American Politics (PS 101)
Honors
Articles:
Hall - Reformation Roots of the Social Contract
Bolce - Our Secularist Democratic Party
Your writing assignments will be graded based upon the following rubric:
Link to Think-Tank page
SYLLABUS
American Politics
Political Science 101 (Honors)
Office
Location: LAB 418
Phone: 601-266-4277
E-mail: troy.gibson@usm.edu
Hours: 9:30-11 TR; 11-noon Friday
The purpose of this course is to help students become familiar with the structures and processes that makeup American government. We will focus on the interaction between political participants and the political institutions fashioned to govern them. As an honors course, analytical thinking, writing, and political debate will be key focuses and features as well.
Course Requirements:
30% Midterm
30% Final
15% Issue Summary Assignments*
15% Daily Grades and Participation (Includes quizzes, participation quality and quantity, and other assignments and newspaper articles**)
10% Service Learning Requirement***
Grading:
A 10-point grading system will be used (i.e. 90-100 = A, 80-89 = B… Below 60 = F)
Course Materials:
Attendance:
While attendance will not be taken daily, missed quizzes and assignments will result in a zero and can not be replaced. However, I will drop your lowest daily grade at the end of the semester. Missed exams will not be made up without a documented excused absence. If you must miss class, notify me in advance. Always consult the course website and contact me for any missed assignments.
Course Schedule
Aug 26 – Introduction to Course
Aug 31 Sept 2 - Background of American Politics; Bardes Ch 1; Article: “Reformation roots of the Social Contract” Hall (see link on website)
Sept 7 9 – The Constitution and Federalism; Bardes Ch 2; Issue 1 Same-Sex Marriage (Thursday)
Sept 14 16 – Political Participation: Public Opinion and Voting; Bardes Ch 6 and Ch 9
Sept 21 23 – Continue; Sub topic: What’s in a Worldview? James Sire
Sept 28 30 – Political Parties and Groups; Bardes (Ch 7); Bolce, L. “Our Secularist Democratic Party”
Oct 5 7 – Civil Liberties; Bardes Ch 4; Issue 2: Should Abortion be illegal, except in the cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother? (Thursday)
Oct 12 14 – Midterm Exam Tuesday; ***Fall Break Thursday ***
Oct 19 21 – Federal Judiciary; Bardes Ch 13
Oct 26 28 – continue; Issue 3 How do we get out of the recession? (Thursday)
Nov 2 4 – Congress Bardes Ch 10
Nov 9 11 – Continue; Issue 4 Arizona’s Immigration Law (good or bad idea)?
Nov 16 18 – The President; Bardes Ch 11;
Nov 23 25 – continue; ***Thanksgiving Break Thursday***
Nov 30 Dec 2 – Economic Policy (Bardes Ch 14; pp. 495-501)
*You will be expected to turn in “Issue Summaries” during this course. They are to be 2-3 single-spaced (12 point font). You must use at least three Think-Tank resources (see link). Make sure to cite with superscript numerals all of the references to which you are referring in text. At the bottom or on a separate page, list your references (by corresponding numeric superscript). In doing so, make sure to put the actual web address of the think-tank source, so that I can revisit that website if desired.
**Students are required to read online in at least one of the following news sources on a daily basis: New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal. Each student must submit, during the course of the term, 6 articles printed from that news source, along with a brief typed paragraph stating why the article is relevant to the course.
***Service Learning Projects:
All students must complete 10 hours of a service learning project related to voting or elections. Examples include, volunteering for an election campaign (for national elections in November, or state elections in 2011), volunteering on a voter registration drive, volunteering on election day (transportation or other assistance to voters or commissioners). All students will be responsible for finding a service learning project; providing documentary evidence of their participation in that project; and keeping a journal of their experience. Journals, and documentary evidence, must be turned in to receive credit for this portion of the course. Journal entries should: 1) state what service learning activity you engaged in; 2) describe your experience in as much detail as you can; 3) reflect on your experience: what, if anything, did you gain from the experience? Did it change how you think about politics, or your role as a citizen?
Those students who become poll workers will meet this requirement through their poll work. Poll workers must also keep a journal and provide documentation of participation in training and work on election day. Poll workers may also be asked to participate in focus groups related to their experience. Please see me for an application to be a poll worker if you are interested in this.
If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with
Disabilities Act and requires accommodations, he/she should contact
the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA), for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Box 5128; voice telephone or TTY 214-3232.
Class Policies:
I strictly follow this institution’s standards with respect to academic dishonesty. Conviction will result in an automatic “F” in the course and may also involve an additional penalty from outside authorities. Consult your Student Handbook for details. See the following website to learn precisely what constitutes PLAGERISM:
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
Also, please turn cell phones off during class time; do not TEXT during my class. If you must use a laptop, DO NOT FACEBOOK OR WEB BROWSE. Take notes with it ONLY. Failure to comply with these rules will result in a 10 point reduction in your next exam grade. While I will not take attendance, I will occasionally give an attendance or pop quiz. Missing the quiz results in a zero configured in to your daily grade average. I drop your lowest daily grade. Notify me in advance if you will have an excused absence.