POS 110

Government & Politics

POS 110

Arizona State University Spring 2010

Text Box: Class: T, Th: Noon-1:15 p.m. MERCC C368
SLN: 20184

Instructor: Dave Wells, Ph.D. (you can call me a four-letter word as long as it’s “Dave”)
Office: UCENT 351
Phone: (602) 496-0615
Email: Dave.Wells@asu.edu
Office Hours: M 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. , T 10:00. – 11:30 a.m.,
Th 1:45-3:15 p.m. and by appointment

And by appointment
Or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Major institutions of modern government and processes of individual and group political activity, with emphasis on the American experience. Meets the federal government requirement for teacher certification. Credit is allowed for only POS 110 or 310.

Though our governmental institutions can be incredibly frustrating at times, government plays a critical role in our society. Arizona State University wouldn't be here, if it weren't for government funding; your tuition would be even higher. Contemporary debates revolve around the appropriate role of government (such as what role government should play in providing health care to Americans), who should pay for government (what taxes should be levied or reduced), what rights and freedoms people will have, and what kinds of policy should be enacted (such as debates on immigration).

This course provides an overview of the institutional structure of American National Government from its Constitutional basis to the role of the Supreme Court, Congress and the Executive branch. As we consider attempts by President Obama and Democrats to implement an agenda, we'll look at the role of the public opinion, the media, interest groups and political parties on the electoral process and the policy agenda.

Primary Learning Objectives:

Given that politics is conflictual, understand and demonstrate the basis for and role of compromise and strategy in the context of the Constitution, the Supreme Court, and Legislation.
Relating to political process, illustrate the significance of political parties in elections, which candidates are most likely to be successful electorally, and limitations of our current process.
Also, related to process, identify key structural features of Congress and how they play out in the context of partisan politics to develop policy.
Use knowledge from the above objectives to politically evaluate contemporary events.

Simulations and Learning

Classes like this one are often taught solely by lecture with a midterm and a final. If that’s the kind of class you’re looking for, switch sections. I find class more worthwhile and learning more meaningful when students take an active role. Here you might find yourself playing Roger Sherman of Connecticut at the Constitutional Convention, arguing an actual case before the Supreme Court, predicting how a member of Congress in a swing district will vote on health care reform, and lobbying a Senate committee on legislation like Immigration Reform.

Beyond participation, the course aims to improve your analytical critique of government. You'll become better informed as we closely follow news events, including the topics you've specifically identified as most interesting to you. We'll track policy debates, examine how statistics can be used to convince, but also mislead.

To this end, the course should improve your skills in evaluating public policy as well as help you understand how political power, Constitutional structures, and political compromise lead to policy debates and the outcomes that we observe in practice.

Texts

Bianco, William T. and David T. Cannon (2009), American Politics Today, Core 1^st Edition (Full Edition is fine-has two extra chapters) ASU Bookstore: $83.75 new, $63 used OR ebook option at approx. $33 from http://www.nortonebooks.com/welcome.asp.

TurningPoint Response Card Clicker-or software that runs on laptop or browser compatible cell phone (don’t forget to align it with the class by entering its ID number at blackboard).

Web Enhancment

We have a blackboard course web site where you are also enrolled. Go to http://myasucourses.asu.edu (note: no www in web address). The web sites uses your ASURITE UserId and password. The course will appear for you under the “courses” tab. If you've forgotten your ASURITE ID, either call Computer Accounts at (480) 965-1211 or go to http://www.asu.edu/asurite.

Assignments

All assignments will be handed out in class and/or available at the web site. If you choose to submit an assignment electronically, please use the myasu web site. If handing in via myasu click on “assignments” and the “view/complete” on the bottom for assignment you wish to hand in electronically. Please do not email assignments. The instructor is not responsible for assignments if they are sent via email.

Paper Copy Assignments: Paper copies will be handed back in class.

Electronic Copy Assignments via myasu: It’s too easy for an assignment to get lost if emailed. Instead post them via myasu. Click on “assignments” and then “view/complete” on the bottom for assignment you wish to hand in electronically. A dialogue box will open where you can attach a file and write text. To assure I can open your file, save your file either as a MS Word document (.doc) or in rich text format (.rtf). An icon will appear under “check my grades” to show that you have submitted a file. If you’re concerned about your file, click on the icon and you should be able to open the file you uploaded. When graded the icon will change to your actual score and you’ll be able to click on the score to access your evaluated paper. This will be the only way to access your paper, as I won’t return paper copies of electronic submissions.

ASSIGNMENTS

General Categories:

On line quizzes 25%

Exams 32%

Simulations and Projects 35%

Engagement 8% (plus extra credit)

On line quizzes:

You will have 13 quizzes based on the 13 chapters you’ll read in American Politics Today plus a political ideology test. The quizzes will consist of approximately 16 questions including some pulled from current events, but primarily taken as a random block from questions from the textbook’s test bank associated with the chapter. You may take each quiz as many times as you wish, but do keep in mind that a different random block of questions will be pulled each time, so only a small portion of your questions from the prior taking of the quiz repeat. 1.5 to 2 percent credit for each quiz and 1 percent for the on line political ideology test. We will have quiz amnesty days throughout the semester for you to take any quizzes you forgot-once-(no re-takes).

Two Exams Tuesday, February 23 (16%) & Tuesday, April 6 (16%):

Each exam will cover main themes and issues covered in the chapters and exercises done in class or otherwise assigned as well as current events. Exams are approximately 40-45 minutes with at least half of the questions pulled from the test bank used to generate the chapter quizzes. If desired, you’ll then have 25 minutes to work again on the exam in a randomly determined group with others with each taking worth 8 percent o f your grade. Your collaborative score improvement, however, will be capped at 12 percent above your initial score. The collaborative re-take is optional. While collaborate scores normally are higher, and sometimes the same, they can go down. If yours goes down, it still counts. If you expect to be absent on the date of an exam, you can arrange to take it early. Make up exams would require documentation as to what prevented your attendance, and may be more difficult. Those not taking the exam in class won’t have the opportunity to work in a cooperative learning group to do the exam again. You’ll have a third chance to show mastery through an on line open book test taken from the chapter quiz banks, but your score will be no higher than 78 percent.

Simulations and Projects:

Constitutional Convention Simulation (5%)

Background Outline (2.5%): You will be assigned one of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention. One other person in the class has that person and you can consult with them. You’ll be asked to fill in information related to identifying key demographic and ideological interests for your delegate and his state.

Leadership and Participation in the Simulation (2.5%): During the simulation you’ll track your votes and rationale, as your state votes on proposals. Your peers will also note your involvement in discussions within your state delegation.

Supreme Court Simulation: Legal Team, Supreme Court, and Amicus Brief Groups (5%)

You’ll be assigned to a legal team, the Supreme Court, or an outside amicus brief group. The class will select two actual cases the Supreme Court will be hearing this semester for the simulation. Four legal teams of six (two teams of six per each side for each case) will conduct research on the case and prepare to argue or rebut before the Supreme Court. Four students in the team will prepare research, and two will argue. Eighteen students will serve as Supreme Court Justices (nine for each case). The remaining students in the class will work in amicus (friend of the court) brief groups, with pairs of students developing key points of argument for both sides, comparing, and discussing the merits of each and then deciding which side you believe should prevail (some students may need to volunteer to work in a group of three). The Supreme Court Justices will issue a written opinion by the week after the simulation.

During the simulation those in Amicus Brief groups will be given one of the nine Justices to evaluate. Score is based on a combination of written work, participation, and peer evaluations.

Congress Member Analysis (5%)

In a group of four, you’ll be the research team for the competing party opponent of a given a member of Congress. Your task is to answer assigned question s from past campaign history and votes on past issues. Use that information to try and evaluate how likely the incumbent can be defeated. Create BRIEF TWO minute presentation that provides the top TWO reasons supporting your view and the TOP reason opposing your view (with enough background for the class )-each person needs to be involved in the presentation. Class and instructor evaluate how compelling presentation is. Evaluated for quality of work and participation.

Senate Simulation (20%)

For part of this simulation, you’ll initially be a Senator or an interest group lobbyist. Interest groups develop briefing packages. Senators conduct hearings and later committee markups (with a lobbying party in between). The simulations finishes with a Senate floor debate and vote-where everyone plays a Senator. Evaluated for quality of work and participation. Mandatory 8 percent course grade deduction, if you fail to show up for the final exam period when the floor debate occurs.

Engagement (8%):- note total is 11%-this is where you can earn extra credit.

Participation : Class Attendance with active engagement 6%

You can miss up to two class periods without penalty (due note-if any are simulations or exams you may still lose points) plus two class periods during the final simulation when you don’t need to come to class. Excuses beyond this will require documentation.
Each class session will have participation points, primarily based on attendance and use of the clicker in class and occasionally other activities in class. Your participation score for a grade will be based on the portion of all possible points you earn above 50 percent with adjustments for excused absences. For instance, if you miss half of the classes, you’ll receive no credit. Those attending without a clicker starting in week 3 will not earn full participation.
Disruptive or inattentive students will receive less or no credit as will those who arrive late or leave early.

TurningPoint Responseware Connected to Course 1% if done within first week, 0.5% if done by second week.*
After Class Feedback Group 1% ( group meets after class for about 15 minutes, sign up to attend, 0.5% credit for each time up to two times)
Attend Political Event #1 1% (with documentation & reflection)
Attend Political Event #2 1% (with documentation & reflection)*
Media Contact (letter to the editor, comment on line to story or blog) OR State or Congressional Representative Contact related to issue #1 0.5% *
Media Contact (letter to the editor, comment on line to story or blog) OR State or Congressional Representative Contact related to issue #2 0.5% *

*At Blackboard these will be noted as extra credit, but technically any 3 percent or 6 points here could be extra credit with the remainder being expected.

Late Policy

Assignments are due at class time on the day due. For those absent, class time will be defined as noon when links at the web site may disappear. Group activities are expected to be submitted on time—late contributors will be eligible for half credit, if submitted by the next class meeting. Likewise, those absent during in class simulations doing replacement work will be eligible for half credit with work due by one week later (no substitute for the Final meeting, however). Late penalties can be excused if I excuse your absence. Extensions beyond what’s stated here or exceptions for other assignments will be made under documented circumstances where I deem an extension appropriate.

3 Class Period Return Guarantee

If you're going to be penalized for being late, I should be penalized if I can't return an assignment in a timely matter. If you submit an assignment on time, it will be graded and returned by the third class period of the on time due date. If I fail to return your assignment by that time, you’ll receive a 10 percent bonus or 1 point whichever is greater.

GRADES

Are you interested in learning or achievement? As an instructor, I’m interested in your learning—as I’m sure you are, too—there’s just a little problem called grades! Do you ever just skip the comments and look at “what you got,” the letter or numerical grade—if so you’re looking at the grade, not the learning.

Still worried? Recall you can retake chapter quizzes and at least half of the questions on exams will be pulled from the test banks used to construct the chapter quizzes. You also have the option of retaking the exam in a collaborative group (see earlier in syllabus) and a final on line open book option. Plus, you can do engagement activities to earn extra credit.

Still worried? Talk to me! Earlier, rather than later, please. Instructor discretion will be used to evaluate students in the gray areas with +/- used as deemed appropriate or a possible C or D, for those below 70 and 60, respectively. I’ll follow convention so if you have a 90, your grade will be at least an A-. I won’t round up to follow convention, however, so an 89.9 will receive a B+. If you have less than between 67 and 69.9, you’ll be considered for a C only if a cross-section of key learning assessments indicates sufficiently strong performance to warrant a C. One last 1% extra credit assignment will be available at the end of the term to assist those just below their desired grade.

Note: we’ll use a point system out of 200, so each point is 0.5% of your grade.

Here’s the point total criteria:

A+	99%+
A	92%-99%
A-	90-91.9%
B+	87-89.9%
B	82%-87%
B-	80-81.9%
C+	77-79.9%
C	70%-77%
Instructor discretion	67-69.9%
D	60%-67%
Instructor discretion	57-59.9%
E	<57%

Grade Disputes: On particular assignments, if you have a concern regarding my evaluation of your work, contact me within 1 week of receiving your assignment back to seek further explanation of the evaluation. Before meeting with me, document using the criteria for the assignment with evidence from your assignment to show me what you believe I overlooked when I evaluated your work.

BEFORE AND AFTER Class Feedback group

Each week I will conduct feedback sessions before and after class. Participants will receive 0.5 percent of credit for doing so, up to a maximum of 1 percent. Before class meetings start sharply at 11:50 a.m. After class, after meeting with those students with questions, I’ll convene the After Class Feedback Group. This group’s task will be to assess the class that just concluded and give advice on future class meetings as well as provide feedback on past and upcoming assignments. Our meeting will last approximately 10-15 minutes and may relocate to another room, if another class is entering our room. So the group is not too unwieldy, participation will be limited to three students before class and six students afterward. Sign up sheets will be circulated in class. If your schedule does not allow participation, talk to me about meeting during office hours or via appointment instead.

Academic Integrity

I expect the assignments or exams you submit are your work: the data is real; sources are cited properly, and you don’t represent the work or ideas of others as your own. The minimum penalty for plagiarism/cheating in this course is the loss of 1 letter grade on the assignment, but the penalty is often no credit on the assignment and even failure in the course with a grade of “XE.” Most students don’t do this intentionally, but intention doesn’t get you off! I’ve included an avoiding plagiarism teaching module for you to make sure you understand proper citation in class and have resources available to you. Please review the School of Letters and Sciences academic integrity policy, if you haven’t done so before. Access it at http://sls.asu.edu/bis/docs/integrity.doc.

Students with disabilities

ASU endeavors to make reasonable adjustments in its policies, practices, services and facilities to ensure equal education programs and activities.

· Disability Accommodations: Qualified students with disabilities who require disability accommodations in this class are encouraged to make their requests to me at the beginning of the semester either during office hours or by appointment. Note: Prior to receiving disability accommodations, verification of eligibility from the Disability Resource Center (DRC) is required. Disability information is confidential.

· Establishing Eligibility for Disability Accommodations: Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this class but have not registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) should contact DRC immediately. Their office is located on the first floor of the University Center Building, Suite 160. DRC staff can also be reached at: 602-496-4321 (V), 602-496-0378 (TTY), and at: DPCDisability-Q@asu.edu. Their hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Eligibility and documentation policies can be viewed at: http://campus.asu.edu/downtown/drc.

Final Thoughts

Let’s have fun, respect each other by helping rather than interfering with classroom learning, and do our best to recognize that everyone has a life outside of class.

College can be stressful---so if you’re facing challenges, please contact me earlier rather than later about potential accommodations and/or see some of our professionals who can be of assistance, such as Counseling and Consultation, http://students.asu.edu/counseling. If religious observances or an official ASU activity conflict with anything I’ve scheduled, please make me aware of this as soon as possible, so we can make appropriate accommodations for you.