Syllabus
Sociology 492 Senior Thesis
Fall 2015
Contact Information
Instructor
Dr. Mary Virnoche
Professor
Department of Sociology
Office, Phone & Email
Office Hours: M 11-1; T 9-10
Other meetings by appointment
BSS 520C
Phone Number 826-4569
Email Mary.Virnoche@humboldt.edu
Meeting Time, Dates and Location
8-8:50 W HGH 204 (Keep MWF times free for other meetings and the last two weeks of the term for sure.
Course Description
Your senior thesis should be the capstone expression of your “sociological imagination.” You have spent
a great deal of time and energy in the last few years developing core knowledge, skills and ethics that are
central to the practice of Sociology. The senior thesis class is the final venue in your undergraduate
experience to engage deeply in a research effort and showcase your abilities as a Sociologist.
Official Catalog Description
SOC 492. Senior Thesis [3]. Design and carry out original empirical research or extensive review of
literature. Proposal due in semester before enrollment to receive permission #. [Prereq SOC 372, SOC
382 and SOC 310 or CRIM 325]
Learning Outcomes
After completing this course, you should be able to demonstrate the following course learning outcomes,
as well as progress toward final department and university-related learning outcomes:
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Provide peers with appropriate written and oral feedback on section drafts of their paper
2. Produce a professional sociological paper
3. Give an effective oral presentation supported with the appropriate visual technology that
communicates the essential elements of your capstone work.
4. Demonstrate professionalism as defined in syllabus
Department Learning Outcomes
1. Think critically about social justice efforts and inequalities in communities and environments.
2. Develop a solid foundation in sociological theory.
3. Make linkages between empirical data and theoretical concepts.
4. Develop appropriate research designs and instruments to answer sociological questions.
5. Apply appropriate techniques to the analysis and presentation of data.
6. Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
University Learning Outcomes
While this course in many ways contributes to all the university learning outcomes, it most centrally
contributes to your ability to demonstrate:
1. Effective communication through written and oral modes.
2. Critical and creative thinking skills in acquiring a broad base of knowledge and applying it to
complex issues.
3. Competence in a major area of study.
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Resources
ASA. 2007. Quick Style Guide. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association. Retreived August
21, 2015 (http://www.asanet.org/documents/teaching/pdfs/Quick_Tips_for_ASA_Style.pdf).
zotero. (Open Source Research Software). Retrieved August 24, 2015
(https://www.zotero.org/download/).
HSU Sociology Department. 2014. Sociology Professional Development Guide Arcata, CA: Humboldt
State University. Retrieved January 9, 2014. (http://libguides.humboldt.edu/socprofdev).
Grade Components and Weight
Please note that you need to engage in most/all the below activities to pass this class. You need a solid
“C” (73%) for this class to count toward the major. Meeting all your deadlines and actively helping peers
will bring you about half way to passing this class and graduating. Likewise, even if you turn in an “A”
paper in May, you will not pass the class unless you have engaged in the other graded expectations listed
below. Taken together, all the graded expectations below will help you structure your semester and
complete a senior thesis of which you should be proud 
Professionalism (35%)
Your will be assessed on your professionalism, as measured by the following:
Meeting Participation (10%)
During the term we will meet as a large group, in small groups based on methods or topics and in
one-to-one meetings. I will note your attendance, preparation and participation in these
meetings, as well as your follow through in scheduling and showing up to meetings.
Peer Collaboration (10%)
I hope you will choose to actively engage in a peer-supported senior thesis process. In the past,
students have said that the peer-process itself was one of the most valuable aspects of their
capstone class. I will help you organize peer groups by topic and/or by method. Students
participating in the peer process may use scheduled class periods to meet with a small group of
two or three other students to discuss project conceptualization, research strategies, review drafts
of product sections, and run through their final presentations. I recommend that you also use
these meetings to review timelines and hold each other to deadline commitments. You may also
schedule peer meetings with an instructor during this time. Hearing instructor comments on a
peer’s project may help you further think through your own project.
To receive credit for the peer process, please ask your peer group members to fill out and sign an
evaluation form linked to the Moodle site. Be sure to confirm that a form has been submitted on
your behalf.
Point-Related Milestones, Deadline Adjustments and Comprehensive Work Plans (15%)
You have five (5) milestones for which you will receive three (3) points each for strong and timely
completion. I have designated common milestones and deadlines listed on the class schedule.
As with many professional deadlines, there is often some flexibility if you anticipate and
communicate. “Minor” adjustments (a few days) are allowed if discussed with your supervisor or
project manager – in this case, with me. Submitting point- related milestones late without
communicating will likely mean you will lose most if not all the points for that milestone.
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I ask that everyone develop their own comprehensive timeline. In your work plans, incorporate
the deadlines that I have given you and expand by creating measureable outcomes for additional
dates. Then hold yourself and your peers accountable for the goals and deadlines.
Thesis (55%)
Upload your final thesis to our Moodle site (.doc or docx fomat). I will grade reports using one of two
Senior Thesis Rubrics linked to the Moodle site. All students required by the IRB to secure written
informed consent from their study participants should scan or take a picture those forms and submit those
to me in a single e-document. These will be held for three years in the Office of the Department of
Sociology.
Oral Presentation (10%)
Your final presentations will be scheduled over the last five class meetings: the last week of classes and
our final exam session. It should be a polished 8-10 minute professional presentation to which faculty,
other students, administrators & staff members will be invited to attend. Visuals and personal
appearance should be professional. Your goal is to make your presentation engaging while conveying
the central tenets of your work. Be creative. You should personally invite faculty members, friends
and/or family members to attend your presentation. Your presentation will be graded using the rubric
found on Moodle.
Grading Scale
A = 93-100 %
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C= 73-76
C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69
D = 63-66
D- 60-62
F = 0-59
Minimum Grade
Sociology students must earn a grade of C or above to meet degree requirements.
Estimated Outside Class Time
Students hoping to earn an “A” in this class can anticipate spending an average of 12-15 hours each
week on outside class activities: reading, writing, editing and redrafting work and helping your peers. I
encourage you to schedule and use this preparation time starting in the first week so that you can make
the most of this seminar.
Student Resources
Academic honesty: Students are responsible for knowing policy regarding academic honesty. For more
information, visit: Academic Honesty Policy or HSU Catalog
Students with Disabilities: Persons who wish to request disability-related accommodations should
contact the Student Disability Resource Center in House 71, 826-4678 (voice) or 826-5392 (TDD). Some
accommodations may take up to several weeks to arrange. Student Disability Resource Center
Add/Drop policy: Students are responsible for knowing the University policy, procedures, and schedule
for dropping or adding classes. Schedule Adjustments (Adding or Dropping)
Emergency evacuation: Please review the evacuation plan for the classroom (posted on the orange
signs) and review Campus Emergency Preparedness for information on campus Emergency Procedures.
During an emergency, information can be found campus conditions at: 826-INFO or Emergency
Conditions
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Attendance and disruptive behavior: Students are responsible for knowing policy regarding Class
Attendance and Disruptive Behavior
Senior Thesis Schedule
Mary Virnoche
Week
Date
Class Topics
1
August 26
2
September 2
Overview of Class; Review Project
Plans; Peer Group Organization
Zotero Training – Friday?
IRB Q&A
3
September 9
4
September 16
5
September 23
6
September 30
7
Review Literature Review Tips
(See Scanned Chapters)
Individual & Small Group Methods
Meetings
All Class Check in
Individual & Small Group Methods
Meetings
All Class Check in – Peer Meetings
October 7
8
October 14
9
October 21
10
October 28
11
November 4
Individual & Small Group Methods
Meetings: Working with Qualitative
Data; Setting Up SPSS Files;
Literature Review Organization
All Class Check in – Peer Meetings
Specialized Meetings Writing about
Data and Literature Review
All Class Check in – Peer Meetings
Sign up (Doodle Poll)
Practice & Final Presentations
12
November 11
Veteran’s Day NO CLASS
13
November 18
Presenting Your Research – Tips
14
November 25
Fall Break NO CLASS
15
December 2&4
Practice Presentations
16
December
7, 9, 11
M: Internship Presentations
WF: Thesis Presentations
Finals
December 14
December 16
M: Internship Presentations (if can)
W: Thesis Presentations (8-10)
Assignments
Due
Empirical Projects
Assignments
Due
Literature Projects
Project Timeline
IRB CITI Certification
(if required)
Project Timeline
Milestone #1 (3 points)
IRB Proposal Draft or
Methods & Instrument
IRB Proposal Revision
Submitted to IRB
Milestone #1 (3 points)
+ 10 annotations (Total 20)
Turn in all 20 annotations
Milestone #2 (3 points)
Draft of Literature Review
Milestone #2 (3 points)
Draft of Literature Review
Share first transcripts with
instructor
Milestone #3 (3 points)
Draft of Literature Review
incorporating at least 30
sources (include bib)
Milestone #3 (3 points)
Data Set or Transcripts
Milestone #4 (3 points)
Revision of Literature
Review (45 sources)
Milestone #4 (3 points)
Draft Data Section
Email me one document
with consent forms
Milestone #5 (3 points)
Presentation Visuals
Milestone #5 (3 points)
Presentation Visuals
Peer Evaluations Due
Final Paper Due
Peer Evaluations Due
Final Paper Due
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