POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • …...POLS 114 • Introduction to American...
Transcript of POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • …...POLS 114 • Introduction to American...
POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • Fall 2014 Tuesdays & Thursdays 1 - 1:50 p.m. • Lawson Hall, Room 171
Dr. Charlie Leonard
Office Hours: Office: 127 Forestry Bldg. TR 9 – 11 a.m., and by appointment (Paul Simon Public Policy Institute)
[email protected] (618) 453-4005
Discussion Section Instructors:
Philip Garee [email protected]
Faner 3164 - TWR 11 - noon;
Christopher Klingeman [email protected]
Faner 3170 - T, 2-4; R, 11-1
David Searcy [email protected]
Faner 3174 – M, 11 - 2
Introduction The United States is the longest-running, continuing, constitutional democracy in the world.
An understanding of the historical background of our Constitution is essential to understanding how it
continues to work today—in a modern world far removed from the rural, colonial existence of the
American states of the 1790s. The US Constitution, in addition to creating the institutions that run the
federal government, provides the framework through which the American people act politically.
Introductory political science helps to make you familiar with the social sciences—that is, the use of the
scientific method and rigorous standards of evidence applied to the study of social phenomena. Through
the deductive reasoning process, case studies, and statistical hypothesis testing, political scientists try to
make sense of the world of politics, citizen action, and the government response—expressed as public
policy. More specifically, it introduces you to the exciting (yes, “exciting”) study of political science. Our
discipline studies the political behavior of individuals and groups, the workings of institutions, differences
among governing systems, and many other important fields of inquiry.
In fact, for each chapter of your text, there is a subfield of political science to correspond with it. There is
political history, political theory, the study of the presidency, the study of Congress, of media and politics,
of the bureaucracy, of the courts, and, of course, elections and voting behavior. This course is an
introduction to American politics and institutions, though many political scientists, including some here at
SIU, are doing interesting work on the politics of other nations. Your discussion section instructors and I
will do our best to keep the subject matter current, relevant, and interesting.
Texts Cal Jillson's American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change is our
required text. We are using the 7th Edition. Older editions may not have exactly the same information in
the same order, but would probably suffice. In any event, it is important that you have regular access to
the book. Jillson’s and Robertson’s Perspectives on American Government (the “Reader”) is required for
the discussion sections. Both books should be available at University Bookstore, 710 Bookstore, and
online. I have placed one copy of each on reserve for your use in Morris Library.
Discussion Sections Once a week you will meet in discussion section. You are fortunate to have either
Mr. Garee, Mr. Klingeman, or Mr. Searcy, all of whom hold advanced degrees and are pursuing PhDs in
political science. The discussion section is a real class-within-a-class, with a separate text and small class
size. During each meeting, you will discuss brief readings from Perspectives on American Government,
which introduces you to excerpts from classic works in academic political science. It is a great place to
clarify anything from the lecture that might have been confusing, and to find out what parts of the text are
most important to study (since these instructors will write the first draft of the midterms and final exam).
Attendance and Participation Attendance in lecture is strongly encouraged, and will be monitored using
randomly occurring “attendance quizzes,” which cover current events and basics from the texts. Quiz
scores will be calculated into your participation score, which accounts for one-tenth of the available
POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • Fall Semester 2014 • Professor Leonard 2
points. Attendance in your discussion section is mandatory, and will be recorded by your instructor and
reported to me. Students who participate in the discussion section will receive more points than those who
merely show up, who, in turn, will get more points than students who do not even show up.
Examinations You will have four opportunities to demonstrate your grasp of the material through
examinations. They will be mostly multiple-choice, Scantron-type tests. They will cover four chapters
apiece. The final exam will also include select material from earlier in the book. While many of the
questions will come from things that we mentioned in lecture or discussion section, anything in either
textbook is fair game. We will drop your lowest score from the first three exams, but you may not skip
any of the exams. We will include the ZERO in your final grade if you miss an exam!
Grading
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Discussion Section Grade: 20%
Exam One 20%*
Exam Two 20%*
Exam Three 20%*
Final Exam 30%
* We will drop your lowest score from among Exams One through Three
How To Do Well Let me tell you, especially the freshmen, four easy things to make your grades better:
1) Do your assigned reading before the lecture. The lecture will make more sense, and you will get more
out of it and remember it better. 2) Come to class and sit near the front. Attendance really does make a
difference in your exam performance, and if you sit near the front you won’t be reminded of how big the
room is and how many people are in it. 3) Take notes, but sparingly. Notes should remind you of what we
talked about in class, and what to look for in the book when you return to it to study for the test. But you
won’t be able to write down everything I say, and if you try, you won’t really be paying attention to the
lecture. 4) Study for the exam, preferably with some classmates. You should already have read the
material once to prepare for class, so going back over it should be relatively painless.
Intellectual Honesty Your university and your instructors are serious about intellectual integrity in your
coursework. Students who try to earn their grades dishonestly bring down the value of the SIU degree for
everyone. Therefore, in the interest of those who do their work honestly and in good faith, cheaters will be dealt
with strictly. Though we take pains to prevent cheating on exams though various procedures, we will be vigilant
for phones, crib sheets, peeking, and other forms of cheating. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with
university policy on academic dishonesty.
Disability Policy Your university and your instructors are committed to equal access to education for students
who learn differently or who have physical challenges that might otherwise get in the way of their full
participation in class. It is the student’s responsibility to notify me and the disability support services office
(http://disabilityservices.siu.edu) of any requirements you may have; it is my responsibility to work within
university policy to accommodate student needs.
Emergency Procedures: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and
healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our
control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building
Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in
buildings on campus, available on the BERT's website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Public Safety's
website www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop down) and in the Emergency Response Guidelines pamphlet.
Know how to respond to each type of emergency. Instructors will provide guidance and direction to
students in the classroom in the event of an emergency affecting your location. It is important that you
follow these instructions and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The
Building Emergency Response Team will provide assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building
or sheltering within the facility.
POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • Fall Semester 2014 • Professor Leonard 3
Tentative Course Schedule
Subject to change according to unforeseen events, professor’s necessity, and/or the educational needs of the class
Meeting Topic Read before the meeting
8/19 Syllabus Day; The Declaration of Independence Jillson, Appendix A, pp. 540 - 542
8/21 Origins of American Political Principles Jillson, Ch. 1; Reader, Ch. 1
8/26 The Colonies and the Revolution Jillson, 28 – 37; Reader, Ch. 2
8/28 The Revolution and The Constitution Jillson, 28 - 56
9/2 Origins of American Federalism Jillson, 60 – 76; Reader, Ch. 3
9/4 Modern Federalism Jillson, 76 - 88
9/9 Political Socialization Jillson, 90 – 99; Reader, Ch. 4
9/11 Public Opinion Jillson, 99 - 118
9/16 EXAM 1
9/18 Mass Media in American Politics Jillson, 120 – 135; Reader, Ch. 5
9/23 The Media and the Public Agenda Jillson, 136 - 153
9/25 Interest Groups in American Politics Jillson, Chapter 6; Reader, Ch. 6
9/30 History of American Political Parties Jillson, 189 – 202; Reader, Ch. 7
10/2 The State of American Political Parties Jillson, 202 - 224
10/7 Political Campaign Essentials Jillson, 226 – 244; Reader, Ch. 8
10/9 The Presidential Campaign Jillson, 244 - 263
10/14 EXAM 2
10/16 U.S. Congress: The Basics Jillson, 265 – 276; Reader, Ch. 9
10/21 How Congress Works Jillson, 276 - 299
10/23 The Presidency: History and Evolution of the Office Jillson, 301 – 318; Reader, Ch. 10
10/28 The Presidency: Responsibilities and Organization Jillson, 318 - 338
10/30 The Executive Bureaucracy Jillson, Chapter 11; Reader, Ch. 11
11/4 American Courts: History, Structure and Functions Jillson Ch. 12; Reader, Ch. 12
11/6 EXAM 3
11/11 VETERANS’ DAY HOLIDAY
11/13 Civil Liberties Jillson, 405 – 420; Reader, Ch. 13
11/18 Civil Liberties and Criminal Procedure Jillson, 420 – 433
11/20 Civil Rights Jillson, 435 – 446; Reader, Ch. 14
11/25 Minority Group Rights Jillson, 446 – 465
11/27 THANKSGIVING BREAK
12/2 Domestic Policy Jillson, Ch. 15; Reader, Ch. 15
12/4 Foreign Policy Jillson, Ch. 16; Reader, Ch. 16
12/11 FINAL EXAM 12:00 – 1:45 p.m.
POLS 114 • Introduction to American Government • Fall Semester 2014 • Professor Leonard 4
¹ Southern Illinois University Carbondale. (2013). Pathways to Excellence: A Strategic Plan. Fall 2014 R.O’Rourke
Retrieved from http://chancellor.siu.edu/_common/docs/A_Strategic_Plan.pdf
Syllabus Attachment Fall 2014
IMPORTANT DATES * Semester Class Begins …………………………………………….08/18/2014
Last day to add a class (without instructor permission): ………….08/24/2014
Last day to withdraw completely and receive a 100% refund: ….08/31/2014
Last day to drop a course using SalukiNet: ……………………….10/26/2014
Last day to file diploma application (for name to appear in Commencement
program): ………………...………………………………………..10/31/2014
Final examinations: …………………………………………12/8–12/12/2014
Note: For outreach, internet, and short course drop/add dates, visit
Registrar’s Academic webpage http://registrar.siu.edu/
FALL SEMESTER HOLIDAYS
Labor Day 09/01/2014
Fall Break 10/11—10/14/2014
Veterans Day 11/11/2014
Thanksgiving Vacation 11/26—11/30/2014
WITHDRAWAL POLICY ~ Undergraduate only
Students who officially register for a session may not withdraw merely by the
stopping of attendance. An official withdrawal form needs to be initiated by the
student and processed by the University. For the proper procedures to follow
when dropping courses and when withdrawing from the University, please visit
http://registrar.siu.edu/pdf/ugradcatalog1314.pdf
INCOMPLETE POLICY~ Undergraduate only
An INC is assigned when, for reasons beyond their control, students engaged in
passing work are unable to complete all class assignments. An INC must be
changed to a completed grade within one semester following the term in which
the course was taken, or graduation, whichever occurs firs t . Should the student
fail to complete the course within the time period designated, that is, by no
later than the end of the semester following the term in which the course was
taken, or graduation, whichever occurs first, the incomplete will be converted
to a grade of F and the grade will be computed in the student's grade point
average. For more information please visit:
http://registrar.siu.edu/grades/incomplete.html
REPEAT POLICY
An undergraduate student may, for the purpose of raising a grade, enroll in a
course for credit no more than two times (two total enrollments) unless
otherwise noted in the course description. For students receiving a letter grade
of A,B,C,D, or F, the course repetition must occur at Southern Illinois
University Carbondale. Only the most recent (last) grade will be calculated in
the overall GPA and count toward hours earned. See full policy at
http://registrar.siu.edu/pdf/ugradcatalog1314.pdf
GRADUATE POLICIES
Graduate policies often vary from Undergraduate policies. To view the
applicable policies for graduate students, please visit
http://gradschool.siu.edu/about-us/grad-catalog/index.html
DISABILITY POLICY
Disability Support Services provides the required academic and programmatic
support services to students with permanent and temporary disabilities. DSS
provides centralized coordination and referral services. To utilize DSS
services, students must come to the DSS to open cases. The process involves
interviews, reviews of student-supplied documentation, and completion of
Disability Accommodation Agreements.
http://disabilityservices.siu.edu/
PLAGIARISM CODE http://pvcaa.siu.edu/_common/documents/Plagiarism/Guide%20to%20Preventing%20Plagiarism.pdf
SALUKI CARES
The purpose of Saluki Cares is to develop, facilitate and coordinate a
university-wide program of care and support for students in any type of
distress—physical, emotional, financial, or personal. By working
closely with faculty, staff, students and their families, SIU will continue
to display a culture of care and demonstrate to our students and their
families that they are an important part of the community. For
Information on Saluki Cares: (618) 453-5714, or [email protected],
http://salukicares.siu.edu/index.html
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a
safe and healthy environment for study and work. We ask that you
become familiar with the SIU Emergency Response Plan and Build-
ing Emergency Response Team (BERT) progr ams. Emer gency re-
sponse information is available on posters in buildings on campus,
available on BERT’s website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Safe-
ty’s website at www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop down) and the Emergen-
cy Response Guideline pamphlet. Instructors will provide guidance and
direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency af-
fecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions
and stay with your instructor during an evacuation or sheltering
emergency.
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SIU contains people from all walks of life, from many different
cultures and sub-cultures, and representing all strata of society,
nationalities, ethnicities, lifestyles, and affiliations. Learning from and
working with people who differ is an important part of education as well
an essential preparation for any career. For more information please
visit: http://www.inclusiveexcellence.siu.edu/
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Math Labs http://tutoring.siu.edu/math_tutoring/index.html
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