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2
Textbook(s):
Ferris, K., & Stein, J. (2012).
The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology,
3
rd
Ed. New York, W. W. Norton.
Additional course readings available on the course Moodle Shell.
Course Requirements:
•
Read weekly readings and come to class prepared to discuss.
•
Participate in seminar style discussion.
•
Present research in proper APA format at the Honors Symposium.
•
Devise an in-depth literature review for PSYC 111 paper.
***If the above criteria are met, the student will receive a passing grade. If students fail to meet the above criteria,
students will not pass the honors portion of PSYC 111.
Major Assignments:
•
Literature Review:
After selecting a topic of focus, students will gather journal articles and perform a literature
review. This literature review should involve learning extensive “expert” knowledge of the topic. Students
should understand the past, present, and future of the area of study.
•
Honors Symposium Presentation:
Students will present (alone or as a group) the information gathered in the
literature review at the Honors Symposium. This presentation should last approximately 20 minutes. Students
should create a conference style presentation (utilizing PowerPoint), cover the history and future directions of the
material, and should be capable of answering questions relevant to the topic of study. If a naturalistic study is
done, the student will outline the scientific method, focusing on the method and results.
•
In-Depth Literature Review:
Students in the honors section of SOC 110 will develop a greater understanding of
sociological research than students in a non-honors section of SOC 110. This understanding should be
demonstrated in the SOC 110 term paper (see requirements in the SOC 110 syllabus). This may include, but is
not limited to: citing 2-3 journal articles, assessing the strengths and/or weaknesses of research findings,
addressing future directions within one’s research paper.
Tentative Course Outline:
Week
Topic
Week 1 Enroll in class
Week 2 Enroll in class
Week 3 “How to Read a Journal Article”—Read prior to
Initial Meeting
Week 4 “How to Perform Library-Based Research”
Week 5 “Writing a Literature Review”/Topic Selection
Week 6 “Writing a Topic Specific Literature Review”
Week 7 “Writing a Topic Specific Literature Review”
Week 8 Topic Research
Week 9 Topic Research
Week 10 Topic Research
Week 11 Presentation Prep
Week 12 Presentation Prep
Week 13 Presentation Prep
Week 14 Practice Presentation
Week 15 Honors Symposium