American
Government
and Politics
Fall Semester 2009
Political Science 150-03
M/W/F 12:20-1:10, Stillwell 150
Instructor: Dr. Claudia Bryant
Office: Stillwell, Room # 350
Office Hours: Mondays 11:00-12:00, Wednesdays 11:00-12:00 and
1:15-2:15,
Thursdays by appointment, and Fridays 11:00-12:00. Please feel
free to
drop by during my office hours to chat, or for help or clarification if
needed.
Phone: 227-3860
E-mail:
Class Web Page: http://paws.wcu.edu/cbryant. Copies of
class
handouts, chapter study guides for exams, homework assignments, as well
as
other relevant class materials will be posted on the web page as
appropriate.
Course Description: This is a survey
course in
American politics. Because of the vast amount of material to be
covered, we
will not always be able to explore every issue in as much detail as
might be
desirable. The course is organized into three broad sections: the
foundations
of American government--our central beliefs and values, the
Constitution,
federalism, and civil rights and liberties; the nongovernmental
institutions
that play a major role in our political process and are the means by
which
individuals and groups participate in politics and government and
influence the
course of public policies--public opinion, campaigns and elections,
political
parties, interest groups, and the mass media; and the principal
institutions
and arrangements of our national government--the Congress, the
Presidency, the
bureaucracy, and the courts, and policymaking across these institutions.
Required Text: Shea, Daniel et al. 2007. Living
Democracy. Pearson Prentice Hall.
Course Requirements: Below is a discussion of the various components that will make up your final grade.
Exams: There will be four examinations in the course including the final exam. Students who miss an exam will not have an opportunity to take a makeup; however, each student may drop his/her lowest test grade. Each of the remaining three exam scores will be equal in weight in determining the final course grade (25% per exam). Exams may consist of any or all of the following types of questions: multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, matching, short answer and essay. The final exam will not be comprehensive.
Class Participation: Learning is not a
spectator
sport. Class discussion of relevant material should be an
integral part
of this course. Therefore, it is imperative that students read the
assigned
material before class in order to contribute effectively during
class
discussions. I will call on you spontaneously to present to the
class
your thoughts and reactions to issues covered in the assigned
readings.
Be prepared.
Current
Events Article Presentations: As a means of helping
students
to connect the course content to the contemporary political
environment, each
student will be expected to orally present two news articles related to
American politics and government. Articles presented in class
should come
from a reputable major daily newspaper such as the New York Times,
the Washington
Post, the Christian Science Monitor, or a weekly
newsmagazine such
as Time, Newsweek, or U.S. News and World Report
and
should relate to issues we are currently discussing or have previously
discussed in class. At the time you present your articles to the
class,
please submit a copy of the article as well as a typed summary of the
article,
explaining the key points it addresses and how the issues reported in
the
article relate to the course content we have discussed/are discussing
in
class. Each student should submit one
current events article prior to Fall Break; the second article should
be
presented between Fall Break and the end of the semester.
If you fail to submit an article before Fall
Break, you will not be allowed to submit 2 in the second half of the
semester.
These assignments combined with overall contribution to class discussions will make up students’ class participation scores. This score will count as 15% of each student’s final grade.
Cheating/Plagiarism Policies: I will abide by the University’s Academic Honesty Policy. That is, no form of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will be tolerated. If a student is found to be in violation of the University’s policies regarding any aspect of this course, that student will receive an F not only for the assignment but for the course overall. If academic dishonesty is found to be a pattern by University officials, the student may be expelled from the University.
Classroom conduct/behavior Policy: I follow the “baseball rule” in terms of inappropriate classroom behavior (disruptive talking, belligerency towards the instructor or classmates, sleeping, texting/talking on a mobile phone, inappropriate use of laptops during class, or otherwise interfering with the effective functioning of the class). If I have to call a student out for this sort of behavior more than twice during the course of the semester, on the third occasion, the student will be referred to the Department of Student Community Ethics for disciplinary action, and the class participation score will be reduced to zero.
Americans with Disabilities Act Policy: I
abide
by the University’s policy regarding
Grading Scale: A+=98-100; A=93-97; A- =90-92; B+ =88-89; B=83-87; B- = 80-82; C+ =78-79; C=73-77; C- = 70-72; D+ 68-69; D=63-67; D- = 60-62; F=0-59.
Attendance: Attendance is required. It is also extremely beneficial, as issues will often be discussed in class that are not specifically covered in the text. If you miss class, I highly recommend that you make arrangements to copy a classmate's notes. While I am happy to clarify issues students may be unsure about after they have copied someone else's notes, I do not provide private lectures, nor do I give out my lecture notes. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class period. Consistently good attendance throughout the semester (5 or fewer absences) may be rewarded with a bonus being added to one's final average if the student has also contributed to the class actively during the semester. On the other hand, poor attendance will harm your class participation grade; one cannot participate in class discussions if one is not in class. Each student is entitled to 5 absences during the semester; beyond those absences, points will be deducted from the student’s class participation score in proportion to the total number of absences incurred during the semester (including the first 5). For example, if a student misses 5 or fewer classes during the semester, that student is eligible to earn full credit in terms of class participation. If a student misses 6 classes during the semester, that student will be eligible to earn no higher than 85% on his/her class participation score; if a student misses 7 classes, that student will be eligible to earn no higher than 82% on his/her participation score, etc. Class meetings begin at 12:20. You are expected to be in class and ready to begin class discussions at that time. Tardiness is rude and distracting to both the instructor and other students in class. If you come into class after I have finished taking the role for the day, you will be marked absent for that class period. That absence will count towards the five absences you are allowed during the semester.
Course Schedule: Below is a tentative course schedule for the semester. All dates and material are subject to change with the advance notice of the instructor. Specific reading assignments will be announced in class. Additional reading material may be assigned during the semester, with the advance notice of the instructor.
Monday, August 24: First day class meets
Material for Exam 1/Weeks 1-4: Introduction
to
course, Chapter 1-text overview, Chapter 2 (plus the Declaration
of
Independence and the Constitution, both in the appendix)--the founding
of the
Friday, August 28 (5 pm): Drop/Add ends
Monday, September 7: No classes; Labor Day holiday. Enjoy!!
Friday, September 18: Test 1
Monday, September 21 - Monday, September 28: Reporting of Fifth Week Grades
Material for Exam 2/Weeks 5-9: Chapter 6--civil rights, Chapter 10--political socialization and public opinion, Chapter 14 elections, and Chapter 15--political parties
Thursday, October 1: last day to apply for December graduation
Friday, October 9 and Monday, October 12: No classes; Fall Break. Enjoy!!
Friday, October 16: Test 2; last day to apply for spring graduation
Material for Exam 3/Weeks
10-12: Chapter 11--mass media, Chapter 12--civic and
political
engagement, and Chapter 13--interest groups.
Wednesday, October 21: Advising Day; no classes
Friday, October 30: Last day to drop a class with an automatic W.
Friday, November 13: Test 3
Sunday, November 22 - Sunday, December 6: Online course evaluations; see your Catamount email account for details.
Material for Exam 4/Weeks 13-15: Chapter
7--Congress, Chapter 8--Presidency, Chapter 9--Bureaucracy, and Chapter
4--the
Courts
Wednesday, November 25 and Friday, November 27: No classes;
Thanksgiving Break. Enjoy!!
Tuesday, December 1,
5 p.m.: Last day to withdraw with a W for legal, medical, mental
health,
or administrative reasons
Tuesday, December 15: Final
Exam 3:00-5:30