Govt. 2302 Sp 2008

Mr. ODOM Gibbs A122 675-6320

Conference time: 9 AM MWF and by appointment Email: bodom@tvcc.edu

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SUCCEED IN THIS COURSE ARE TO READ, STUDY, AND UNDERSTAND THESE

TEXTBOOKS!

Janda, Berry, Goldman, Challenge of Democracy, 9^th ed.

Maxwell and Crain, Texas Politics Today, 13^th ed.

Course description: Emphasizes the executive, legislative and judicial branches; bureaucracy; economics and taxation; foreign policy and local government.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students are expected:

1. To acquire an understanding of US and Texas governments, origins, development and current political practices.

2. To gain factual knowledge about US and Texas government (terminology, classifications, methods, trends).

3. To learn to apply course materials to improve rational thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.

4. To gain a broad understanding and appreciation of intellectual and cultural activity as they relate to, or impact, US and Texas government.

5. To develop a sense of personal responsibility (self-reliance, self-discipline).

ASSESSMENT

Assessment of these objectives will occur through Exams and written projects described below.

METHODS

              This is generally a lecture course, but it depends heavily on real live events and can be enlivened by student participation. Students are encouraged to pay attention to newspapers, news magazines, and electronic media for coverage of subjects in the course that could be useful for class discussion. Bring them up for discussion!

STUDY GUIDES

              Study guides for each chapter will be given to you. At least 75% of all Exam questions will be from material in the textbook assignments. Other Exam questions will cover lecture presentations and any other material presented; good notes on this material will be helpful for Exam preparation.

              Lectures may cover material not necessarily found in the textbooks. Everything of significance in the textbooks will not necessarily be discussed in class or included on a study guide.

EXAMS AND TESTS

              There will be four Exams during this semester including the Final Exam. Exams will be difficult multiple choice and written questions. Important! I expect you to acquire an understanding of the material in this course. Many Exam questions will probe for that understanding; they will not just test your memory of facts. I don’t “teach the test.” The Final Exam will be COMPREHENSIVE, a review of all the material that has been covered during the semester as well as the new material covered since the Third Exam. More information about the Final will be provided as it becomes appropriate.

              You will also be given several Key Term Tests over the Key Terms that appear in each chapter of the Challenge of Democracy textbook. The average of the scores (minus the lowest score) on these Key Term Tests will count as much in determining your course grade as an Exam. You will be told when you will have a Key Term Test. You will be allowed to make up one of these Key Term Tests; that means that you can miss two, the first one will count as a “0" and can be dropped as the lowest grade.

EXTRA CREDIT

              At the discretion of the instructor. None will be allowed during the last two weeks of the semester.

ESSAYS

You will write two essays over assigned topics. These will not be research papers. The purpose of these papers will be for you to show me your understanding of the basic framework the textbook authors use to explain our government and politics. That is, majoritarianism and pluralist democracy and the clash among the values of freedom, order and equality.

              Print Format: 12 pt. font, margins–1" top, 1.5" bottom, 1.5" left, 1" right, double-spaced. No handwritten papers.

The average of scores on these two essays will count the same as an Exam.

GRADING

              Your course grade will be based on the average of these six scores — four Exams and the Key Term Test average and the essay average. The Final Exam will count 25% of your course grade; each of the other scores will count 15% each. 

              The grading scale for this course is: A=90-100; B=80-89; C=70-79; D=60-69; F=0-59.

              Excellent attendance and/or classroom participation could add up to 5 points to your course average. 

MAKE-UP EXAMS

              No make-up Exams will be given. In the event an Exam is missed, the comprehensive Final Exam score will also be counted as the score for that missed Exam. This will be done for only one missed Exam, so each student should make every effort to be present on Exam days. Any additional missed Exam will be counted as “0" for purposes of determining the course grade.

ATTENDANCE

              You should be familiar with the college policy on p. 64 of the catalog. In addition you need to know:

              “A new Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Rule has been established to address a new law enacted by the legislature regarding the number of withdrawals (‘W’s’) that a student may have during their academic career (THECB Rules: Chapter 4, Subchapter A, 4.10). The law states that any student whose first semester in college is Fall 2007 or later may not have more than six unexcused withdrawals (W’s) during their academic career. This applies to a student’s academic record from all higher education institutions attended. If a student has six unexcused withdrawals, they will no longer be allowed to withdraw from a course without receiving a grade in the course (which will be an ‘F’). To determine if a withdrawal is excused, a student must initiate a withdrawal request through the guidance services office or, in special circumstances, through the faculty member. It is the students’ responsibility to officially withdraw from a course and to verify that the withdrawal has been posted to their transcript.”

              If you miss roll call you are counted absent. If you come in before the door is closed it is your responsibility to tell me of your presence after class. It is important to note that ALL absences are counted, even those required by the College!

              The last day to drop a class and receive a “W” is April 11.

CLASSROOM CONDUCT

--Be on time–if the door is closed, do not enter

--Do not sleep

--Do not leave, bring a handkerchief

--Turn off and put away your cell phone

--Nothing in your ears

--A student who walks out during class without previously having requested permission to do so WILL BE COUNTED ABSENT.

--Anyone caught cheating/plagiarizing on any work will fail this course.

--No eating or drinking or use of tobacco in any form is allowed in the classroom.

STUDY SKILLS

              You will find tips on how to improve your study habits if you click here and here and here.

EXPECTATIONS

              Your instructor expects certain things from students. Among them are attentiveness, courtesy, effort, punctuality, and respect.

              In order to succeed in this course, I suggest the following:

              ●Believe you will do well!

              ●Do the reading assignments — don’t get behind!

              ●Attend class every day!

              ●Become engaged in the subject!

MISCELLANEOUS

              Students are always welcome to visit with the instructor or to confer if there are any academic problems that need to be discussed or to discuss the political news and controversies of the day.

              All handouts plus other interesting stuff for this class will be available on the internet at the address below.

              There are two tutoring labs on campus for students who are having difficulty with a course or with their study habits. One is in the Liberal Arts building and students must meet official eligibility requirements for its support. It is also a place where students who are doing well in a course may be employed as tutors. The other is an open tutoring lab where all students can come and be tutored by faculty.

              I reserve to the right to modify anything in this syllabus during the semester. You will be informed if modifications are made. 

Below is a tentative outline of the reading requirements for the semester. The Study Guide for each unit will be the ultimate authority.             

INTERNET

Challenge of Democracy:

http://www.college.hmco.com/polisci/janda/chall_dem/9e/student_home.html

Texas Politics Today

http://www.wadsworth.com/cgi-wadsworth/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&flag=student&product_isbn_issn=9780495410676&disciplinenumber=20

Govt. 2302 Class Webpage:

http://www.tvcc.edu/faculty/bodom/Gov2/campuspage/campushome.htm

Houghton Mifflin Political Science:

Link from the COD home page. Username–government password–rules