SOC 119 Attendance Policy: Fall 2025 Semester
If you’re in the WEB Section (Section 002),
click HERE for information about your attendance policy.
Every class has 3 points attached to it. In order to receive those points, you must either:
be in class and complete both in-person attendance quizzes
OR submit a Class Reflection Video Assignment
You NEVER have to send us any kind of excuse because we will NEVER give you points for doing nothing.
In-Person Attendance
During each class, we will launch two quizzes on Canvas to take attendance:
The first will be at the beginning of class.
The second towards the end.
Each quiz is worth one and a half (1.5) points. If you want to earn full credit for each class (3 points), you must be in the classroom and take both quizzes.
To access each Attendance quiz (both quizzes), you need a code that will be announced a few seconds before we launch each quiz, and it won’t be livestreamed or revealed in any other way than in class. In that sense, you MUST BE IN CLASS to be able to know the code and take the corresponding quiz.
IF WE FIND OUT THAT SOMEONE HAS SHARED THAT CODE WITH A PERSON WHO IS NOT IN THE ROOM, WE WILL IMMEDIATELY SEND THE MATTER TO THE OFFICE OF JUDICIAL AFFAIRS. WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
If you arrive after the first quiz or leave before the second quiz, then you will lose those points. And if you leave shortly after taking the first quiz or arrive shortly before the second quiz, we will consider this cheating, so we will NOT give you any attendance points for that particular class and we reserve the right to send the matter to the Office of Judicial Affairs. By ‘any attendance points’ we mean that you will lose 3 points.
We are closing off the top three rows of seats and nobody is going to sit in the very back of the room before the stairs during class. Sam will explain during class.
If you need to leave the classroom for any reason, it is very important that you go to the table at the top of the room and see the Attendance TAs. They will note that you are leaving and the time you are leaving. Keep in mind that if you do NOT intend to return, then it is very important that you see them before you leave. And if you leave and return, see them upon returning. If you do not check with them before leaving and for any reason you miss any Attendance quiz, but take the other one, we will not have the opportunity to verify that you actually were in class to take that quiz. Therefore, we will assume that someone sent you the code and we will not give you any attendance points for that particular class (meaning you will lose 3 points) and we reserve the right to send the matter to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS LOGGING INTO CANVAS:
If you’re having trouble with either one of the in-class attendance quizzes, perhaps your phone will not connect to wi-fi; take a selfie of your face and the code in the background and upload the selfie to the correct folder in Canvas (Class xx Selfie Photo Issues) immediately or right after class. You have only 48 hours to upload the selfie and it will prove that you were in the classroom during the time of that particular quiz. Check out the slideshow that plays before class begins for examples of selfies that will work those that will now. So far we will just say that a selfie includes, in the same image, (1) you in the photo AND (2) the quiz code in the background.
In addition to the daily Attendance Quizzes, we will randomly require EVERYONE IN THE ROOM to take a selfie with that day’s attendance code in the background and upload it to Canvas. If you do not have the selfie AND you have taken the Canvas attendance quiz for that day, then we will assume that you were not in class and someone sent you the code. And we will consider this cheating and penalize you for the day's attendance quiz points (meaning you will lose 3 Attendance points).
What you need to know is that we will have systems in place to ensure that students enrolled in this course do not cheat when it comes to attendance. Cheating is not fair to others and to the good of the whole, and if we catch you doing that, then we’re going to report you to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
There are zero excused absences.
If you miss a class, you must complete a Class Reflection Video Assignment (CRVA).
If you are in Section 001, then you can watch the livestream or recording (and submit a CRVA) instead of attending class on TWO different occasions throughout the semester (when you're sick, when you want to do something else during class, when you have an emergency. etc.). After the second occasion, you can only earn half credit for those attendance points even if you submit the Class Reflection Video Assignment and earn all the points.
If Penn State happens to cancel classes (for instance, a “snow day”), the class session for that day will be held at the regular class time and you will log into the Live Stream to watch class. To receive attendance credit for these days, everyone will take a three question quiz right after the Live Stream to earn attendance points.
NOTE: If you have an ongoing medical issue that requires you to miss class on a regular basis or for an extended period, contact Yuli at staff@soc119.org and let us know what is going on. Only contact Yuli at staff@soc119.org. If you send emails through Canvas or directly to Sam or any other staff member, it is less likely for us to give you a timely response. We likely never respond to messages on those accounts.
IMPORTANT:
If you take both attendance quizzes in class, your grade will be updated to Canvas automatically. If there is an issue connecting to wi-fi and Canvas and you have to submit a selfie, it will take 48 hours for us to get your grade posted.
Last but not least, regarding the Attendance assignment, we want you to engage with the class, not with your phone or laptop. Do not come to class with a computer - if you do, keep it in your bags. For phones, only pull them out for the attendance quizzes.
Remember, we are streaming and people from all over the world can see you on Amazon shopping or texting your friends, or watching March Madness.
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT ASK ABOUT ATTENDANCE:
How can I contact Sam or Yuli if I have questions?
We are available to respond to all class questions or issues ONLY at the staff@soc119.org email address.
DO NOT send emails via Canvas because we likely never respond to messages on those accounts so you will not receive a timely response.
When people send us emails via Canvas it will take a lot longer for us to realize there are issues to attend to in that inbox.
So, let us repeat it: DO NOT send emails via Canvas because we won’t respond (if we do, it will be to tell you to email the staff email through Outlook). We are available to respond to all class questions or issues ONLY at the staff@soc119.org email address.
How do I receive attendance credit when I am in 100 Thomas?
Attendance quizzes
There will be two quizzes on Canvas, one at the beginning of class and one at the end and each is worth 1.5 points. If you take these two quizzes, you will be given credit for the class.
We will also randomly ask you to take a selfie and upload it to Canvas
During the first week, there are no attendance points calculated in Canvas.
What if I cannot attend class?
Attendance is an assignment so you must either attend class in person or watch the video from class. If you do have to miss class, then you still must make up those points.
Even if you have a valid excuse (medical, academic, personal situation), you must make up those points because attendance is an “assignment.”
You never have to send us documentation referencing why you are missing class because, while we do care about your personal health and well-being and what is happening in your lives, there are no actions that we will be taking once we find out that you cannot be in class on any particular day.
How do I make up attendance points when I miss a class?
You will watch the livestream or a recording of the class and upload a Class Reflection Video Assignment afterwards.
We gave you details about the Class Reflection Video Assignment in the corresponding section on this Syllabus but we want to tell you up front that it is much easier to just come to class than to submit one of these.
The CRVA requires three separate videos of 3 minutes minimum (each) and you’re going to find it extremely difficult to use AI to assist you or to copy from other students.
How many times during the semester can I NOT come to 100 Thomas for the in-person class?
If you are enrolled in Section 001, then you can watch the livestream or recording instead of attending class on TWO different occasions throughout the semester. And after two occasions, you can only earn half credit for those attendance points even if you submit the Class Reflection Video Assignment and earn all the points.
If you are enrolled in Section 002, then you never have to attend class in 100 Thomas. However, this means that you MUST submit a Class Reflection Video Assignment for every class – because this will be how you receive your 3 points for attendance each day. As such, you might want to attend class in 100 Thomas, which you have the option to do, even if you are enrolled in Section 002 (WEB).
What if I get Covid-19 during and must go into quarantine? Or what if I cannot attend class for an extended period because I have encountered some other issue?
If you are diagnosed with Covid-19 or have some long-term absence issue, then communicate with Yuli via staff@soc119.org.
As to Covid-19, you must have documentation from Penn State.
So keep in mind that if you are not in class, then you must submit the Class Reflection Video Assignment, even if you have Covid-19..
That said, we will follow Penn State guidelines, just like we do for any extended illness when instructors are asked to allow students to make up work that they have missed.
What should I do if I am sick?
You can stay home and watch the stream (if you’re feeling well enough) or watch the recording of the class, but you will need to send the Class Reflection Video Assignment to get your attendance points.
Each time you do this, however, it counts as one of your THREE opportunities to not come to 100 Thomas for the class.
What if I arrive late at 100 Thomas?
If you arrive AFTER the attendance quiz, then obviously you will not receive those points. If you arrive halfway through the class, then you need to check in with one of the attendance TAs who will be in the back of the room at the top in the middle (under the projectors).
If you arrive immediately before the second quiz, we’ll consider that cheating.
What if I am in class and I need to leave before it ends?
If you leave right before the second Attendance Quiz, then that’s not a problem for us, but just know that you will miss those points and, even if you leave two minutes before we open the quiz, we’re not giving you those points.
But if you take the first attendance quiz on Canvas and then get up to leave, we’ll consider this to be cheating and you risk being referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs.
Are there any days during the semester when class will be canceled?
There will be several days in which we will NOT meet in 100 Thomas. We will announce them as soon as we know what they are.
If we do “cancel” a class meeting in 100 Thomas, then you will watch an online class video during the regularly scheduled class time and take a Canvas quiz immediately after the video ends (i.e., at 5:50pm).
A “canceled” class does not count as one of your TWO opportunities to miss the in-person class (for students in Section 001).
What if we have a snow day and class is canceled?
You will still have to watch an online class video and upload the Class Reflection Video Assignment.
That video will be sent to you by email and also be on Canvas somewhere that will be easy to find.
How do I receive attendance points when I am watching the livestream or the recordings?
For any missed class you will need to upload a Class Reflection Video Assignment. More information is below but keep in mind that this is three separate videos of 3 minutes each so it is much easier to come to class.
If I miss a class and I’m not watching the live stream, then how long do I have before I must watch the recording?
The opportunity to upload the Class Reflection Video Assignment will be open for exactly one week (7 days) after the end of each class.
So if you miss class on Thursday September 5th, then we will close the window to submit the Class Reflection Video Assignment until September 12th at 6:00pm.
We will NOT reopen the assignment once it is closed
How will my attendance points be calculated?
Every class, once you take the two Attendance Quizzes IN CLASS (Beginning and End) your gradebook will populate immediately. So each day’s attendance will be noted on Canvas as a separate grade.
Then we will add in the points derived from the Class Reflection Video Assignment (for those people who were not in class), once each assignment is closed and we take the time to check and grade them all.
Remember, for the first TWO Class Reflection Video Assignments you can earn full credit but any remaining assignments can only earn you half credit.
Remember, don’t come to class AND write the Class Reflection Video Assignment for the same day.
How do I keep track of my attendance points?
You can check Canvas after each class and see your Attendance Quiz points.
If Canvas does not indicate that you successfully took the quiz (because of some connection/network problem with Canvas), deal with it right away and quickly take a selfie.
If you submit Class Reflection Video Assignments, however, you will have to wait until we get these graded – and that can take a week or so AFTER the assignment closes.
We recommend you not to wait until later in the semester to keep track of your attendance. The best practice is to check Canvas before you leave the room so you will be sure your points were added or, if you have any issues the Staff could help you with it.
If you have any questions or concerns you can always contact Yuli ONLY at staff@soc11.org. If you send us emails through Canvas or email another member of the staff regarding any issue with your grades, it is less likely that you get a faster response.
How do I earn attendance points on the days when we are not in 100Thomas or when we cancel in-person classes?
You will watch a video of a SOC 119 class from a previous semester. We will live stream this class at the same time as our regular class (4:35-5:50pm) but you can be anywhere in the world and watch the stream/class.
Immediately after the class ends (i.e., the video finishes at 5:50pm), we will open a three question quiz on Canvas.
The quiz will only be available for 5 minutes and once you open it, you will have 90 seconds to complete it. This will be how you will earn your attendance points for those days.
EVERYONE enrolled in the course will have the opportunity to do this. The questions will be very simple if you watched the class/video.
However, if you do not watch the class live, then you can still watch the recording of the class and upload a Class Reflection Video Assignment. Again, it’s in your interest to watch live.