Introduction to American Government
PLSC 112, Section 20
Fall 2014
Tuesday-Thursday 3:30-4:45pm
420 Pray-Harrold Hall
Bradley R. Jackson
bjacks53@emich.edu
601H Pray-Harrold Hall
Department of Political Science
REQUIRED TEXT:
The Logic of American Politics; 6th Edition; Kernell, Jacobson, Kousser, and Vavreck;
CQ Press
OVERVIEW: This course is designed to introduce students to the study of American
government. Students will learn about the basic principles of American political thought,
such as federalism, civil rights, and civil liberties, as well as about the key institutions of
American politics, such as the Congress, the Presidency, and the Federal Court system.
Students will also study the many extra-constitutional features that exert a large influence
on American political life, such as opinion polling, political parties, interest groups, and
the media. Students will be introduced to these topics using both historical examples and
the concepts of contemporary social scientific research.
GENERAL EDUCATION RATIONALE: This course provides students with critical
exposure to the methods used by social scientists in creating knowledge. Political Science
112 provides a thorough grounding in American government. It also provides a strong
introduction to the discipline of political science. In this course, students gain exposure to
how knowledge is generated in the social sciences through the lens of one content area,
that of American government. Through material covered in the course, students gain
practice in asking important questions about the political world and answering them using
the methods practiced in this social science discipline.
ASSIGNMENTS: Grades in this class will be determined based on the following:
(1) Two midterm exams consisting of multiple choice, short answer, and longer essay
questions. These exams will be given in class on Tuesday 10/7 and Tuesday 11/11.
Together, these exams are worth 50% of your final grade.
(2) One final exam consisting of multiple choice, short answer and longer essay
questions to be given on Tuesday 12/16 from 3:00-4:30pm. This exam will be worth
40% of your final grade.
(3) Participation. This sort of class is improved by student participation. Questions and
comments are not only encouraged, they are also required and worth 10% of the final
grade.
GRADING SCALE:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
96-100
91-95
85-90
80-84
76-79
72-75
68-71
64-68
60-63
55-59
50-54
<50
4
3.7
3.3
3
2.7
2.3
2
1.7
1.3
1
0.7
0
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: Plagiarism of any kind will not be
tolerated. This includes using direct quotes or close paraphrases without
attribution. Use of Wikipedia is unacceptable, even if cited. Failure to comply with
the academic honesty policy will result in a failing grade on the assignment in
question as well as referral to appropriate university authorities for disciplinary
action.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students with disabilities should contact the
Disability Resource Center to establish reasonable accommodations. For an appointment
with a disability specialist, visit http://www.emich.edu/drc/.
SCHEDULE:
4-Sep
9-Sep
11-Sep
16-Sep
18-Sep
23-Sep
Lecture Topic
Introduction
Natural Rights
Federalism I
Federalism II
Seperation of Powers I
Seperation of Powers II
Assigned
Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
25-Sep
30-Sep
2-Oct
7-Oct
9-Oct
14-Oct
16-Oct
21-Oct
23-Oct
28-Oct
30-Oct
4-Nov
6-Nov
11-Nov
13-Nov
18-Nov
20-Nov
25-Nov
27-Nov
2-Dec
4-Dec
9-Dec
11-Dec
Tuesday, December
16
Seperation of Powers III
Bill of Rights I
Bill of Rights II
Exam 1
The Theory of Elections
Early Party System I
Early Party System II
Jacksonian Democracy
Lincoln and the Civil War I
Lincoln and the Civil War II
Progressivism and Conservativism I
Progressivism and Conservativism II
Progressivism and Conservativism III
Exam 2
Congress as an Institution I
Congress as an Institution II
Congress as an Institution III
The Executive Branch I
Thanksgiving
The Executive Branch II
The Executive Branch III
Public Opinion I
Public Opinion II
Final Exam 3:00pm-4:30pm
Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 10
Chapter 10