Jim Hutter (jhutter@iastate.edu) Political Science 305—Political Behavior:
553 Ross Hall; ph. 294-1116
Nixon, Watergate, & Groupthink
Spring 2004, MWF 2-4
15 Curtiss Hall
Required textbooks
Greenstein, Fred I. The Presidential Difference (abbr. TPD)
Janis, Groupthink (2nd ed,; on reserve: E744.J29.1982)
Mazlish, In Search of Nixon (out of print; buy reprint from Nite Owl or campus book stores)
Woodward & Bernstein, The Final Days (abbr. W&B; on reserve: E861.B47)
Two "blue books" for pop quizzes (any campus bookstore)
Recommended
(American Heritage) Dictionary (paperback)
Strunk & White, The Elements Style (paperback)
Barron's A Pocket Guide To Correct Spelling.
Schedule of Assignments and Tests
Day Date Assignment
M 1/12 Janis—Ch. 1
W 1/14 Janis—Ch. 2-3
F 1/16 Janis—Ch. 4-5
M 1/19 MLK Day holiday
W 1/21 Janis—Ch. 6-7
F 1/23 Janis—Ch. 8-10; 1st paper
M 1/26 Midterm 1: Janis
W 1/28 TPD—Ch. 1-2
F 1/30 TPD—Ch. 3-5
Day Date Assignment
M 2/2
W 2/4
F
2/6
TPD—Ch. 6-8
TPD—Ch. 9-11; 2nd paper
due
TPD—Ch. 12-end
M 2/9 Midterm 2: TPD
W 2/11 Maz—Intro., Pref., Ch. 6
F 2/13 Maz—Ch. 1-2
M 2/16 Maz—Ch. 3-4; 3rd paper
due
Day Date Assignment
W 2/18 Maz—Ch. 5
F 2/20 Midterm 3: Mazlish
M 2/23 W&B—Ch. 1-6
W 2/25 W&B—Ch. 7-14
F 2/27 W&B—Ch. 15-20
M 3/1
W 3/3
F 3/5
W&B—7/24 – 8/6
W&B—8/7 – 8/9
Final Exam: W&B &
lectures
OFFICE HOURS—My office is in 553 Ross Hall (294-1116). My office hours are MWF 10, 1:10, and 4 and by appointment.
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.
THIS COURSE—The focus of this 3-credit course is the study of human political behavior, particularly those of political
elites. We will do this by studying small group behavior and then the personalities of American presidents. We begin the
course with “groupthink,” a process whereby group cohesiveness interferes with group decision-making. Next we turn to
Greenstein's research on presidents from FDR to present. We conclude by studying Richard Nixon and the events that led
to his resignation as a result of the Watergate scandal. There will be a strong emphasis placed on writing and, second, on
the making and testing of hypotheses. The assignments and dates are shown above and will be adhered to rather strictly;
extensions of time will be very few—be early rather than late.
LECTURE PRESENTATIONS—Because Watergate and the Nixon presidency were such media events, there are a great
many video programs on Nixon and on Watergate. Much of class time will be spent watching these videos. Several
additional video presentations may also be recommended or assigned; when assigned, they become testable material.
Lecture notes are copyright by the instructor and their content may not be reproduced for commercial purposes. The
Mazlish book, now out of print, is reproduced by the written permission of the author, who has asked for no royalties from
those in this class. On your own, see the movie “All the President’s Men” by February 11 (required). Rent it or see
if at the ISU Library. If you’ve seen it before, see it again!
ATTENDANCE REQUIRED—Regular attendance is required and excessive absences will result in a failing grade in the
course regardless of points earned on tests. You will be counted present only if you attend the entire class (i.e., are not late
and do not leave early). Attendance will be taken daily and counted at two points per class meeting (except for exams) up
to a maximum of FIVE points, with one point deducted for each class hour of absence (possibly resulting in a negative
score). You are responsible for all announcements made in class (even those you did *NOT* attend) and for those sent
you via e-mail (check it at least twice a day). The instructor may base some of these points on class participation. Points
are *NOT* given to those who arrive late or leave class early.
BLUE BOOKS—Buy two BLUE BOOKS (at book stores on campus) and bring at least one to EVERY class. There will be
writing exercises, exams, and pop quizzes taken in these blue books. Six will be counted toward grades. Bring two blue
books to be safe, but write all answers in just one blue book to begin. One of these 5-point long answer questions will be
based on each book and two will be based on materials in lectures/presentations.
EXAMS—The first midterm exam will be over the Janis book; the second midterm will cover the Greenstein book, and the
third midterm is over the Mazlish book. The final exam will be over the Woodward and Bernstein text and all materials
presented in class (lectures, TV presentations). The midterm exams will consist of short answer (SA) questions, either fillin-the-blank (FB) identification questions or multiple choice (MC) questions. Test questions are very specific and are
taken directly out of the text or lecture or video. If you need to miss an exam, email and call the instructor ASAP and be
ready to take the missed exam ASAP, too, preferably before the next meeting of the class.
RESEARCH PAPERS—A series of three brief (more than one page but not more than three) research papers are required of
each student in order to pass. The topic of each paper is groupthink since Janis. For each, find one published research
paper/book chapter on groupthink since Janis wrote. You will summarize this article and then assess whether or not the
author(s) found groupthink to be useful or *NOT* and why. Have the authors modified or improved on it? When has it
failed to be useful? The form of the paper will follow the requirements listed in a handout (called Term Paper
Guidelines or TPG) and given out via email/web by the instructor. Cite the article you are reporting on on the cover page
of the report. To begin your report, provide a summary and overview of the article and its methodology. The remainder
of the report is your description and assessment of the findings of the paper and their implications for the groupthink
hypothesis. Each final draft (so indicated) must be accompanied by a print-out of an earlier rough draft showing the
hand-written edits you made; staple this behind the cover page and final draft. You may rewrite the first or second paper
(only one) with the instructor’s explicit permission or request; the rewrite is due the first class period after it was returned
to you (unless that is the day a midterm exam is to be given).
GRADING SCALE—The grading scale (tentative) is based on the following percentages: A- = 85%, B- = 75%, C- = 65%,
D- = 60%. No individual exam is “curved.” The curving is done only on the total points earned by all students, *NOT*
on individual tests or assignments. If curved, the grading scale may be lowered but will *NOT* be raised. The instructor
reserves the right to assign to each student whatever grade he believes is most appropriate, regardless of points earned or
the “curve.”
50% RULE—All tests and other assignments must be completed satisfactorily in order to pass the course. You must obtain
(1) at least 50% of the total points available from all objective (fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice) tests (combined) and
(2) at least 50% of the total points available from all long answer tests and essays (combined) in order to pass the course,
regardless of total points you earn in the course. You also must attend (entirely) at least 75% of the scheduled 40 hours in
class (ignoring midterm exams).
FINAL GRADES—Points help determine the most appropriate grade in the course. While a grading curve is established and
followed, the instructor reserves the right to re-test any student (as when a test result seems atypically or unusually
high or low), to assign as a final course grade whatever he believes is most appropriate for each student (whether higher
or lower than the points alone indicate), and to change the total points available in the class and the grading scale itself.
Further, the instructor may have any student or all students retake any exam without prior notice in order to evaluate
genuine learning or the exam itself. Please bring pencils and pens (blue or black ink) to every class.
ACADEMIC HONESTY—All tests and any work turned in for a grade shall be the sole work of the student whose name it
bears. All work for credit must bear the single word "Pledge" placed near the student’s name. The pledge is short for, "I
am aware that ISU requires all work submitted for a grade to 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" and is included in the meaning of the pledge. Academic
dishonesty will result in an F in this course and has other possible sanctions; see the ISU Handbook.
TENTATIVE SOURCES OF POINTS*
Janis: Groupthink
Greenstein: The Presidential Difference
Mazlish: In Search of Nixon
W&B: The Final Days
Lecture (LA is blue book pop quizzes)
Research papers (15 pts. each)
Subtotal
SA
20
20
20
20
20
na
100
Attendance and class participation (maximum)
Total points in course
LA
5
5
5
5
10
45
75
5
180
* Barring changes made during the course. Total points
may change but *NOT* the grading scale percentages.
TENTATIVE GRADING SCALE (if 180 is maximum)*
A+ = 92.5% + = 167-180 points
A
= 87.5% + = 158-166
A= 85.0% + = 153-157
B+ = 82.5% + = 149-152
B
= 77.5% + = 140-148
B= 75.0% + = 135-139
C+ = 72.5% + = 131-134
C
= 67.5% + = 122-130
C= 65.0% + = 117-121
D+ = 63.75% + = 115-116
D
= 61.25% + = 111-114
D= 60.0% + = 108-110
F
= below 60% = 0-107