Welcome

This is the course book for SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology. This book is divided into 7 units of study to help you engage with the course learning outcomes and prepare for the course assessment.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. We are here to help and be your guide on this journey.

Please read the full course syllabus located on the Course Home page. It includes key information about the course schedule, assignments, and policies.

Meet Dr. Todd Martin - Provost & Course Developer

Course Notes

How To Navigate This Book

To move quickly to different portions of the book, click on the appropriate chapter or section in the table of contents on the left. The buttons at the top of the page allow you to show/hide the table of contents, search the book, change font settings, download a pdf or ebook copy of this book, or get hints on various sections of the book.

Figure 0.1: Top menu bar

The faint left and right arrows at the sides of each page (or bottom of the page if it’s narrow enough) allow you to step to the next/previous section. Here’s what they look like:

Figure 0.2: Left and right navigation arrows

You can also download an offline copy of this book in various formats, such as pdf or an ebook. If you are having any accessibility or navigation issues with this book, please reach out to your instructor or our online team at elearning@twu.ca.

Course Units

This course is organized into thematic units. Each unit of the course will provide you with the following information:

A general overview of the key concepts that will be addressed during the unit.
Specific learning outcomes and topics for the unit.
Learning activities to help you engage with the concepts. These often include key readings, videos, and reflective prompts.
The Assessment section provides details on assignments you will need to complete throughout the course to demonstrate your understanding of the course learning outcomes.

Note that assessments, including assignments and discussion posts will be submitted in Moodle. See the Assessment section(s) in Moodle for full assignment details.

Course Activities

Below is some key information on features you will see throughout the course.

Learning Activity

This box will prompt you to engage in course concepts, often by viewing resources and reflecting on your experience and/or learning. Most learning activities are ungraded and are designed to help prepare you for the assessment in this course.

Assessment

This box will signify an assignment or discussion post you will submit in Moodle. Note that these demonstrate your understanding of the course learning outcomes. Be sure to review the grading rubrics for each assignment.

Checking Your Learning

This box is for checking your understanding, to make sure you are ready for what follows. Ways to check your learning might include self-check quizzes or questions for discussion. These activities are not graded but are critical for you to be able to begin to develop evaluative judgement in this domain of knowledge.

Note

This box signifies key notes. It may also warn you of possible problems or pitfalls you may encounter!