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POL 201 (Online Course)

Fall Session 2008

Introduction to Political Science and American Government

 

[Go Back to Reece's Main Page]

 

 

 

Overview

 

There is no on-campus or online orientation associated with this course. There is a general online orientation offered through Cerritos College that you may want to take if this is your first online course. You will find the general online orientation at www.cerritos.edu/de/. If you are already familiar with online education courses at Cerritos College, then you are ready to get started in this course by thoroughly reading the syllabus. Everything you need to know about getting started and what to expect throughout the term can be found in the syllabus (see below).

 

Syllabus

Contact Information

  • Dr. Bryan Reece, Professor of Political Science

  • Office: Office of Academic Affairs

  • Phone: (562) 860-2451 x2219

  • E-mail: breece@cerritos.edu

  • Office Hours (see semester schedule on Reece home page)

Course Description

 

In the course of this semester we will contrast democratic ideals with American politics, discussing the extent to which the U.S. is realizing or not realizing these ideals.  In carrying out this task, we will analyze the American public, five major American political institutions (the mass media, political parties, interest groups, elections, and public opinion polling), the three American governing institutions (the executive, legislative and judicial branches).

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Course Goals

 

I have structured this course with some specific instructional goals in mind. Through this course, it is my hope that students gain:

  • an understanding of American democratic ideals.

  • an understanding of the major documents, institutions, actors, policies and issues in American politics at the federal, state and local levels.

  • an understanding of the public policy making process in the US.

  • skills and knowledge necessary for analyzing American politics according to the ideals of American democracy.

  • skills necessary for critical thinking.

  • skills that improve their abilities to apply technology to the learning process.

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Required Course Materials 

 

The text you will be using for this course is American Government Continuity and Change, 9th Edition, by Karen O'Connor and Larry J. Sabato. The book is available through the Cerritos College Bookstore and is required for the course.

 

You are also required to purchase access to Mypoliscilab 2.0 CourseCompass (MPSL) for this course. MPSL is the online supplement associated with the text and holds additional content that is required throughout the term.

 

You may purchase used copies of the text; however, you must purchase a unique (new) Mypoliscilab booklet for the course. I recommend that you look for a shrink-wrapped package in the bookstore. A shrink-wrapped package includes the book and the Mypoliscilab booklet in one unit. Make sure you purchase a new MyPoliSciLab booklet. A used one that has already been registered will not work again.To save some money, the Government in America text including all Mypoliscilab content can be purchased as an e-book at almost half the price of the traditional hard copy book. This can be purchased online at http://www.mypoliscilab.com/first-time-students.html. Click on the "Mypoliscilab CourseCompass" hyperlink and follow the directions. Note: you will need the course ID number (reece35397) and you will NOT be purchasing a physical copy of the book. With the e-book, you will need to read the text online or print it out on your own printer.

 

 

All written materials submitted in digital format (e.g., emailed attachments) must be submitted in Microsoft Office Word OR Rich Text format.

 

Students are required to have access to a computer with an Internet connection and multimedia capabilities. You must be able to go online with the computer and watch or listen to streaming media files. A significant amount of work in this class will be done online. You may use the campus computers available to students in various computing labs (e.g., Computer Assisted Instruction Lab) or any other computer (work computer, home computer, etc.). If you plan to use campus computers, you will need to purchase headphones in order to hear audio and video files.

 

Students must also have an email account to complete this course. If you do not already have an account, you can get a free email account through online services such as Hotmail and Yahoo (see www.hotmail.com or www.yahoo.com).

 

Assignments and Grading

 

Your final grade in this course will be based on the following:

 

Chapter Readings

Each week you will be required to read from the text and take a corresponding chapter exams online. Once you have purchased the required text and corresponding Mypoliscilab booklet, you will have all the materials you need to complete this course.

 

Videos and Activities

Each week you will be required to watch at least one video and complete at least one online activity. Each will have a corresponding quiz online.

 

Essay OR Video Production Assignment

You may choose between the essay assignment or the video production assignment (MyDemocracy Project). Both assignments due on October 31, 2008.

 

 

Discussion Forum

You are required to post at least two comments in each course discussion forum. I will be posting discussion questions on a regular basis. You can reply to my discussion questions directly or reply to other student comments. You will be graded on the frequency and quality of your submissions. For full credit, you must post two comments per module that are thoughtful and grammatically correct. For full credit, each post should be 3-4 sentences.

 

Weighting of Exams and Assignments

  • Online Chapter Exams = 25% of Final Grade

  • Online Video and Activity Quizzes = 25% of Final Grade

  • Essay OR Video Production Assignment = 25% of Final Grade

  • Discussion Forum = 25% of Final Grade

Calculating Your Grade

 

To calculate or track your performance in this course, use the following formula:

  • Average Score of Chapter Exams (see grade book) x 0.25 ____________

  • Average Score of Video and Activity Quizzes (see grade tracker) x 0.25 ____________

  • Essay OR Video Production Assignment Score (see grade book) x 0.25 ____________

  • Discussion Forum Score (see grade book) x 0.25 ____________

Add all the points together. If you have 90 of more points, you will receive an A in the course. If you have 80 or more, you will receive a B. If you have 70 or more, you will receive a C. If you have 60 or more, you will receive a D. If you have less than 60 points, you will fail the course.

 

 

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Assignments Schedule

 

Module One Assignments (Due 8/24)

  • Register mypoliscilab with Course ID# reece35397

  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates

  • Read chapter 1 on "The Political Landscape" and take the online chapter exam

  • Complete the activity on "What Are American Civic Values" and take the corresponding quiz.

  • Complete the timeline activity on "Major Technological Innovations that Have Change the Political Landscape" and take the corresponding quiz.

  • Watch the roundtable on "Intent of the Framers" and take the corresponding quiz

  • Read PoliSci News Review Articles from Week: No quiz this week

Module Two Assignments (Due 8/31)

  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates

  • Read chapter 2 on "The Constitution" and take the chapter quiz

  • Complete the simulation activity on "You Are Proposing a Constitutional Amendment" - no corresponding quiz.

  • Complete the timeline activity on "History of Constitutional Amendments" and take the corresponding quiz.

  • Watch the debate on "Church and State" and take the corresponding quiz

Module Three Assignments (Due 9/7)

  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates

  • Read Chapter 3 on "Federalism" and take the chapter quiz

  • Complete the activity "Comparing Federalism and Unitary Systems" and take the corresponding quiz

  • Complete the timeline activity on "Federalism and the Supreme Court"

  • Watch the roundtable on "Contemporary Federalism" and take the corresponding quiz

  • Read the Discussion Forum question and post at least two comments in the corresponding discussion forum

 

Module Four Assignments (Due 9/14)

  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates

  • Read chapter 4 on "State and Local Government" and take the quiz

  • Complete the activity "You are a Restaurant Owner" and take the quiz

  • Complete the activity "Comparing State and Local Governments" and take the quiz

  • Complete the timeline "The Initiative and Referendum" and take the quiz

 
Module Five Assignments (Due 9/21)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read chapter 5 on "Civil Liberties" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity on "Comparative: Comparing Civil Rights" for chapter Five and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Hate Speech" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "Civil Liberties and National Security" and take the quiz

 
Module Six Assignments (Due 9/28)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read chapter 6 on "Civil Rights" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Comparative: Comparing Civil Rights" for chapter Six and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Civil Rights Movement" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "The Struggle for Equal Protection" and take the quiz
  • REMINDER: Work on the MyDemocracy/Essay Assignment
  • Read the Discussion Forum question and post at least two comments in the corresponding discussion forum

 
Module Seven Assignments (Due 10/5)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read chapter 11 on "Public Opinion and Socialization" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Who are Liberals and Conservatives? What's the Difference?" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "The Power of the Speaker of the House" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Political Knowledge" and take the quiz
  • REMINDER: Work on the My Democracy/Essay Assignment 

 
Module Eight Assignments (Due 10/12)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 15 " The News Media" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Are the Media Biased" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable ""Soft News vs. Hard News" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "Censorship and the FCC" and take the quiz
  • REMINDER: Work on the MyDemocracy/Essay Assignment

 
Module Nine Assignments (Due 10/19)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 12 "Political Parties" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Comparing Political Parties" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "Third Parties in American History" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Third Parties" and take the quiz
  • REMINDER: Work on the MyDemocracy/Essay Assignment
  • Read the Discussion Forum question and post at least two comments in the corresponding discussion forum

 
Module Ten Assignments (Due 10/26)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 14 "Campaign Process" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "You are a Professional Campaign Manager" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable " Campaign Finance Reform" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "2000 Presidential Election" and take the quiz
  • REMINDER:  The MyDemocracy/Essay Assignment is due on October 31

 
Module Eleven Assignments (Due 11/2)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 13 "Voting and Elections" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "The Electoral College" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "Compulsory Voting" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Electoral College" and take the quiz

 
Module Twelve Assignments (Due 11/9)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 16 "Interest Groups and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "You are a Lobbyist" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "Interest Group and Campaign Finance" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "Political Action Committees" and take the quiz
  • Read the Discussion Forum question and post at least two comments in the corresponding discussion forum
Module Thirteen Assignments (Due 11/16)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 7 "Congress" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "You are a Member of Congress" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Congressional Leadership" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "Congressional Partisanship" and take the quiz

 
Module Fourteen Assignments (Due 11/23)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 8 "The Presidency" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Comparing Chief Executives" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Presidential Greatness" and take the quiz
Module Fifteen Assignments (Due 11/30)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 9 "The Bureaucracy" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "Evolution of the Federal Bureaucracy" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Bureaucratic Reform" and take the quiz
  • Watch the debate "The Merit System" and take the quiz
  • Read the Discussion Forum question and post at least two comments in the corresponding discussion forum

 
Module Sixteen Assignments (Due 12/7)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 10 "The Judiciary" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "You are Appointing a Supreme Court Justice" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "the Chief Justice of the United States" and take the quiz
  • Watch the roundtable "Judicial Review" and take the quiz

 
Module Seventeen Assignments (Due 12/14)
  • Check mypoliscilab and email regularly for announcements and course updates
  • Read Chapter 17 "Social Welfare Policy" and take the quiz
  • Complete the activity "Making a Difference: Welfare Reform" and take the quiz
  • Complete the timeline "The Evolution of Social Welfare Policy" and take the quiz
  • Watch  the debate "Affirmative Action" and take the quiz

 

 

 

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Registering and Navigating Mypoliscilab

 

The Mypoliscilab booklet comes with comprehensive registration and navigation instructions. To register for this course you need to use the Course ID # of  reece35397. All other information regarding navigation can be found in the Student Starter Kit that comes with Mypoliscilab. The starter kit will tell you how to find and use all online resources. Look specifically for information related to:

  • Chapter Quizzes

  • Roundtables and Debates

  • Chapter Activities

  • The Course Discussion Forum

  • Course Assignments

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