Political Science 100-8 David
M. Dolence
American Government and Politics Office: Du461
Fall 2003 Phone:
753-1818
T 6:00-8:40 (DU 459) E-mail: dmdolence3@earthlink.net
Hours: MF2-5 or appointment
POLS 100: American Government and Politics
provides a college level introduction to the American political system at the
national level. It also serves as a
prerequisite for many upper level courses in American Government. While it is
an introduction course, it will be challenging. The American political system is not for the faint at heart. It demands that its citizens be informed and
knowledgeable on issues concerning government, since the people are the
government in the United States.
All students are expected to have full access to a copy of the following text. It is available in both bookstores on campus.
American Government: Brief
Version, 6th edition, James Q. Wilson, Houghton Mifflin Co.,
2003.
Occasionally students may be asked to do
additional readings that may be found on the internet or provided by the
instructor. NIU students have access to
the internet from their assigned NIU.EDU account. If you do not already have
your Z-ID number and access to an NIU account, you should make an early effort
to acquire one (a personal account is adequate). The instructor is working under the assumption that everyone has
access to the internet from some source.
If this is a false assumption, it is the student’s responsibility to let
him know.
Some Useful Websites: www.senate.gov www.house.gov www.fec.gov
www.whitehouse.gov www.supremecourtus.gov
III. GENERAL COURSE OUTLINE
Unit 1: Introduction to
Government and the American Founding
Unit
2: Legislative Department
Unit
3: Executive Department
Unit
4: Judicial Department
Unit
5: Amendments
Unit
6: Political Institutions
26 August
I. Course Introduction
READ: Syllabus
II. What is Government?
III. Forms of Government
READ: Aristotle handout
I. Government and the American Founding
READ: Declaration of Independence (Wilson, p 378)
Wilson, chap
1,2
Constitution, Art IV, sec 4
II. Federalism
READ: Wilson chap. 3 (34-43; summary)
Constitution [Quick Scan] Art I, sec 3, cl 1; sec 4; sec 8-10;
Art II, sec 1, cl 2-3; Art IV, sec 1-3
9
September
I. Legislative Department: Structure, Powers, and Role
READ: Constitution, Art I
Wilson, chap 7; Federalist #51 (appendix, pp 408-11)
I.
Legislative Department: Structure, Powers, and Role (continued)
23 September **ASSIGNMENT #1**
II. How a Bill Becomes a Law
Re-READ: Wilson, chap 7 (198-204)
7 October
I. The Executive Department: Structure, Powers, and Role
READ: Constitution, Art II, amendment XII
Wilson, chap 8, chap 4 (pp 86-87)
I. The Executive Department: Structure, Powers, and Role (continued)
21
October
II. The Electoral College
READ: Electoral College internet site (provided)
28 October **ASSIGNMENT #2**
II. The Judicial Department: Structure, Powers, and Process
READ: Constitution, Art III
Wilson, chap 10
4 November
II. The Judicial Department: Structure, Powers, and Process (continued)
11 November **EXAM 2**
18 November **SELECTED COURT CASE BRIEFS**
I. Amending The Constitution
READ: Constitution, Art V, amendments I-X, XIV
II. Incorporation of the first ten amendments
READ: Wilson, chap 11 (pp 312-333)
III. Personal freedoms and the First Amendment
25 November **SELECTED COURT CASE BRIEFS**
III. Personal Freedoms and the First Amendment (continued)
IV. The Criminal Amendments
2 December **SELECTED COURT CASE BRIEFS AND ASSIGNMENT #3 **
IV. The Criminal Amendments (continued)
V. Topic(s) to be Determined
Tuesday 9 December
(6:00 - 7:50 pm) **EXAM 3 AND
FINAL EXAM **
V. COURSE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND EXPECTATIONS
1. Classroom Behavior
and Attendance: Courtesy and regard for one another should
guide classroom behavior. Differences
in opinion will inevitably arise in good discussions. Absolute agreement is
NEVER required, but respect is ALWAYS required. Attendance at each class is both expected and necessary for
success in this class. Being in
attendance is defined as being present at the beginning of class and remaining
in class until the instructor dismisses the class for the day. Students who are having difficulty arriving
on time may be barred from class.
Occasional difficulties do arise and are understandable if an
appropriate explanation and apology are offered after class. If there are any scheduling problems that cannot
be avoided, please consult with the instructor immediately
Students are expected to be
attentive to the lectures and class discussions. Students who sleep, read the paper, persistently talk with other
students or are otherwise inattentive will be asked to leave the class and will
be subject to administrative dismissal from the course. All cell phones must be turned off when
class begins. If a cell phone rings
during class, the owner will be asked to leave and the absence will be
unexcused. Students who have extended
absences due to illness should notify the instructor as promptly as possible
during the absence and produce a doctor’s note indicating the nature and
duration of the illness. This note
should be presented at the first class upon returning. Extended absences are regarded as not
fulfilling course requirements and, unless justified with appropriate
documentation, will adversely affect the final grade.
2. Class Preparation and Note Taking:
The best way to prepare for each class is to do the readings at least once
(some require more than one reading) prior to the first day we begin each
unit. You will be much better able to
participate in and to grasp the class discussions if you have done so. Note taking is an important ingredient to success
in this course. Learn to listen
carefully to the arguments made and write them down as best you can. Good discussions will move beyond the
readings and are likely to return on a test or quiz. Students’ questions
frequently lead to important points and essential discussions. You will be evaluated on your understanding
of important material, regardless of who specifically brings it into the
discussion. In other words, if it is
discussed in class or in the readings, it is acceptable test material.
3. Class Participation: Participation in class is expected,
required, and rewarded. Participation
means that students demonstrate that they are trying to understand the
arguments being made both in the reading and in the discussions, by asking
questions or making comments which show problems with the arguments and by
responding to questions which the instructor raises. Merely talking does not fulfill the expectation set for
participation. The kind of
participation expected is one which shows that you are trying to understand
what the whole picture looks like, what each part looks like, and how the parts
fit into that whole.
4. Grading: Final grades will be based on a student’s
performance in the following areas:
THREE (3) EXAMS (20%x2 and
25%x1): Exams may consist of multiple choice, short answer, and/or essay
questions covering the reading and class discussions. More specific details of the format will be determined by the
movement of the class discussion and will be provided before each exam. Each exam will cover approximately two units
as outlined in the General Course Outline above. There may be overlap and understanding material from previous
units may be required for a full understanding of later units. The third exam will be taken during finals
week. The student’s highest exam score
will be counted as 25% of the final grade and the two lower scores will count
as 20% of the total class grade.
FINAL
EXAM (15%): The final exam will include all material discussed in the course
and any current topics that are related to the content of the course. The exam will be a class group exam with a
separate, randomly selected student leading the discussion on each
question. The size of the class
dictates that not all students will lead a question, but all are expected to
participate. All notes in your own hand
and the book will be allowed. Attending
class all semester and taking organized notes should be sufficient preparation
for success on this exam. Failure to be
present on the scheduled finals day and time will result in the loss of this
15% of the total grade. Further
information will be provided as the course proceeds.
THREE (3) ASSIGNMENTS (15%):
There will be three assignments due at different points during the
semester. There will be three options
that the student may choose from for each assignment; however, every student is
required to complete one assignment from each option. The options include: 1) book chapter summary
and commentary, 2) Internet based assignment provided in class, 3) Current news
summary and commentary. The assignments
will be totaled and recorded as one grade for purposes of the final grade. More details will be provided in a separate
handout.
IN-CLASS COURT CASE BRIEF (5%): U.S. Supreme Court cases and U.S.
Federal Court cases will be critical during our discussion of the first ten
amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
This topic will be addressed following the second exam in the
course. Each student will be assigned
one court case that deals with one of the first ten amendments. The student on the relevant day will give a
short brief on the facts of the case and the result of the case. This is an “effort” assignment. No legal expertise or deep philosophical
understanding is required. The student
simply needs to show that an effort was made and be present on the day the
brief is due. In other words, take the
time to read the case and show up on the appropriate day and the points are
yours.
ATTENDANCE and
PARTICIPATION: Attendance will be taken
and the instructor throughout the course will monitor participation. No direct penalty will be assessed for
attendance, but students who are habitually absent can expect difficulty in
this course. An excused absence allows
the student to make up work missed because of that absence, but an unexcused
absence removes that opportunity. The
instructor reserves the right to raise a student’s final grade if that
student’s attendance and participation has been exceptional. It can only help - do the readings, attend
class, and participate!
Grading percentage summary: 20% (x2) Exams
25%
15% Final Exam
15% Assignments
5% In-Class Court Case Brief
100%
5. Syllabus: The syllabus is a
tentative schedule for the course. Each
course progresses at a unique pace and it is inevitable that changes will be
necessary. The instructor will announce
any changes in class. In other words,
one more reason for regular attendance is to stay up to date on important
assignment and test dates.
6. Make-up Exams: Make-up exams
will be given only with adequate documentation that the absence was
unavoidable. The make-up exams are
sufficiently more difficult than the original that prudent people will avoid
them where possible. Students who miss
the final with a well-documented excused absence will be required to take a
written final exam.
Under Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable
accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those students with
disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework and for which they
may require accommodations should notify the Center for Access-Ability
Resources (CAAR) on the fourth floor of the Health Services Building. CAAR will
assist students in making appropriate accommodations with course instructors.
It is important that CAAR and instructors be informed of any disability-related
needs during the first two weeks of the semester.
8. Department of
Political Science Web Site
Undergraduates are strongly
encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site on a regular
basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist students in
contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring
graduate study, researching career options, tracking department events, and
accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To reach the site, go to http://www.niu.edu/acad/polisci/pols.html
9. Appointments:
The instructor will make every reasonable effort to be available to
students. If you cannot come during
scheduled office hours, please call or e-mail to schedule a mutually convenient
appointment.