PLSC 112-3 Winter 2014
TR 2:00-3:15
Pray-Harrold 421
[CRN 22803]
[Credit Hours: 3]
American Government
Dr. Henschen
601Q Pray Harrold
Hours: MTWR 9:30-10:30, 12:30-1:30 and by appointment
E-mail: bhenschen@emich.edu
Phone: 734.487.3113
In this course we will examine American political institutions and processes at the national level. We will discuss the context of American politics and look at how individuals and groups participate in the political system. We will also examine the behavior of political actors in government institutions and explore the making of public policy.
Book: ( Required ) Sidlow, Edward and Beth Henschen. GOVT 5 . Boston:
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2014, 2012.
Students are expected to complete three exams and two directed writing assignments during the semester. Reviews for exams will be done in class. Information about the writing assignments will be provided in a separate document.
Reading, Assignments, and Exam Schedule
Jan. 7 Politics and the Art of Governing
Jan. 9 Ideology and Government Arrangements—ch.1
Jan. 14
Jan. 16
Feb. 4
Creating the Constitution—ch.2
Constitutional Principles—ch.2
Jan. 21 Federal-State Relationships—ch.3
Jan. 23-30 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights—chs.4
and 5
Thinking about the Context of American Politics
Directed Writing Assignment I due in class Feb. 4
Feb. 6
Feb. 11
Exam I (chapters 1-5)
Feb. 13
Feb. 18
Feb. 20
Interest Groups in the American Political System—ch.6
Political Parties—ch.7
Public Opinion and Political Socialization—ch.8
Voting Behavior—ch.8
Feb. 24-Feb. 28
Mar. 4
Mar. 6
Winter Recess
The Presidential Election Process—ch.9
Campaigns, Elections, and Money—ch.9
Mar. 11
Mar. 13
The Constant Campaign and the 24/7 Media—ch.10
Thinking about Participation in the Political Process
30 points
70 points

Mar. 13
Mar. 18
Mar. 20
Mar. 25
Mar. 27
April 1
April 3
April 8
April 10
April 15
April 17
Directed Writing Assignment II due in class
Exam II (chapters 6-10)
30 points
70 points
Congress as an Institution—ch.11
The Congressional Process—ch.11
Presidential Roles, Job Descriptions, and the Expansion of Presidential
Power—ch.12
The Federal Bureaucracy—ch.13
The Judicial System—ch.14
Judicial Selection and the Policymaking Role of Judges—ch.14
Domestic Policy—ch.15
Foreign Policy—ch.16
Thinking about Political Institutions and Public Policy
April 22 1:30-3:00 Exam III (chapters 11-16; 1-10)
Contributions to class discussions/ participation in additional in-class exercises
Grading scale:
282-300 points A 94-100%
270-281
261-269
A-
B+
90-93
87-89
249-260
240-248
B 83-86
B- 80-82
90 points
10 points
231-239
219-230
210-218
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
201-209
189-200
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
180-188 D- 60-62
Below 180 F Below 60%
Students are expected to follow the national news as a way of staying informed about current political issues. There are many outlets for accessing the news. The New York
Times offers an attractive discounted student rate. To subscribe, go to www.nytimes.com/student . There are also copies available in many places around campus and online with the NYTimes.com Academic Pass.

Please be aware of the following Winter Semester 2014 dates:
Part of Term 1: 1/6/14 - 4/28/14 (15 weeks)
1/10/14 Last date to add courses via the web (a)
3/6/14 Last date to add courses with departmental authorization
1/15/14 Last date for 100% tuition refund (individual or total withdraw from term)
3/24/14 Last date for individual class withdrawal (with W grades) - No Refund
1/31/14 (b) Last date for 50% tuition refund (total withdrawal only) with W grades
3/6/14 (b) Last date for 25% tuition refund (total withdrawal only) with W grades
4/21/14 (b) Last date for total withdrawal from term (with W grades) - No Refund
1/15/14 Last date to declare pass/fail grading option or select to audit a course
4/21/14 Last date to remove pass/fail grading option and receive letter grade
Codes
(a) Initial registration occurring on or after the Part of Term start date will incur a one-time $135 late registration fee
(b) Date applicable only if student's classes are ALL within the same Part of Term and/or a later starting Part of Term
(**) A written request must be faxed to the Office of Records and Registration at
734.487.6808 before midnight
N OTE THIS INFORMATION WHICH YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL :
U NIVERSITY W RITING C ENTER
115 Halle Library
(734)487-0694 http://www.emich.edu/uwc
The University Writing Center (115 Halle Library; 487-0694) offers one-to-one writing consulting for both undergraduate and graduate students. Students can make appointments or drop in between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays. Students should bring a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
The UWC also offers small group workshops on various topics related to writing (e.g.,
Organizing Your Writing; Incorporating Evidence; Revising Your Writing; Conquering
Commas; Using APA or MLA). Workshops are offered at different times in the UWC. Visit the UWC page ( http://www.emich.edu/uwc ) to see our workshop calendar. To register for a workshop, click the link from the UWC page for the type of workshop you wish to attend.
The UWC also has several satellite sites across campus. These satellites provide writing

support to students within the various colleges. For more information about our satellite locations and hours, visit the UWC web site: http://www.emich.edu/uwc .
The Academic Projects Center (116 Halle Library) also offers one-to-one writing consulting for students, in addition to consulting on research and technology-related issues. The APC is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for drop-in consultations . Additional information about the APC can be found at http://www.emich.edu/apc . Students visiting the
Academic Projects Center or any of the satellites of the University Writing Center should also bring with them a draft of what they’re working on and their assignment sheet.
This course (PLSC 112) 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.
Completion of this course fulfills a requirement in the Knowledge of the Disciplines/Social Sciences:
In Knowledge of the Disciplines courses, students will
Acquire introductory knowledge about the discipline.
Develop questions for inquiry that reflect an understanding of the discipline(s) in which they are asked.
Learn how knowledge is developed and disseminated in particular disciplines.
In Social Science courses, students will
Acquire an understanding of social science methods and of how they are used to engage in the systematic study of society and culture.
Understand and compare formal and informal social and political structures, organizations, and institutions.
Explore and understand power relationships and the impact of social change on different groups and on society in general.
Develop an appreciation of different interpretations of contemporary issues, institutions, or structures.
Use social science methods and content to interpret and analyze data and reports in the media and to make informed decisions regarding local, national, and international issues.
Use basic social scientific research techniques to examine and present information in a clear and concise manner.
Understand the relation between qualitative and quantitative research.

These objectives will be addressed through our examination of the historical and constitutional context of American government, the evolving nature of civil liberties and civil rights, the mobilization of political participation by interest groups and political parties, the behavior of individuals in the political arena, the measurement of public opinion, the role of the media, the power and procedures of national governmental institutions and agencies, and an assessment of the processes by which domestic and foreign policy is made.
Note this statement from the university administration regarding academic dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty, including all forms of cheating, falsification, and/or plagiarism, will not be tolerated in this course. Penalties for an act of academic dishonesty may range from receiving a failing grade for a particular assignment to receiving a failing grade for the entire course. Students also may be referred to the
Office of Student Judicial Services for discipline that can result in either a suspension or permanent dismissal. The Student Conduct Code details definitions of what constitutes academic dishonesty, but if you are not sure about whether something you are doing would be considered an act of academic dishonesty, consult with the course instructor.
A Final Note : Be aware that this classroom is not: an Internet café, a piano bar, a comfortable place to text, a place to snooze, or a place to do work for other courses. Class attendance matters, taking good notes—every day—is essential, required reading is required , papers and assignments cannot be “mailed in,” proper e-mail etiquette should be observed, proofreading is not a waste of time, a stapler is a good thing to have, and the university has printers.