| Syllabus Political Science 21, "The American
Political System," is an introductory class that surveys the vast arena of American
politics from the 1780s to the present—a formidable
task to be sure, but one guided by several specific goals:
GOAL #1.
Mastery of the subject matter
First and foremost, the successful
completion of this course will lead to your mastery of the subject matter. Important
topics include (among others) the constitutional foundations of American government, the
basic structure and operation of government institutions, and the relationship between
average citizens and their elected officials.
GOAL #2.
The development of critical thinking skills
In addition to mastering the material
matter at hand, this course will also help you to develop broader skills, such as critical
thinking and problem solving strategies. Our goal is to use a solid foundation of factual
knowledge to probe deeper questions about the American political system, including the
nature of democracy, representation, liberty, and equality.
GOAL #3.
Civic engagement and responsibility
Finally, this class encourages an
active and informed interest in politics by demonstrating the relevance of the topics we
study to contemporary political events, ranging from Social Security reform to the ongoing
war in Iraq.
Course Requirements
Our emphasis throughout the term will be
on the development of strong analytical thinking and writing skills. Graded assignments
are designed to evaluate your growth in these areas. Assignments are also designed to give
you many opportunities, using different skills, to build a strong grade in this course.
- The bulk of your grade will be determined
by two essay examinations, the first given in class on Thursday, March 20, and the
second from 3:30-5:00 PM. on Thursday, May 8. Each of these exams are
weighted as 35% of your final grade.
- Five short quizzes will be
administered this term. The dates for these quizzes are:
- Thursday, January 24
- Thursday, February 7
- Thursday, March 6
- Thursday, April 10
- Thursday, April 24
The single lowest score you receive on
these quizzes will be dropped, while the four remaining scores each will be averaged to
determine 20% of your final grade.
- Finally, your active participation and
attendance is essential to the effectiveness of this class. It will account for the
remaining 10% of your grade.
The following rules regarding assigned work are important.
Please study this syllabus carefully before deciding to enroll in class. All students are
expected to read, understand, and abide by these policies:
In fairness to others, students are not permitted to do “extra credit,” either
to compensate for a poor grade or a missed class. Since a total of eight grades cumulate
to determine your final grade (and no one assignment dominates), there are plenty of
opportunities to improve your standing.
Students must complete all assigned work in this course in order to receive a passing
grade. This is a firm policy of mine, as well as a university policy described in the course catalog. In other words,
students who intend to take this class “pass / no pass” must still complete all
of the required work in order to receive academic credit. No assignment may be skipped.
If a student misses a quiz or midterm exam, students may (with written documentation of an
appropriate excuse) makeup that work, but that is typically done only on a set day and
time at the end of the semester. During the Spring 2008 term, make-up work may be
completed on Friday, April 25, between 1:00-3:00 PM.
Dates for final exams are set by the Registrar’s Office at the beginning of the term
and cannot be rescheduled, except under the limited conditions described in the course
catalog. Written documentation of need must be provided.
Required Reading
The following textbook is required reading
for this course:
- David B. Magleby, David M. O'Brien, Paul C. Light, James
MacGregor Burns, J.W. Peltason, and Thomas E. Cronin (2006). Government By the People,
21st edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
ISBN #0-13-192159-2.
- A number of short articles are also
required in this class. The full-text of each is provided under the Calendar
section of this website. To view each article, simply "click" on its title.
Essay Examinations
Your midterm and final exams will consist
of two parts:
- Three "short answer" questions
worth 30% of your total score;
- One "essay" question worth 70% of
your total score;
You will be held responsible for all reading assignments,
lecture materials, and class discussions that take place prior to each exam. To help focus
your studying, however, I have posted a comprehensive list of questions here. That list is subject
to change until one week prior to each test, at which point it will be locked in. A random
draw on exam day will determine which subset of questions you will answer. Any student who
elects to answer a question different from the one that was drawn will receive a score of
zero. Those taking makeup exams at a later point will use an identical format.
Exams will be judged by the extent to which you support your answers with specific
evidence drawn from class lectures, discussions, and reading assignments.
The grades I assign are based on the following criteria:
|
Excellent (A range): Grades
in the "A" range are reserved for work that is superior in quality.
"A" papers are lively, interesting, and intellectually sophisticated. The writer
develops a clear and creative thesis, and supports their argument with solid and
persuasive evidence. The paper itself is polished and beautifully written, free of
grammatical and typographical errors. Above all, "A" papers reflect originality.
The writer's own voice and logic are present on the page. |
| 88-89 |
B+ |
| 82-87 |
B |
| 80-81 |
B- |
|
Good (B range): Grades
in the "B" range reflect work that is good to very good in
quality. The paper completes all of the requirements of the assignment at hand. It may
have minor errors and flaws, but the foundation of the work is solid, clear, and
reasonably well-organized. "B" papers address topics in a thoughtful way, but
offer less insight and originality than "A" papers. |
| 78-79 |
C+ |
| 72-77 |
C |
| 70-71 |
C- |
|
Fair (C range):
A "C" paper represents work that is satisfactory. The writer offers a
thesis, but it is usually too broad, or too vague. The paper tends to make assertions
without offering specific examples or supporting evidence from class lectures,
discussions, and reading assignments. The overall impression of the paper is that of a
rough draft. More effort at revision is encouraged, and spelling and grammatical errors
often require correction. |
| 68-69 |
D+ |
| 62-67 |
D |
| 60-61 |
D- |
|
Poor (D range):
"D" paper is a unsatisfactory paper. It is sloppy, incoherent
and poorly written, marred by mechanical faults (e.g., errors in grammar, punctuation, and
spelling), and/or factual errors. The writer has difficulty developing an idea, and
holding a paragraph together. The thesis of the paper—that is, what the paper is
arguing—is usually absent or incomplete. |
|
Failing (F): A
failing grade is given for work that is exceedingly poor, cannot be understood,
or has little relevance to the course. |
| 0 |
No
Credit (0): A grade of "zero" is given for any work that is not
completed |
Work produced by
cheating, collaboration, plagiarism or other violations of academic honesty will be
subject to disciplinary actions described in the UVM student handbook.
Class Attendance
Attendance accounts for 10% of your final grade in this
class. It is recorded by your signature on the attendance sheets passed around in class
each day. All students receive two "free" absences to use as they see fit
(without need for excuse), but these absences are intended for illness and emergencies and
should be saved for such. Note that 10 points will be deducted from your
attendance grade for every class you miss in addition. In other words, if you
miss class frequently it is possible for your score to fall into negative numbers.
You should also to be aware of the following:
- You are solely responsible for making sure you sign the
attendance sheet before leaving class. If you do not, your name cannot be added at a later
point.
- Any student involved in the forgery of
signatures—either on the "giving" or "receiving" end—will
receive an automatic zero for that entire portion of their grade, and may in addition be
subject to the university’s policy on academic honesty.
Beyond the two "free" absences described above,
I do not grant excused absences unless you travel out of town as a member of a UVM club or
sports team, or unless you receive a waiver from your Dean’s office for medical or
personal reasons. Both of those situations require written documentation. If you are a
member of a university team, please be sure to forward a copy of your schedule to me in
writing as soon as it becomes available, so that attendance sheets can be marked
accordingly on those days when your team travels out of town.
In addition to daily attendance, you are also encouraged
to participate actively in class discussions. To preview a list of questions that we are
likely to consider over the course of the semester, click here. Thoughtful and
frequent participation in class is typically rewarded as a "tie-breaker," in the
event that your final score is close to the next higher grade.
Accomodations for
Students with Disabilities
If you have a physical or learning
disability, please come by my office within the first two weeks of class so that
we can consult with the ACCESS office to determine an appropriate accommodation for your
needs. It is important that you consult with me early in the semester. It may not be
possible for me to provide an accommodation if I am informed of the request less than
three days before an assignment is due.
Classroom Protocol
In coordination with the Department of Political Science,
I have adopted the following protocol for classroom behavior:
- Students are expected to attend and be prepared for all
regularly scheduled classes.
- Students are expected to arrive on time and stay in class
until the class period ends. If a students knows in advance that he or she will need to
leave early, he or she must notify the instructor before the class period begins.
- Students are expected to treat faculty and fellow students
with respect. For example, students must not disrupt class by leaving and reentering
during class, must not distract class by making noise, and must be attentive to comments
being made by the instructors and by peers.
- Students must turn off and stow all electronic devices
(e.g., cell phones, iPods, etc.) before class begins. Anyone wishing to use a laptop to
take notes during class must first ask permission
Students in serious violation of any these rules may be
subject to whatever grade penalty I deem appropriate.
Asking for Help
Be sure to ask questions whenever
you need to. Here is how:
- I am generally available to answer
quick questions both before and after class.
- I hold office hours on a
first-come, first-serve basis every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and again
from 3:30-4:30 p.m. If those hours are not compatible with your schedule, please do not
hesitate to ask for an appointment. My office is located on the 5th floor of Old Mill,
room 519.
- While you can reach me by
telephone at (802) 656-4062, e-mail is generally faster. My e-mail address is: Deborah.Guber@uvm.edu.
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