Department
of Political Science
POLS
100: American Government and Politics
Spring
2004
Instructor: Jennifer S. Guon
Section
8 Office:
DuSable 461
Course Meeting Time: TTh
Course
E-mail: jguon@niu.edu
Did you, too, O friend, suppose democracy was only for
elections, for politics, and for a party name?
I say democracy is only of use there that it may pass on and come to its
flower and fruit in manners, in the highest forms of interaction between
[people], and their beliefs -- in religion, literature, colleges and schools --
democracy in all public and private life....
-Walt Whitman
As Whitman suggests
above, the
American political system cannot be thought of as an isolated entity from ones
private life. In a democracy, actions of
society affect each individual in both public and private life. The American political system demands that
its citizens be informed and knowledgeable on issues
concerning government, since the people are the government in the
REQUIRED TEXT AND READINGS
All students are expected to have full access to a copy of the following text. It is available in both bookstores on campus.
1.) Bruce Miroff,
Raymond Seidelman and Todd Swanstrom,
The Democratic Debate: An Introduction to
American Politics, 3rd Edition, Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002.
2.) The New York Times, Washington
Post, or Chicago Tribune are available for free online and are
necessary for Thursday current events participation.
3.) Occasional online readings
and handouts given in class.
Final grades will be based on a student’s
performance in the following three areas:
1.) Midterm Exam 25%
2.) Final Exam 25%
Specifics of the exam will
be covered in class closer to the time of the exam. Note that the exam will cover both the
lecture and the textbook. The final exam
will not be cumulative.
3.) Essay Rough Draft 10%
4.) Final Essay 30%
Detailed requirements for
the essay will be handed out the second week of class.
5.) Participation 10%
Participation will be
determined by two key components: Regular participation throughout the lectures
and presentation of a current events article at the beginning of class every
Thursday. For approximately 20 minutes
every Thursday, students will have the opportunity to present and comment on an
American political event of their choice.
Note that the article must be from New York Times, Washington
Post, or Chicago Tribune to receive participation credit for that
article.
Grading
Scale
100 – 90 A
89 – 80 B
79 – 70 C
69 - 60 D
Week
of 11 January: Introduction and Groundwork for the Democratic Debate
-The Constitution (MSS A-3) in
preparation for next week.
Week of 18 January: The Founding and the
Constitution
-James
Madison’s Federalist 51 (MSS, A-16 through A-18) and Federalist 10
(MSS, A-12 through A-16).
Week
of 25 January: Public Opinion and Political Culture
In
addition:
Go to www.uspolitics.org and run the
IDEALOG test. Come prepared to discuss
the four different ideological categories.
Week
of 1 February: Political Participation
-Stephen E. Bennett, “Why
Young Americans Hate Politics, and What We Should Do about It,” Political
Science and Politics (1997). This
article can be found at www.jstor.org. (If off-campus, you must sign into the NIU
library to access JSTOR.)
Week
of 8 February: The Media and Democracy
Week
of 15 February: Political Parties
Week
of 22 February: Campaigns and Interest Groups
Week
of 29 February: MIDTERM EXAM.
-Midterm
review March 2.
-Midterm
exam March 4.
Week
of 7 March: SPRING BREAK.
Week
of 14 March: Mass-Movement Politics
Week
of 21 March: Congress
DRAFT
OF PAPER DUE MARCH 25
-Article
I of the Constitution.
Week
of 28 March: The Executive Branch
-Article
II of the Constitution.
Week
of 4 April: The Judiciary
-Article
III of the Constitution.
Week
of 11 April: Federalism
Class
cancelled April 15th
Week
of 18 April: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
FINAL
PAPER DUE APRIL 22
-Additional
readings regarding civil rights and liberties will be assigned in class.
Week
of 25 April: Discussion of Final Papers and Final Exam review.
-Final paper discussion April
27
-Final
exam review April 29
Week
of 2 May: FINAL EXAM
COURSE POLICIES
2. Makeup
Exams: Makeup exams will only be given in extraordinary circumstances. If such circumstances arise, please contact
the instructor as soon as possible and before the scheduled exam. To keep the process fair for everyone in the
course, students will be asked to support requests for makeup exams with
documentation. A missed examination
without prior notification and a documented excuse will result in a zero and a
course grade of "F" as opposed to an incomplete.
3. Students with
Disabilities: 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 for which they may
require accommodations should notify the Center for Access-Ability Resources
(CAAR) on the fourth floor of the
4. Late
Assignments: An assignment submitted after the due date will be penalized
by a deduction of ten points or one letter grade per day (including
weekends.) Since students will have had
several weeks to complete their work, this standard will be waived only in extraordinary
circumstances.
5. Submitting
Written Work: Assignments should be handed-in to me personally or given to
a department secretary to be time-stamped.
Assignments placed in my mailbox or sent with a friend tend to disappear
at times. If a student selects one of
these modes of delivery, he or she does so at their own risk.
6. Extra Credit:
Without exception, extra credit is not available in this course. There are enough opportunities to do well without
the need for extra work.
7. Handouts:
Handouts are a privilege for those students who attend class on a regular
basis. No student is entitled to
supplemental materials simply because they are registered for the course.
8. Classroom
Etiquette: Students are to arrive at class on time (see attendance
policy above.) Cell phones, pagers, or
any electronic devices that make noise must be turned off during class
unless the instructor has been notified beforehand of a special circumstance
(e.g., sick family member, pregnant wife, special childcare situation,
etc.). No one should talk while someone
else is talking; this includes comments meant for a classmate rather than the
entire group. What may seem like a
whisper or a harmless remark to one person can be a distraction to someone
else, particularly in a small room.
Overall, classroom dialogue and behavior should always be courteous,
respectful of others, and consistent with the expectations set forth by the
university.
9. Incomplete
Requests: Such petitions will be granted only in extraordinary
circumstances. The instructor reserves
the right to ask for documentation to verify the problem preventing completion
of the course by the normal deadlines.
If the student does not present documentation from a university office
or official, the matter will be left to the instructor’s discretion.
10. Academic
Dishonesty: Regarding plagiarism, the NIU Undergraduate Catalog states:
"students are guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they copy
material from books, magazines, or other sources without identifying and
acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or assisting others in, either cheating or plagiarism on
an assignment, quiz, or examination may receive a grade of F for the course
involved and may be suspended or dismissed from the university.” The above statement encompasses the purchase
or use of papers that were written by others.
In short, students are advised to do their own work and learn the
rules for proper quoting, paraphrasing, and footnoting.
11. Class
Participation: I recognize class discussion comes more easily for some
people than for others. By temperament
or habit, some individuals are "talkers" while others are
"listeners.” Learning to be both is
an important subsidiary goal of this course.
Comments that are not relevant to the ongoing discussion and off the
point will not be rewarded. Remarks that
are disruptive to the discussion, insensitive to others, or attempt to dominate
the discussion will not be tolerated. I
strongly prefer students to participate on a voluntary basis. If you are particularly apprehensive about
talking in class, or feel closed out of the discussion for another reason,
please speak with me. There are some
things I can suggest that may be helpful.
Remember: communication skills and self-confidence are extremely
important assets in the professional world.
Thus, it is better to develop these things in the collegial environment
of this class rather than under more difficult circumstances later in life.
12. Unannounced
Quizzes: The instructor reserves the right to conduct pop quizzes if it
becomes grossly apparent through class discussions that students are not
completing the assigned readings on a regular basis. If such quizzes are administered, they will
be averaged and used to raise or lower a student’s final course grade by a half
a letter grade. Whether a particular
student’s grade is adjusted positively or negatively will be dependent on a
class average. It will not be done
capriciously.
LOOSE ENDS
1. Your Agreement: This syllabus is to act as a contract that you implicitly consent to when enrolled in this class: it specifies what can be expected from the course, as well as the obligations of each student in preparing for and attending class. Portions of the syllabus may change with prior warning from the instructor, and all changes will be announced in class.
2. Undergraduate Writing Awards: The Department of Political Science will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political science courses or directed studies. Authors do not have to be political science majors or have a particular class standing. Winners are expected to attend the Department’s spring graduation ceremony where they will receive a certificate and $50.00. Papers, which can be submitted by students or faculty, must be supplied in triplicate to a department secretary by February 28. All copies should have two cover pages – one with the student’s name and one without the student’s name. Only papers written in the previous calendar can be considered for the award. However, papers completed in the current spring semester are eligible for the following year’s competition even if the student has graduated.
3. 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://polisci.niu.edu
I want to express that I immensely enjoy teaching and discussing Political Science. If you have questions that we did not answer in class, or if you want to explore an idea, I strongly encourage you to attend my office hours or make an appointment to see me. I look forward to an exciting and interesting semester in this election year.