FS210 Family Life
Syllabus
Spring 2003-2004
Instructor: L.W.
McCallum
Office: S328;
Hours by Appointment
Phone: Office
794-7373; Home 355-3474
Email: psmccallum@augustana.edu
Homepage: http://www.augustana.edu/users/psmccallum
Text: Elkind, D. (1994) Ties that stress. Cambridge,
Harvard University Press.
Sample
First Exam
Week Topic Assignment
1 What are families? Handouts
Where do people think we Handouts
are?
2 Group research project
3-6 Changes in the family Elkind 1,2,3,
4,5,6,7
7-9 Specific Issues; Group Projects
10 The Future Elkind 10;PREP materials
Notes:
1. This is a seminar class and is purposely kept
small in size. The reason is that I expect that students will prepare before
class and contribute to the discussion. Toward that end, I will make reading
and reaction assignments frequently, and will often ask students to present
ideas in class. Be prepared each day to be called upon to present opinions and
ideas relevant to the assigned material. Although somewhat subjective, I will
assign 10% of your grade in the course as a function of your class
participation. Around the midterm I will inform each student as to my judgement
of their performance to that point so that you may adjust accordingly.
2. Most of the reading for the first half of the course will
come from the text. As we get to each unit I will edit the reading assignments
to be more specific. Additionally, throughout the term I will handout specific
supplementary readings relating to specific topics. During the second half of
the term, you will be assigned a small group project. The topic for the
projects will be determined during the second or third week of the term, and
group sign-ups will take place then as well.
Some possible topics are:
1.
What is the divorce rate in the United
States?
2.
What are the affects of cohabitation on
relationships, specifically marriage?
3.
What affects on children are associated with
dual-career couples?
4.
What affects is welfare reform having on the
lives of children?
5.
Can legislation lower the divorce rate?
You will be given opportunities during class to research and
discuss your topic with the instructor. You will also present the essential
findings during the 9th and 10th weeks of class. In
preparation for your presentations, I assume that you will provide selected
reading material for the remainder of the class. This project will count for
30% of your grade. Please understand that I am looking for more than a literal
answer to the question. As you research the topic you should broaden the
perspective of the question and address other clearly relevant issues (e.g.,
imbedded in the question of the divorce rate is the debate about how it is determined, and with legislation comes the question of
whether we should do this regardless of our capacity to do so). To get
substantial credit for this portion of the assignment you will need to be prepared
to discuss the topic more broadly. Please also be aware that while the class
discusses the matter generally, personal opinion is important. But for the
persons responsible for that question empirical evidence will also be
needed.
Potential Research Resources (this
is a partial list)
On the library webpage:
PsycINFO
Family Studies Database
Social Sciences Index
Family Related URL’s
http://www.smartmarriages.com/articles.html
http://www.slip.net/~ccf/CCF_articles.htm
http://www.divorcereform.org/stats.html
http://www.uky.edu/HES/gwbrock/fsn/
http://www.oneplusone.org.uk/
http://www.childwelfare.ca/cwrcstat.shtml
http://www.marriagesupport.com/
I also have a searchable database
from The Family in America (you may
use this on the computers in the Psychology Department—check with me.
On my Family Life Webpage there are
additional links to family sources.
Please be careful in the use of sources, particularly those
taken from the Internet. Since publication of material on the Internet is not
regulated, anyone with or without credentials can post material. If you plan to
use material found on the Internet, please be certain to check (if possible)
the quality of the source. Regardless of whether you use material from the
internet, you must use at least 5 professional resources. Professional
resources are typically journals such as Journal of marriage and the family,
or Family relations. It is possible to find interesting material
about your topic in popular sources such as Psychology today or Ladies
home journal but I would assume that you will use these sources as a
starting point from which you will seek out original source material.
The final project will be graded on the basis of two
principle criteria:
1.
A group paper which summarizes your work and
answers the "question" with which you began. The paper should be
referenced in APA or "works cited" style. Each member of the group
will receive a grade determined by the following. A group grade will be
assigned. Each member of the group will anonymously evaluate the contribution
of each of the other members. Each person's score will be determined by the
appropriate percentage of the group grade based on the evaluation by the other
group members. Inherent in group projects of this sort are potential problems
with the equality of work load and contribution to the final project. I realize
that this is a possible source of considerable consternation, but I believe it
is important for students to learn to work cooperatively in situations like
this. Nevertheless, if problems arise you have the following possible
solutions:
a.
Grin and bear it-- the world is not
"fair" and be certain that this “unfairness” is reflected in your
evaluation of other group members;
b.
Discuss the matter either individually or with
the rest of the group in an attempt to resolve the perceived issues;
c.
Discuss the matter with the instructor either
individually or as a group. This will result is some resolution of the problem;
or
d.
Write an individual paper.
While none of these solutions are
"easy" addressing such problems is important. Please be aware that
the ability to successfully resolve the issues will require some openness, honesty
and early intervention. Although I will inquire from time to time, I
will assume that "no news is good news."
Please be aware that the paper
will be graded not just on content, but writing style, spelling, grammar and
adherence to APA referencing style.
2.
Your class presentation. I expect that you will
prepare materials in advance for the class. I expect that your presentation
will take advantage of visual material (I will be happy to instruct you in
PowerPoint if you do not already know how to use it, and will make the
presentation equipment available to you), and that your group will have worked
out an equitable division of labor for the presentation (everyone must
do some of the actual presentation).
The paper is due at the time of the final, in lieu of a
final exam—Tuesday May 17th at noon.
3.
There will be 2 exams, one after the initial
reading, probably during week 5 or 7, and the other at the end of the term
probably the 10th week. It may contain a variety of types of items,
but will certainly include essay. The exams will count for 50% of your grade.
4.
There will be other class writing assignments
that will contribute points to your grade in differing amounts to total 40
points.
5. Grades
Two exams @ 60 points = 120
Project @ 60= 60
Class assignments= 40
Class Discussion @ 20=
20
Total 240
A=90%=216-240
B=80%=192-215
C=70%=168-214
D=60%=144-167
