Textbook

This sociology course was curated by Lumen Learning and based off of the OpenStax Sociology course, whose contributing authors can be seen here.

This course is also available as a Waymaker course.

This course opens the door to students in their understanding of how to research and engage with the field of sociology. A wealth of performance assessments and writing assignments qualify students’ understanding of the material. Key concepts include the sociological imagination and perspectives, scientific research methods, culture and society, socialization and interaction, deviance, crime and social control, inequality, race and ethnicity, gender, sex and sexuality, marriage and family, religion and education, health and aging, urbanization, the environment, government, work and the economy, and media. Faculty members may also readily adapt the course’s OER content to include new developments and research to equip students with what that they need to have success in their sociological journey.

This text is modeled after OpenStax Sociology 2.0 although it includes more recent social updates and events, including the legalization of same-sex marriage. A few of the chapters have been reorganized and/or combined. Nothing from OpenStax is excluded (except introductions, summaries, and outdated content in certain places), but instead, sections have been broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks for students and aligned with learning outcomes. The content has been enhanced with examples, tons of videos, and more application. Each module also includes a “Why It Matters” introductory page that introduces students to the importance of the concepts in that section as well as a “Putting It Together” page that reviews many of the concepts from the module.

Originally written by Ron Hammond and Paul Cheney in 2010. The current version of this book has been rewritten and edited to include substantial contributions from passionate professors dedicated to keeping education accessible to students.

Introduction to Sociology 3e aligns to the topics and objectives of many introductory sociology courses. It is arranged in a manner that provides foundational sociological theories and contexts, then progresses through various aspects of human and societal interactions. The new edition is focused on driving meaningful and memorable learning experiences related to critical thinking about society and culture. The text includes comprehensive coverage of core concepts, discussions and data relevant to a diverse audience, and features that draw learners into the discipline in powerful and personal ways. Overall, Introduction to Sociology 3e aims to center the course and discipline as crucial elements for understanding relationships, society, and civic engagement; the authors seek to lay the foundation for students to apply what they learn throughout their lives and careers.

The authors, reviewers, and the entire team worked to build understanding of the causes and impacts of discrimination and prejudice. Introduction to Sociology 3e contains dozens of examples of discrimination and its outcomes regarding social science, society, institutions, and individuals. The text seeks to strike a balance between confronting the damaging aspects of our culture and history and celebrating those who have driven change and overcome challenges. The core discussion of these topics are present in Chapter 11 on Race and Ethnicity, and Chapter 12 on Gender, Sex, and Sexuality, but their causes and effects are extensively discussed in the context of other topics, including education, law enforcement, government, healthcare, the economy, and so on. Together and when connected by an instructor, these elements have potential for deep and lasting effects.

Changes made in Introduction to Sociology 3e are described in the preface to help instructors transition to the third edition. The second edition of Introduction to Sociology by OpenStax is available in web view here.

A free, Open Educational Resource, Blueprint for Success in College and Career is a students' guide for classroom and career success. This text, designed to show how to be successful in college and in career preparation focuses on study skills, time management, career exploration, health, and financial literacy.
The Blueprint for Success series comprises three books for the College Success and FYE (First-Year Experience) genre. The central text, Blueprint for Success in College and Career, is designed to show how to be successful in college and in career preparation. In addition, targeted sections on Study Skills and Time Management, and Career and Decision Making are available separately as Blueprint for Success in College: Indispensable Study Skills and Time Management Strategies, and Blueprint for Success in Career Decision Making.
Blueprint for Success in College and Career is a remix of four previously existing OER (Open Educational Resources): A Different Road To College: A Guide For Transitioning To College For Non-traditional Students by Alise Lamoreaux, How to Learn Like a Pro! by Phyllis Nissila, Foundations of Academic Success: Words of Wisdom, edited by Thomas Priester, College Success, provided by Lumen Learning, and one previously copyrighted textbook with content that is now openly licensed: Blueprint for Success in College: Indispensable Study Skills and Time Management Strategies by Dave Dillon. A free OER, (Open Educational Resource), Blueprint for Success in College and Career is a students’ guide for classroom and career success. This text, designed to show how to be successful in college and in career preparation focuses on study skills, time management, career exploration, health, and financial literacy.

A Pressbooks chapter 8.2 by University of Texas at Arlington.

Our primary goal in writing College Success is to help you succeed in college.

According to Department of Education data, 30 percent of college freshmen leave school in their first year and as many as 50 percent never graduate. College Success is designed to help change that.
College Success has a student-friendly format arranged to help you develop the essential skills and provide the information you need to succeed in college. This is not a textbook full of theory and extensive detail that merely discusses student success; rather, this is a how-to manual for succeeding in college. The book provides realistic, practical guidance ranging from study skills to personal health, from test taking to managing time and money. Furthermore, College Success is accessible—information is presented concisely and as simply as possible.

College Success has the following features to help you achieve your goals: Each chapter asks you to evaluate yourself because success starts with recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, your hopes and desires, and your own personal, individual realities. You’ll develop your own goals based on these self-assessments, determining what success in college really means for you as an individual. Throughout the book, you will find numerous interactive activities created to help you improve your skills. To assist you with this, the material is presented in easily digestible “chunks” of information so you can begin applying it immediately in your own life—and get the most out of your college education.

College Success was developed in partnership with Career Management, LLC, whose cofounders developed SuccessHawk® (http://www.successhawk.com)—interactive online job search software, designed to help you achieve your ultimate goal of landing a great job.

Welcome aboard!

This chapter is divided into three parts. First, we’ll learn the essential steps of career planning. Then we’ll take a look at the types of work experience you can engage in while still at school. Finally, we’ll explore how you can integrate your planning with your education and experiences, and we’ll hear from graduates who have been successful in their career choices.