GOVT
2302 --
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT II
COURSE SYLLABUS
Spring 2006
Dr. Glenn
David Garrison, Professor of Political Science
It
is the policy of Collin County Community College to provide reasonable and
appropriate accommodations for individuals with documented disabilities. The
College adheres to all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and
guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to
afford equal educational opportunity. Contact the ACCESS Office in a timely
manner for accommodations. (G200), 972.881.5898, TDD 972.881.5950
OFFICE & HOURS:
| Monday | 11:50 - 12:50, 2:30 - 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 12:15-2 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 11:50 - 12:50, 2:30 - 3 p.m. |
| Thursday | 12:15-2 p.m. |
| Friday |
Please
make appointments after class for these hours or for a mutually agreeable
time.
Telephone: 972.881.5815
(office)
972.881.5800 (Secretary)
972.881.5700 (Fax)
Email: dgarrison@ccccd.edu
Please include name, course,
and section on all email.
Website:
http://iws.ccccd.edu/dgarrison
THE COURSE:
This
course and GOVT 2301 fulfill the State of Texas legislative requirement of 6
credit hours of American Government for Baccalaureate Degrees.
Lab required. 3 credit hours. This
course may not be taken if the student has received credit for Government (GOVT)
251 OR Political Science (PLSC) 262.
If you have taken an American
or Texas Government course at
another institution, check with Enrollment Management to
assure that you have enrolled for the proper course to
complete
the legislative requirement. Generally, if you have
credit
for an out-of-state college/university American
Government course, you should enroll in GOVT 2301 to fulfill
the
Texas requirement.
The Course
Learning Objectives:
The successful student should have knowledge of the basic principles of
American and Texas government and an understanding of American political
institutions at both the national and state levels. The student should develop an appreciation of the
interactions between and among various participants at all levels of the
American political system and the rights of individuals under the American
Constitution in a pluralistic society.
The student should know critical thinking skills in the interpretation
and understanding of information and argument especially by oral and written
critique including the interpretation of visual and mathematical data. The
student should be able to understand the application of this knowledge to
contemporary politics.
The professor may use a variety of
methods
including lectures, debates, group and individual projects, learning games,
simulations, multimedia, experiential learning assignments, and computer-based
work.
The student is expected to read the assigned textbook and supplemental
materials, take thorough class notes, thoughtfully participate in class
discussion and activities, become knowledgeable in current affairs relevant to
the course, and complete the experiential learning assignments and the
assigned exams.
No exams are optional.
The professor is available for help and advice.
Free tutoring is offered by the ACCESS program. Textbook study guides
are strongly recommended. Study
lists for exams are provided.
THE TEXTBOOKS:
PEARSON
LONGMAN:
Participate.com
4.0
(No
Course ID Access Code from your class is required.)
Registration
Enter
http://www.longmanparticipate.com/
in your Web Browser.
Click
on the button.
Select
No, I am a New User.
Open
your Student Starter Kit to reveal your unique Access Code and enter it in the
fields provided.
Enter
________ as your School Zip Code,
select
United States as your Country and
click
Next.
Enter
your Name and Email and
select
Your School.
Create
your Login Name and Password,
answer
the Security Question and
click
Next.
If successful,
you will
receive
a Confirmation Screen with your information (this screen was also emailed to
you).
Login
Enter http://www.longmanparticipate.com/
in your Web Browser.
Go
to Established Users and
enter
the Login Name and Password you created.
Click
“Log in”
Click
on the book cover of the text that matches the text being used for your course.
You now have access to all the resources for LongmanParticipate.com!
THE METHOD OF EVALUATION:
Exams occur approximately every four to five weeks. Exams
consist
of multiple choice and true-false questions and a
take home
essay. The
final exam is in part comprehensive.
The
experiential learning
tasks are related to the exam material and typically involve research,
analysis, and writing.
Exam 1 =
200 points (20%)
Exam
2 =
200 points (20%)
Final =
300 points (30%)
Experiential Tasks
= 300
points
(30%)
1000
total possible points
The grading scale is:
900-1000 points = A
800-899 points = B
700-799 points = C
600-699 points = D
0-599 points = F
Bonus Opportunities
are offered
throughout the semester and on each exam.
Class participation is expected and includes:
a.
writing a letter of
introduction,
b.
becoming knowledgeable in current
affairs relevant to the course,
c.
joining in class discussion,
d.
reviewing test scores by
appointment before the next exam,
e.
attempting all bonus point
opportunities,
f.
attending
class regularly,
g.
visiting
the Writing Center for each writing assignment, and
h.
demonstrating a thoughtful and
caring interest in the class and course.
THE
ATTENDANCE, MAKE-UP EXAM, & LATE PAPER POLICY:
Please
be sure to sign the attendance roll every day. You are responsible for
material covered during absences. Get the notes you missed from a trusted
classmate. The professor will go over the notes with you if you wish.
Take
tests at the assigned time. Makeup
exams will be given only under extraordinary circumstances if a legitimate
excuse is presented. No
exams are optional.
Papers are due in class on the assigned date. NO
LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Any exceptions to this
policy must be negotiated with the professor in advance.
If you decide to drop/withdraw, it is your responsibility to do so.
Please consult the professor. You will receive a course grade of F if
you stop attending but do not drop.
The last day to withdraw with a
grade of W is April 13, 2006. You may repeat this course only once after receiving a grade, including
W.
THE
COURSE WEB SITES & THE INTERNET:
Internet computers for student use
are located in the college LRCs (libraries) and computer labs on all
campuses. Public libraries also provide
Internet access. If you need help with the Internet and references, ask the reference
librarians for guidance. The College also offers one hour free courses to
introduce you to the Internet. Use the
College web site www.ccccd.edu.
POLICY ON SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY:
See the Student Handbook for the complete
Student Code of Conduct. Scholastic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism,
collusion, and/or falsifying academic records.
"Cheating is the willful
giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an
examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, using
someone else’s work for written assignments as if it were one’s own, or
any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a
course.”
“Plagiarism is the use of an
author’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own without giving credit to
the source, including but not limited to failure to acknowledge a direct
quotation."
(Pp. 35-36, Student Handbook)
CIVILITY & RESPECT:
Please
practice civility and respect toward others. Follow George Washington’s
admonition: “Labour
to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Celestial fire Called
Conscience.”
Do not engage in any behavior that disrupts the classroom atmosphere. No
noise making electronic devices are allowed. No food or drink is
allowed. If you have to leave the room for any reason, please sit in chairs
near the door. Explain your leaving to the professor before or after class. If
you are late to class, sit in the chairs just inside the door. Do not walk
in front of the class and the professor.
Do
not talk while the professor or students have the floor. Engage in
spirited but civil class discussion. Disruptive behavior will not be
tolerated. Disrespectful students will be banned from the class and
sent to the Dean of Students.
Please take to heart the life lessons of George Washington.
LETTER
OF INTRODUCTION:
THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING EXPLAINED:
GOVT 2302 experiential learning consists of
several tasks involving research, analysis and writing.
Tasks are subject to change at the professor's discretion. Instructions are distributed in class.
If you are unable to do any of the tasks for a
legitimate, documented reason, an alternative assignment may be available.
Please notify the professor at the beginning of the course if you
cannot meet any of the experiential learning requirements.
Written work
usually must be typed and double-spaced. Times
New
Roman or Courier
typeface
is required. Never use Script and other Ornamental typefaces in research
papers. Twelve-point type for text
and ten-point type for notes is required. Italics are preferred and
should be used
where
appropriate throughout the paper. Use underlining if italic is unavailable.
Never use both. See Writing & Documenting at the course page.
For additional advice and examples about documentation consult
reference
librarians
and the
Writing Center
.
The
Math Lab
is available to help if your task has a math component.
THE COURSE CONTENT:
FOR
THE FIRST EXAMINATION:
The Federal Judicial System
O'Connor & Sabato
text, chapter 10 &
U.S. Constitution, Article III
In class video, “Marbury
v. Madison” (available at LRC
Reserves)
The Texas Judicial System
O'Connor & Sabato text,
chapter
25
Texas Constitution of
1876,
Texas Almanac
Proposed Texas Constitutional Amendments for November 8, 2005 Election
In class video, “Justice for Sale,” (available at LRC Reserves) and web site
Civil Liberties
O'Connor & Sabato text, chapter
5
&
Selected Supreme
Court Cases, pp. 965-970.
The Interactive Constitution
The Bill of
Rights
Fourteenth
Amendment
Dissent, ACLU
Freedom Files, LRC Reserves DVD (not for Spring 2006)
Religious Freedom, ACLU Freedom Files & LRC
Reserves DVD (not for Spring 2006)
Civil Rights
U.S. Constitution Amendments 13-15,
17, 19, 23-26
The Declaration of Independence
Declaration of the Causes Which Impel the State of Texas to Secede from the
Federal Union (1861)
The
Gettysburg Address
The
Fourteenth Amendment
Racial Profiling, The ACLU Freedom Files & LRC
Reserves DVD (not for Spring 206)
Robert Frost, The Black Cottage
Michael Oreskes, “Texas
in Black and White," The New York Times Book
Review,
16 December
1990, 23.
Hernandez
v. Texas
(1954) (Findlaw)
Sweatt v. Painter
(1950)
(Findlaw)
Smith v. Allwright (1944)
(Findlaw)
Ruiz v. Estelle
(1980)
(Findlaw)
Hopwood v. Texas (1992)
(Findlaw)
Lawrence v. Texas
(2003)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
FOR
THE SECOND EXAMINATION:
U.S.
Constitution, Article II
Election
Glossary, PBS
By the People Election 2004
Foreign & Defense Policy
Neocon Quiz, Empire Builders, Christian Science Monitor
The Federal Bureaucracy
The Texas Governor & State Bureaucracy
FOR THE FINAL EXAMINATION:
Congress
U. S. Constitution, Article I & Amendments 17, 20, 27
Norman Ornstein & Barry McMillion, "One Nation, Divisible," New York Times, June 23, 2005. LRC EReserves
The Texas Legislature
Brian D. Sweany, "Robin Hood's Worst Nightmare," D Magazine, January
4, 2005.
In
class video, “The Best Little Statehouse in Texas,” (LRC
Reserves)
In class video, "Mexican Hat Dance," (LRC
Reserves)
In class video, "Born Politician," (LRC
Reserves)
Domestic Policy: Federal and State
We have a passion for: Learning, Service and Involvement, Creativity and
Innovation, Academic Excellence, Dignity and Respect, Integrity.
