Instructor: Jim Hutter
Political Science 215 (Sec. 5)
553 Ross Hall; ph. 294-1116
American Government
Required texts
Bardes, Shelley, & Schmidt (abbr. BSS), American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials 2004-2005
Alderman & Kennedy, In Our Defense
Required readings
"Let's First Make It Right" (Sec. C in LOM)
"Letter From a Birmingham Jail" (Sec. D in LOM)
GSB Booklet, "Rights and Realities" (Sec. E in LOM)
Federalist 10 & 51 (Sec. F in LOM and Apdx D in BSS)
Recommended
Barron’s A Pocket Guide To Correct Spelling.
Strunk & White, The Elements of Style (buy it—read it!)
F’04, TR 2:10-3:30
1312 Hoover
Lecture Overheads Manual (abbr. LOM); buy at Nite Owl
Printing, 118 Hayward in campus town
Read any one of the following “outside books” for extra
credit; all are available in paperback
1. Best, Debating the Electoral College
2. Franken, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
3. Oliver, The Law & Order Presidency
4. Redman, The Dance of Legislation
5. Sabato & Larson, The Party’s Just Begun
6. Walker & Epstein, The Supreme Court of the United
States
7. West, Air Wars
SCHEDULE OF READING ASSIGNMENTS & TESTS
Date
8/24
8/26
8/31
9/2
9/6
9/7
9/9
9/14
9/16
9/21
Day Assignment
T BSS Ch. 1 (Amer. Sys.); Decl.
of Ind. (Apdx. A in BSS)
R BSS Ch. 1 (Amer. Sys.); Decl.
of Ind. (Apdx. A in BSS)
T
R
BSS Ch. 2 (Constitution)
Constitution (BSS Ch. 2)
M Labor Day holiday
T BSS Ch. 3 (Federalism);
Federalist #10, 51 (LOM: F)
R BSS Ch. 3 (Federalism);
Federalist #10, 51 (LOM: F)
T MIDTERM 1 (bring pencil &
pen)
R BSS Ch. 4 (Civil Liberties);
Rights and Realities (LOM: E)
T BSS Ch. 5 (Civil Rights);
Amdts 1-10
Date Day
Assignment
9/23 R "Letter from a Birmingham
Jail” (LOM: D); "Let's First Make
It Right" (LOM: C); Amdts 11-27
9/28
9/30
T
R
BSS Ch. 6 (Public Opinion)
BSS Ch. 6 (Public Opinion)
10/5
10/7
T
R
BSS Ch. 7 (Interest Groups)
BSS Ch. 7 (Interest Groups)
10/12
10/14
T
R
BSS Ch. 8 (Political Parties)
BSS Ch. 9 (Elections)
10/19
10/21
T BSS Ch. 9 (Elections)
R MIDTERM 2 (bring pencil &
pen)
10/26
10/28
T
R
Date Day Assignment
11/2 T BSS Ch. 11 (Presidency)
11/4 R BSS Ch. 11 (Presidency)
11/9
11/11
T
R
BSS Ch. 12 (Bureaucracy)
BSS Ch. 13 (Judiciary)
11/16
11/18
T BSS Ch. 13 (Judiciary)
R TESTS over all outside books
(A&K plus Franken, Redman, etc.)
11/21-28 Thanksgiving break
11/30
12/2
T
R
BSS Ch. 14 (Domestic)
BSS Ch. 14 (Domestic)
12/7
12/9
T BSS Ch. 15 (Foreign)
R BSS Ch. 15 (Foreign);
Course evaluations (bring a pencil)
12/14
T noon FINAL EXAM (pencil
only)
BSS Ch. 10 (Congress)
BSS Ch. 10 (Congress)
OFFICE HOURS—My office is 553 Ross Hall. My office hours are TR 11, 1:10, 3:45 and by appointment; I am often
present at other times as well (including MW). It is always best to call ahead (294-1116) and let me know if you are
coming in. I am often there outside of these office hours and sometimes *NOT* there during them (especially if no one
comes by). Phone: 294-1116 if you want to talk; use e-mail if you want a reply: jhutter@iastate.edu.
50% RULE—You must obtain (1) at least 50% of the points available from the total of all objective (fill-in-the-blank or
multiple choice) tests (combined, NOT singly) and (2) at least 50% of the points available from all long answer tests and
essays (combined, NOT singly) in order to pass the course, regardless of total points you earn in the course.
REQUIREMENTS TO PASS—A passing grade is tentatively set at 60% of all points offered in the course. In addition to
this, failure to take any exam (except pop quizzes) or complete any assignment will result in failing the course
(includes graduating seniors). If you must miss an exam, e-mail or call and see instructor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
(before test if possible). Be prepared to make up the missed exam ASAP (usually before the next class meeting).
Syllabus PS215
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ATTENDANCE—Regular attendance is REQUIRED and will be taken; class begins at 2:10 and will continue until 3:30 p.m.
You are given a point for each day you are in class but the total added to your score is a maximum of five points; you are
given five points to begin with and then one point will be deducted every time you are *NOT*present for the entire class;
negative scores are possible, therefore (if you miss more than five classes) and will be deducted from your total score of
points earned on tests, etc. If you are *NOT* in class for any reason for the entire time, you receive no point for
attendance and are *NOT* eligible to take any quiz given during your absence (no excuses, no exceptions, no make-ups).
A failing grade will be given to anyone attending fewer than 75 percent of the class meetings (and you will *NOT* be
eligible to take any tests from that point forward). Exception: midterms and the final are mandatory and must be made up.
EXTRA CREDIT—You may earn up to 10 points in "extra credit," but it is counted only for those persons who would pass
the course even without the extra credit points. Even ten points may *NOT* be enough to increase a grade in all instances.
For extra credit, read and take the test over one of the “outside books” listed above. Note that everyone is required to
read the Alderman & Kennedy book. You must read ALL of an outside book for extra credit (pledged) and get more
than one half of the questions correct on the test over it to get any extra credit at all. In no case may any student raise a
course grade more than one grade level through extra credit. For example, you may move from a C- to a C but *NOT*
from a C- to a C+. The extra credit test is given at the same time as the required Alderman & Kennedy test (you will take
both tests on the same day). Both tests will have more than ten questions and may have either or both short answer and
long answer questions. Extra credit is also possible for campaign activities because this semester there is the presidential
campaign leading to Election Day. You will receive one point for each full hour of campaign activity. Keep a log of your
activities and turn it in with a one-page (only) written report of your campaign experience.
EXAMS—There will be two midterm exams, each with both multiple choice and long answer questions (bring both pencils
and pens, dark blue or black ink only). Each will cover lectures and reading assignments occurring from the day after the
previous exam (or the first day of class) through the day of the exam. There will be a separate exam over one required
book (Alderman & Kennedy); anyone reading an extra credit book will be tested over this (2 nd) book at the same
time; this test will be given during class (see above schedule). The final exam will be given in our regular classroom at
the time shown above. It will cover reading assignments and lectures since the previous midterm; although neither the
final exam nor any midterm is “cumulative,” sometimes a few things from previous chapters and lectures do appear on
tests. The instructor may have any student or all students retake any exam without prior notice in order to evaluate
genuine learning. The instructor reserves the right to re-test any student when a test score seems atypically high or
low. The test schedule above is tentative and is subject to change (announced in class or by email).
FINAL GRADES—Points help determine the most appropriate grade in the course. While a grading scale is established and
followed closely, the instructor is responsible for giving as a final course grade whatever he believes is most appropriate
for each student based on the total class performance (whether higher or lower than the points alone indicate). The total
points available in the class and the grading scale itself are tentative; changes will occur based on what we do in class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY—All work for credit must bear the single word "Pledge" and the student's name; all tests,
attendance reports, and anything that leads to a grade in the course are included in the academic honesty requirement. The
pledge is short for "I am aware that ISU requires that all work submitted for a grade be the sole work of the student
submitting it. I pledge that I have neither given nor received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment."
Observing violations of this policy without reporting them promptly is "unauthorized assistance" included in the meaning
of the pledge. Any academic dishonesty will result in an "F" in the course and has other possible sanctions (see the ISU
Handbook).
POP QUIZZES, BLUE BOOKS—Bring two “blue books” (obtain at book store) to every class and be ready to write answers
to pop quizzes in them. There will be many quizzes. Some will be fill-in-the-blank (FB) short answer quizzes over
lectures or the text. Some will be 4-sentence long answer (LA) essay tests, also over lectures or the text book assignment
listed on the syllabus for the date of that or the previous class meeting. Each day, the entire chapter or reading assignment
on a subject is to be studied (not just half of a chapter) and is subject to being tested over. Pop quizzes will be given over
recent lectures and/or over the current reading assignment listed on the syllabus for the topic of any single chapter (except
as announced in class). One quiz (perhaps the first) likely will be over the information in this syllabus.
Fill-in-the-Blank format
1. on the first line, put “FB1” (or “FB2” etc.), followed by the date (e.g., 3/24/03)
2. number each line below (1 to 5) and write your answers on these lines; do not skip lines
Syllabus PS215
S-2
3.
because each page has room for two or three FB tests, put additional FB tests on the same page, after skipping 3 lines,
in which space I will write the number of points earned.
Long Answer test format
1. on the first line, put “LA1” (or “LA2” etc.), followed by the date and term being tested over
2. write four sentences, beginning each on a new line (each sentence may take more than one line) and numbering each
(1 through 4); do not skip lines; sentences often take more than one line, but write no “run on” sentences
3. always write whole, complete grammatically correct sentences spelled correctly; avoid compound sentences
4. in the first two sentences, define, describe, or otherwise identify the term/name; just what does it refer to?
5. in the last two sentences, tell the significance of the term; what is most significant?
6. sometimes examples are useful
7. some LA tests will be graded but others will be used as practice only (but may be examined by the instructor)
Both test formats
1. test scores will be recorded on the front cover of the blue book so use the SAME blue book every time.
2. write in blue or black ink only, never red, pink, green etc., nor in pencil
3. write on the front AND back side of each sheet of paper—you’ll need most of them
EMAIL—ISU assumes, and I assume, that you have an ISU email address (ending with @iastate.edu) and that normally you
read your email at least twice daily. Announcements and some documents (like this syllabus) may be sent to you via
email to your ISU email address, and you are responsible for obtaining and reading such information. Experience shows
that those only using webmail often cannot open attachments; ISU supports the Eudora mail program, which is free to ISU
students from the ISU website www.ait.iastate.edu; get help from the Solutions Center (195 Durham and 296-6000). Or
take a blank CD into the Solutions Center (good idea if you are using a phone line for downloading).
Go to the FAQs on the ISU
website for installing Scout and Eudora. They are as follows:
Installing Scout for Windows: http://www.ait.iastate.edu/pubs/wng231/
Installing Eudora for Windows using Scout: http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=309
Installing VirusScan using Scout: http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=257
Installing Spybot Search & Destroy using Scout: http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=526
Installing Eudora for Mac OS X: http://tech.ait.iastate.edu/macosx/how-to/eudora.shtml
Installing Virex for Mac OS X: http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=503
COMPUTER SUPPORT—You may download Eudora free, as well as other programs.
GRADING SCALE—The top and bottom one-quarter of each grade range is used for the plus or minus grades; the middle
half of the letter grade range is for the letter grade without a plus or minus added. The last page of the LOM is for keeping
a record of your scores in this course. Keep a record on that sheet of all points you earn; save all tests and papers
returned to you until you get your final course grade. If you believe you received an incorrect grade, email the
instructor and then come to see the instructor with any test papers to discuss grades. The initial grading scale for all work
in the course is: as shown below. "Curving" is never done for any individual test but final grades may be curved.
GRADING SCALE (TENTATIVE)
A+ = 92.5% + = 185-200
A = 87.5% + = 175-184
A- = 85.0% + = 170-174
B+ = 82.5% + = 165-169
B = 77.5% + = 155-164
B- = 75.0% + = 150-154
C+ = 72.5% + = 145-149
C = 67.5% + = 135-144
C- = 65.0% + = 130-134
D+ = 63.75% + = 128-129
D = 61.25% + = 123-126
D- = 60.0% + = 120-122
SOURCES OF QUESTIONS and POINTS (TENTATIVE)
Points
Points
Points
Attendance (deductions possible; see above)
5
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
2
Lectures (about 3 per lecture on average)
75
“Let's First Make It Right”
2
BSS text (3-4 per chapter)
50
Long answer questions on 2 midterms (5 pts ea.) 10
Constitution (may be tested over on all exams)
5
Pop quizzes, best 2 long answer essays
10
Declaration of Independence
2
Pop quizzes, best 3 fill-in-the-blank scores
15
Federalist Papers #10 and 51 (one question each)
2
Alderman & Kennedy
20
Rights & Realities
2
Total points in course
200
Syllabus PS215
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LONG ANSWER TEST TERMS—selected at random for each long answer pop quiz; see text book for answers
Ch. 1 (introduction)
1. politics
2. direct democracy
3. republic
4. liberalism
5. ideology
Ch. 5 (civil rights)
1. civil rights
2. voting barriers
3. Martin Luther King, jr.
4. Civil Rights Act of 1964
5. affirmative action
Ch. 2 (Constitution)
1. Thomas Paine
2. Great Compromise
3. separation of powers
4. anti-federalists
5. judicial review
Ch. 6 (public opinion)
1. public opinion
2. random sampling
3. political trust
4. political socialization
5. agenda setting
Ch. 3 (federalism)
1. federalism
2. elastic clause
3. supremacy clause
4. John Marshall
5. block grants
Ch. 7 (interest groups)
1. economic interest groups
2. public interest groups
3. direct techniques of
lobbying
4. indirect techniques of
lobbying
5. PACs
Ch. 4 (civil liberties)
1. establishment clause
2. clear and present danger
3. obscenity
4. exclusionary rule
5. slander
Ch. 8 (political parties)
1. patronage
2. Thomas Jefferson
3. ticket-splitting
4.
5.
plurality rule
third parties
2.
3.
Ch. 9 (elections)
1. media
2. hard money
3. campaign reform
4. electoral college
5. party identification
4.
5.
Ch. 10 (Congress)
1. enumerated powers
2. representation
3. filibuster
4. gerrymander
5. conference committees
Ch. 11 (President)
1. chief executive
2. War Powers
Act/Resolution
3. vetoes
4. executive privilege
5. impeachment
Ch. 12 (bureaucracy)
1. Weberian model
line organizations
independent regulatory
agencies
civil service
sunset laws
Ch. 13 (judiciary)
1. common law
2. majority opinion
3. appellate courts
4. writ of certiorari
5. William Rehnquist
Ch. 14 (domestic policy)
1. income transfers
2. EITC
3. Keynesian economics
4. fiscal policy
5. monetary policy
Ch. 15 (foreign policy)
1. Cold War
2. détente
3
Monroe Doctrine
4. SALT
5. Truman Doctrine
ALDERMAN AND KENNEDY TEST
Every student will be tested over the Alderman and Kennedy text. The following names, terms, and cases are provided to assist you in
studying for this test. Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and long answer questions may be used on this and all outside readings tests.
People in Alderman and Kennedy
Dennis Mahon
John Milton
Erwin Knoll
“Tiger” O’Rourke
“Blacksnake” Lara
Howard Morland
Tina Lower
Julius Hobson
Maureen Piszczor
Neil Cashman
Margaret Herring McSurely
Drew Pearson
Alan McSurely
Thomas Ratliff
James Otis, Jr.
Rudy Linares
Everett Green
Josephine Jakabowski
Rebecca Machetti
John Eldon Smith
Dr. Mario Jascalevich
Myron Farber
Harrison Cronic
Raymond & Ricky Tison
Jus. Wm. O. Douglas
Jus. Arthur Goldberg
Jus. Potter Stewart
James Madison
Gregory Johnson
Thomas Jefferson
Terms in Alderman and Kennedy
incorporation
freedom of speech
public domain
classified
prior restraint
Pentagon Papers
White Deer Skin Dance
World Renewal Ceremony
cert petition
New Mobe
Cointelpro
freedom of assembly
right to bear arms
Intolerable Acts
Pike County
sedition
writ of (general) assistance
search warrant
exclusionary rule
subpoena
double jeopardy
grand jury
indictment
take the fifth
contempt
writ of replevin
Magna Carta
procedural due process
substantive due process
“takings"
jury trial
opt in/out statutes
voir dire
confrontation clause
cross-examination
in camera
shield law
check kiting
assistance of counsel
complexity exception
cruel and unusual
punishment
retained rights
right to privacy
reserved powers
flag burning
Cases in Alderman and Kennedy
Missouri Knights of the KKK v. Kansas City
Poletown Neighborhood Council v. Detroit
Hammer v. Dagenhart
Fuentes v. Shevin
Near v. Minnesota
Taylor v. Louisiana
U.S. v. The Progressive
Maryland v. Craig
Green v. U.S.
Coy v. Iowa
Baltimore v. Bouknight
Branzburg v. Hayes
Syllabus PS215
Northwest Indian Cemetery v. Peterson
National League of Cities v. Usery
Gideon v. Wainwright
Strickland v. Washington
Tison v. Arizona
Furman v. Georgia
Gregg v. Georgia
Enmund v. Florida
Griswold v. Connecticut
Roe v. Wade
U.S. v. Darby
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