Office: Boyer Hall 362
Office Phone: 7142
Email: jeby@messiah.edu

Congressman Gary Franks tells the following story about his first test at Yale.

“I remember taking copious notes and listening to everything the teacher said in preparation for my first test at Yale. I looked at the exam and saw it was everything I had studied. I wrote the answers to the three questions thinking, Boy, this is easy. ”

“As we waited to get our tests back, I was positive I’d get an A. Instead my grade was a C. Under it, in big red letters, was written, I know what I said. What do you think? It was a valuable awakening. I realized that Yale did not simply, want you to absorb ideas but to think about them and challenge them. It forced me to explore things from every possible angle, looking for aspects that might not be obvious at first but were helpful in developing a dialogue on an issue. ” From

Blacklisted: The Odyssey of an African American Conservative published by Harper Collins.

I. INTRODUCTION

This syllabus is an invitation for you to join an exciting conversation about why we do what we do in our society and what we can do to make a better world. We will use sociological imagination and sociological theory to understand how society works and how social structures are formed. We will look beneath the surface to examine things that common sense does not tell us. You will encounter ideas that are familiar and comfortable and you will encounter ones that are new and very uncomfortable at first. We also constantly pay close attention to evaluating the evidence for our conclusions. It is not enough just to know and understand. While it is important to know and understand and to have firm evidence for our conclusions, to be authentic, knowledge must be translated into action. We will talk about theories and data, but also about commitment, commitment to justice, social change, and service.

There are many participants in our conversation. We begin with what we already know. Each of us brings a rich background of experience and knowledge to the conversation. We will interact with the text and with assigned readings. We will bring to class our daily experiences and the issues we encounter in service-learning and what we discover in research for the Policy Position papers. Everything we have ever seen or experienced and everything we are experiencing now is appropriate data for our conversation.

The course will raise many questions, but most will relate in one way or another to three: Who am I? , How can I know? , What can I do? . In asking, “Who am I?,” we will look at the social forces and structures that shape our lives. We will look at ways in which social position influences our self-identity and our understandings of reality. Hopefully, this will be a liberating experience. The more we know about how social influences shape and form our identity and perception of reality, the more free we are to make thoughtful, intentional and moral choices.

The most important ethical and moral choices we make are the choices of the social contexts within which we will make our choices. Given the incredible amount of information that is available and the rich and sometimes confusing diversity of understanding and opinion, it is essential that we examine principles of how we know what we know so that we can separate knowledge grounded in good theory, analysis and reliable observation from that which is merely conjecture or biased opinion. Ultimately, we must ask what we will do with the knowledge and insight we gain. Our focus in this course will be on society and the influence we can have to make it “good” for everyone.

II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course meets the General Education requirement for the social sciences. The objectives for this requirement are:

1 . To introduce students to the methods and philosophy of the social sciences.

2. To provide students with an introductory level of understanding regarding the nature of social scientific research.

3. To help students understand the sociocultural dimension of human existence as a fundamental reality.

4. To provide some opportunity for students to begin the process of considering one or more social problems/issues.

The course will meet these objectives by studying the way sociologists understand and analyze society. During the course, students will:

1. Explore Foundational Knowledge of Sociology. At the conclusion of the course, theywill:

Understand the basic language, concepts, theories and methodologies of sociology.

Be able to use a sociological imagination to see how society shapes and forms our individual perspectives and actions and to examine their own ideas and perspectives.

Consequently they will increase their “freedom” to make crucial choices.

Be able to recognize sociologists and their work.

2. Explore Socially Responsive Knowledge of Sociology. At the conclusion of thecourse, they will:

Possess a deeper understanding of the causes and characteristics of social problems

Possess the understandings and skills needed to act on social problems as responsible citizens and community members

Appreciate and respect persons different from themselves

Act in socially responsible ways which contribute to building a just and caring society through the development of a sense of civic and social responsibility.

3. Explore how culture and faith interact. At the end of the course they will:

Be able to integrate their sociological knowledge with Christian discipleship

Be able to use sociological knowledge to enrich their faith

III. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Messiah College policies for inclusive language, academic integrity and plagiarism as described in the student handbook apply to this class.

IV. DISABILITIES

Accommodations for students with disabilities will be made in conjunction with Messiah College’s Disabilities Services. Any student requiring accommodations should request a conference with the instructor or with Dr. Keith Drahn, Director of Disabilities Services.

V. TEXTS AND COURSE MATERIALS

Schaefer, R. T. (2004). SOCIOLOGY A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, Fifth Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc..

Eby, J. W. Ed. (2002-2003). Thinking Sociologically, a Messiah College Course Pack. Grantham, PA: Messiah College.

*Note: There are several versions of this set of readings available on campus from previous years. Any of these can be used, but the student is responsible to make sure all the readings from the current version are available. Missing readings can be requested from the instructor.

VI. COURSE COMPONENTS

1. Text material

– It is expected that students will use the text to learn sociological concepts, theories, and methodology, to review sociological research and to encounter historical and contemporary sociologists. The text has several features to help focus your understanding of the material: an outline at the beginning of each chapter, the questions under the heading, “looking ahead,” and the summary at the end. You will want to pay special attention to the list of key terms at the end of each chapter. Do not memorize definitions, but be sure you understand the concepts, can define them in your own words and apply them to real life situations.

Each section of the course is built around a chapter or set of chapters in the text, related readings from Thinking Sociologically, class discussions, and other activities which facilitate learning.

Students are expected to learn foundational material, that is, concepts, definitions, people, studies, etc. from reading the text. Class periods will be used for discussions, videos, and other activities which apply the concepts and which add depth to understanding.

2. RATS – Readiness Assessment Tests will be given near the beginning of each section of the course. These are designed to determine if students have read the material and are based on material in the text and readings. They are usually given prior to discussion of material in class. RATS are used to identify concepts which are not clear and to determine whether students are ready to proceed with discussions and applications. There will be 10 RATS. Students who do the interview (See 3 below.) will have the lowest RAT score dropped. Students have the opportunity to add the equivalent of one RAT score by participating in bonus activities (See 6 below).

RATS will be taken first individually and then as a group. Individual answers will count 70% of the RAT score and group answers, 30%

3. Interviews – Students will be awarded 100 points, the equivalent of one RAT score, if they have a personal interview with the instructor prior to the date specified in the syllabus. Students may come individually or in pairs. Appointments should be scheduled. The purpose of the interview is to provide an opportunity for the students and the instructor to learn to know each other and to work at issues that may emerge from the course.

4. Class participation and attendance – Class periods will be used for discussion of concepts, applications, theory, research, and related topics. Students are expected to participate actively. Material from class discussions will be included in tests. Participation in class will influence marginal grades. It is assumed that students will attend all classes except for absences for legitimate reasons. Attendance will be taken periodically. The instructor may penalize students with poor attendance as much as 250 points (5 percent) in their final grade.

5. Tests

– There will be three tests of equal weight. These will be cumulative in that they will assume concepts and theories introduced in previous sections of the course. Tests will include various kinds of questions including multiple choice, short answer and discussion. They may include a take home section.

6. Bonus points – Occasionally the instructor will suggest ways to earn bonus points by attending lectures or participating in special events related to course content. Bonus points will be added to scores earned by taking RATS, usually 10 points per activity. The total bonus points may not exceed 100 and the total RATS scores and bonus points may not exceed 1000.

For a student to earn credit for a bonus activity, the activity MUST be approved ahead of time by the instructor, the students MUST attend the activity, and the student MUST hand in a typed report with two parts. The first paragraph should briefly summarize the activity. The second part should analyze and critique it and relate it to sociological concepts and theory. The report should not exceed one page in length.

The report must be typed and turned in within one week of the event. Reports must include the name of the student, the name of the activity, the date of the activity, and the date the report is turned in.

7. Citations and references – Students are encouraged to use writing and citation styles of either the American Sociological Association (ASA) or the American Psychological Association (APA). Brief guidelines are published in Journals of the associations or are available in the library or from the instructor. References on papers must be in proper form.

8. Choose to do EITHER a Service-Learning Project OR two Policy Position papers.

a. Service-Learning Project –

Students may choose to integrate cognitive classroom learning with experiential learning through involvement with human need through a service-learning project with a local community service agency. The service projects will require preparing a proposal, at least 16 hours of service, and keeping a log/journal. The service-learning project will contribute real life insight and experience to the issues discussed in the course. Additional information will be distributed early in the course.

b. Policy Position Papers – Students may choose to write two five-page papers stating and defending an action or policy position on questions generated from the policy boxes in the text. The topic for the first paper will be chosen from material in sections I to 5 and the second from sections 6 to 10. Guidelines for these papers are described in the handout titled, “Policy Position Paper Guidelines.”

9. Critical Incident Analysis Papers – Each student will do five one or two-page sociological reflections relating sociological concepts to “real life” situations. For service-learning students the observations for these reflections will come from their service-learning activity. Other students will use news reports, observations of behavior at Messiah College or recent experiences in their own lives. See the handout titled “Guidelines for Critical Incident Analysis Papers” for instructions.

10. Guidelines for Papers – Please follow these guidelines for all papers turned in this class.

a. Each paper must be clearly labeled. It must state the assignment, your name, the date it is turned in, your section number and a title if appropriate. Multiple pages must be stapled.

b. Most papers are graded on a Satisfactory/Not Satisfactory basis. You can assume that unsatisfactory papers will be returned promptly. Others may take a bit longer. Assume a paper is satisfactory unless it is returned with comments and suggestions of what to do to make it satisfactory.

VII. GRADES

Grades will be calculated based on the following list of possible points. When grades are reported using the Grade Book Manager, they are sometimes multiplied by 10. Thus, 90% becomes 900 points. A quiz score of 10 correct will be recorded as 100.

Letter grades will be awarded according to the following scale of points:

COMMENT – The course tries to be responsive to student feedback, so there may be adjustments in schedule and requirements. Students are responsible to stay informed about changes in course schedule and requirements which will be announced in class and/or E-mail. E-Mail and class announcements will be the official means of communication for the course.

VIII. COURSE SCHEDULE

A tentative course schedule is listed below. The schedule is subject to revision as the course proceeds.WARNING: The course is organized into 10 sections. Check carefully to discover which chapters and readings a in each course section. Section numbers are NOT the same as chapter numbers in the text. Note that for several sections additional readings that are not in the readings book or the text are assigned. Note that each test and the beginning of each section is indicated by v.

February 2-4 – Introduction

February 6, 9, 11 – SECTION I – The Sociological Imagination

How do sociologists look at the world? How does a sociological imagination and an understanding of social and structural causes and explanations of human behavior provide freedom ? What tools do sociologists use to understand the world? What constitutes good evidence?

Feb. 6 – RAT 1

Syllabus and attachments
Text – Chapters 1 and 2
Thinking Sociologically – Section I

CIA Paper Due
See special instructions for breaking norm

Feb. 13, 16 – SECTION 2 – Culture and Socialization

How does “culture” organize and structure social life? How do cultures develop? Why are they different? What can we learn from the differences?

How do societies and subgroups of society teach rules to new members? In what ways is it true that we are “in society” and at the same time “society is in us?

Feb. 13 – RAT 2

Text – Chapters 3 and 4
Thinking Sociologically – Section II

Service-Learning Proposal Due

Feb. 18, 20, 23, 25 – SECTION 3 – Social Structure and Mass Media

What are the most important markers or characteristics of “traditional ” societies and of “modern ” societies? How have theorists described the shift? Using the “ideal types ” identified in the text, identify characteristics of modern society which present particular challenges. How do various groups mediate between “mass society ” and the individual? What role does mass media play in society?

Feb. 18 – RAT 3

Text – Chapters 5, 6 and 7
Thinking Sociologically – Section III

Feb. 20

Critical Incident Analysis Paper #2

Feb. 25

Guest Lecture, Kathryn Edin

Feb. 27, Mar. 1, 3 – SECTION 4 – Deviance and Social Control

How does society enforce its rules? What causes people and groups to deviate? What are the characteristics of crime in America and what are some strategies for reducing crime?

Feb. 27 – RAT 4

Text -Chapter 8
Thinking Sociologically – Section IV

Mar. 5 – TEST #1

Lectures and Activities and Class Discussions
Sections I to 4
Text – Chapters I to 8
Thinking Sociologically – Sections I to IV Mar. 8, 10, 12, 22 – SECTION 5 – Stratification

What are the characteristics and effects of stratification in our society? What are some strategies to care for those who do not benefit from the current structure

Mar. 10 – RAT 5

Text – Chapter 9
Thinking Sociologically – Section V
Article: Michael Schwalbe, How to tell Differences from Inequalities

Mar. 12

Critical Incident Analysis Paper #3

Mar. 24, 26, 29 – SECTION 6 – Race and Ethnic Inequality

In what ways does racism affect society? How, can we challenge the racism in our lives and the racism society? What is the historical background for race in America?

Mar. 24 – RAT 6

Text – Chapter 10
Thinking Sociologically – Section VI
Article: Melvin Oliver and Thomas Shapiro, Race, Wealth and Inequality

Mar. 26

Policy Position Paper

Mar. 31, April 2, 5 – SECTION 7 – Stratification by Gender and Age

How do current structures support gender and age discrimination? What can be done to build oil the positive aspects of gender and age diversity, yet work against discrimination? What messages does our society send about the roles of men and women?

Mar. 31 – RAT 7

Text – Chapter II
Thinking Sociologically – Section VII

April 2

Critical Incident Analysis Paper #4

April 5, 7, 14 – SECTION 8 – The Family

What is the role and function of the family in American Society? How does family structure vary indifferent cultures? What are some of the stresses on the family? What are some ways to strengthen thefamily?

April 7 – RAT 8

Text – Chapter 12
Thinking Sociologically – Section VIII

April 16, TEST #2

Course Sections 5 to 8

Class lectures

Text Chapters 9 to 12

Thinking Sociologically – Sections V to VIII

Some Thoughts About SOC 101

Introduction

Welcome to SOC 101, Principles of Sociology. I am looking forward to this course and hope you are, too. Before you begin, I’d like to share some of my thoughts that went into designing this course. I would encourage you to think abut what you want to learn in the course and what things you can contribute to help other students learn.

Beginning a Conversation

This course is an invitation for you to join what I hope will be an exciting conversation about what we can do to make a better world. In order to do that, we need to know a lot about why we do what we do in our society and about the way our society is organized. As with any conversation, this one will require active participation and thoughtful attention. Each of us will both talk and listen. It will be richer if every participant contributes.

In this conversation you will encounter some ideas that are old, familiar and comfortable, and some that will be new, jarring and uncomfortable. You will want to carefully evaluate the information you encounter and test the evidence on which it is built. You will also be challenged to go beyond mere knowing facts to developing deep understanding and meaningful action. To be authentic, knowledge must be translated into action. We will talk about theories and data, but also about commitment – commitment to action, to justice, to social change and to service. You will be challenged to apply the knowledge of sociology to make a better world.

Each of us brings a rich background of experience and knowledge to the conversation, we will begin with what each of us already knows. Everything we have ever seen or experienced and everything we are experiencing now becomes part of our conversation. We will brine, into the class our daily experiences and the issues we encounter in writing the critical incident analysis papers and the policy position papers. We will add to that, interaction with the text and with assigned readings. I have planned the course and will direct its construction and implementation much like an architect guides the construction of a building. You will do the work!

Because I have more experience talking about the issues in the course than most of you, I can be a valuable resource. I have “taken” this course more than 40 times and learned a lot from all the students who taught me. You will discover that I have opinions and feel strongly about certain issues. One of these is a concern for those who are marginalized by society. Ultimately our society will be judged not by how many opportunities we provide for the strong and powerful to succeed, but by how well we care for those at the margins, the poor, the weak, the disabled and the children. It is assumed that all ideas presented in the course can and should be challenged. Mine, yours, those of other students, the text, and the readings.

You will want to read the paper in Thinking Sociologically called, Some Thoughts About Seminars, written by Michael Kahn from the University of California at Santa Cruz. While this course is not totally organized as a seminar, we will want to adopt some of his ideas and use them for group and class discussions.

Utility, Firmness and Delight

One of my friends, Peter Alexander, suggests that learning is a bit like building a building. The instructor has developed a set of blueprints to guide the learning process. There are many ways of implementing the blueprints and changes can be made along the way. When architects design a building they want it to have three characteristics; utility, firmness and delight. We want the learning in this course to have those characteristics too. Think about each for a moment. What do they mean for the course and for how you will approach it?

First of all, the info-nation and knowledge encountered in this course will have utility, it will be useful. For some of you it meets a requirement! But more importantly, it will help us understand who we are, how we know what we know, and what we can do to live responsibly to make a better world. Because we are often slaves to forces we do not know or understand, by understanding the subtle ways what we think and how we act are influenced by society, we can gain some measure of freedom to make choices. Having this course on a resume might even 9 help you get a job! Employers like employees who have deep understanding of the world. We will frequently and intentionally ask the question, “So what?” to help us think about how the information and perspectives are useful and to identify implications of the facts and theories we encounter. We will also want to ask what difference knowing these things will make in how we live.

We also want our knowledge to be constructed firmly, to be sure that the knowledge and information we use is firmly grounded on accurate data, firm evidence and logical reasoning. We want to be sure it is firm and strong so that it will stand the test of analysis and use. We will use the scientific method and analysis based on scientific principles to test our data and ideas. We will go beyond personal experience and single incidents to find general patterns. We will think theoretically and symbolically.

And we want to have fun, to experience the Joy and delight of learning new things and uncovering hidden explanations for things we thought had easy explanations. It is great fun to find patterns in human behavior and to make predictions from theories and then test them with data. It is exciting to know important statistics about our social environment. We can be somewhat playful in trying new ideas and laugh at some of the unusual things people do.

Domains of Knowledge

Colleges are in the knowledge business so it is important to spend a bit of time thinking about the kinds of knowledge we work with. A psychologist, Irwin Altman (1996) writing about Higher Education and Psychology in the Millennium suggests that courses should include three kinds of knowledge, Foundational Knowledge, Professional Knowledge, and Socially Responsive Knowledge. I will paraphrase and expand on his descriptions.

Foundational knowledge

includes the concepts, theories, history and methodology of a discipline. It also includes learning to look at the world through the particular set of “lenses” or perspectives the discipline uses. Foundational knowledge is the cornerstone of academic work, and it will serve that function in this course. We will learn concepts and definitions so that we can talk in a common language. We will learn what sociologists in the past thought and how ideas build on each other and reinforce each other. Though there are many theories in sociology, we will pay special attention to three broad theoretical perspectives to gain some ability to look at things in several ways, functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism.

Professional knowledge involves the skills practitioners use to “practice” the discipline. Professions such as medicine, engineering, business, and education focus on this kind of knowledge. There is a whole field of applied sociology and a professional association which relates foundational knowledge to application and practice. Courses in social work, family studies, development, social policy, and criminal justice concentrate on this kind of applied knowledge from sociology. Since Principles of Sociology is a liberal arts course, we will occasionally talk about professional knowledge, but our primary attention will center on foundational knowledge and socially responsive knowledge.

Socially responsive knowledge

helps us understand the problems of society and helps us experience and understand community social issues first hand. Most importantly it helps us develop the understandings and skills needed to act on social problems. As responsible citizens we participate as actors in community and societal opinion formation and decision-making, hopefully in ways that lead to equality of opportunity and social justice. Professional knowledge is specialized and used in defined roles and settings by credentialed persons. Socially responsive knowledge informs our understanding of and action in all social relationships and social institutions, family, business, church, community, government, and the economy. Socially responsive knowledge builds upon both foundational and professional knowledge. All three types of knowledge are intertwined and intrinsically connected.

How the Course Works

The course is designed to work at learning each kind of knowledge in ways appropriate to that kind of knowledge. Foundational knowledge is best learned by reading and studying the textbook. Little class time will be used to discuss basic concepts. Readiness Assessment Tests (RATS) will be used prior to class discussion to make sure students know the basic material and to identify concepts that need further clarification. Class discussions, group exercises, Critical Incident Analysis Papers, Policy Position Papers and service-learning all contribute to deep understanding of content material and to socially responsible knowledge. The class will have a bias toward application and discussion of current issues.

“Scholarship has to prove its worth, not on its own terms, but by service to the world”Ernest L. Boyer

COMMUNITY SERVICE-LEARNING INVOLVEMENT

INTRODUCTION

Service-Learning is defined as “a method and a philosophy of experiential learning through which participants expand their knowledge of society, develop abilities for critical thinking, develop commitments, values, and skills needed for effective citizenship, and contribute in meaningful ways to addressing social problems. Service-learning includes: (1) service activities that help meet community needs that the community finds important and (2) structured educational components that challenge participants to think critically about and learn from their experiences.

Service-learning is an option in SOC 101. Doing a service-learning activity will help students relate real life experience to conceptual issues encountered in the course. It will provide opportunity to do significant community service and to develop a sense of civic responsibility. There will be interaction between the cognitive experience in the classroom and the experiential activity in the service project. The Critical Incident Analysis papers are designed to help connect theory and analysis with real life issues and situations.

SERVICE ACTIVITIES

The service-learning option for SOC 101, Principles of Sociology includes the followingcomponents. Each of these is guided by a form provided by the instructor.

1. A service activity of approximately 17 to 20 hours in a service agency.

2. Written reflection activities:

a. A short proposal describing the service activity and setting learning goals. This is due at the beginning of the course.

b. A simple log of time and activities. This is due Friday of each week.

c. Students doing service-learning will relate their Critical Incident Analysis papers to an event or observation the service activity.

Service-learning activities are service activities which address a social need. Performance and evangelistic activities are, of course, valid and important but do meet the objectives for this course. Proposals will be evaluated on their merit using the criteria below and ” 17-20 hours” as guides. Service activities should:

1. Provide opportunity to engage an issue addressed in the class such as race, gender, stratification, social change, family, education, religion, age, disability, etc.

2. Provide opportunity to relate to people different from the student.

3. Provide opportunity to do meaningful service.

4. Be scheduled on a regular on-going schedule throughout the semester.

5. Relate to an established, on-going program or ministry.

Various options for service are available.

1. Recommended option – Arrangements have been made with several Messiah College Outreach Teams to use groups of students from this class. A list of these options is available from the instructor.

2. Other organized programs – Students might serve with an agency they already know that has opportunities for service which meets the objectives of the course. They may continue a service assignment begun in an earlier semester. Or they might serve with one of the organized programs of the Agape Center for Service and Learning such as Outreach Teams. Information is available in the Outreach Teams brochure available in the Agape Center.

3. Special interests – If you have a special interest, contact the student assistant, the instructor, or the Director of Community Volunteer service.

FORMS AND HANDOUTS

Copies of all forms and handouts for service-learning and the rest of the course are availablefrom the instructor.

REFLECTION ACTIVITIES

Proposal – By the deadline noted on the syllabus, each student who plans to do service-learning must turn in a proposal describing the project and indicating how the project will meet the criteria. Give enough information about the project and how it meets the criteria so that we can make an informed decision as to whether or not it qualifies. Write a brief paragraph indicating, how this service activity relates to the course and what you expect to learn from it. Use the proposal form.

Journal/Log – You will keep a log of your service on the form provided. This should include a record of the time you spent, a brief description of what you did, and a list of questions or observations. It is due every week!

Critical Incident Analysis Papers – Follow the suggestions on the handout available to the class for these. Students not doing service-learning will do these papers on other incidents.

Evaluation For a student to earn full credit for the service-learning component of the course, they will need to complete the required number of hours and complete the written reflections at a satisfactory level. Students will be evaluated on the quality of the learning reflected on the proposal, log, and written reflection papers, not on the service they do. Grades will be awarded on a pass/fail basis with pass grades given full credit. If a paper is not satisfactory, the student will be given a week to do it again for full credit. If it is not satisfactory at that time or if it is not redone, the paper will be given partial credit. Completing the 17-20 hours, the log and proposal will contribute 800 points toward the 1000 which can be earned through service-learning. Each Critical Incident Analysis Paper will contribute an additional 40 points making 200 which when added to the service-learning points makes 1000 for this segment of the course.

Guidelines for Critical Incident Analysis Papers

This assignment is based on a similar assignment used by Dr. Theodore Wagenaar in a gender relations class at Miami University in Athens, Ohio.

A Critical Incident Analysis reflects on a “real world” incident using a sociological perspective and sociological concepts, theories, and principles. This analysis helps students apply the concepts and principles of sociology to new and different situations and to develop higher levels of understanding of the concepts and theories.

Each Critical Incident Analysis consists of two parts. The first part is a rich description of an incident or event which the student has observed or experienced. The second part is a sociological analysis of the incident making specific reference to a concept or concepts taken from the text, readings or class discussions. Papers should be typed and no more than two pages long.

Papers will be graded on a “competency” pass/fail philosophy. Papers which meet the criteria at a satisfactory level receive a “pass” grade and get full credit. Those receiving a “not satisfactory” grade receive no credit. Papers receiving a “not satisfactory” grade may be revised within one week from the day they are returned for full credit if they are satisfactory. If they are not satisfactory, after one revision they will be graded for partial credit.

Grading will be based on three criteria:
accuracy (Did you use the concept correctly?),
thoroughness (Is the entry complete?),
and originality (Is the entry creative and insightful?).

Students who choose the Service-Learning option are expected to write about incidents in their Service-Learning activity. Other students choose incidents from any part of their experience.