Future of the Family; Family Policy	Exams 1 and 3; Word Cloud; Sociological Memes

Materials

Textbook: The Family- Diversity, Inequality, and Social Change (2ed) by Philip Cohen
Access to a web-browser with a stable internet connection
A free account with Dicord
Additional content will be posted on the course web page

Make sure you purchase the book with the access code (InQuizitive & Animations), as you will be required to complete activities using the textbook website for this course.

I encourage you to purchase the course textbook directly from the publisher but it can also be found online at other websites.

Technology Recommendations

To effectively participate in this course, regardless of mode of instruction, the University recommends you have access to a Windows or Mac computer with webcam and broadband. Your best opportunity for success in the blended UB course delivery environment (in-person, hybrid, and remote) will require these minimum capabilities listed on this UB website

Requirements

Learning will be assessed through a mixture of quizzes, assignments and exams.

Participation (5%)

You will be expected to actively participate in an effort to ensure your understanding of the ideas presented in the course modules. Your class participation grade will be determined based on your participation in ungraded surveys and discussion platforms throughout the semester. Participation will be measured by completion of surveys/polling embedded in the modules, questions and answers on the course channels (Discord), and posting content on the discussion board. Opportunities to participate will be offered throughout the duration of the course.

Discord discussions

Create a free Dicord account.
Then, join the class server. Make sure to check Discord frequently, post questions and respond to your fellow classmates. Students who assist their fellow classmates with troubleshooting technological issues discussed on the board may receive extra participation points.

Learning Check (15%)

You will complete 13 Learning Checks, for each of the chapters in the textbook, to ensure you’ve mastered the key concepts from the course textbook. Learning will be assessed through InQuizitive, an adaptive quizzing tool that combines interactive question types with game-like elements.

You can take these quizzes as many times as you want to achieve a grade you are satisfied with. I will drop your 3 lowest InQuizitive scores (even if they are a zero) to calculate your Learning Check grade.

It is highly recommended that Learning Checks be completed weekly, as the course progresses. However, each Learning Check will be available for completion (with no penalty) until the date of the corresponding exam.

For Exam 3, this mean InQuizitives will be accepted until: Monday, December 14th from 3:30PM - 6:30PM

You will NOT be able to complete a Learning Check after the exam date of the corresponding chapter has passed (no exceptions). These are meant to support your learning, and thus ability to demonstrate your knowledge on the exam, rather than be a hoop to jump through to complete the course.

For information on setting up your access to InQuizitive, check out this help video. Please note that the InQuizitve links will be embedded in modules, rather than a link on the table of contents as shown in this video.

Mini Projects (30%)

Over the course you will complete four mini projects. Detailed instructions will be provided for each mini project at designated times throughout the course. I strongly recommend you complete mini-projects within 1 week of their availability, but you may complete these assignments at any time throughout the course. Mini-projects will be accepted (with no late penalty) until the last day of the semester: Friday, December 11th.

Flipped Quizzes are the exception, and will be accepted until Exam 3: Monday, December 14th at 3:30PM.

In other words, you may submit these projects late if needed, but you will not be able to complete them prior to the date in which instructions are offered.

Flipped Quizzes (15%)

You will create 3 multiple choice questions (5% each) related to the course material (textbook content is exempt) and share them with your classmates to assist in study review. A handful of questions will be selected to appear on each of the exams, so it is in your best interest to create compelling quiz questions. Detailed instructions about developing appropriate quiz questions will be provided at a later date.

Flipped quiz questions are accepted until Exam 3: Monday, December 14th at 3:30PM. Quiz content may only be used from modules that correspond with the upcoming exam. (For example, you can’t use content from Week 2 after Exam 1 has already passed).

Word Cloud (5%)

For this assignment, you will design a word cloud based on text related to a topic in family sociology. Detailed instructions will be provided at a later date. DUE: Friday, December 11th

Sociological Memes (5%)

For this assignment, you will create a meme related to a topic in family sociology. Detailed instructions will be provided at a later date. DUE: Friday, December 11th

Infographic (5%)

This mini-project is canceled. You’ll receive full credit for this mini-project. ~~You will design an infographic on the family sociology topic of your choosing.~~ DUE: Friday, December 11th

Fact Check Project (15%)

Fact Checking Assignment

You will be asked to write a ~~400-500~~ 200-300 word examination of a claim you find in the media related to a course topic. Think of this as a writing assignment structured as: “I read/heard that XXXX, but in reality the research says YYYY.” Additional details will be provided later in the course. Assignment details will be provided on November 24th.

I strongly recommend you complete your fact check project the week it is posted, as there will be no Learning Check accompanying the module. Your fact check project will be accepted (with no late penalty) until the last day of the semester: Friday, December 11th.

Exams (35%)

There will be 3 exams over the course of the semester. Exams will not be cumulative but I consider all materials in this course, including readings, videos, and discussions to be “fair game” for the exams. I will drop your lowest exam score, even if it is a zero.

Exams must be taken on the day(s) they are noted on the course schedule.
The time given to complete an exam will not extend beyond the time allotted.

Exam 1

The exam will be available on UBLearns from September 29th at 7am until October 1st at 7am. Your will have 90 minutes to answer 50 multiple choice questions. The material covers chapters 01 - 04 of your textbook and all related modules. Once you begin the exam, you will have to complete it in one sitting.

Exam 2

The exam will be available on UBLearns from October 29th at 7am until October 31st at 7am. Your will have 90 minutes to answer 50 multiple choice questions. The material covers chapters 05 - 08 of your textbook and all related modules. Once you begin the exam, you will have to complete it in one sitting.

Exam 3

The final exam for this course is scheduled for Monday, December 14th from 3:30PM - 6:30PM. I strongly encourage you to take it at this time, but I will also make the exam available on UBLearns from Monday, December 14th at 7am until Tuesday, December 15th at 6:30pm. Your will have 90 minutes to answer 50 multiple choice questions. The material covers chapters 09 - 13 of your textbook and all modules posted after Exam 2. Once you begin the exam, you will have to complete it in one sitting.

Schedule

Due to the nature of this course, you will not be able to work ahead in the course material.
Exams have set due dates, whereas other assignments have strongly recommended due dates. Flexibility in assignment due dates allows each student to customize the pace and timing of the course.

Week	Day	Date	Topic	Assignments
1	Tuesday	September 1	Introduction
	Thursday	September 3	A Sociology of the Family	Word Cloud
2	Tuesday	September 8	The Family in History
	Thursday	September 10	The Family in History
3	Tuesday	September 15	Race, Ethnicity and Immigration
	Thursday	September 17	Race, Ethnicity and Immigration
4	Tuesday	September 22	Families and Social Class
	Thursday	September 24	Families and Social Class
5	Tuesday	September 29		Exam 1
	Thursday	October 1	Gender
6	Tuesday	October 6	Sexuality
	Thursday	October 8	Sexuality
7	Tuesday	October 13	Love and Romantic Relationships
	Thursday	October 15	Love and Romantic Relationships
8	Tuesday	October 20	Marriage and Cohabitation
	Thursday	October 22	Marriage and Cohabitation
9	Tuesday	October 27	Images, Ideals, and Myths	Meme
	Thursday	October 29		Exam 2
10	Tuesday	November 3	Families and Children
	Thursday	November 5	Families and Children
11	Tuesday	November 10	Divorce, Remarriage and Blended Families
	Thursday	November 12	Divorce, Remarriage and Blended Families
12	Tuesday	November 17	Work and Families
	Thursday	November 19	Work and Families
13	Tuesday	November 24	Framing Families	Fact Check
	Thursday	November 26	FALL BREAK
14	Tuesday	December 1	Family Violence and Abuse
	Thursday	December 3	Family Violence and Abuse
15	Tuesday	December 8	The Future of the Family
	Thursday	December 10	Family Policy	Infographic
16	Tuesday	December 15	Exam will be available on Dec 14th	Exam 3

Grading

Grading summary

Output	Proportion
Participation	5%
Learning Checks	15%
Mini Projects	30%
Fact Check	15%
Exams	35%

Grading scale (out of 100):

Grade	Points
A	94.00–100
A-	90.00–93.99
B+	87.00–89.99
B	84.00–86.99
B-	80.00–83.99
C+	77.00–79.99
C	74.00–76.99
C-	70.00–73.99
D	60.00–69.99
F	59.99 or below

The FX grade is given to students who have no course involvement after week 9 of the semester.

FAQs

When are assignments due?

Exams have non-negotiable due dates, whereas other assignments will have suggested completion dates. I will accept Learning Checks only until the date of the exam they correspond with. For example, Learning Check for Chapter 3 may not be submitted after Exam 1. This is meant to provide a structured schedule for students who want that, but also flexibility over the course of the semester as disruptions are likely to arise.

I strongly recommend you plan to complete all assignments within one week after the assignment instructions are posted. However, mini-projects and the fact-check project will be accepted (with no late penalty) until the last day of the semester: Friday, December 11th. Flipped-quizzes will be accepted (with no late penalty) until their corresponding exam.

Do you accept late assignments?

You have been given a grace period on all Learning Checks. It is strongly recommended you adhere to the provided due dates but I will accept Learning Checks until their corresponding exam. Please plan for unforeseen circumstances to arise over the course of the semester. It is in your best interest to front-load assignment completion when possible.

As adults, you have a lot of other things going on in your life and you are the one best equipped to decide what merits your time and attention. Sometimes, that isn’t school. And that’s okay. But every decision you make as an adult has adult consequences. I can’t hold each student to different standards than every other student because of the decisions you made

Can I have an extension or take the exam at a later date?

There will be no additional extensions beyond those listed above. I provide the accommodations already mentioned so that everyone can have some cushion in getting their work in without needing to plead their case or feel obligated to reveal personal information. It would be impossible for me to evaluate and create an individualized learning plan that fairly accommodates each student’s unique and personal circumstances. If I say yes to one student, I must give the entire class that same extension to be fair. Making exceptions for students who ask disadvantages students who don’t feel comfortable asking. I can’t say yes to special requests from students who email to ask, so please don’t ask; I will ignore any such requests.

Will you change my grade?

If you have a question about the grading of any piece of work, first consult with the TA who graded your work. If you cannot resolve your questions with the TA, you should consult with the instructor.

If you ask for your grade to be changed on any assignment, your grade may be increased OR decreased after the TA or instructor reconsiders your work. Be advised that we err on the side of being too generous, rather than stingy, during the first past of grading. Thus is possible that when your paper is re-examined, your grade might be lowered.

Any questions about grading an assignment or exam must be raised within one week of the date that the assignment was graded. In other words, if you do not review your work in a timely fashion, you may forfeit your right to question the grading of your work.

Can I do extra credit?

I don’t offer extra credit out of fairness for all students in the course.
Please do not ask for opportunities for extra credit. There are no exceptions.

I appreciate that you are managing competing demands on your time and that you care about your grade. Instead of spending extra energy completing even more assignments, use it to do your best on the remaining assignments.

What if I need to contact you?

The best way to get in touch with the professor and TA outside of class is through the course discussion channels DISCORD, followed by an email directed to your TA. Please start the email subject line with “SOC313.”

Do not expect an immediate response. We will make every effort to respond to emails within 24-48 business hours.

Note, under federal law (FERPA—The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), I am prohibited from discussing a student’s grades and academic record with parents.

Academic tip #1 How to address instructors

Err on the side of formality
- For faculty (with Ph.D.s), use “Professor LastName” or “Dr. LastName” unless directed otherwise.
- Instructors without Ph.D.s usually invite you to use first names (but will likely not be offended if “Professor” slips out).
Use a formal, respectful writing style
- Include opening and closing salutations (discuss examples).
- No text-speak.
Do your part in solving what you need to solve.
- Don’t ask about something that’s answered right on the syllabus.

Additional information on how to email professors

Will you write me a recommendation letter?

Recommendation letters are generally only written for students earning an A- or better in this course.

UB Required Notices

Academic Integrity

Students must be familiar with and abide by the university’s policies and procedures on Academic Integrity, available at: https://catalog.buffalo.edu/policies/integrity.html. In brief, do not cheat. If you are caught cheating on an exam, you will at minimum receive a grade of zero on the exam in question and will be formally reported to the university.

Accessibility Resources

If you have any disability which requires reasonable accommodations to enable you to participate in this course, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources in 60 Capen Hall, 716-645-2608 and also the instructor of this course during the first week of class. The office will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for reasonable accommodations, which can be found at: https://www.buffalo.edu/studentlife/who-we-are/departments/accessibility.html.

Students taking exams with Accessibility Resources must start the exam at the same time/date as the rest of the class unless prior permission has been obtained from the professor.

Incomplete (I) Grades

I do not permit incompletes. If you suspect you will be unable to fulfill course requirements at the level you desire, please resign from the course by the deadline: Nov 13th, 2020.

UB Portfolio

If you are completing this course as part of your UB Curriculum requirements, please select an ‘artifact’ from this course that is representative of your learning and upload it to your UBPortfolio (powered by Digication) account. Templates have been created for this purpose. Artifacts include homework assignments and exams. Your final UB Curriculum requirement, UBC 399: UB Curriculum Capstone, will require you to submit these ‘artifacts’ as you process and reflect on your achievement and growth through the UB Curriculum. For more information, see the UB Curriculum Capstone website: https://www.buffalo.edu/ubcurriculum/capstone.html.

Gender Violence

UB is committed to providing a safe learning environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. If you have experienced gender-based violence (intimate partner violence, attempted or completed sexual assault, harassment, coercion, stalking, etc.), UB has resources to help. This includes academic accommodations, health and counseling services, housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and assistance with reporting the incident to police or other UB officials if you so choose.

Please contact UB’s Title IX Coordinator at 716-645-2266 for more information. For confidential assistance, you may also contact a Crisis Services Campus Advocate at 716-796-4399.

Mental Health & Well-being

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. These might include strained relationships, anxiety, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, health concerns, or unwanted sexual experiences. Counseling, Health Services, and Health Promotion are here to help with these or other issues you may experience.

You can learn more about these programs and services by contacting:

Counseling Services:

120 Richmond Quad (North Campus), 716-645-2720
202 Michael Hall (South Campus), 716-829-5800

Health Services:

Michael Hall (South Campus), 716-829-3316

Health Promotion:

114 Student Union (North Campus), 716-645-2837

Change My Major

Thinking about a Major or Minor in Sociology, Criminology, Social Justice, or Society, Medicine and Health?

To major in sociology, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in four required courses: SOC 101 (Introduction to Sociology), SOC 293 (Social Research Methods), SOC 294 (Basic Statistics for Social Sciences), and SOC 349 (Sociological Theory); and (b) complete eight sociology electives, seven of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

To major in criminology, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in six required courses: SOC 101 (Introduction to Sociology), SOC 206 (Social Problems), SOC 293 (Social Research Methods), SOC 294 (Basic Statistics for Social Sciences), SOC 307 (Criminology), SOC 349 (Sociological Theory); and (b) complete six criminology electives at the 300- or 400-level.

To minor in sociology, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in SOC 101 (Introduction to Sociology); and (b) complete five additional sociology electives, four of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

To minor in criminology, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in SOC 206 (Social Problems) and SOC 307 (Criminology); and (b) complete four additional criminology electives, three of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

To minor in social justice, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in SOC 206 (Social Problems); (b) complete an internship (SOC 496); and (c) complete four additional social justice electives, three of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.
To minor in society, medicine and health, you must:
(a) earn a “C” or better in SOC 229 (Population Problems) and SOC 322 (Medical Sociology); and (b) complete four additional society, medicine and health electives, three of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

The Sociology Department also offers a combined BA/MA degree in applied social research. Details about all of our programs can be found on our website (https://sociology.buffalo.edu/undergraduate/).

End

Sociology of Families