Extra Credit- Political Theory

EXTRA CREDIT- POLITICAL THEORY

Extra Credit will be announced throughout the semester. Feel free to attempt as many extra credits as possible. It cannot hurt your grade, only help! It also is very useful in building up your critical thinking/analytical skills. I recommend that you turn it in as we go along so that I can give you feedback. Nevertheless, all extra credit is due AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASSON THE DATE STATED IN YOUR SYLLABUS! NO EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE ACCEPTEDAFTER THAT TIME! Article analysis as well as T.V./Radio analysis can be worth up to 10 points apiece. Meetings – city council/school board, etc. can be worth up to 25 points. EXTRA CREDIT DOES NOT MAKE UP FOR MISSED ASSIGNMENTS, IT IS ONLY ADDED ON TO COMPLETED WORK! Sources on your extra credit are a must.

Standard Extra Credits are:

-Nightline – KABC, Channel 7, M-F 11:30 pm or online at

-Frontline – PBS, 10:00 pm Tuesdays or online at

-National Public Radio – Any political program (discussing important public issues of the day) KPFK, 90.7 FM, KCRW, 89.7 FM, KPCC, 89.3FM or online at “station.org”

-City Council Meetings – look in your local paper or call city hall for day/time

-Article Analysis – any topic that I announce in-class you can read about in the LA Times, NY Times, etc. and write up an analysis

Analysis:

-all extra work must include a short but detailed summary of the topic

-it must all include key issues raised that are important to the political system

-it must include a discussion of weakness/strengths of the program, article, etc.

-it must include a philosophical discussion – Could you determine the ideology? How? Was there a clear point of view? How strong were the arguments?

-finally, it must include your opinion about the topic

As stated above extra credit is added on to completed assignments. I always add extra credit points to the core assignments first. Any leftover extra credit points would be added to Written Exercises. The way extra credit is weighted is as follows:

Meetings, lectures, exhibits, etc.up to 25 points each

Article Analysis, Radio, T.V. etc.up to 10 points each

50 points extra credit could increase a midterm, final, or paper grade by half a percentage point. For example, if you received a “B+” on the midterm, 50 points of extra credit would increase your midterm grade to an “A-“. TECHNICALLY SPEAKING EVERY STUDENT COULD RECEIVE AN “A” IN THE COURSE! THE WORK YOU PUT IN TO THE COURSE IS EXCACTLY WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE IN THE END!MAKE SURE THAT YOU CITE YOUR SOURCES!!!

ALL EXTRA CREDIT MUST BE TYPED DOUBLE-SPACED!