Syllabus+-+Spring+2011+8+Week+-+GOVT+2301


 * Government 2301**
 * Kevin Jefferies**
 * Office: D-225**
 * Office Phone: 281-756-3736**
 * email:** kjefferies@alvincollege.edu. -- though I'd like you to use the email on blackboard for classroom issues.
 * class blog:** [|http://theweakerparty.blogspot.com]

//Spring 2010 Classes// //GOVT 2301 - IM2//

//Office Hours:// //Monday: 1pm - 3pm// //Tuesday: 12:30pm - 2:30pm// //Wednesday: 1pm - 3pm// //Thursday: 12:30pm - 2:30pm// //Friday 10:30am - 11:30am//

//This is the official information about the class from the ACC catalogue://

American National & State Governments I (3 credits): This course surveys the origin and development of the federal system and includes an analysis of the federal constitution and various state constitutions, particularly the Texas constitution. The course focuses on federal, state and interstate relations, Texas state government, and citizenship in a modern democratic society. (3 lecture hours per week). Prerequisites: READ 0310 and ENGL 0310.


 * Introduction: Why is This Course Offered?** We live in a democratic republic. In such a system the people are sovereign, meaning that ultimate political authority rests with the people. This isn't necessarily good news. Overall levels of knowledge about governmental are quite low. The founding generation recognized this and created a governing system that placed a significant number of barriers between the people and the law. This was to ensure that the "instability, injustice, and confusion" common in democracies would not lead the new country to an early demise. Nevertheless it was understood that participation would expand and an educated population would be required to ensure that the country would survive. Public education and democratic government therefore go hand in hand. This class is not only offered, but required, in order to ensure that you become a knowledgable participant in the American governing system. I might be predjudiced, but I happen to think that this is the most important class you will take in college, and I treat it as such.


 * Learning Objectives: What Do I Plan to Accomplish?** The purpose of GOVT 2301 is to become familiar the basic terminology of government and politics, the Constitutions of Texas and the United States, and the political institutions that help determine what policies are enacted into law. We begin with a simple overview of the terms "government" and "politics" and all the additional terms related to them. We then proceed to the evolution of the concept of natural rights and how it is embodied in the Declaration of Independence. Then we have a series of sections devoted to, first, an overview of the constitutions of the United States and Texas, and then the various principles embedded within it (republicanism, separated powers, federalism, individual liberty). This allows us to dig into the Federalist Papers and various pertinent sections of the Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. We then shift to a discussion of Civil Rights and the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Being a democracy, elections are central to our political and governing process, as are political parties, which are the principal institutions that contest in elections and structure governing institutions once elected. We conclude with an overview of public opinion, the media, and interest groups. Together these three factors reflect our collective right to participate politically.


 * Methods for Accomplishing Course Objectives** Below (under "Calendars") you will see a series of links which take you to pages I have put together on class subject matter. You will be expected to read not only the material I have assembled for you, but additional material pulled from various sources online. You'll see a lot of links, but you aren't expected to know everything I link you to. The class is designed to introduce you to the large number of additional sources of infomration which exist online. Your understanding of the assigned material will be assessed in two ways. The first is based on your ability to answer short answer questions while the second will be based on answering multiple choice and other similar questions. The first is subjective and is meant to force you to think critically about the subject matter while the latter tests your factual understanding of the material.


 * My Teaching Style** Over the course of two decades of teaching government, I've come to the conclusion that the Constitution is simply establishes a way to make decisions publicly, of non-violently reconciling the different points of view -- or interests -- that exist in society. James Madison says as much in Federalist #10: //The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of the government.// Conflict is part of the process. I see my job as helping you understand how the constitutional system structures that conflict. While it is common for people to consider the political and governing process as hopelessly complex and confusing, it isn't. Once you properly understand the framework of the overall, while you still might get lost in the specifics, the general process make sense.


 * BlackBoard** Much of this class (both online and lecture) will be run in Blackboard. Obviously this is no big deal for online students, but lecture students will also take their quizes (Blackboard calls them "assessments" so that is the term I will use) and submit their written work through this site. This means that there will be no assessments in class, though my lecture students will have two in class tests, a midterm and the final (multiple choice). As you will note below, every week we will have both a 25 (or so) question multiple choice assessment and a 150 word (at minimum) short answer question. The assessments are designed to do just that, assess how well you know the material, the short answer questions are designed to force you to apply that material to current issues and debates.

If you do not already have a blackboard account, get one. Click here to get started: []

Please note that we will have weekly assessments beginning the first week of class, so it is your responsibility to do this promptly.


 * Readings:** Although all of the readings in this class are available online in the pages you are linked to below, you may wish to use a traditional textbook. If so, the following two are available in the bookstore:

//Lowi, Theodore, Benjamin Ginsberg and Kenneth Shepsle. American Government. 11th Edition. New York: W.W. Norton.// //Brown, Lyle et al. Practicing Texas Politics. 13th Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.//

You will notice that I also maintain a blog -- [|http://theweakerparty.blogspot.com] -- where I post tems, usually on a daily basis, that pertain to the subject matter of the class. Everyday we will spend time discussing how current events illustrate the principles we cover in class. The blog features a large number of links to the various institutions we will come to understand in this class. In order to better communicate, I want you to go to the page and subscribe to it, you will notice a subscription widget on the right of the page. By subscribing, you will receive daily information regarding not only what we will cover in the class, but also various other notices such as whether class will be cancelled.

You will also notice that I often link to Wikipedia pages, the open-sourced web based encyclopedia. Wikipedia is often criticized as being unreliable and subject to manipulation. In some cases entries are edited by people who wish to bias the information contained in the article for self interested reasons, but the site has become increasingly reliable, especially with relatively non-controversial or historical topics. I have found the range of articles available to be impressive. There is easily accessible information available there, that simply cannot be found elsewhere. I have found it to be very useful for my purposes. Perhaps its best feature is that it records all edits and allows for discussions of controveries associated with how subjects are discussed.

Here are some links that touch on controversies associated with Wikipedia: - [|Dean's World]. - [|EDUCAUSE]. - [|Reliability of Wikipedia, from Wikipedia itself].


 * Your grade will be based on how well you perform in the following:**


 * Weekly Multiple Choice Assessments (35% of your grade):** Each Thursday at noon I will post an assessment, of more or less 50 multiple choice questions, on Blackboard. These will be drawn from that week's readings. You will have until midnight Saturday to take it, and one hour to complete it. Please note the instructions given to you on Blackboard. I will allow you to write out notes on a sheet of paper and use them to assist you as you take the test. You will receive your grade as soon as all the assessments are completed. These will be designed to assess your factual understanding of the material covered in that week's section. The dates for each are found both below and on Blackboard. I do not allow make-ups for assessments unless there is a legitimate reason it was missed. Forgetfullnes is not a legitimate reason.


 * Weekly Short Answer Assignments (35% of your grade):** Each Sunday, by midnight, you are to turn in a short answer to a question I will post on Blackboard. They will be designed to test your ability to apply the material to current issues. Consider this the "critical learning" component of the class. These will usually require that you do a little research on your own. Answer the assigned questions in at least 150 words (this is a minimum length -- a higher grade will generally require you to write more). You will be graded on the length, comprehensiveness, intelligence and clarity of your answers. I will look for evidence that you can think lucidly about the subject matter. Grammar, spelling, and good writing counts! Please communicate your ideas as effectively as possible. You will notice that you can answer directly in Blackboard. That is my preference. You may wish to compose your answer in a word document so that you wont have to worry about Blackboard signing you out. These questions will be available at the beginning of each week. I will accept late work, but will deduct 15 points from your grade.


 * Final (30%):** On April 29th I will post a comprehensive, cumulative final which covers the various topics covered over the semester.


 * Grading:** A = 89.5 - 100; B = 79.5 - 89.5; C = 69.5 - 79.5; D = 59.5 - 69.5; F 59.5 - 0


 * Regarding Student Behavior:** You are adults and will be expected to act accordingly. For online students this means that I expect you to do your own work. You will not ask anyone else to write papers for you, or you will not simply copy text from various sources and tell me you did it. Turnitin, and other techniques will be used to determine if you have plagiarized. Among the Founders, proper behavior was considered to be a necessary mark of a civilized person and a requirement for political participation. Read through Washington's [|Rules for Civility and Decent Behavior]. It is a great example. Consider adopting a few.


 * //Please Note: If you have any disabilities or other special needs that will affect your ability to learn in this class, please inform me. Appropriate steps will be taken to make reasonable accommodations and assistance with your needs.//**


 * Scholastic Dishonesty:** If you cheat in any way in this class and are caught, you will fail the course. Do not download items from the internet and pass them off as your own. If you do so, you will receive a zero for that paper or assignment and that grade will be final. If you do it a second time, you risk failing the course, or receiving a sanction for your actions.


 * Incompletes:** I do allow students to take incompletes provided unusual circumstances have arisen that prevent you from finishing the class in a timely manner. Unless there is an overwhelmingly good reason to take the incomplete -- such as a prolonged hospital stay -- the grading scale is will be adjusted as follows: B = 85.5 - 100; C = 69.5 - 85.5; D = 59.5 - 69.5; F 59.5 - 0. This is doem to be fair to the students who were able to complete the class on time, but coudl have performed better if they had also been given extra time.


 * Calendar and Links**

Note: I will open each week's assessments at the end of the class day Thursday (4pm) and keep them open for 48 hours until Saturday 4pm. This should fit everyone's schedule. If not, let me know. All written assignments are due by midnight on the assigned days. I will accept late assignments until April 29th but late work is docked 15 points. I do not accept late work for the assessments.

//Classes Begin: March 3://

//Week One: March 3 - 10// - Natural Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Assessment Open from noon March 10 - midnight March 12 Written Assignment Due: Midnight March 12
 * -** Introduction

//Week Two: March 11 - 17// - The Texas Constitution. Assessment Open from noon March 17 - midnight March 19 Written Assignment Due: Midnight March 19
 * -** The United States Constitution.

//Week Three: March 18 - 24// //-// Federalist 10 and the Republic Assessment Open from noon March 24 - midnight March 26 Written Assignment Due: Midnight March 26
 * -** Federalist 51 and the Separation of Powers.

//Week Four: March 25 - 31// - Federalist 45 and Federalism. Assessment Open from noon March 31 - midnight April 2 Written Assignment Due: midnight April 2
 * -** Federalist 84, Civil Liberties and the Bill of Rights.

//Week Five: April 1 - 7// Assessment Open from noon April 7 - midnight April 9 Written Assignment Due: midnight April 9
 * -** Civil Rights and The Equal Protection Clause.
 * -** Elections.

//Week Six: April 8 - 14// - The Freedom of Speech and Public Opinion. Assessment Open from noon April 14 - midnight April 16 Written Assignment Due: midnight April 16
 * -** Political Parties.

//Week Seven: April 15 - 21// - The Freedom of the Press and the Media. - The Freedom to Peacefully Assemble and to Petition Government for a Redress of Grivances and Interests Groups. Assessment Open from noon April 21 - midnight April 23 Written Assignment Due: midnight April 23

//Week Eight: April 22 - 29// - Review and Catch up - The Final will be open from noon April 28 - midnight April 29 Last Day to turn in written work April 27. Last Day of Class - April 29