POLITICAL SCIENCE 150
INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Tuesday Thursdays – 11am Class
Spring, 2014
COURSE OUTLINE
Professor, DAVID C. ANDRUS OFFICE HOURS
OFFICE: Seco Hall -208 Tuesday – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
TELEPHONE: (661) 259-7800 x3052 – campus Wednesday – 1:15pm to 2:15pm
(626) 260-0029 - cell Thursday – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
E-MAIL –
COURSE SUMMARY
Political Science 150 is an introductory course that seeks to establish a foundation and basis of understanding of American government. The course will cover various elements and dynamics of American democracy, the institutional and practical linkage between citizens and their government, and the roles and functions of the individual governmental institutions. A portion of the course will be devoted to understanding California State government and its relationship with the federal government.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to speak knowledgeably of the following subjects: the United States Constitution, federalism, public opinion and the role of news media in government, political parties and interest groups, elections, campaign finance, congress, the presidency, the judiciary, contrasting political theories and American democratic values in general. The learning process should sharpen and refine the students’ ability to understand everyday news and current events relating to the overall governmental structure in the United States. Student participation in discussion is deemed necessary to enhance learning and allows for continued development of individual speaking and oratory skills. In addition, the exchange of political opinions and experiences is vital to gaining a well rounded understanding of issues that exist across the political spectrum.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The following are the Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s) listed in the Political Science 150 course outline for College of the Canyons. SLO’s are similar to the objectives listed above. They are the intended learning outcomes a student can expect to achieve for this course. They are as follows:
Identify and explain the basic institutions of the government of the United States and the State of California.
Compare and contrast democratic theories of American government.
Exhibit a heightened sense of personal political efficacy and civic responsibility.
TEXT BOOKS
Beginning fall, 2013 the Department of Political Science has adopted and will use a custom textbook for Political Science 150. The Department made this decision to reduce the cost of the textbook available in the COC Bookstore. The custom textbook will be sold in the COC Bookstore and is a compilation of the following two widely published and available textbooks:
1. We the People (9th Edition – Full Version) by Ginsberg, et. al.
2. Governing California (4th Edition) by Anagnoson, et. al.
The custom textbook will not be available for purchase anywhere other than the COC Bookstore. But, these other versions are available at other sources for a much higher price, unless you purchase them used, of course, or rent them. FYI. Also, please be advised that the required “Governing California” textbook can be found at the end of the bound custom textbook.
PUBLISHER RESOURCES
For this course you can access online resources from the publisher for the assigned text book. Accessing these resources will enable the student to take practice exams in the form of multiple choice, essay, short answer, matching etc… It also provides important excerpts from the text book, as well as video resources explaining chapter topics. Feel free to use these resources to prepare for the Learning Unit Tests and weekly assignments. There is also a possibility that you will be required to visit this web site for some weekly assignments. They are useful as they match the assigned readings in the syllabus. Here is the link: http://www.wwnorton.com/college/polisci/we-the-people9/full/welcome.aspx
ASSIGNMENTS/GRADE POINTS
3 Quizzes (10 Points) (Each quiz is worth 5 points. I drop your lowest score. Thus, the remaining 2 scores comprise how many points you earned out of 10 possible. The quizzes will be administered either in class or online.)
Analytical Paper (20 Points)
The instructor reserves the right to utilize “Turnitin.com” for paper submissions.
Note: I will accept late papers beyond the due date listed on the semester schedule (below). However, for
every day it is late, I will penalize students 5% above and beyond their graded score. Thus, if the paper is submitted two days past the deadline, you will receive a 10% reduction etc….
SERVICE LEARNING ALTERNATIVE PROJECT*
*Students have the option of participating in a service learning project through COC’s Service Learning Department in lieu of the required Analytical/Research Paper(s). Students that successfully complete 20 hours of work for one of the local organizations recognized and chosen by the instructor will receive the full 20 points for this component of the course assignment/grade points.
Supplemental Instruction Workshops (5 Points – Due no later than May 8th.) - College of the Canyons is offering a series of skills building workshops (called Supplemental Instruction workshops) to promote student success in courses throughout the college. The only workshops I will honor credit for are the English workshops. I believe math skills are essential to a good education. However, the English workshops are most applicable to the assigned workload of this class. You must finish completion of your five separate workshops by Thursday, November 14th. Check in at the TLC, and you will be directed to the workshop location. If you cannot attend the workshop at the time it is held, you may complete the independent, self-paced Guided Learning Activity (GLA) with the help of a tutor. Every workshop has an accompanying GLA which can be completed anytime during the open hours of the TLC. Check the Skills4Success website at www.canyons.edu/skills4success for the workshop schedule.
You must complete 5 separate workshops to earn your 5 points from this part of the grading rubric. Each workshop is worth 1 point. You will only receive credit for the workshops I designate as being most relevant to this course.
In-Class Assignments (5 Points)
Mid-Term Examination (30 Points)
Final Examination (30 Points) - The final exam is not cumulative.
GRADING
90% - 100% A 90 - 100 Points
80% - 89% B 80 – 89.9 Points
70% - 79% C 70 – 79.9 Points
60% - 69% D 60 – 69.9 Points
0% - 59% F 59 Points or less
EXTRA CREDIT
There will be no extra credit awarded during the semester.
MAKE-UP EXAMS and DEAD LINES
Make up exams for the mid-term and final will only be honored for those excuses supported by documentation explaining the absence. The deadline for the required writing assignment will not be extended. Students are given advanced notice through this syllabus so that they prepare and organize their time accordingly.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR
The policy regarding use of cell phones and lap top computers will be discussed in class. No ipods are allowed to be utilized during the class session. Do not rest your head on the desk, sleep or otherwise exhibit disrespectful behavior while in class. Do not maintain extended personal conversations while lecture is underway. These behaviors are unacceptable and disrespectful to the instructor, the other students in the class and the college as an institution.
ATTENDANCE, TARDINESS AND WITHDRAWAL
Student commitment to attending all classes is essential to a full understanding and comprehension of the material. This class meets once a week. One missed class can cause the student to immediately fall behind in their assignments. Furthermore, missing one class, for less than dire reasons, can reduce the student’s focus and commitment, thereby easily leading to continued absences.
School policy states that “any student absent for any reason for one more time than that class meets in one week may be dropped from the class providing the withdrawal deadline for the semester/term has not passed”. The instructor reserves the right to officially drop a student from the course for exceeding this attendance standard. If a student is absent for one more time than the class meets in two weeks, and the drop deadline has passed, the instructor reserves the right to reduce the student’s overall grade in the class by one full letter grade. If a student is absent for one more time than the class meets in three weeks, and the drop deadline has passed, the student will automatically have their semester grade for the course reduced by one full letter grade.
Tardiness disrupts the class lecture and discussion. The instructor reserves the right to treat a student’s habitual tardiness as absences.
CLASS DISCUSSION
Political Science 150 is both a lecture and discussion course. The general nature of the material demands class discussion. This course addresses matters of public affairs. If the course is at all representative of American society at large, then expect to listen to and hear a variety of opinions and political positions. The instructor welcomes all views and opinions. I only ask that you address these issues in a respectful manner and be mindful and sensitive of your classmates and their diversity of thought and background.
PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING
COC Statement and Policy on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Approved by Academic Senate in May, 2010
Students are expected to do their own work as assigned. At College of the Canyons, we believe that academic integrity and honesty are some of the most important qualities college students need to develop and maintain. To facilitate a culture of academic integrity, College of the Canyons has defined plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Due process procedures have been established when plagiarism or academic dishonesty is suspected.
At COC, we define plagiarism as follows: Plagiarism is the submission of someone else’s work or ideas as one’s own, without adequate attribution. When a student submits work for a class assignment that includes the words, ideas or data of others, without acknowledging the source of the information through complete, accurate, and specific references, plagiarism is involved. This may include dual submissions of a similar work for credit for more than one class, without the current instructor’s knowledge and approval.
To be specific, below are some of the situations that will be considered plagiarism at COC:
· Use information from any source, online or in print, in one’s own writing without acknowledging the source in the content and in the reference page of the assignment;
· Simply list the sources in the reference page, without parenthetical citations in the body of the essay;
· Take more than one printed line of words consecutively from the source without putting quotation marks around them, even though the student has put the author’s name in the parentheses or in the reference page;
· Turn in work done for other classes, regardless how big or small the assignment may be, without the current instructor’s approval—this is considered “self-plagiarism,” which is a form of academic dishonesty; or,
· Turn in work by another student, even by accident.
In addition, COC has strict rules against using electronic devices during exams without the instructor’s approval. To be specific, absolutely no cell phones or any electronic devices can be on the desk or in sight during test or exam without the instructor’s approval. The presence of electronic devices in sight during exams may be considered as intention to cheat and will be processed as a form of academic dishonesty.
Cases of alleged academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism or cheating, will be referred to the Dean of Student Services for investigation. See your syllabus for course specific policies, rules, and guidelines on plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism and cheating violate the inherent value and essence of education. The College and the instructor consider plagiarism and cheating to be serious offenses. You are expected to do your own work at all times. Any evidence to the contrary may lead to disenrollment from the course. Additionally, it is often the mere appearance of
impropriety that can place a student in an unfavorable light. In other words, during exams keep your eyes on your own paper even if you are not intending improper behavior. Don’t create doubt.
TEST MATERIALS
Scan Tron forms will be used for the quizzes, mid term and final exams. These forms have space for one hundred questions. You will also need two Blue Books for the essay portion of the mid-term and final exams. Failure to obtain these testing materials in time for the exam is not an acceptable excuse for a make-up exam. Only scan trons and blue books will be used for these exams. The Scan Tron forms and the Blue Books can be obtained in the bookstore.
STUDY APPROACHES/METHODS
In order to prepare for the quizzes, mid-term and final students must maintain an organized outline of their course notes. The notes should come from the class lectures, reading assignments, discussions and any video presentations made in class. The multiple choice portion of the exams requires memorization of established doctrines and facts derived from these notes. This is also true of the essay portion of the final exam and the written assignments. However, in those assignments students will be required to draw upon their own perspectives and positions in order to present their own thoughts in response to the assigned questions and topics.
SEMESTER SCHEDULE
WEEK #1
Tuesday, February 11th
Introduction to Course
Thursday, February 13th
Political Ideology Lecture
Chapter #6 – Public Opinion
Chapter #16 – Government and the Economy (Not Required)
WEEK #2
Tuesday, February 18th
Political Ideology Lecture
Chapter #6 – Public Opinion
Chapter #16 – Government and the Economy (Not Required)
Thursday, February 20th
Chapter 1 – American Political Culture (Ginsberg)
Chapter 8 – Political Participation and Voting (Ginsberg) (Not Required)
Chapter 1 – California Government in Crisis (Anagnoson)
WEEK #3
Tuesday & Thursday, February 25th & 27th
Chapter 1 – American Political Culture (Ginsberg)
Chapter 8 – Political Participation and Voting (Ginsberg) (Not Required)
Chapter 1 – California Government in Crisis (Anagnoson)
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENT –Thursday, February 27th
WEEK #4
QUIZ #1 (Chapters 1 and 6 Ginsberg) Thursday, March 6th
Tuesday & Thursday, March 4th & 6th