Political Science 1101
Section 102, 108 Recitations
Jennie Scott Lanz
Spring 2008
Contacting JennieOffice Location: Ketchum 403
Office Hours: Tuesday 11-2 or by appointment
Email: jennie.scott@ colorado.edu
Please take note that this is a separate syllabus (including separate weekly assignments and readings) from Dr. Greenberg’s lecture syllabus.
GRADING
Your recitation grade will be calculated on the following basis:
o Grade boundaries for recitation are as follows (NOTE: these boundaries already include a curve of sorts; no additional adjustments will be made)
§ 94-100 A
§ 88-93 A-
§ 85-87 B+
§ 80-84 B
§ 77-79 B-
§ 74-76 C+
§ 69-73 C
§ 66-68 C-
§ 63-65 D+
§ 58-62 D
§ 55-57 D-
§ < 55 F
· 20 percent of your course grade will be based on performance in your recitation section.
· The grade will be distributed as follows:
o Quizzes/assignments 5%
o Written work 10%
o Attendance/Participation 5%
· Please note that there may be unannounced quizzes.
Written Work: Each week that there is a “You Decide” reading assigned (nine in total), there is a writing assignment. For six of the nine weeks, you must provide a ½ page response to the reading. For the other three weeks, you must write a 500 word response to the reading. You may choose which three weeks you would like to write the longer essays on, but you must do six short, and three long response essays total.
Extra Credit: none given; none available. Complete the assigned work and you will not need extra credit.
Review Sessions: will be held before each exam. During these sessions, we will answer any questions that you might have about course materials. Times and locations will be posted in the Announcements section of the course web site and announced in class.
IMPORTANT UNIVERSITY POLICIES
You are expected to remain in contact with me via your official campus email address. Please provide me with that address. Regularly check your email for communications from me or Professor Greenberg. Such communications are considered to be official. For details of the campus email policy, see Campus Email Policy at www.colorado.edu/ policies/email.html.
Students with Disabilities
If you have specific disabilities that require accommodation, please let me know early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will be required to provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (303 492-8671). Information about Disability Services may be found on their web site at http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/connect.html.
Religious Observances
The University of Colorado acknowledges a legal and moral obligation to accommodate all students who must be absent from classes or scheduled exams in order to observe religious holidays. Details of this policy may be found on the University of Colorado web site.
Students who have a religiously-based conflict with classes or exams must, by the end of the third week of class, notify me and arrange a way to make up missed work. For campus religiously-based conflict policies, see www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
Expectations
What I owe to you:
· I will treat you with respect.
· I will be there for each scheduled class.
· I will be available during regularly scheduled office hours.
· I answer your questions to the best of my abilities.
· I evaluate your written work fairly and with care.
Your obligations:
· To be honest in your academic performance. I will not allow cheating of any kind.
· To be prepared for each class.
· To be on time for class, if not early.
· To turn off your cell phone before class.
· To put away your laptop during class unless you have spoken to me about a special need for it.
· To be respectful of me and all other students. This means raising your hand when you have a contribution to make so that all students can have an opportunity to speak and express their opinions freely.
· To maintain an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline.
¨If you feel that you are unable to meet these obligations, please sign up for another course while there is time to do so¨
For university policies regarding student classroom behavior, see www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html.
LECTURE SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
Note: You are required to come to recitation having already read the appropriate chapter in the book.
Week 1. Introduction to the course (1/15 or 1/16)
· Reading: none assigned
Week 2. Democracy and Eighteenth-Century Republicanism (1/22 or 1/23)
· Required Reading: Federalist Papers, #10 and #51 (in Appendix, G&P)
· Recommended in MyPoliSciLab: Roundtable for Ch. 1, “self government.”
Week 3. Federalism (1/29 or 1/30)
· Required Reading: You Decide (hereafter, YD), ch. 2.
Week 4. Americans and American Society (2/5 or 2/6)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 5.
Week 5. Public Opinion and Political Socialization (2/12 or 2/13)
· Recommended in MyPoliSciLab: Simulation exercise for Chapter 5, “You Are a Polling Consultant.”
· Recommended in MyPoliSciLab: Timeline exercise for Chapter 5 on “War, Peace, and Public Opinion.”
Week 6. Review and Midterm (2/19 or 2/20)
· Review for Midterm
Week 7. Interest Groups (2/26 or 2/27))
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 8.
Week 8. Political Parties (3/4 or 3/5)
Week 9. Political Participation, Elections and Campaigns (3/11 or 3/12)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 10.
Week 10. Congress (3/18 or 3/19)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 11.
Week 11. NO CLASS: SPRING BREAK!
Week 12. The President, the Presidency, and the Executive Branch (4/1 or 4/2)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 13.
· Review for Midterm II
Week 13. The Supreme Court (4/8 or 4/9)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 14.
Week 14. Civil Liberties (4/15 or 4/16)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 3 OR ch. 16.
Week 15. Civil Rights (4/22 or 4/23)
· Required Reading:
Week 16. Foreign Policy and National Defense (4/29 or 4/30)
· Required Reading: YD, ch. 23
· Review for Final Exam
Critical Thinking paper due to me by noon, Friday, May 2.
Final Exam:
· Exam III (5/3, in class, 8:30-10:00 AM)
Please feel free to contact me at anytime concerning recitation or lecture. I look forward to a great semester together!
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