FAD 2230-0001

Family Relationships:
A Life-Span Development Approach
Spring 2018
______________________________________________________________________________________

COURSE TIME & LOCATION:

Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 9:05 – 9:55 am
Williams Building (WMS) 0123

INSTRUCTOR:
Cynthia B. Wilson, Ph.D., CFLE
Office: Sandels (SAN) 208
Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 am and by appointment
E-mail: cbwilson2@fsu.edu

TEACHING ASSISTANTS:
Allison Rayborn
Office: Sandels (SAN) 211
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:00-11:00 am and by appointment
Email: adr14b@my.fsu.edu

Spencer Youngberg
Office: William Johnston Building (WJB) 4013
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:00 am -12:30 pm and Thursdays 12:00-1:30 pm
E-mail: sby16@my.fsu.edu

Note: The best way to reach us is by sending a message through the Canvas Inbox. You can
expect a reply within 24 hours on weekdays and by Monday morning for emails sent Friday after
3pm through Sunday. See the Email and Communication policy on page 7 for additional
guidelines.

LIBERAL STUDIES COURSE INFORMATION:

The Liberal Studies Program at Florida State University has been designed to provide a
perspective on the qualities, accomplishments, and aspirations of human beings, the past and
present civilizations we have created, and the natural and technological world we inhabit. This
course has been approved as meeting the requirements for Liberal Studies Area III, History and
Social Science, and in combination with your other Liberal Studies courses, provides an important
foundation for your lifelong quest for knowledge.

FAD 2230 Family Relationships: A Life Span Developmental Approach is a course that has been
accepted for credit in liberal studies and meets the following core competences:
1. Critically examine, interpret, and explain how personal, political, cultural, economic, and
social experiences and/or structures shape the past and/or the present.
2. Gather and analyze data using social science and/or historical methodologies to evaluate
causal arguments and analyze assertions, assumptions, and explanatory evidence.
3. Evaluate and employ appropriate methods and technology in the collection and analysis of
data.
FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course students examine contemporary families from a variety of theories/conceptual
frameworks to understand individual and family behavior within our culture. The text for the class
focuses on making choices about family life in a diverse society. Rather than designating a special
portion of the course to address cultural diversity, issues of race, ethnicity, and gender are
integrated throughout the text and course content. The course promotes understanding of self,
couples, and families within the context of social, cultural, political, and economic realities. This
orientation is evident in presentation of specific content, such as public policy concerning marriage
and families and technological influences on family life. Because current events are pertinent to
family issues, they are integrated into class content and analyzed from the perspective of individual
and family development and functioning. The course has no prerequisites.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the changing nature of American family life,
emphasizing the developmental tasks, structural changes, and relational processes of families
over the lifespan.
2. Students will critically examine, interpret, and explain how social contexts (e.g., personal
[race/etnicity, gender], political, cultural, socioeconomic, and social experiences) shape
personal choices and family life.
3. Using genograms (Genopro) technology, students will:
a. collect data from their families and peers
b. evaluate the patterns, timing, and trends in critical family experiences and processes
related to partnering/marriage, relationship dissolution/divorce, repartnering/remarriage,
childbearing and rearing, health, stressful life events, employment, and relational
interactions.
c. demonstrate their ability to apply concepts and assumptions from key family theories
(Family Development, Family Systems, Symbolic Interactionism, and Exchange) to
analyze and explain the patterns, timing and trends and themes found in data collected
on family-related processes.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

Item (Choose One) ISBN Net

Price
Custom MindTap Printed 9781337689632 $78.50
Access Code Only OR
Bundle (Book + Access 9781337691741 $129.25
Code)

Note: FSU will have a special edition of this textbook

(we have removed two chapters: deciding about
parenthood & Aging and multigenerational families). If
you buy a used version of the 13th edition, you will have
additional chapters. MindTap Access is optional, but is
recommended, as it provides useful study tools.

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FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

COURSE LMS:
This course will use the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS). All assignments will be
submitted to Canvas and grades will be recorded in Canvas. It will be expected that students learn
how to use the Canvas system. Canvas training modules are available on the Canvas homepage
to help students learn how to use this new management system.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. APA Quiz (20 points)

An APA resource guide will be posted on Canvas for students to review on their own time. Upon
completion of reading the resource guide and affiliated links, students will take an online APA quiz
through Canvas to assess their understanding of APA formatting standards, including issues
surrounding plagiarism. The quiz is to be taken independently but is open-book. See the course
calendar for the deadline for this quiz.

2. Exams (3 @ 100 points each)

Three exams (100 points each) will be given consisting of multiple-choice and true/false
questions. The exams are designed to assess your comprehension and application of the
concepts and theories taught in the course. The exams are closed book, and no notes are
permitted. The three unit exams are based on the textbook, additional readings, Mind Tap
information, videos, and lectures as follows:
Exam 1: Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Exam 2: Chapters: 6, 7, 9, 10, 11
Exam 3: Chapters: 12, 13, 14, 15

3. Genogram Assignment (80 points)

Students will complete a two-part genogram assignment this semester. The objectives for this
assignment are:
1. To gather data about your family of origin to prepare a pictorial representation of the
family structure and relational interactions across and among three generations.
2. To analyze the patterns, changes, and trends in your family over time in reference to
education, occupation, and employment, health matters, partnering and repartnering (e.g.,
marriage, divorce, remarriage), childbearing and childrearing, conflicted relationships, and
other relationship patterns.

Part I of the assignment requires you to use Genopro or other program to complete a computer-
generated three-generational genogram picture of your family.

Part II of the assignment requires you to prepare a typed paper that documents your analysis of
family changes, patterns, and trends and provides explanations for these in light of class content
related to family theories and lecture material.

Policy Note: Term papers must be submitted through the Turnitin feature on Canvas by the
stated date and time under the Assignments tab. You do not need to hand in a hard copy.
If you do not save your assignment as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file it is likely that I will not be
able to open it and you will forfeit the points for the assignment.

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FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

The detailed assignment description and grading rubric will be posted on Canvas under the
Assignments tab. You should use it as a guide to make sure that you have completed all aspects
of the assignment.

4. In-class Assignments (10 @ 10 points each)

A total of 13 unannounced in-class assignments will be given throughout the semester that
are worth 10 points each, with 10 of the 13 assignments counting toward your final grade.
You will be expected to have completed each week’s assigned chapter reading PRIOR to
Monday’s class every week in order to successfully complete the in-class assignments.
You must be present to receive the points and cannot make these points up under
any circumstances. Your two lowest grades on in-class work will be automatically
dropped at the end of the semester. Thus, you can miss two assignments without penalty.
Remember, that these two missed assignments include emergency and excused
absences, so if you are missing class for a non-emergency reason, plan with this in mind.

5. Extra Credit Opportunity: Research Participation (10 points)

A research project is underway by researchers at FSU’s Family Institute. It seeks to examine your
mental, physical, spiritual, and relational well-being. You may receive extra credit for participating
in this study based on your instructor’s discretion. Participation in this study requires completing
three online surveys (you must complete all three surveys to receive any extra credit points). The
first two surveys will each last no longer than one hour. The third survey will last no more than two
hours. Your instructor will provide links to the online surveys during the semester.
 The due date for Survey 1 will be midnight on Friday, February 2nd (2/2/18).
 The due date for Survey 2 will be midnight on Friday, March 16th (3/16/18).
 The due date for Survey 3 will be midnight on Friday, April 20th (4/20/18).

Questions regarding this research project should NOT be directed to your instructor. Instead,
contact the Family Institute. ALL QUESTIONS regarding this project should be sent
to fsufamilyinstitute@gmail.com

GRADES:
The student's final grade will be determined by the accumulation of points based on the following
point values. Please note that deadlines are firm in this course. Assignments that are turned
in late will receive 20% reduction in points for each day the assignment is late. Assignments
that are turned in 5 or more days after the due date will receive a 0.

In conjunction with University policy, the students will be graded on the plus/minus system. There
are no grades of A+, F+ or F-. The following categories have been established. Grades will be
rounded up when a student is at 0.5-0.9 from the next grade and we will strictly adhere to this
practice.

Grading Composition

Assignment Points
APA Quiz 20
Exams: 3 @100 points each 300
Genogram Assignment 80
In-class Assignments: 10 @ 10 points each 100
Total 500

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FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

Grading Scale

Percentage Points Letter

Grade
93-100% 463-500 A
90-92% 448-462 A-
87-89% 433-447 B+
83-86% 413-432 B
80-82% 398-412 B-
77-79% 383-397 C+
73-76% 363-382 C
70-72% 348-362 C-
67-69% 333-347 D+
63-66% 313-332 D
60-62% 298-312 D-
59% or less 0-297 F

Posting of Grades/Privacy Policy. We make every effort to grade exams and assignments and
post these grades in a timely manner, but please understand there are many students in this
course. Grades for assignments will be available within three weeks of the due date for the
assignment. In compliance with privacy laws, we cannot give grades over the phone or via email.

Grade Questions. If you have any questions about a specific grade you receive in this class, you
must contact your assigned TA within one week of the grade being posted to schedule a time to
discuss your concerns. We will not review grades retroactively at the end of the semester, nor are
we responsible for emails not being received. Additionally, we are not responsible for assignments
that are not submitted successfully.

Note: If you find you are having difficulty in this course, you are encouraged to come and see your
assigned TA. It is to your benefit to do this as early in the semester as possible. Although extra
credit work is not available, we can offer suggestions on studying and direct you to on-campus
resources available for students.

Important Information - For students seeking a degree in Family and Child Sciences
As a prerequisite to seeking a degree in Family and Child Sciences, one must successfully
complete FAD2230 Family Relationships, CHD2220 Child Growth and Development, CHD3243
Contexts of Adolescent Development, FAD3343 Contexts of Adult Development and Aging, and
STA2xxx with a minimum grade of B-. CHD2220 is a prerequisite for both CHD3243 and FAD3343.
You are allowed to repeat one of these five courses only once. If a B- is not achieved during the
second attempt, you must choose another major.

Students interested in a minor in child development must complete the following four courses
with a grade of at least C-: FAD2230, CHD220, CHD3243, and FAD3343. CHD2220 is a pre-
requisite for both CHD3243 and FAD3343.

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FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

CLASS POLICIES:

1. Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend class regularly, as attendance is vital to the learning process.
Unannounced in-class assignments will be given. These must be completed in the class session
they are assigned and no make-ups will be available. In-class assignments cannot be made up
under any circumstances, however your lowest 2 scores will be dropped.

If you need/choose to be absent, you are responsible for getting notes from another student and
finding out what you missed. Because exams cover material presented in class that may not be
included in the textbook, as well as material in the assigned readings that is not covered in class,
attendance will result in better performance. Missed exams can only be made up if your
absence is excused.

According to the University Attendance Policy, excused absences include documented illness,
deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious
holy days, and official University activities. These absences are accommodated in a way that does
not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration is given to students whose
dependent children experience serious illness.

Absences are excused only when documentation is presented to instructor within 1 week of the
absence. If you do not present your documentation to the instructor within one week of
returning to class, the absence will be considered unexcused---NO EXCEPTIONS. If you do
not contact us and make plans to make up the exam within one week of its due date, you are no
longer eligible to make up that exam, even if you have a University excused absence. Only the
days indicated on the excuse will be accepted as verification of an excused absence.

2. Class Behavior
Discourteous or disruptive behavior in class is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. This
includes frequent coming and going during class and/or talking during lecture or while the instructor
or another student has “the floor.” Other unacceptable behaviors include arriving late or leaving
early, except in cases when there is a valid reason for doing so. If you are disruptive to the learning
environment in such a way, you will be asked to leave class. Repeat incidents of inappropriate
behavior will be considered a violation of the FSU Code of Conduct and will be presented to the
appropriate FSU school official for further intervention.

There is a zero tolerance policy for cell phones being out and used during class (texting,
gaming, surfing, social media, and calling). All cell phones must be turned off or placed in silent
mode during class. You will be asked to leave class if you are texting, talking on the phone, e-
mailing, or using other phone applications during class.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should a cell phone or other electronic device be out during
an exam.
Laptop and tablet use is permissible for note taking only, however it is not recommended
that you use laptops for taking notes. Improper use of laptops and tablets during class (i.e.
surfing the web, Facebook, etc.) is not permitted at any time. Any inappropriate use of electronic
devices will result in dismissal from that class.

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3. Office Hours
The instructor and TA will provide office hours every week. During office hours, we can discuss your
grade and any questions you may have about the course. The TA is a graduate student in our
department who has taken this course or a similar one. Do not hesitate to contact her/him about any
questions that you have about either the course or the materials for the class. If you are unable to
make office hours on campus, please email the TA or instructor to set up a meeting.

4. Email and Communication

We are always happy to address any questions about course content and concepts or discuss any
personal concerns relating to your academic performance in this course, so please feel free to
contact us anytime.

If you have questions, please contact your assigned TA via a Canvas In-box message prior
to contacting the instructor. Please do not email through regular FSU email, or it may get
lost or overlooked. When messaging the instructor or TA, please include “FAD2230” in the
subject line, and be sure to include your first and last name in the body of the message.
Not including this information will delay our ability to respond to you and in some instances
your email might be accidentally deleted as spam.

The instructor and TA for this course are given 24 hours to respond to your emails during the work
week and 72 hours over the weekend. Additionally, if you have questions about any assignment,
you must send them at least 24 hours prior to the due date/time to ensure a response. Any emails
sent with less than 24 hours notice before the due date are not guaranteed a response; a lack of
response following these guidelines will not be a valid excuse for a late assignment or a point of
confusion in submission.

Many questions can be answered by checking this syllabus or the Canvas site for
announcements, so be sure to check frequently. If you ask a question that can be answered
through one of these sources, you will be re-directed to them.

5. Technical Support
If you experience problems with the Canvas course site, contact Canvas support at (850) 644-8004
or submit a ticket at https://my.fsu.edu/web/support . If you are having trouble submitting an
assignment email your instructor to notify her of the problem prior to the deadline. If you
cannot submit your assignment by the deadline, attach it to your email letting us know of
the technical issue. You will then be required to submit it online through Canvas once the
technical issue has been resolved. For technical issues, contact the IT Help Desk at (850)644-
HELP.

6. Academic Support
If you would like additional help with this course or any others, FSU offers peer tutoring services for
all enrolled students. Tutoring is not only for students who are struggling with course material, but
can be a valuable resource for all students who want to develop better understanding of course
material or develop stronger study and time management skills. Go to http://ace.fsu.edu/tutoring/
for more information.
For help with writing, visit the FSU Reading-Writing Center. As with tutoring, the Reading-Writing
Center is not only for students who are struggling with writing, but for all who would like to improve
their writing skills. Go to http://wr.english.fsu.edu/Reading-Writing-Center for more information.

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FAD 2230-0001 Spring 2018 Syllabus

7. Americans With Disabilities Act

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodation should:
(1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center; and
(2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type.
This should be done during the first week of class.
This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.
For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the:
Student Disability Resource Center
874 Traditions Way
108 Student Services Building
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167
(850) 644-9566 (voice)
(850) 644-8504 (TDD)
sdrc@admin.fsu.edu
http://www.disabilitycenter.fsu.edu/

8. University Academic Honor Policy

In this class, FSU’s Academic Honor Policy is in effect for all in and out of class examinations,
assignments, special class projects, and other activities assigned by the Instructor. The Florida
State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s expectations for the integrity of
students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and
the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students
are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “. . . be
honest and truthful and . . . [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State
University.” (Florida State University Academic Honor Policy, found at
http://dof.fsu.edu/honorpolicy.htm.)

During examinations, violations of the Academic Honor Policy shall include referring to
information not specifically condoned by the instructor. It shall further include receiving information
from a fellow student or another unauthorized source manually or electronically (social media).
Regarding academic assignments, violations of the Academic Honor Policy shall
include representing another’s work or any part thereof, be it published or unpublished, as one’s
own. It shall also include presenting or submitting any academic work in a manner that impairs the
instructor’s ability to assess the student’s academic performance. Violations of the Academic
Honor Policy shall include assisting, attempting to assist, or conspiring to assist another student in
committing the offenses as previously mentioned for in and out of class assignments unless
otherwise communicated by the Instructor in writing.

Use of Facebook and Other Social Media: A Note of Caution:

http://fda.fsu.edu/content/download/167524/1471429/facebookforstudents.pdf
Students should be extremely cautious in using Facebook and any other forms of social or
electronic media for the use of information transfer, sharing, or collaboration with other students on
assignments, exams, special projects or other assignments given by the Instructor. Unless
otherwise explicitly stated in writing and outlined in the course syllabus by the Instructor; students
should be extremely cautious when using Facebook or any other form of social media that might
place their academic integrity in question. When being solicited to join a Facebook group or other

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related type of media format relating to an FSU class, be wary and show caution. Incidents or
violations of the FSU Academic Honor Policy may affect you personally, academically, and
professionally. Your mere joining an unauthorized social media group with the intent to violate the
Honor Code may have adverse outcomes on your academic record and standing at the Florida
State University. In relationship to Unauthorized Group Work, please review violation #4 of the
Academic Honor Policy (see Florida State University Academic Honor Policy at
http://fda.fsu.edu/content/download/21140/136629/AHP2010Revision.pdf. If you have questions
about participating in a social media type group, you should seek immediate advice from your
instructor. The College of Human Sciences will pursue with vigor any student who violates such
policies. In accordance with the Academic Honor Policy, students may be asked to sign the
following statement:

I have neither given nor received aid from any unauthorized source during this
examination/assignment.

9. Use of Course Materials

Use of materials presented in this course for personal gain (e.g., selling study guides or notes) or
any purpose not related to this course (e.g., posting videos or other materials to youtube or social
media) constitutes academic dishonesty. Any student caught sharing, stealing course materials, or
providing answers in any type of form, whether through social media or other methods, will
automatically be reported to the University for disciplinary action and will receive an F in the
course. Students can use social media to arrange study groups, but all submitted assignments,
quizzes, and tests must be an individual student’s own work.

10. Syllabus Change Policy

Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement,
this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advanced notice.

COURSE SCHEDULE:

EXAMS Holiday/Breaks QUIZ/ASSIGNMENT DUE *

*All quizzes & assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the date shown

Day Date Topics Read

Week 1
Monday 1/8 Attendance/Orientation to the Course/Syllabus Review Syllabus
Wednesday 1/10 Making Family Choices in a Changing Society Chapter 1
Friday 1/12 Making Family Choices in a Changing Society, Cont.
Week 2
Monday 1/15 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday- No School
Wednesday 1/17 Exploring Relationships & Families Chapter 2
Friday 1/19 Exploring Relationships & Families, Cont.
Week 3
Monday 1/22 Exploring Relationships & Families, Cont.
Wednesday 1/24 Exploring Relationships & Families, Cont.
Friday 1/26 Exploring Relationships & Families, Cont.
APA Quiz Due (take through Canvas)

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Week 4
Monday 1/29 Gender Identities and Families Chapter 3
Wednesday 1/31 Gender Identities and Families, cont.
Friday 2/2 Our Sexual Selves Chapter 4
Extra Credit Survey 1 due Friday, Feb 2
Week 5
Monday 2/5 Our Sexual Selves, Cont.
Wednesday 2/7 Our Sexual Selves, Cont.
Friday 2/9 Love & Choosing a Life Partner Chapter 5
Week 6
Monday 2/12 Love & Choosing a Life Partner, Cont.
Wednesday 2/14 Love & Choosing a Life Partner, Cont.
Genogram Overview
Friday 2/16 EXAM 1: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Week 7
Monday 2/19 Non-marital lifestyles: Living Alone, Cohabitating, & Others Chapter 6
Wednesday 2/21 Non-marital lifestyles, Cont.
Friday 2/23 Non-marital lifestyles, Cont.
Week 8
Monday 2/26 Marriage Chapter 7
Wednesday 2/28 Marriage, Cont.
Friday 3/2 Marriage, Cont.
Week 9
Monday 3/5 Raising Children in a Diverse Society Chapter 9
Wednesday 3/7 Raising Children in a Diverse Society, Cont.
Friday 3/9 Raising Children in a Diverse Society, Cont.
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 12-16
Extra Credit Survey 2 due Friday, Mar 16
Week 10
Monday 3/19 Work & Family Chapter 10
Wednesday 3/21 Work & Family, Cont.
Friday 3/23 Communication in Relationships Chapter 11
Week 11
Monday 3/26 Communication in Relationships, Cont.
Wednesday 3/28 Communication in Relationships, Cont.
Friday 3/30 EXAM 2: Chapters 6, 7, 9, 10, & 11
Week 12
Monday 4/2 Family Stress, Crisis, & Resilience Chapter 13
Wednesday 4/4 Family Stress, Crisis, & Resilience, Cont.
Friday 4/6 Family Stress, Crisis, & Resilience, Cont.
Genogram Assignment Due

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Week 13
Monday 4/9 Power & Violence in Families Chapter 12
Wednesday 4/11 Power & Violence in Families, Cont.
Friday 4/13 Power & Violence in Families, Cont.
Week 14
Monday 4/16 Divorce & Relationship Dissolution Chapter 14
Wednesday 4/18 Divorce & Relationship Dissolution, Cont.
Friday 4/20 Divorce & Relationship Dissolution, Cont.
Extra Credit Survey 3 due Friday, April 20
Week 15
Monday 4/23 Remarriages & Stepfamilies Chapter 15
Wednesday 4/25 Remarriages & Stepfamilies, Cont.
Friday 4/27 Remarriages & Stepfamilies, Cont.
Finals Week
Friday 5/4 EXAM 3: Chapters 12, 13, 14, & 15
(May 4, 7:30 – 9:30 am)

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