POLS 1, Introduction to US Government
Section 3085, Fall 2016 - Late Start Course Syllabus]

This syllabus is also available as a Word document: 

Course Description

This is an introductory course exploring how the political process works in the United States and how it affects you.  Emphasis will be placed both on understanding the mechanics of government and on contemporary issues in American politics. Students will be expected to master the textbook material (which largely reviews high school civics) through self-study, utilizing internet review aids and assessment tools.  Class time will be largely devoted to interactive activities designed to apply government principles to current politics.  There will be numerous discussions, in-class exercises, and debates.  The SRJC POLS1 Course Outline and Student Learning Outcomes are available at

http://busapp02.santarosa.edu/SRweb/SR_CourseOutlines.aspx?CVID=10704&Semester=20023

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze American political institutions and processes and how government impacts their daily lives.
2. Engage in political discourse about contemporary political problems and issues applying critical thinking skills and analysis to support a point of view. 
3. Examine the core values of the American political creed and assess how well the current system reflects those principles.

 Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.  Formulate and examine their own political values and beliefs.
2.  Research contemporary political issues drawing on diverse sources.
3.  Assess and distinguish between factual and interpretive sources of information.
4. Trace how and why American political structures and institutions at the state and federal levels have evolved over time and discuss current controversies in light of these developments.
5.  Evaluate different forms of political communication and the methods employed to shape public opinion.
6.  Assess the influence of political institutions on the American population and the methods by which citizens can participate in the political process and shape policy outcomes.

Class Meetings

Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 6 pm in Emeritus 1620.  The course is designed for students to attend all class sessions.  If a student must miss a class due to illness or personal emergency, the instructor should be notified by email prior to the class session being missed.  As a late start course, the material is compacted.

Instructor Contact

Robert Proctor

Email:  rproctor@santarosa.edu  or rob.proctor@live.com (preferred)

Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 10:30 am-12 noon; Emeritus 1548 (inside middle Emeritus building)

I respond to emails sent to rob.proctor@live.com within 24 hours..

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas course web site for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, and viewing grades.. Especially important are the supplemental materials for the primary text, Ginsberg's We The People.  Sample tests and flashcards for key vocabulary are critical tools to prepare for the reading tests.  Other materials, including videos and exercises provide additional tools to help understand the reading and suggest key concepts necessary to address the chapter discussion questions.

Textbook

Required Texts

We the People:  An Introduction to American Politics  Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, and Tolbert; WW Norton and Company, Tenth CORE Edition 2015  ISBN: 978-0-393-93704-6 (pbk.)  (available in the bookstore – also may be purchased in ebook format– for ebook version go to www.nortonebooks.com)           (If you have a different edition please see instructor)

 Taking Sides:  Clashing Views on Political Issues; Miller, William J., McGraw-Hill, 19^th Edition, Expanded.  2015 (ISBN-10:  1259342700 – E-book version available from publisher) .

Recommended Text

Governing California in the Twenty-first Century, Fourth Edition;  Anagnoson, J. Theodore, et. al. W.W. Norton & Company, 2013 (ISBN: 978-0-393-91915-8)  (available in bookstore and library)  -- Hopefully will  be available bundled with Ginsberg at no extra cost from the bookstore.

You can locate and order textbooks online via the SRJC Bookstore. If your class is based out of Petaluma, your books will be listed on the Petaluma Bookstore web site.

Important Dates

Day Class Begins: Monday, September 19

Day Class Ends: Final Exam is Wednesday, December 14

Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: November 20

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.

Attendance

For face-to-face courses, students who fail to attend the first class meeting may be dropped by the instructor. For classes that meet online, students who fail to log on and initiate participation by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the first day of the class may be dropped by the instructor. 

Pass‐No Pass (P/NP)

You may take this class P/NP.  You must decide before the deadline, and add the option online with TLC or file the P/NP with Admissions and Records.  With a grade of C or better, you will get P.

Check with the registrar for the date by which you must file for the P/NP option.  Once you decide to go for P/NP, you cannot change back to a letter grade.  If you are taking this course as part of a certificate program, you can probably still take the class P/NP.  Check with a counselor to be sure 

Instructor Announcements and Q&A Forum

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences. 

Late Policy

All assignments are due as designated in the schedule.  Online submissions are generally due BEFORE the start of class.  Most assignments may be submitted in hard copy at the start of the class session in which they are due.  The election essay must be submitted using the Canvas link for turn-it-in.com no later than midnight, Monday, November 7.  There is a 10 point (50 percent) penalty for late submissions of internet assignments.  There is a ten-point per week penalty for the election essay assignment. There is a ten point penalty for late submissions of debate and election worksheets.  No late assignments are accepted after December 1.

Exams

50- Point Tests (Reading Tests. Constitutional Basics Quiz, and Elections Test)  

Four reading tests, each worth 50 points, will be given in class covering assigned readings in We the People.  Many questions will cover vocabulary highlighted in the margins of the text and the points in the study outline at the end of each chapter.  Almost all of the other questions will also be taken from the We The People practice quizzes posted on the class website for each chapter.  Review these as recommended by the instructor in “tips on how to get an “A”” below. 

 A “Constitutional Basics” quiz, worth 50 points features questions drawn from a Constitutional Basics Worksheet distributed in class and available on the class website. 

 A test on the November elections, including the results, election process, substantive arguments on propositions and positions taken by candidates on key issues will be given November 14.  This is also worth 50 points.

 In computing a student’s final grade, the lowest 50-point test score will be dropped from the total.  There are no make-ups for missed 50-point tests.

 Mid-term Exam 

The mid-term exam will include the Reading Test for Chapters 4-5-6.  In addition there will be questions from the in-class debates during the first half of the semester.  There will also be a short essay questions drawn from one of the individual chapter “class discussion questions” highlighted in the course schedule from the first half of the semester. Finally, there will be several questions from major US or California domestic news stories reported during the first half of the semester and at least discussed briefly in class.

 Final Exam

The final exam will be given per the SRJC final schedule.   The final includes several sections. There will be questions from the in-class debates that occurred during the second half of the semester.  One short essay question drawn from the individual chapter “class discussion questions” as highlighted in the course schedule in the second half of the semester will be included.  A second essay question will focus on the student’s debate topic, including basic background on the issue and a well-argued defense of the position preferred by the student.  There will a short answer section including questions about the Constitution drawn largely from the Constitutional basics worksheet, several questions about legislative representatives, and several questions from the US Citizenship exam.  Finally there will be several questions from major US or California domestic news stories reported during the second half of the semester and at least discussed briefly in class.

Grading Policy

Click the “Grades” link in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade generally during the weekends and post grades and comments in the Canvas gradebook.  For in-class tests and assignments turned in hard copy, there may be a delay in posting grades online and comments will be on the hard-copy submission.  Rubrics used in grading the debate and election assignments are available for student review.

Course Requirements and Grading Weights

Active Participation in Class Discussions and Exercises                              100 points

Tests on Assigned Reading (lowest quiz dropped)                                      150 points

   (Midterm includes one Reading Test)

Constitutional Basics Quiz                                                                              50 points

Election Quiz                                                                                                  50 points

Election Assignment (Presentation/Worksheet – 50 points;                         100 points

     Essay – 50 points)

 Internet Research Assignments (8 X 20 points each)                                 160 points

Debate                                                                                                          100 points

   (In-class Debate – 60 points; Debate Worksheet – 40 points)

In Class Mid-Term Examination                                                                     100 points

  (Debate Questions – 50 points; Discussion Question - 25 points

  News Test – 25 points)

  ( Reading Test for Chapters 4-5-6 given at same time)

 Final Examination                                                                                         190 points

   (Debate Questions - 50 points; Discussion Questions 50 points;

    Position Paper Essay– 25 points; News Test – 25 points;  Short

    Answer/Constitutional Basics Questions – 40 points)

 Course Grade:   The course may be taken for a letter grade or pass/no pass.

(Grading Scale: A = 900-1000; B = 800-899; C = 700-799; D = 600-699; F = Below 600)

 If taking Pass/No Pass (P/NP) you need at least 70% of the total class points and complete the midterm exam and the final exam to pass the class.

Standards of Conduct

Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. Students are encouraged to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's statement on Academic Integrity

Instructor Expectations

Students should be aware that a considerable amount of reading, web research, and analysis will be required as preparation for each class session.  It is anticipated that a minimum of 1-2 hours will be required to prepare for each class session.  Additional time will be needed to prepare for specific in-class assignments. 

At a minimum, students are expected to:

1.  Prepare carefully before coming to class. Preparation includes doing the assigned reading, completing any assignments, thinking about the material, and bringing questions and comments to the class. 

2., Participate actively in all class projects, which will include debates, discussions, and reports.

3.  Expect that most of the work will be interesting and stimulating, and contribute to making it so.

 4,  Keep abreast of current events, especially political news affecting the people of Sonoma County. This includes regularly reading the news section of at least one newspaper, preferably the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

 5.  Show up on time and return from any breaks promptly. Do not make other appointments during class hours.

 6, Turn in all assignments on time.

 Special Needs

Every effort is made to conform to accessibility standards for all instructor-created materials. Students should contact their instructor as soon as possible if they find that they cannot access any course materials. Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278).

List of assignments

Note to students: the assignments listed below do not include all course content. To view all course content, go to Modules.

Internet Assignments

Students will be required regularly to use different websites on the internet to research information to complete assignments preparatory to class discussions and to gather material for the end-of-semester position paper.   Web access is available in the Library.  Each internet assignment is worth 20 points; 10 points will be deducted for late submissions.   The instructor prefers that assignments be submitted via the class website (Canvas), but will accept hard copies of assignments turned in on the due date.  More information on these assignments will be provided in class and on the class website. 

Debates - Research, In-class Debate, Worksheet, Essay on Final

Students will be assigned a contemporary political issue to research and debate.  Most of these issues are introduced in the current edition of Taking Sides:  Clashing Views on Political Issues but several are discussed in earlier editions (in which case background material is posted on the class website).  Early in the semester the instructor will survey student preferences for their debate topic.  After being assigned a debate topic, each student will be expected to research the topic throughout the semester, complete a worksheet on the issue prior to the in-class debate, and finally write a short essay on the student’s own views on the topic as part of the final. 

 For the debate part of the assignment, the instructor will assign a specific position to defend.  A second student will be assigned the opposing point of view.   Presenters will also take questions from the class about their topic.  In some cases, two-student teams will jointly research and defend a single topic and position.  Debates are scheduled throughout the semester as the related topics are presented in the text.  More information will be provided in class and on the class website.

Election Assignments – Research, Presentation, Worksheet and Essay

Each student will be assigned by the instructor either a proposition or a competitive race for office on the November ballot.  Two or more students will be assigned the same topic.  Students will be required to research the issues involved in their election competition, complete a worksheet on the proposition or competing candidates, and make a 10-15 minute presentation to the class, educating the class on the issues involved, interest group involvement, and factors likely to affect the outcome of the race. 

 At the students’ option, the presentation may include a power point slides or a mock debate or another educational format agreed upon by all students sharing the same race.  Students should brief the instructor on their planned approach to the topic.  The presentations will be scored on their ability to engage the class and correctly represent diverse points of view on the merits of the proposition or the candidates. There will be a 20-point penalty if a student needs to reschedule the presentation date for the election issue except under special circumstances.

 An essay on the assigned proposition or race for elective office is due no later than midnight, Monday, November 7.  This essay must be submitted on the Turn-It-In.com on the class CANVAS website.  This essay should discuss briefly background on the issues, interest group involvement, and finally the student’s own views on the merits, including an argument-based recommendation on voting.  There will be a 10-point per week late penalty for essays on the election assignment.

Finally, students assigned to a specific proposition/race will be expected to take the lead in debriefing the class November 9 on the results of the race they were following, including their views on the reasons for the outcome.