Linfield College SOC 304 Deviance
Ms. Debra Penkin, MSW Spring 2006
GUIDED STUDY COURSE SYLLABUS:
INSTRUCTOR’S ADDRESS: PMB #169, 13023 NE Highway 99, Suite 7
Vancouver, WA 98686
INSTRUCTOR’S PHONE/FAX NUMBER: (360) 573-3886
OFFICE HOURS: We can set up a phone meeting and can dialogue through email.
REQUIRED TEXT: Goode, Erich 2005. Deviant Behavior, Seventh Edition,
Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Prentice Hall.
I have been teaching for Linfield College since 1998, initially teaching at Astoria, McMinnville, and Longview locations and then in the distance education format and at the Portland campus. I have really enjoyed my relationship with Linfield College students and colleagues throughout the years.
I teach in Sociology and Social Work. I teach a variety of courses for Linfield College and also work for an adoption agency facilitating domestic and international adoptions.
I earned my Master of Social Work degree in 1990 and began teaching at the collegiate level in 1991. I have been teaching either full-time or part-time for over 15 years. Most of my experience as a professor has been working within combined social work and social sciences departments. Additionally, I had the pleasure of directing baccalaureate social work programs at two different colleges in New York State.
Two passions that have characterized my career have been helping youth and the poor. These have led me to working in fields of chemical dependency, mental health, health prevention, education and criminal justice. I try to incorporate practical experience in social sciences into the classroom environment to facilitate discussion and critical thinking. In my time off, I enjoy spending time with my terrific family that includes my husband, two children, and two big dogs!
1. Course Participation Requirements: Students are required to participate in class throughout the semester, beginning in the first week. Should students be inactive for the first and second assignments and more, this may seriously jeopardize their ability to pass the course. Students are required to complete assignments as stipulated in the syllabus. Students may negotiate alternative submittal dates for any assignment except the last one as long as they contact me one week prior to the due date of a particular assignment. Any extenuating circumstances (such as family emergency) prohibiting one’s ability to complete assignments need to be communicated expediently, privately, and directly to instructor. Any exceptions to this participation policy will be at the discretion of the professor and will be done on an individual basis.
2. Late Work: Each assignment is due on a particular date by midnight. Late work will have deductions; grade deductions are ultimately at the discretion of the instructor and are determined on an individual basis. Typically 1/3 of a letter grade deduction will take place per day the assignment is late.
3. Incompletes: A grade of incomplete will only be given in emergency situations. Please submit your request in writing, for a final grade of “INC”, stating your reasons for the request clearly and specifically. I will then call you and discuss in greater detail the circumstances of your situation. Together, we will discuss the terms to be outlined in the official incomplete form (required by Linfield College). Then, we need to submit the form for final approval. All Incomplete requests must be submitted in writing per Linfield College policy.
4. Academic Honesty: Students are not to submit the same paper for several classes; this is unethical and inappropriate. Students must also not plagiarize nor participate in any other form of academic dishonesty. Should I discover that students are engaging in academically dishonest behaviors, the student will automatically fail the course and he/she will also be subject to further sanctions from Linfield College.
5. Problems With Assignments: All of us have challenging assignments and I fully understand that. All I ask is that you speak with me directly and in a timely manner about any problems you may be having. Should you have any academic concerns, please bring these to my attention so I can respond. Thank you.
6. Writing Proficiency: I expect students to have basic writing proficiency as part of their academic status. I also expect students to write papers in MLA or APA format. If you are unfamiliar with these formats, please contact Ms. Carol McCulley, Reference and Distance Learning Librarian, for references to help you learn one of these formats. She can be reached at 1-800-452-4176 ext. 2595 or at: cmccull@linfield.edu or dcelib@linfield.edu. Ms. McCulley is also an excellent resource when you are conducting research papers or have questions about how to use the Linfield College Library.
7. Special Learning Needs: Should you have a documented disability or any other special need that I must be aware of in order to teach you effectively, please let me know in writing so accommodations may be discussed and facilitated as appropriate. Many thanks!
Research Paper 100 points
“In The News” Paper 50 points
“Deviance or Not” Project 100 points
Reflections Paper 50 points
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300 POSSIBLE POINTS
Students are encouraged to plan ahead. The deadlines come up quickly so please take early initiative to “keep current”. Any questions about any assignment should be directed to instructor in an expedient manner so I have time to get back to you.
Any extenuating circumstances prohibiting students from completing assignments on time should be privately communicated to instructor via email or phone message. Late work will receive grade deductions as outlined in Course Policies.
The instructor will use the following grading scale to determine final course grades:
A = 96-100 % C+ = 80-82.9
A- = 92-95.9 C = 77-79.9
B+ = 89-91.9 C- = 74-76.9
B = 86-88.9 D = 70-73.9
B- = 83-85.9 F = less than 70%
Questions about the Grading Scale can be directed to instructor.
1. “In The News” Paper: Due March 1, 2006
Maximum points possible: 50 (graded for content and writing competence)
First, select a news item/article from a legitimate news source that has an opinion/ information/etc. on a condition or behavior that meets the deviance criteria. Make sure you use the text’s definition of deviance to determine that your article is relevant to the assignment. Ask me about it if you are unsure. You will need to attach a copy of your article to your paper so you will need to download the article you select if you use an online news resource. Again, make sure you submit the article with the paper and not simply a URL.
Second, summarize the article.
Third, delineate why this article is relevant to the deviance topic and why it was compelling to read about (what caught your interest).
Lastly, reflect on whether or not you believe this topic will be considered deviant (according to class definitions) in the future (give time frame) by the general public or and/or by specific audiences.
Good luck and thank you.
Students are expected to type a double spaced 10-12 page paper with normal margins (usually set automatically by most word processing programs). Grading will be based on quality of content, grammar, and overall writing competency. Please use APA format for your citations in text and on your reference list unless you only have familiarity with MLA. You should attach your Reference List (formally called Bibliography).
Any late submissions will receive a 25% deduction for each day the paper is submitted late. Any extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the family, accident, etc. should be communicated in a timely manner to me via email or phone. Thank you, in advance.
Select a deviant behavior or condition you would like to study. It should be something that captures your interest and fits within the course definition of deviance. Introduce the reader to how you got interested in this topic and the information you will be presenting.
Next, find a minimum of three scholarly articles on your topic. Sources of information should be one of the following: professional databases (like Psychological Lits, ERIC articles, Silver Platter searches, etc.), recognized professional journals (such as the Sociological Review, Journal of Sociological Research, etc.), research based articles (research studies with control groups/samples, analysis), or non-fiction books by credentialed authors. Primary sources are preferred. Once you have read your articles, summarize their content in this section of the paper.
Then, examine the presence of any micro, meso, and/or macro correlates to this form of deviance. For example, does society contribute to this deviant condition/behavior? Are there organizational or individual behavioral characteristics that are causal correlates?
Next, look at this form of deviance in the context of Twentieth Century Positivism as described in Chapter Four of the text. What causes this kind of deviance, from your literature review and from this theoretical perspective? Which, if any, of the Positivist Paradigms apply to determining the cause of this form of deviance (Social Disorganization, Anomie or Strain Theory, Learning Theory, Self-Control Theory).
Lastly, share your insights, opinions, and reactions to studying this deviant condition/behavior. Include any suggestions you may have for our society in addressing this deviant condition/behavior.
3. Reflections Paper: Due May 17, 2006
Maximum Points Possible: 50
This assignment should be typed, double spaced, with normal margins. It should be submitted to me via email, fax, or regular postal service.
This paper is linked specifically to chapter 14 of the class text. This chapter is the final chapter of our text and deals with ideological, ethical, moral implications of studying deviance. So, your reflections need to correlate to these areas as they pertain to deviance, of course! You have some more flexibility with this paper in that you can comment more since the paper is on this one chapter only. Goode discusses the study of deviance here, the obligations of social scientists, and several lessons he would like us to take with us upon course completion. He also discusses constructionism and relationships between ideology and empirical research (naďve positivistic, engaged dialogue, author opinion). Goode also addresses the concept of blame in this chapter. So, there are many areas for which you can respond through your own analysis, opinion, and views. Feel free to bring in life examples if they are applicable as well. Lastly, please comment on “what will stay with you” from taking this deviance guided study? Then, you will be done!
4. “Deviant or Not” Project: Due: April 26, 2006
The following is a guideline for what the final paper should look like for this assignment.
1. Overview of Paper’s Main Points: Describe the action, behavior, or attitude you are addressing specifically. Provide a thorough description so your reader knows exactly what you are discussing and explain why the behavior is or is not considered deviant from your perspective. Also comment on how you know this behavior is considered deviant. Since deviance is often times a relative concept, you may need to clarify what audience(s) views it deviant or not. If it is also against the law, explain why it is illegal and cite the specific legal code(s) making the act illegal.
2. Positions: You then should either argue that the behavior in the summary section should, or should not, be considered deviant. You are making a critical argument here about whether something which is deviant, should not be, or that something that is not deviant, but should be. It is crucial that you explain why this behavior should or should not be deviant. Use critical thinking skills to provide logical arguments to support your claim. Do not use circular reasoning. A common position is that a behavior is deviant because it is harmful in some way. If you use this position, you need to show why the behavior is or is not harmful. If you use moral codes, give evidence for the primacy of that moral code.
3. References: Your positions/arguments must be supported by academic evidence. This evidence has to be free from methodological bias. You need to find three original academic sources for this section.
• You will most often find this kind of information in academic journals. You will least often find this kind of information on the Internet. Some books contain good research but many books are just a collection of other people’s research.
• You may not cite websites unless the website is the published findings of government funded research (Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institutes of Health, etc.). Advocacy websites (NOW, NARAL, NORML, NRA, etc.) are not acceptable, though you may find links to published studies at these websites.
• You must go to the original (primary) source of the research. You cannot simply support your argument with someone else’s argument (secondary); there must be data that supports your position. The only exception to this is if you are referencing a published academic theory and even then it would still be better if you cite the evidence supporting that theory.
For example, if you argue that smoking marijuana should not be deviant because it doesn’t hurt anybody, you need to supply two sources that demonstrate that it does not hurt anybody. Another guideline for this section: these sources, most likely, will be copyrighted so you will find them at a library or in a library’s research engine.
4. Implications: This section primarily discusses the “so what” question. Given what you have argued and the evidence you have found, draw some implications. What does your argument and evidence mean for policy? What does it mean for the lives of people? What does this mean for the rest of society? What does this mean for future research? What does this mean for theory?
5. Final Thoughts: This should reiterate your argument, findings, thoughts on implications and should leave the reader with one or two main questions or considerations in response to the action, behavior, attitude you chose. You should be thinking here, “What is the main point(s) we want to leave with the reader? Why?
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE:
This course schedule is designed to help students set priorities and to keep up with readings and assignments. Of course, we are not meeting on a weekly basis so students have flexibility in setting their individualized learning goals. This is simply a guide to assist you in pacing your work and planning for assignment deadlines. Thank you!
Week One (February 12-18, 2006):
Topic: Orientation to Course; Class Introductions; Introduction to Deviance Topic (following chapter one); What Is Deviance? (This material follows chapter 2)
Reading: Goode, Chapters 1 & 2 (Introduction; What is Deviance?)
Topic: Approaches To Deviance (following chapter 3)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 3 (What Is To Be Explained?)
Assignment: Complete your “In The News” Paper for Next Week
Topic: Submit your “In The News” Paper on Wednesday, March 1st; Positivist and Constructionist Theories of Deviance (following chapters 4 & 5)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 4 (Positivist Theories of Deviance)
Goode, Chapter 5 (Constructionist Theories of Deviance)
Topic: Criminal Behavior (following chapter 6)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 6 (Criminal Behavior)
Topic: Drug Use as Deviant Behavior (following chapter 7)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 7 (Drug Use as Deviant Behavior)
Topic: Alcohol and Tobacco Use As Deviant (following chapter 8)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 8 (Legal Drugs: Use of Alcohol/Tobacco)
Assignment: Complete Your Research Paper for Next Week
Topic: Submit your Research Paper this Wednesday, March 29th; Heterosexual Deviance (following chapter 9)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 9 (Heterosexual Deviance)
Topic: Introduction to Male and Female Homosexuality (following chapter 10)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 10 (Male and Female Homosexuality)
Topic: Physical Characteristics as Deviance Lecture (following chapter 11)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 11 (Physical Characteristics as Deviance)
Topic: Cognitive Deviance (following chapter 12)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 12 (Cognitive Deviance)
Assignment: Finish Up the “Deviant or Not” Project for Next Week
Topic: Submit “Deviant or Not” Paper this Wednesday, 4/26; Mental Illness As Deviance
Reading: Goode, Chapter 13 (Mental Illness)
Topic: Implications of Studying Deviance (following chapter 14)
Reading: Goode, Chapter 14 (Ideological, Ethical, Moral Implications of Deviance)
Assignment: Finish Up Your Reflections Paper for Submittal Next Week
Topic: Submit Reflections Paper on May 17th And All Unfinished Work For Credit
Week Fifteen (May 22-26, 2006):
Topic: Course Wrap-Up; Evaluate Professor; Submittal of Grades by May 26th