Syllabus

This course will examine public opinion and mass political behavior in the United States. Among the topics to be explored are the ways in which ordinary citizens make sense of their political world, the quality and sophistication of public opinion, the interplay between mass attitudes and public policy, and the motivations that underlie political participation and electoral choice.

Course Requirements

Our emphasis throughout the semester will be on critical thinking and the development of strong, analytical 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.

  1. Your attendance and active participation is essential to the effectiveness of this class.  It will account for 25% of your final score. 

  2. Two essay-based exams will be administered in class, each worth 25% of your final grade.  The dates for these are Thursday, March 6, and Tuesday, May 6 at 9:00 AM.  In addition, I reserve the right to give occasional pop-quizzes if it appears that students are ill-prepared for class.

  3. The remainder of your grade—25%—will be determined by a 10 page research paper on public attitudes toward an issue of your choice (for instance: the environment, the war in Iraq, abortion, etc.). While this project is due at the end of term, I encourage you to follow your topic throughout the semester and relate it to the broader subjects we discuss in class.  Further details will follow shortly in the form of a separate handout.

The grades I assign to written work are based on the following criteria:

  • Excellent (A range): Grades in the "A" range are reserved for work that is superior in quality. "A" exams are lively, interesting, and intellectually sophisticated. The writer develops a clear and creative thesis, and supports their argument with solid and persuasive evidence. The essay itself is polished and beautifully written, free of spelling and grammatical errors. Above all, "A" answers reflect originality. The writer's own voice and logic are present on the page.
  • Good (B range):  Grades in the "B" range reflect work that is good to very good in quality. The essay 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" essays address topics in a thoughtful way, but offer less insight and originality than "A" essays.
  • Fair (C range):  A "C" essay represents work that is satisfactory in quality. The writer offers a thesis, but it is usually too broad, or too vague. The essay 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 rough and unfinished.
  • Poor (D range):  "D" work is unsatisfactory. It is sloppy, incoherent and poorly written, marred by mechanical faults and/or factual errors. The writer has difficulty developing an idea, and holding a paragraph together. The thesis of the exam—that is, what the essay 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. 
  • No Credit (0):  A grade of "zero" is given for any work that is not completed in full.

Work is due in class on the date marked for that assignment in the syllabus. Students who wish to leave late papers in my mailbox, or the bin outside my office door, must have the day and time marked by the department’s administrative assistant. Papers sent to me via e-mail (as a file attachment) will be accepted based on the date stamp that appears in the header of the message. You should consider no paper to be safely submitted until you receive a confirmation of its receipt from me. In the interim, students are expected to maintain a copy of their work.

Please note that I will reduce grades on late papers by one-third of one letter grade per day. In other words, a paper received one day late will (at most) receive an A-, two days late a B+, three days late a B, and so on. Note, this policy counts calendar days, not class days.

Work produced (in whole or in part)  by cheating, collaboration, plagiarism or any other violation of academic honesty will be subject to disciplinary actions described in the UVM student handbook.

Required Reading

The following books are required reading for this course:

  • Robert S. Erikson and Kent L. Tedin, American Public Opinion, 7th edition. New York: Pearson Longman (2007).

    • ISBN: 0-321-43019-0

  • Herbert Asher, Polling and the Public, 6th edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press (2004).

ISBN: 1-56802-833-4

All remaining assignments are available through hyperlinks on our class website at under the heading “Calendar.”

Occasionally (and for a variety of reasons), I may decide to substitute one reading assignment for another. If that happens, I will make an announcement in class in advance of the day in question and place the new article online in place of the former. When in doubt, our class website will take precedence over the paper copy you receive at the start of term.

Discussion Questions

Throughout the semester I will contact members of the class regularly via e-mail to forward discussion questions. If necessary, please be sure to forward your UVM e-mail to an account that you use frequently so that messages will not be missed.

Accommodations 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:

  1. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for all regularly scheduled classes. Attendance will be taken and will count toward your final grade.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Students must turn off and stow all electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, iPods, etc.) prior to the start of class. Those who wish to use a laptop for taking notes must first ask permission.

  5. Behavior that departs from these guidelines as well as any additional guidelines specific to the individual course is not acceptable and may be cause for disciplinary action.

Students who violate any of 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 656-4062, e-mail is generally faster. I check e-mail on a regular basis, but plase understand that I may not be able to respond immediately to message sent in the evening or on weekends. My e-mail address is: Deborah.Guber@uvm.edu