Course:Weds. 2:30-3:20, PSQ 303

Instructor: Anthony Nownes

Office: 811 McClung Tower

Telephone: 974-7052

Email:

Web Page:

Office Hours: MWF 10-11

The Course

The FYS 129 Freshman Seminar at UTK is a one-unit, credit (pass)/no-credit (fail) course that covers whatever the instructor (in this case, me) wants to cover. The subject of this course is polling. Specifically, we will look at polling during the 2008 presidential election. We will examine what polls are, what they are used for, how they are conducted, and what effects they have. By the end of this course, you will know all you will ever need to know about polls and polling. OK, this is not really true. But hopefully you will know more about polls and polling than you do now.

Book

You need to acquire this book:

Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public: What Every Citizen Should Know(Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2007).

We will also be looking extensively at the following web sites, as well as others (but these are some of my favorites):

I may provide supplemental readings as well.

Grading

This is a credit/no-credit course. This means that you will not receive a grade per se. Instead, I will determine at the end of the course whether or not you did enough work to pass—that is, to receive a grade of C (credit) rather than NC (no credit). I will this decision on your participation and your research presentation. I will determine, based on how much and how well you participate in class, whether you receive a C or an NC for participation. To earn a C, you will need to show up, participate, and have something useful to say. As for your research presentation, I will assign it a letter grade from A-F. Any grade above a C- is considered a passing grade. If you receive a passing mark for BOTH your participation and your research presentation, you will pass.

For your research presentation, you (with a partner) will give a 20-minute in-class presentation called either, “Why I think Barack Obama Will Win the 2008 Presidential Election,” or “Why I think John McCain Will Win the 2008 Presidential Election.” Your presentation will be based SOLELY on poll results.

Policies

Accommodations for students with disabilities:

I am committed to making all necessary accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities are urged to contact the Office of Disability Services (2227 Dunford Hall; Phone: (865) 974-6087; Fax: (865) 974-9552; Email: ) to learn more about their rights and responsibilities. Here is an excerpt from Hilltopics about the Office:

“The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is the designated office on campus that obtains and files disability-related documents, certifies eligibility for services, determines reasonable accommodations, and develops plans for the provision of such accommodations” (Hilltopics, p. 48)

Talking in class:

This class will involve a great deal of discussion. However, you are to speak only when recognized by me. Furthermore, you may NOT talk when someone else (including me) is speaking.

Schedule

Week 1: 8/20Welcome to class

Week 2: 8/27What is a poll?, Read: Asher, ch. 1

Week 3: 9/3Nonattitudes, Read: Asher, ch. 2

Week 4: 9/10What can go wrong: Question wording, Read: Asher, ch. 3

Week 5: 9/17What can go wrong: Sampling, Read: Asher, ch. 4

Week 6: 9/24Conducting a poll, Read: Asher, ch. 5

Week 7: 10/1Student presentations

Week 8: 10/8Student presentations

Week 9: 10/15Student presentations

Week 10: 10/22Student presentations

Week 11: 10/29Student presentations

Week 12: 11/5The media and polls, Read: Asher, ch. 6

Week 13: 11/12Polls and elections, Read: Asher, ch. 7

Week 14: 11/19Polling results, Read: Asher, ch. 8

Week 15: 11/26Wrap-up