Monograph-based Introduction to Sociology

Abstract

In this essay, I describe a "monograph" style of teaching Introduction to Sociology, where students read seven full recent sociology monographs in lieu of a textbook or excerpts from a reader. The primary strength is in developing good readers who are excited about sociology. The primary weakness is that students can feel they are not getting a...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Introduction to Sociology/Social Problems

Resource Type(s):

Assignment, Bibliography, Syllabus

Class Level(s):

College 100

Class Size(s):

Small

Usage Notes

This syllabus is for a relatively high-level, reading-intensive, semester-long intro course. Both a 3-day/week (55 min) and a 2-day/week (80 min) schedule work fine. Maintaining a backbone structure through mini-lectures on terms and concepts is key to providing a more traditional introduction to the field.

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. Goal 1: Students will develop their skill as readers of academic monographs.
2. Goal 2: Students will learn to apply the sociological imagination by reading current sociological research.
3. Goal 3: Students will learn to see tensions and connections across research findings.

Goal Assessment(s):

1. Assessment 1: Students will demonstrate understanding of the readings in reading notes, class discussion and on written exams.
2. Assessment 2: Students will demonstrate sociological imagination in class discussion and in their application of sociological terms to current events and their written assignments.
3. Assessment 3: Students will explicitly examine tensions and connections across the readings on written exams.