What Past Students Say About Me

1. Welcome To Sociology 272:Gender Identities, Interactions, and RelationshipsProfessor: Dr. Richard N. Pitt (r.pitt@vanderbilt.edu)Teaching Assistant: Samantha Perez (samantha.perez@vanderbilt.edu)http://majorsmatter.net/gender

3. What Past Students Say About Me “Dr. Pitt is an unbelievable professor. He communicated perfectly with the class and I loved the way he taught. He is an animated and fun professor that does not hold back. I learned a lot more than I expected to, and he made this class the best class I have ever taken at Vanderbilt.” “Dr. Pitt was one of the best professors, if not the best professor, I ever had at Vanderbilt. He made class so interesting and fun. His ability to engage the students and make us like the subject was astounding. I found myself missing his style and class on days I didn't have it.” “Professor Pitt has a way of making the material interesting to the class. The projects and town meetings were the best part about the class. If I were not graduating I would love to take more classes from Professor Pitt!” “Dr. Pitt can relate to students, which is obvious in his lectures. He relates every theory, every subject, to college students which is so helpful when it comes to studying. He made himself available before tests and class presentations during office hours which was so helpful. He is funny and engaging in class lectures - his class was a highlight of the day and I learned so much about social theory that, as a sociology major, I felt I should know.”

4. What Else They Say . . . . Dr. Pitt is the best lecturer I've ever known. I came to class eager to learn something new every single class. However, I really think that his means of grading his students is completely unfair and irrational. I have really enjoyed this course and learning about how gender works, however, it was a little disappointing that I worked so hard in the class and did not exactly receive the result I was hoping for. Hands-down the best class I've ever had at Vanderbilt in terms of how the material was taught. The town meetings really helped boost my interest and investment in the material of the class. Terrible, ridiculous, utterly unfair grading scale though. One of the most stimulating professors I've ever had. Definitely is passionate about the subject, and that really comes through in his lectures. I would likely take him again for an elective course if it weren't for his grading standards because that significantly reduced my ability to enjoy the class for purely educational and intellectual reasons.

5. A = 470 to 500 A- = 450 to 469 B’s = 400 to 449 C’s = 350 to 399 D’s = 300 to 349 F’s = 0 to 299 Only way to go back up is get extra credit points from town meeting evaluations . . . SO DO THEM!

6. Average Grades For This Class 90 points 35 points 40 points 75 points 78 points 83 points Mini Projects (100) Town Meeting Paper (50) Town Meeting Presentation (50) Examination I (100) Examination II (100) Examination III (100) 401 points ( the same as an 80% ) Grade? B- 401 + 14 extra credit points = 415 points (Grade? B)

7. Mini Projects 1. Gender Coaching 2. Gender & Safety 3. Gender Socialization 4. Gender & Talk Radio 5. Gender Intersectionality 6. Gender Transgressions

8. Average Grades For This Class 90 points 35 points 40 points 75 points 78 points 83 points Mini Projects (100) Town Meeting Paper (50) Town Meeting Presentation (50) Examination I (100) Examination II (100) Examination III (100) 401 points ( the same as an 80% ) Grade? B- 401 + 14 extra credit points = 415 points (Grade? B)

9. What Is A Town Meeting?

10. Average Grades For This Class 90 points 35 points 40 points 75 points 78 points 83 points Mini Projects (100) Town Meeting Paper (50) Town Meeting Presentation (50) Examination I (100) Examination II (100) Examination III (100) 401 points ( the same as an 80% ) Grade? B- 401 + 14 extra credit points = 415 points (Grade? B)

11. KEY ISSUES • “N” Of One • What Is An “N”? • Central Tendency Is The Key • Sociology vs. Journalism • Audience • Focus • Approach • Sociology vs. Psychology • Unit Of Analysis • What We Think Creates Behavior Differences • Where Social Psychology Comes In

12. KEY ISSUES FOR THIS COURSE • “N” Of One • What Is An “N”? • Central Tendency Is The Key • Sociology vs. Journalism • Audience • Focus • Approach • Sociology vs. Psychology • Unit Of Analysis • What We Think Creates Behavior Differences • Where Social Psychology Comes In

13. Women Men Everyone “N” of One Female Junior Black

14. A Bell Curve

15. KEY ISSUES • “N” Of One • What Is An “N”? • Central Tendency Is The Key • Sociology vs. Journalism • Audience: Primarily Other Social Scientists • Focus: Methods Of Investigation And Theories Of Explanation • Approach: The Scientific Method • Sociology vs. Psychology • Unit Of Analysis • What We Think Creates Behavior Differences • Where Social Psychology Comes In

16. KEY ISSUES • “N” Of One • What Is An “N”? • Central Tendency Is The Key • Sociology vs. Journalism • Audience • Focus • Approach • Sociology vs. Psychology • Unit Of Analysis: Individuals And Societies • What We Think Creates Behavior Differences • Psychology: Personality, emotional makeup, and aptitude • Sociology: Social dynamics and social context • Where Social Psychology Comes In

17. Suicide Rates The National Institute Of Mental Health (2009) says: “The number one risk factor for suicide is depression and other mental disorders. More than 90% of people who die by suicide have these risk factors” EGOISTIC Society Is Too Weak CLEARLY something else is going on here. ALTRUISTIC Society Is Too Strong Duh. Why Do People Kill Themselves? Data from US Dept of Health and Human Services