American National Government
POLS 1101-94
CRN 20045
Fall 2014
SPOC
Dr. Joshua Meddaugh
Office: Natural & Behavioral Sciences 100
Clayton State University voicemail: 678-466-4607
Skype: joshua_meddaugh
Office Hours: Tuesday 10:00am-4:00pm
Required Texts:
Purchase the CSU Custom Edition POLS 1101-“Classroom course” textbook.
1. Dautrich, Yalof, Fleischmann, and Pierannunzi American Government CSU Edition, Cengage 2013. ISBN#: 978-1-285-56116-5
Course Requirement:
The major form of communication between the instructor and the students outside of the “classroom” will be by CSU email. Go to: http://thehub.clayton.edu and click "service" for information on configuring your laptop computer to comply with IT requirements. It is necessary for you have your computer configured to access CSU email. You will need to take your computer to the HUB, which is located on the ground level of the University Center. Please have your computer configured and set up for CSU email as soon as possible. You can also contact the HUB at 678-466-4357.
Email rule of thumb: Email me directly at . DO NOT email me using D2L (GAview) if you wish to receive a reply. DO NOT respond to listserve messages that I send to the whole class and DO NOT send messages to the class listserve instead of emailing me directly. Doing so will cause the entire class to become privy to the issue you wish to bring to my attention. Use your CSU email address when contacting me. Professionalism in communication is important. Therefore, I require all emails to include a subject, a proper greeting/salutation, and proper grammar. You must also include your class identifier (POLS 1101-81005 or 81006) as I teach multiple classes and do not always remember which class a student is in.
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in delayed response. If you cannot find the effort to compose a professional email then I will have difficulty finding the effort to reply. Furthermore, I tend to ignore non-CSU emails in my inbox since I use the CSU email purely for CSU business. If you use a non-CSU email address you run the risk of not receiving a reply.
GeorgiaView:
You can log into GeorgiaView to access grades for tests and papers, the syllabus, and other supplemental information.
Course Outline: An introductory level survey of the American political system. This course will cover the Founding, Institutional Configurations, Political Behavior and Influences, and will touch on Public Policy. The course also includes the study of world geography, emphasizing knowledge of the global configuration of nation-states.
Students must abide by policies in the CSU Catalog & Student Handbook.
Click on this http://a-s.clayton.edu/BasicUndergraduateStudentResponsibilities.htm
Disabilities: For information about Disability Services or to obtain this document in an alternative format, contact the Disabilities Coordinator, Student Center, Room 255 - ADA/504 Compliance Officer at.678-466-5445 or -
Since this is an online course it is important to notify me of any accommodations you require. Before I can act on your request you must obtain the proper documentation. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding disabilities and accommodations.
Midterm Grades: A course midterm grade will be posted on the DUCK by midterm each semester. The midterm grade will only reflect work completed to the middle of the semester. More than half of the scored work in this course is completed after the midterm date. If you have questions, please contact the instructor.
Course Attendance policy: As an online course there is no actual in-class attendance. However, attendance checks will be built in using assignments. If for some reason you miss a lecture or an exam you must provide a valid and documented excuse for missing. If you are unsure as to whether your “absence” will be excused, ASK!
CSU Attendance Policy:
Students are expected to attend and participate in every class meeting. Instructors establish specific policies relating to absences in their courses and communicate these policies to the students through the course syllabi. Individual instructors, based upon the nature of the course, determine what effect excused and unexcused absences have in determining grades and upon students' ability to remain enrolled in their courses. The university reserves the right to determine that excessive absences, whether justified or not are sufficient cause for institutional withdrawals or failing grades. The purpose of this policy is to increase retention. Students who have poor class attendance records often do poorly in our courses. The new policy is designed in order to emphasize to students that attending class is important and expected.
Plagiarism/ Honor code: Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. Please familiarize yourself with the CSU’s honor code and rules at the following website:
http://adminservices.clayton.edu/judicial/
Course plagiarism policy: If you are caught cheating on an exam that exam grade will be a zero. If you are found to have plagiarized a paper you will receive an F on that paper. If more than one of these events occurs you will receive an F for the course and may face further discipline from the university.
Political Science Degree Program Outcomes and Assessments:
Graduating political science majors should:
· Apply concepts related to the structures and principles of the U.S. Constitution to historical and current politics.
· Explain and criticize U.S. political institutions and processes.
· Define and distinguish how aspects of the Georgia Constitution and government differ from the U.S. Constitution and government.
· Assess and compare how other national political systems and international political organizations differ from the U.S. political system and recognize the importance of political geography.
· Research and compose a project report in a subfield of political science.
· Successfully complete a political science related internship.
Course Outcomes:
1) To be able to identify Constitutional principles, the Bill of Rights, Constitutional amendments, political terms, events, Court cases, Presidents, institutions, Congress, Political Parties, Interest Groups, the mass media, and other topics listed below and to understand how they relate to historical and current events.
2) To be able to identify the 50 states in the United States and all of the nation-states in the world.
3) To be able to comprehend many elements of the Georgia Constitution and its government and to distinguish them from the U.S. Constitution and government.
4) To become engaged with local politics by attending CSU speakers during the fall and spring semesters and a local political event.
In order to maintain structure you will have to meet certain requirements before being allowed to progress through the modules (i.e. You must complete the syllabus quiz before you can take any other exam)
Assessment 1: Major Exams: (300 possible course points)
There will be three examinations. They are comprised of multiple choice style and true and false questions covering assigned materials from the textbook, current events, and class lectures. Each exam is 50 questions long. You will have ONE HOUR for each exam. They are worth 100 points each.
Assessment 2: Chapter Quizzes: ( 50 possible course points) After each chapter you must take a quiz before you can move on to the next chapter. Each quiz will be worth 5 points. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
Assessment 3: Discussions: (30 possible course points) In order to encourage interaction amongst students there will be discussion forums on 6 chapters that are mandatory for you to participate in. Each post is worth 5 points for a possible 30 points.
Assessment 4: Geography Tests: (100 possible course points) You will be given three geography tests worth 35, 30 and 35 points respectively, or a possible total of 100 points altogether. Use the online atlas provided below to study for these tests. The three tests will be spaced out over the weeks of the course.The blank study maps provided in GAview identical to the maps that will be used for the exam. The countries of the world and the U.S. states will be numbered on the exam maps and you will be asked to identify a country or U.S. state through a choice of numbers. For example: Russia a) 35 b) 30 c) 45 d) 58.
Online World Atlas
U Texas Maps
lst Geography Test:
The 1st Geography test will cover North, South, Central (Middle) America and two of the larger island nations of the Caribbean Sea - Cuba and the Dominican Republic only. Study maps showing the lower 48 U.S. states and the countries in the Western Hemisphere (No other states, no other nation's states, provinces, national capitals or geological formations are on the test.). There are a total of 70 items - each worth 1/2 point, with the test worth a possible 35 points.
______
2nd Geography Test
The 2nd Geography Test will cover Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. There will be 60 nations on this test. Be able to locate the small, but significant nations of the Persian Gulf region. Each answer is worth 1/2 point (No national capitals, states, provinces or geological formations are on the test.). There are a total of 60 items - each worth 1/2 point, with the test worth a possible 30 points.
______
3rd Geography Test
The 3rd Geography Test will cover Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. The test is worth 35 possible points, with 70 nations to identify for 1/2 point each (No national capitals, states, provinces or geological formations are on the test.) Be able to locate Singapore and Brunei - both of which are relatively small and yet quite significant to the region's economy. There are a total of 70 items - each worth 1/2 point, with the test worth a possible 35 pts.
Assessment 5: Georgia Constitution & Government: (50 points) This reading assignment is included in the required course textbook. Sample examination study questions and an answer key are provided at the end of this syllabus. There will be 50 questions covering the Georgia Constitution and government. They will be drawn from the sample questions below.
Assessment 6: Civic Engagement Project (20 points). Attend one of the following during the semester: a city council meeting, a school board meeting, a political event, a meeting of any political party or interest group, a court proceeding (as an observer, not a participant unless there in an official capacity), or other politically based event. Provide proof that you were there (a photograph of yourself at the meeting). Provide proof as if you were presenting evidence for a case in court: prove to me without a doubt that you were there. Hand in at least 1.5 pages of actual text summarizing what went on at the event and what you learned. Papers are worth up to 10 points and the proof is worth 10 points. Papers are due in the dropbox by 5pm on December 3, 2014.
Extra Credit: (10 points)Students will have the opportunity to complete one extra credit assignment this semester. For this assignment, you may select a scholarly article from a peer-reviewed American Political Science journal that pertains to one of the topics covered in class. You will read the article and then write a 2-3-page paper summarizing the research, including the purpose of the research, the design used, and the researchers’ findings. This assignment may be completed any time during the semester, but papers are due in the dropbox by 5pm on December 3, 2014. If you choose to complete this assignment, you will receive a guaranteed 3 points and up to 10 points added to your overall score.
Missed work and Make-up exam policy
Papers: All papers must be turned in on time for credit. It is wise to hand in your papers any time before the date/time they are due. If you wait until the last day you run the risk of receiving no credit for your effort. Late papers will be given no credit. Papers can be handed in advance of the due date. You may upload papers in GAview. Each paper should be labeled with your name and your course “POLS 1101-94”.
Grading:
550 Total points.
495 – 550 = A
440 – 494 = B
385 – 439 = C
330 – 384 = D
0 – 329 = F
I will not give anyone “just one point” or more simply because you ask. The grade you receive is the grade YOU HAVE EARNED.
Having Trouble?: Tutoring for the POLS 1101 may be offered through the Center for Academic Success. Take advantage of both the extra credit and the geography quizzes (memorization). Remember that 50 points will be drawn from the GA History and Constitution questions that can be found below.
Disruption of the Learning Environment
As an online course the learning environment is slightly different. Any behavior that makes students feel unsafe or attacked through the use of emails, messaging, discussion boards, or other media will not be tolerated. As this is a Political Science course you may find topics being addressed that are controversial or make you uncomfortable (think abortion, race/ethnicity issues, homosexuality). This is part of engaging in the “marketplace of ideas”. Be sure to approach any topic with respect for others and with an eye towards scientific understanding. In general, all behavior that disrupts teaching and learning should be avoided.
A more detailed description of examples of disruptive behavior and appeal procedures is provided at:
http://a-s.clayton.edu/DisruptiveClassroomBehavior.htm
CSU Conduct Code and Judicial Procedures
University Handbook is now at: http://adminservices.clayton.edu/studentaffairs/StudentHandbook/foreword.htm
Georgia Constitution & Government Study Questions
1. State and local governments today employ more people than the national government.
True - False
2. The United States can best be described as a/an ______system.
a. unitary b. federalist c. confederation
3. Article ______of the United States Constitution lists the powers of Congress.
a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four
4. Article ______of the United States Constitution is the federal supremacy clause.
a. One b. Three c. Five d. Six
5. The constitutions, laws and policies of the 50 states cannot contradict the United
States Constitution.
True - False
6. The ______amendment to the United States Constitution often is called the "states’ rights" amendment.