POLS 260-3: Introduction to
Comparative Politics
Instructor: Mariana Cotromanes
Class: Monday, Wednesday, Friday,
Location: DuSable 459
Email: mcotroma@niu.edu
Office Hours and Location:
Monday and Friday,
This course seeks to analyze the political systems of
various countries throughout the world. To
this end, we will discuss the history, culture, and politics of
Course Materials
The readings are assigned according the course schedule
below. Please have the readings done
prior to attending a class meeting. The
readings are integral to class lecture, discussions, exams, pop quizzes, and
papers, so it is vital that the readings are completed. There are documents on e-reserves (for when
we cover
Michael G.
Roskin. 2007. Countries
and Concepts: Politics, Geography, Culture, 9th edition
(Prentice Hall).
In addition, we will be watching videos in class on
occasion; issues concerning the videos may appear in class assignments (pop
quizzes, exams, papers, etc.). If you
miss a class in which a video was shown, there is no guarantee that you will
have access to it.
Attendance
Attendance will be taken at every class meeting, but officially there is no attendance policy; though it is strongly encouraged to come to class. If at the end of the semester students have “borderline grades” and I see that they have attended class often, I will consider bumping their grades up to the next grade. Attendance is also strongly encouraged because some topics will be covered in classes which are not in the textbook.
Participation (20 points)
Participation is worth 20 points of your grade. If you are not in class, you obviously cannot
participate, so attendance is thus encouraged. At times there will be group activities which will
be part of this participation grade.
Grading of participation is based upon the thoughtfulness and frequency of comments during class discussion and group activities. For example, frequent and voluntary participation with insightful comments will receive full credit. However, if participation is sporadic, involuntary, or non-existent, this will be looked upon as barely above average, average, or below average/failing, respectively.
Pop Quizzes (20 points)
Attendance is also encouraged through occasional pop quizzes, which are worth 20 points of your grade. These quizzes will take place at the end of class meetings, and they will be open note (but not closed book)— basically, if you come to class and take good notes on the lecture, you should do well.
Papers (60 points)
There will be two papers, each worth 30 points of your grade (a 60 point total). They should be five to seven pages (12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced)—papers should absolutely not be any shorter than five pages, or any longer than seven (the quality of your work will likely suffer if the paper is too short or too long, which may result in a lower grade). Quotes and ideas from the book and other sources should be cited in the following format: (Smith, 15). There must be a bibliography at the end of the paper. Beware of plagiarism, as it will not be taken lightly—it will result in failing the assignment, if not the entire course.
Grading is based upon the student’s ability to adequately
answer the question, while integrating class materials and reflecting
thoughtful analysis of the question. My
grading guidelines will be handed out to the class on January 28th,
when we discuss “how to write a paper” and “what is plagiarism?” At this time, paper #1’s topic will be handed
out.
Exams (75
points)
There will be three
exams, each with 50 multiple choice questions.
Each exam is worth 25 points, for a total of 75 points. We will spend one day reviewing for an exam,
a full class meeting taking the exam, and the following class meeting will be mainly
spent reviewing and discussing the exam to resolve any issues or questions.
Grade Breakdown
Participation: 20 points
Pop Quizzes: 20 points
Papers (2): 60 points
Exams (3): 75 points
Total: 175 points
Important Dates
February 15: Paper #1 due (covering
February 27: Exam #1 (covering
March 31: Paper #2 due (covering
April 11: Exam #2 (covering
May 7: Exam #3 (Final Exam) (covering
Special Notes/Class Policies
Syllabus
Items on this syllabus are subject to change. You will be notified of such changes either in class or by email. Please be sure to check your email on a weekly, if not daily, basis.
Guidance
Please do not
hesitate to meet with me during office hours if any help is
needed with course work (paper writing, considering a political science major, understanding
the material better, etc.). Communication
by email is also strongly encouraged.
Conduct
Professional conduct in class is expected. This
includes, but is not limited to: coming to class on time, acting with respect
towards others and the opinions they express, no phone calls (cell phones
absolutely must be turned off!!!), no text messaging, no private conversations,
no sleeping, no newspaper reading, no internet surfing, etc. If behavior becomes disruptive I reserve the
right to ask individual(s) to leave the classroom.
Cheating
Students will be
held to the academic integrity standards as articulated by the Northern
Illinois University Undergraduate Catalog.
During exams students will be watched closely for cheating and papers
will be checked closely for plagiarism. Cheating
of any sort will be taken very seriously; the consequence may be failing an
assignment, or even the entire course.
Late Papers
Late papers are
absolutely NOT accepted. If you do not
turn in a paper on time, you will receive a zero for that paper. To turn in a paper late there must be extreme
circumstances, for which you can provide official documentation. Also, you must contact me as soon as
possible before the paper is due.
The purpose of this is so that all students have the same amount of time
to complete an assignment and get graded on it; this policy is made to
encourage fairness.
Makeup Exams
There are NO makeup
exams. If you miss an exam you will
receive a zero for that exam. Only under
extreme circumstances (for which you must provide official documentation)
can a makeup exam be taken. Also, you
must contact me as soon as possible before the paper is due.
Students with Disabilities
NIU abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding provision of reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. If you have a disability and need instructional or examination accommodation, please contact me immediately in order to provide the necessary accommodations. If you have not already done so, you will need to register with the Center for Access-Ability Resources (CAAR), the designated office on campus to provide services and administer exams with accommodations for students with disabilities. CAAR is located on the 4th floor of the University Health Services building (753-1303).
Undergraduate Writing Awards
According to the NIU Department of Political Science: it
will recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding 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
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.
About the Political Science Department
The department is located on the 4th floor of the Zulauf building. If you are considering a political science major or minor, please feel free to visit and/or contact the following individuals for guidance:
Shannon Silver, Undergraduate Adviser: Zulauf 420, (815) 753-7045, slsilver@niu.edu
Matthew J. Streb, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Assistant Professor: Zulauf 407, (815) 753-7046, mstreb@niu.edu
Karen Schweitzer, Undergraduate Studies Secretary: Zulauf 415, (815) 753-1015, karens@niu.edu
Course Calendar
Week 1
January 14: Introduction
January 16: Theory in comparative politics; Read Chapter 1
January 18:
Week 2
January 21: *No class*- Martin Luther King Day
January 23:
January 25:
Week 3
January 28:
How to write a paper; What is plagiarism?
January 30:
February 1:
Week 4
February 4:
February 6:
February 8:
Week 5
February 11:
February 13:
February 15:
**Paper #1 due** (over
Week 6
February 18:
February 20:
February 22:
Week 7
February 25: Review
for Exam #1
February 27: **Take Exam #1** (over
February 29: Review Exam #1
Week 8
March 3:
March 5:
March 7: *No Class* Spring Break
(Last day to drop the class)
Week 9
March 10: *No Class* Spring Break
March 12: *No Class* Spring Break
March 14: *No Class* Spring Break
Week 10
March 17: Video: Russian
March 19: Video: Russian Ark; *
March 21:
Week 11
March 24:
March 26:
March 28:
Week 12
March 31:
**Paper #2 due** (over
April 2:
April 4:
Week 13
April 7:
April 9: Review for
Exam #2
April 11: **Take Exam #2** (over
Week 14
April 14: Review Exam #2
April 16:
April 18:
Week 15
April 21:
April 23:
April 25:
Week 16
April 28:
April 30: Course Evaluations; Review for Final Exam (over
Week 17
May 7: **Final Exam**