Instructor
Quarter: Summer Session C
Offered: 2024
Substantively, this course introduces students to the range of topics that sociologists study with particular emphasis on how inequality is understood from a sociological perspective, in addition to a review of the research methods that sociologists use to investigate these topics. The culmination of the course is an original literature review on a sociological topic of choice that introduces students to the early stages of conducting research. To prepare students to write a literature review, the course includes a series of workshops on research-related topics that engage critical thinking skills while allowing students to learn independently about a topic of interest.
Anonymous student reviews:
"Professor Smock was great! She knew what she was teaching. Her activities were fun, and hands-on, and allowed me to understand the topics we discussed in her class. She cared about her students and made the learning process smooth and stress-free. She incorporated real-world problems and interesting educational videos that applied to the course."
"I studied sociological concepts from the ground up. It was exciting when the concepts and theories we were studying connected to my past experiences and knowledge."
"This course challenged me to develop academic reading and writing skills."
"I have not had a class at UCLA where I felt so encouraged and welcome to participant in a while. Katherine was a wonderful instructor and I felt so included in the conversation."
"Each class had a clear learning goal, and we were often reminded of our overall goals for the class. The lectures were clear and helpful and included student participation which made them engaging."
Quarter: Summer Session A
Offered: 2025
Everyday, we encounter information that comes from scientific studies in the media, on the internet, and in conversations with others. However, many people don’t have the skills that are necessary to evaluate how reliable this information is. Was the study performed in a way that makes the findings generalizable? How high quality and trustworthy are the data? In recent years, numerous documentaries and articles about a series of scientific studies convinced the public that the lifestyles in so-called ‘Blue Zones’ significantly improved human longevity. This led to several bestselling books and the emergence of a multi-million dollar company based on the idea. Yet, another researcher now argues that these findings are based on faulty recordkeeping. How can we, as citizens and social scientists, evaluate such studies and arguments? This hands-on course offers a brief overview of research design and methods in sociology that will help you evaluate research you encounter and provide you with a solid foundation to embark on your own social science research in the future.
Teaching Assistant
I have served as teaching assistant for the following courses at UCLA. For each, I led discussion sections for 60-75 students.
Economy and Society
Collective Behavior
Contemporary Social Theory
Introductory Sociology
Awards
Kollock Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award, UCLA Sociology, 2024
Excellence in Teaching Award, UCLA Sociology, 2021-2023
Karen Stilton Mentorship Award, UCLA Sociology, 2021-2023