1. Welcome Class: Introduction to Sociology Course, 1000; Section, 380 Instructor: John R. Carlson, Ph.D.

4. Economic Group Sielert, Mary A. @01009453 Graham, Heather D. @01016243 Garside, David A. @00037656 Baker, Adrienne E. @00112447 Dixon, Joshua R. @00036422 Rivera, Wendy A. @00148358 Morrison, Heather H. @01067679

5. Education Mugica, Vanessa @01011174 Howard, Jeanette M. @00047210 Smith, Antoinette R. @00037248 Virgile, Ange @00054853 Schaller, Sheila K. @00042443 Santiago, Chantal @00159512 Miller, Angela M. @01140959

6. Religion Group Noble, Jason R. @00054752 Chapman, Ashley M. @00061889 Markstahler, Alyse S. @01116134 Hewitt, Candace D. @00150629 Dieseldorff, Krystelle @00056759 Cooper, Aaron W. @00049024

7. POLITICAL INSTITUTION GROUP Matzicoff, Anjuli J. @00017415 Francois, Lovely K. @00014102 Jones, Eric D. @00040591 McDuff, Melanie C. @01119831 Butz, Tracy L. @00027849 Burgess, Jordan L. @00057191 Powell, Alexandra A. @00034163

10. What do sociologists actually do? This is often a central question that students have when taking an introduction course. Can you answer that question? Go to the American Sociological Association website (asanet.org) and construct a resource handout that answers this question.

11. RANK AMONG THE TOP 25 PROFESSIONS IN THE COUNTRY? SOCIOLOGISTS SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD BY ADVANCING SOCIOLOGY AS A SCIENTIFIC DICIPLINE AND PROFESSION. SOCIOLOGISTS: *CONDUCT RESEARCH & DRAW CONCLUSIONS BY OBSERVING AND INVESTIGATING SPECIFIC SOCIAL GROUPS . *EXPLORE SOCIAL PATTERNS AND INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF SOCIAL GROUPS . *EXAMINE AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN HUMANS. SOCIOLOGISTS SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD BY ADVANCING SOCIOLOGY AS A SCIENTIFIC DICIPLINE AND PROFESSION. WHAT DOES A SOCIOLOGIST DO, YOU ASK? . SOCIOLOGISTS STUDY THE SOCIAL LIVES OF PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS AND SOCIETIES SOCIOLOGISTS STUDY PEOPLE’S BEHAVIORS BY BLENDING ALL STUDIES OF HUMANKIND WHICH ALSO INCLUDES HISTORY, PSYCHOLOGY AND ECONOMICS SOCIOLOGISTS STUDY HOW PEOPLE INTERACT THROUGH THE WAY INDIVIDUALS MOVE THROUGHOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES

12. Is sociology a scientific discipline. Provide three reasons to support your position. Discipline meaning what? As we discussed, there is prevailing underlying structure of science. The scientific method being the basis for which scientific knowledge is furthered. Science, has two division, applied and pure scientific branches. While last, but not least, science adheres to certain ethical standards that become fundamental to their respective fields. Does the field of sociology contain these three components? YOU NEED TO INCORPORATE WITHIN YOUR ESSAY, TANGIBLE EXAMPLE, TO FULLY ADDRESS THIS. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR THIS ESSAY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SELECT AN EMPIRICAL ARTICLE PERTINENT TO YOUR ASSIGNED GROUP TOPIC, TO SERVE AS THE BACKDROP FOR YOUR DISCUSSION

13.  Example, where to find suitable topics that are scientifically researchable. PLEASE NOTE HOW SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ARE VERY PRECISE, IN TERMS OF TARGETTING A PARTICULAR SITUATION (I.E. FORMULATION OF AND TESTING THEREIN OF A HYPOTHESIS) WALL STREET JOURNAL EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 Charter Schools Pass Key Test in Study By JOHN HECHINGER and IANTHE JEANNE DUGAN New York City students who win a lottery to enroll in charter schools outperform those who don't win spots and go on to attend traditional schools, according to new research to be released Tuesday. The study, led by Stanford University economics Prof. Caroline Hoxby, is likely to fire up the movement to push states and school districts to expand charter schools -- one of the centerpieces of President Barack Obama's education strategy.

20. MANUSCRIPT The New York City Charter Schools Evaluation Project How New York City’s Charter Schools Affect Achievement September 2009 reporting on results through the 2007-08 school year Principal Investigators: Caroline M. Hoxby, Sonali Murarka, Jenny Kang

21. The Big Picture Capturing the Forest then the Trees Presented at our first class session, we addressed how Sociology is classified as being one of the social sciences. Please name the other social sciences and define these disciplines

33. Levels of Sociological Analysis

36. Major Sociological Theoretical Approaches I . Symbolic Interaction Levels of Analysis Micro-Sociological Nature of Society A social reality continuously created through social interaction. Basis of Social interaction Shared symbols and meanings Focus of Analysis Individuals of social actors

39. Major Sociological Theoretical Approaches II. Social Exchange; aka Post Modernism Levels of Analysis Micro-Sociological Nature of Society A social reality continuously created through social interaction. Basis of Social interaction Social Reciprocity Elementary Forms of Social Behavior Focus of Analysis Postindustrialization, consumerism, and global communications bring into question assumptions about social life and the nature of reality

43. Major Sociological Theoretical Approaches III. Structural/Functional Levels of Analysis Macro-Sociological Nature of Society A social system consisting of interdependent units Basis of Social interaction Consensus deriving from shared beliefs and values. Focus of Analysis Social order and the perpetuation of society

46. IV. CONFLICT THEORY Levels of Analysis Macro- Sociological Nature of Society A social order characterized by competing groups and classes, each pursuing its own interests Basis of Social interaction Conflict and coercion Focus of Analysis Competition for control of limited resources

52. Chapter 2 Sociological Research Methods

57. Theory and Research Cycle

64. Hypothesis Defined A predict statement derived from a theoretical perspective, that ascribes how two or more variables relate to each other.

101. Strengths and Weaknesses of Research Methods Research Method Strengths Weaknesses Experiments (Laboratory, Field, Natural) Control over research. Ability to isolate experimental factors. Little time and money required. Replication possible, except for natural experiments. Artificial Reliance on volunteers or captive audiences. Ethical questions of deception.

102. Statistics: What We Do and Don’t Know Homelessness in the U.S. Suicide in the U. S. Explanation The homeless often avoid interviews with census takers. Critics assert the actual number may be 3 million and that the government intentionally undercounts them. Census data places Latino/as in the category of whites. Other than African Americans, people of color are listed as nonwhite—other .

103. Strengths and Weaknesses of Research Methods Research Method Strengths Weaknesses Survey Research (Questionnaire, Interview, Telephone Survey) Useful in describing features of a large population without interviewing everyone Relatively large samples possible Multivariate analysis possible Potentially forced answers Respondent untruthfulness on emotional issues Data that are not always “hard facts” presented as such in statistical analyses

104. Strengths and Weaknesses of Research Methods Research Method Strengths Weaknesses Secondary Analysis of Existing Data (Existing Statistics, Content Analysis) Data readily available. inexpensive to collect. Longitudinal and comparative studies possible. Replication possible. Difficult to determine accuracy of data. Failure of data gathered by others to meet goals of current research. Questions of privacy when using diaries, other personal documents.

105. Strengths and Weaknesses of Research Methods Research Method Strengths Weaknesses Field Research (Participant Observation, Case Study, Ethnography, Unstructured Interview) Gain insider’s view. Useful for studying behaviors in natural settings. Longitudinal studies possible. Documentation of social problems of groups possible. Problems generalizing results. Non-precise data measurements. Inability to test theories. Difficult to make comparisons. Not representative.

111. Statistics: What We Do and Don’t Know Homelessness in the U.S. Suicide in the U. S. Research Finding At least 250,000 people in the U.S. are homeless. At least 32,439 Americans committed suicide in 2004. Possible Problem Does that underestimate the number of homeless people? Are suicide rates different for some categories of U.S. citizens?

112. U.S. Suicides, by Sex and Method Used, 1984 and 2004 Method Males Females 1984 2000 1984 2000 Total 22,689 25,566 6,597 6,873 Firearm 14,504 14,523 2,609 2,227 Poisoning 3,203 3,200 2,406 2,600 Suffocation 3,478 5,980 863 1,356

116. Quick Quiz