American National Government
POS 310
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
Powers,
functions, and agents of American political institutions. 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.
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 this year’s Presidential election, we'll also 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:
- Understand and demonstrate the basis for and role
of compromise in the context of the Constitution, the Supreme Court, and
Legislation
- Illustrate the significance of political parties in
elections, which candidates are most likely to be successful electorally,
and limitations of our current 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. Here you might find yourself playing Roger
Sherman of
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 campaigns, examine how statistics
can be used to convince, but also mislead.
To that 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.
Compared to my POS 110 course, we’ll
look at issues a bit deeper with more outside readings and a bit heavier work
load.
Texts
Lowi,
Theordore, Benjamin Ginsberg and Kenneth Shepsle (2008), American
Government: Power and Purpose, Core 10th Edition (8th
and 9th Edition okay-Full Edition is fine-has two extra chapters) (ASU
Bookstore: $70.25 new, $52.25 used OR ebook option at approx. $35 from WW
Norton or Powells Books on line.
Lowi,
Theordore, Norton American Politics On
Line Reader (free 1 year access with a new textbook, but expect to pay $25
otherwise): http://nortonebooks.com/disciplines/polisci.asp
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: I’ll post within 24 hours of receipt (possibly longer if not
handed in on time) at the web site a score of 0.9 points to indicate receipt of
your paper (please don’t panic).
When graded, the score will change.
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) and avoid using a “#” or any character that appears
above keyboard numbers (e.g., “!”, “@”,…) in the file name. If you make a mistake with your
attachment, I have an “extra assignment” hand in location that you can utilize
to attach a file. You can then
notify me in person, via email or phone that you placed your file in the extra
assignment location. 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.
One Week 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 within seven days of the on time due date. If I fail to return your assignment by that
seventh day, you’ll receive a 10 percent bonus or 1 point whichever is
greater. I’ll start grading from random
places in the alphabet to assure fairness.
Assignments handed in after class, even if given an extension or not
penalized for being late are not eligible for the one week guarantee, but I do
guarantee to return them within 12 days of receipt.
ASSIGNMENTS
General Categories:
Exams 30%
Simulations and Projects 40%
Paper 12%
Engagement 18%
Two Exams Monday, Sept. 29 (15%) & Monday, Nov. 3 (15%):
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. If desired, you’ll then have 25 minutes to
work again on the exam in a group with others.
If you provide an individual reflection of new discoveries and changed
thinking from the collaborative effort, then your official score will be the
average of the two. 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. While you’ll be given a limited opportunity
to explain answers, those not taking the exam in class, won’t have the
opportunity to work in a cooperative learning group to do the exam again.
Constitutional
Convention Simulation (10%):
Background Paper (3%): You’ll
be assigned the role of one of the participants in the Constitutional
Convention. You will read four articles
and visit a web site. From that reading,
you’ll develop a clear well-organized outline of your state’s and/or your
participant’s interests. Consider
biographical aspects, central government vs. state’s rights, and small state versus
large state concerns. 150-300 words plus
citations for sources.
Leadership
and Participation in the Simulation (3%): You’ll be working with your
state’s delegation. Do you seem to
follow well your interests? Are you
engaged? Do you work well with others in
your delegation in reaching decisions?
Reflection Analysis (4%): Given
the Simulation Constitution result, would your state ratify it? Identify aspects that might be favored and
those opposed, citing sources, 200-300 words plus citations for sources.
Supreme Court
Simulation (10%):
You’ll be assigned to a legal team,
the Supreme Court, or an outside evaluation group. These will be group assignments done with ASU
google documents, an on line collaboration tool (http://docs.asu.edu).
Legal team briefs will conduct research
on the case available through news and legal documents, primarily on line and
develop the legal case for their side in their own words, citing sources
used. Legal team briefs will be due a
week before our Supreme Court simulation and made accessible to the entire
class. Legal team briefs should focus on
relevant facts of the case and legal issues and should be no longer than 900
words—but use them wisely.
A week after the simulation, the
Supreme Court will render a decision.
Again you’ll use google documents.
We can have multiple opinions, just like with the Supreme Court we can
have justices agreeing but stating different rationale and we can have
dissenting opinions.
Score is based on a combination of
written work, participation, and peer evaluations.
Campaign
Project (10%)
In a group of
four, you’ll be given a candidate profile, a budget, and make a decision
regarding whether to create a direct mail piece, robo call, radio spot, or
television ad—then based on your research, you’ll design/develop the campaign
piece and where or to whom it will be placed, with a full explanation. Done as poster board for class display (or
with laptop if ad). Needs to be able to
be dissembled or have second copy to hand in. Evaluated for quality of work,
participation, and peer evaluations.
Congressional
Committee Simulation (10%)
For part of this simulation,
you’ll be assigned the role of a Congress person, a Congressional aide, or an
interest group lobbyist. Interest groups
and aides develop briefing packages.
Congress people conduct hearings and later committee markups (with a
lobbying party in between). Evaluated
for quality of work, participation, and peer evaluations.
Reader Article
Evaluation Paper (12%)
Take one of the articles from the online reader that we read in class
(you can choose an alternative article with permission of the
instructor)—especially one whose argument troubles you or whose topic excites
you—and do additional research into the topic and present an evaluation of the
article based on additional research to argue strengths and weaknesses or
present an updated look at the political scholarly literature on the issue and
how well the article fits. Or you can
even conduct your own primary research to see if you find a similar
conclusion. You paper should be
approximately 1200-2000 words plus citations.
You can provide a draft for comments
Engagement
(18%):- note total is 21%-this is where you can earn additional
credit.
- Class Attendance with active engagement 5%
- 5 pts. if miss no days (plus excused) or 1 day (if no
excused) and actively engaged in
class, 4 pts. if 85%+ attendance and actively engaged, 3 pts., if 70%+
attendance and fairly engaged, 2 pts. 50%+ attendance and fairly engaged,
0 pts. < 50% attendance.
- Officially excused absences excluded (requires
documentation deemed acceptable by instructor). Disruptive or inattentive students will
receive less or no credit.
- 10
Up on Politics-web activities 10% (generally weekly)
- After
Class Feedback group 1% (approx. every week, group meets after class for
about 15 minutes, sign up to attend)
- Draft
Paper to Instructor 1%
- Volunteer
for a Political Campaign 2% (with documentation form & reflection)
- Attend
Political Event 1% (with documentation & reflection)
- Write
Political Letter to the Editor 0.5% (double if published)—this you can
email me (bcc).
- Comment
on a Political Blog 0.5% (print out or send link)
Late
Policy
Assignments are due at class time on the day due. For those absent, class time will be defined as 6 p.m.-when
links at the web site may disappear. Group
activities are expected to be submitted on time—late contributors don’t receive
credit. For those assignments worth at
least 5% of your grade, if received in the first 48 hours, it will be penalized
5 percent or 0.5 points (whichever is higher) , and those submitted by within 1
week would be penalized 10 percent or 1 point (whichever is higher). Submissions after 1 week are evaluated for a
maximum of “passing” credit (70%) and must appear to be a minimum of B level
work. Extensions beyond what’s stated
here or exceptions for other assignments will be made under documented
circumstances where I deem an extension appropriate.
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! Have you ever
looked to see “what you got” on an assignment—if so you’re looking at the
grade, not the learning. Did you ever
just skip the comments and look at the letter grade, for instance? You’ll notice lots of collaborative work
with individual accountability in this course giving you many different ways of
demonstrating your knowledge and skills.
Still worried?
Talk to me. 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 72 and 62, respectively.
Here’s the point total
criteria:
|
A+ |
99+ |
|
A |
92-99 |
|
|
|
|
B |
82-88 |
|
|
|
|
C |
72-78 |
|
|
|
|
D |
62-68 |
|
|
|
|
E |
<58 |
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.
Academic
Integrity
When I read your paper, I expect that
it’s 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 in this
course is the loss of 1 letter grade on the assignment, but the penalty can be
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. The
Americans with Disabilities act
In accordance with section
504 of the federal rehabilitation act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990, ASU endeavors to make reasonable adjustments in its policies,
practices, services and facilities to ensure equal education programs and
activities. Proof of disability from a
competent authority will be required as well as information regarding specific
limitations for which accommodation is requested. Should you need special accommodations,
please contact me.
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.