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Class Information: Pol Sci 1, Section # 4191
This course will be taught completely online. There will only be one orientation class meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 from 4:30-5:30 in the Social Science Building-SOCS 109. The course is administered through MyPolSciLab CourseCompass, using the Blackboard Management System.
Before you begin, you will need to register with MyPolSci CourseCompass. For that you will need the following:
1. A "Course ID" provided by your instructor: munoz68781
2. Your school's zip code: 90506
3. A MyPolSciLab CourseCompass student access code (packaged with your new textbook or available for purchase at www.mypoliscilab.com
4. A valid email address.
How to register
1. Enter http://www.mypoliscilab.com in your Web Browser.
2. Click "students" under "first-time users."
3. Select MyPoliSciLab CourseCompass
4. Click "I already have an access code." *If you need to buy access online, click that link and follow the prompts to register*
5. Enter your Course ID and click Next.
6. Confirm that this is your course and clik "Register."
7. Read the License Agreement and Privacy Policy and click "I accept."
8. Select "No, I am a New User" and type in your Access Code in the fields provided.
9. Enter your school's zipcode, select your Country and click Next.
10. Enter your Name and Email and select Your School.
11. Create your Login Name and Password, answer the Security Question and click Next. (Suggestion--you can use your email address as your log-in name). If successful, you will receive a Confirmation Screen with your information (they will also email you this information).
Logging In
1. Enter http://www.mypoliscilab.com in your Web Browser.
2. Under "Returning Users" click MyPoliSciLab CourseCompass.
3. Enter the Login Name and Password you created and click "Log In"
4. You will see the name of your Course listed under the heading "Courses You are Taking."'
5. Click on this link and you are ready to access your resources.
Note: A strong word of advice, prior to deciding to take an online course access the Fall 2009 Online Student Handbook from the Distance Education Webpage, found at http://www.elcamino.edu/library/distance-ed The handbook will provide you with among other things; answers to frequently asked questions, a discussion of the skills you will need, and offer you tips for success as an online student.
Course Policies:
COURSE OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES
One of the greatest attributes of our democracy is our ability to hold different views and opinions about our political system, in particular our government. In many ways we can see conflicts (conflict being a symbol of freedom) in our political system stemming from our different visions of important societal values, such as equality, freedom, liberty, and societal order. As students of politics, we must make an effort to understand and analyze the conflict about such values that continually test American Democracy. How we use our political system to define and apply these values will be part of our focus for this course. Helping us enhance our level of citizenship and gaining a more thorough understanding of our nation’s political process will be a goal as well. While this is an introductory survey course, nonetheless we will cover a large amount of information including; the development of American political institutions, the constitutional foundations and bedrock principles that continue to govern us today, American political traditions, and the functioning of contemporary political processes. Be ready to discuss, think, critically analyze, and write on these topics.
I encourage you to keep up with current events, since one of the required assignments for this course will be for you to turn in a political journal towards the end of the semester. Being aware of political current events is of utmost importance since we are in the first year of a new administration and we have seen it try to manage among other things a major financial crisis not only at home but also abroad, a challenging global economy, high unemployment rates, etc. We also have a newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice, and we’ll have to wait and see how she votes on important cases in the upcoming term. You can easily prepare for this by reading the major newspapers, i.e., New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, by watching the major news channels, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, Fox Network, etc., or by going to different news information websites, ie., www.cnn.com, www.msnbc.com, etc.
After completing this course you will be able to describe the concepts, theories and functions of the American political system and have a deeper understanding of the political processes and institutions within our government. You will have gained knowledge about our constitution, our three branches of government and how they interact with one another, operating under a system of checks and balances. You will also have gained knowledge about political campaigns and elections, especially those in the last few decades of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. Finally, you will have hopefully become more aware of one’s civic duties and rights as citizens living in this society. More specifically students should meet the following objectives:
1. Analyze both the theoretical and practical workings of the American political system.
2. Examine and analyze the major American political institutions including: the Presidency, Congress, The Bureaucracy, Judiciary, Political Parties and Interest Groups.
3. Distinguish between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the role government plays protecting and implementing them within our political system.
4. Examine and assess the concepts of political culture and socialization.
5. Compare and contrast the various normative and empirical alternatives as to the distribution of political power: Democracy, power elite and pluralism.
6. Examine the shared power relationship among national, state and local governments (federalism), and how it has changed over the years.
7. Analyze the organization and functions of local and state government in California.
8. Evaluate political participation as a channel of communication, with an emphasis on elections, the factors influencing voting behavior, and the consequences for political power and policy making.
9. Examine the nature of public opinion, how it is measured, and its impact on policy makers and policy making (“agenda setting”).
10. Assess the roles and functions of the media as sources of information and persuasion.
11. Compare and contrast the two major political parties, as well as the historic roles played by minor parties.
12. Analyze the various strategies and techniques used by interest groups to gain access and influence policy makers.
13. Examine the role of the courts as political institutions, and the environmental pressures that impact their decisions as policy makers.
14. Analyze the role of citizenship in our society.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO’s)-After completing this course the student should be able to describe the concepts, theories, and functions of the American Political System. The student should be able to identify and describe at least four of the basic principles of the U.S. Constitution and the government of California.-In a multiple choice exam, students will demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of the United States Constitution including it Articles and Amendments, as well as those for the government of California.
Syllabus:
OUTLINE
Week 1- September 2 – September 12
Chapter 1, Exam Chapter 1, Discussion Board I
Week 2- September 14 - September 19
Chapter 2, The Constitution, Federalist Paper No. 51, Exam Chapter 2.
Week 3- September 21 – September 26
Chapter 3, Discussion Board II, Roundtable Video “Contemporary Federalism”, Exam Chapter 3
Week 4- September 28 – October 3
Chapter 4, Debate Videos “Patriot Act” and “Abortion”, Timeline “Civil Liberties and National Security”, Exam Chapter 4
Week 5- October 5 – October 10
Chapter 5, Roundtable Videos “Equality” and “Civil Rights Movement”, Debate Video “Affirmative Action”, Exam Chapter 5
Week 6– October 12 – October 17
Chapter 6, Debate Video “Are you a Liberal or Conservative?” Roundtable Video “Political Knowledge”
Week 7 – October 19 – October 24
Midterm Exam (Chapters 1-6 / 3 Day Window opening for the test, (Monday, October 19 – Wednesday, October 21)
Week 8 – October 26 – October 31
Chapter 7, Roundtable Videos “Role of the Press”, “Media Bias”, Debate Video “Censorship and the FCC”, Exam Chapter 7, Discussion Board III
Week 9 – November 2 – November 7
Chapter 8, Roundtable Videos “Difference Between Democrats and Republicans”, “Declining Political Parties” and “Third Parties” Exam Chapter 8
Week 10 – November 9 – November 14
Chapter 9, Debate Videos “2000 Presidential Election”, “Compulsory Voting”, Roundtable Video “Electoral College”, Exam Chapter 9, Discussion Board IV
Week 11 – November 16 - November 21
Chapter 10, Roundtable Videos “Interest Group and Representation” and “Lobbyists”, Debate Video “Political Action Committees”, Exam Chapter 10
Week 12 - November 23 – November 28
Chapter 11, Debate Videos “Congressional Term Limits” and “Congressional Partisanship”, Roundtable Videos “Congressional Leadership” and “Contemporary Legislative Process”, Exam Chapter 11
Week 13 – November 30 – December 5
Chapter 12, Roundtable Video “Presidential Greatness” Debate Video “Presidential Power”, Exam 12, Paper due (Sunday, December 6)
Week 14 – December 7 – December 12
Chapter 14, Roundtable Videos “Judicial Review” and “Judges and Politics”, Journal due (Sunday, December 13)
Week 15 – December 14 - December 18
Final Exam (chapter 7-12, 14 / 3 Day Window opening for the test (Monday, December 14 – Wednesday, December 16)
*Note that there won't be exams for chapters 6 and 14, rather, questions from those chapters will be added to the midterm and the final exam respectively*
Assignments:
Discussion Board (40 points)
As part of this course’s requirements, you will have to participate in a series of discussion boards throughout the semester. There will be 4 entries (each worth 10 points) that you will have to contribute to. In addition to your own contribution to the discussion you will also have to respond to one of your classmate’s contributions. The specific due dates are noted above in the outline for the syllabus. You will have a week to respond to the topic. Each of the topics will be posted on a Monday morning and will close by the following Saturday at midnight (there will be an exception for the first topic since our first week is an expanded one, it will be posted on Wednesday, September 2, the day of our orientation meeting, and will close on Saturday, September 12.
Term Paper (50 points)
Please write a paper of approximately 4 pages in length on the following topic. This assignment’s due date will be on Sunday, December 6, and you will submit it to me via email at emunoz@elcamino.edu The paper should be sent as an attachment in a word document, and you should title the subject of your email “Political Socialization Paper.” It is also important that on the subject you write down the section number in which you are enrolled. I will reply to your email once I have received it and made sure that I have opened the attachment. It is your responsibility to make sure that I have received your assignment. If I haven’t replied to you within 48 hours email me again.
Write a paper in which you recount your first political impression, that is the first political event or issue that you can remember. Speculate about how that event or issue may have shaped your views towards government and politics. Did it leave you cynical? Idealistic? Apathetic? Include a discussion of which political socialization agents have shaped the formulation of your political opinions while growing up. (Political Socialization agents are those that influence us throughout our lifetime, they can include: the family, school, the media, peer groups, religious organizations, etc) NOTE: Since this is an American Politics course, the assignment has to cover a political event that you have experienced within the American Political system. [Note: Late Papers will be accepted but they will be lowered by one letter grade]
Political Journal (50 points)
This assignment consists of making 5 journal entries about political events that will transpire during the semester. They can cover the politics at any level of government, whether federal, state, or local. The journal will be due on Sunday, December 13, and you will submit it to me the same way as the paper, via email at emunoz@elcamino.edu
You will need to title the subject of your email “Political Journal” and send it in a word document as an attachment. It is also important that on the subject you write down the section number in which you are enrolled. I will reply to your email once I have received it and made sure that I am able to open the attachment. Just like the paper it is your responsibility to make sure that I have received your assignment. If I haven’t replied to you within 48 hours email me again. Each journal entry should be structured the following way:
1. Journal Entry #1 , Journal Entry #2, Journal Entry #3, etc.
2. Electronic source: ie., www.cnn.com, www.msnbc.com, www.news.yahoo.com, etc.
3. Specific Webpage: ie., http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/Americas/7238214.stm
4. Title and date of the article: “Obama Touts Big Bold Action”, February 9, 2009
5. Summary of the article: here you should give the article’s title and provide a well rounded summary, at least a three to four paragraphs. Then, in a couple of paragraphs you should discuss how it relates to the course, and the specific topic covered during the semester. NOTE: Your five journal entries should be drawn from five different electronic sources, meaning five different websites. And they should all be submitted in one document, meaning send 1 attachment not 5 different attachments.
[Note: Later Journals will be accepted but they will be lowered by one letter grade]
Chapter Exams
There will be 11 chapter exams throughout the semester (each worth 20 points). They will include questions from the chapter and, when noted, also questions from either the debates or roundtable discussions that are part of each chapter. Just like the discussion boards, the exams will be available for your to take starting on a Monday morning and will close by the following Saturday at midnight. There will be an exception to the first exam since it will be posted on Wednesday, September 2, the day after our orientation meeting, and will close on Saturday, September 12 by midnight (giving you a few more days than usual to complete the quiz). You will have 1 hour to complete each exam. All the chapter exams will have 20 questions except the first one which will have 25 questions, but only 20 points will be counted towards the total points against the grade, meaning that you can earn five extra points towards your grade early on in the first exam.
Midterm Exam (Monday, October 19 – Wednesday, October 21)
There will be a Midterm Examination the week of October 19 – October 24. The exam will cover the material from chapters 1-6, and will have a 3 day window opening for you take the test (it will be posted in the early morning of Monday, March October 19 and will close by Wednesday, October 21 at midnight). You will have 3 hours to complete the exam.
Final Exam (Monday, December 14 – Wednesday, December 16)
The final exam will take place the week of December 14 – December 18. The exam will cover the material from chapters 7-12 and 14, and will have a 3 day window opening for you to take the test (it will be posted in the early morning of Monday, December 14, and will close by Wednesday, December 16 at midnight). You will have 3 hours to complete the exam.
Extra Credit
You will have an opportunity to earn some extra points by completing an assignment that will be worth 10 points. The specifics specific instructions are going to be posted within the course management system, in the opening announcements’ page upper left hand corner, it will be due on the last day Thursday, December 17th, NO EXCEPTIONS
Grading Scale Total ( 560 points )
Discussion Boards 40 points A 502-560
Term Paper 50 points B 447-501
Political Journal 50 points C 390-446
Midterm Exam 100 points D 334-389
Final Exam 100 points F 333 and below
Quizzes (11 X 20) 220 points
NOTE- Whenever emailing me, write down your name within the body of your email as well as the section number in which you are enrolled. That will speed up the process of replying to you. Give me at least 24 hours to respond to your questions. NOTE- If for some reason your computer malfunctions, freezes, loses power, loses the internet connection, any of these, while you are taking a quiz or a test, and doesn’t allow you to continue, you must email me immediately and tell me what happened, that way I can work with you in resetting the assessment so you can take it again. Also keep in mind that technology is great J but there are times where things happen that are beyond our immediate control, and it might take some time to fix them L NOTE- Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Special Resource Center on campus as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Please contact me privately as well to discuss your specific needs. NOTE- It is the students’ responsibility to drop themselves from this course. I will not drop students. Be aware of the deadlines as per the schedule of classes.
Course Material:
TEXTBOOK:
- "Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy" by George Edwards, Martin Wattenberg, and Robert Lineberry. 10th Edition, 2009. Pearson Longman Publishers, ISBN # 9780558112332 (This is a package that includes both the textbook and the access code you will need for the class).
Online Resources:
The White House
Senate
House of Representatives
Supreme Court
Library of Congress
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