Collin County Community College
HIST 1302.CO5 (fall 2008)
U.S. History from 1877
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
College Repeat Policy: A student may repeat this course only once after receiving a
grade, including a “W.” Students may also only accrue a total of SIX withdraws/drops
over the course of their entire college career.
Instructor: Dr. Steven W. Short
Office: D207 (it’s a “portable/cubicle” office near the atrium)
Phone/Campus Contact: 972-548-6767
Email: sshort@ccccd.edu (always put HISTORY 1302 Collin in subject line)
Class Meeting Time: Tuesdays 10am to 1115am/Thursdays online component
Office Hours: M:
930am to 10am and 230pm to 330pm
T:
930am to 10am and 1pm to 330pm
W:
930am to 10am and 2pm to 4pm
R:
by appointment only
F:
930am to 10am
Prerequisite: Placement in college level reading and English 1301.
Textbook: Created Equal by Jones, Wood, Borstelmann, May, and Ruiz
Course Description
This course will serve as a survey introduction to United States history from 1877 until
the present. Since this course is a survey a lot of ground will be covered. Students will
be provided with a broad overview of U.S. history focusing primarily on the period from
1877 to 1980. Themes to be examined are: social construction of the nation, economic
development from Reconstruction to world power, role and status of the military in the
emerging nation, effect of slavery and racial tension in the United States, and various
cultural and social aspects of the U.S. These themes will be broken into further rubrics as
the semester progresses.
This course is a “hybrid” or “blended” course, which means that part of the contact hours
are distance or online in function. In other words, this class will meet every Tuesday at
the listed time, but will not meet regularly on Thursdays. In order to earn credit for this
course, a portion of the work will be conducted online. The student will have the liberty
to either complete the online components from their homes or on campus. The material
will be accessible through any internet connection through http://ce6.ccccd.edu.
Certain modules/topics will be taught in the classroom using traditional lecture methods
and part of the material will be online through a series of modules and components which
are supplemented by student readings.
Hybrid classes probably do require more self-discipline than regular classes, but they also
offer students a chance to plan and mange their time. Hybrid courses also offer the
professor a chance to do some different things in the weekly class sessions. Our class
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sections will look at specific topics more closely and interactively than a regular survey
class. Class topics will be more specialized and the weekly reading from the textbook
will provide the broader context.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Describe the major economic events in the United States from the Gilded Age to the
present.
2. Summarized the impact of the West in the nation.
3. Explain the impact of the industrial revolution on the development of the United
States.
4. Assess the emergence of corporate capitalism in the U. S.
5. Analyze the shift of the U. S. from a rural to an urban society.
6. Assess the impact of increased immigration in the U. S.
7. Outline the changes in foreign policy in the early twentieth century.
8. Differentiate the reform movements (Populism, Progressivism, New Deal, Civil
Rights, the Great Society) in the United States.
9. Illustrate how the United States came to involve itself in two World Wars.
10. Compare and contrast U. S. policy after World War II in Europe, Asia, and the
Middle East.
11. Relate the changes in our domestic policy during the 20th century to what was
happening in the world.
Expectations
Attendance
I expect students to attend every class. Classes will be held in this room and students
should arrive on time. If you miss a class it WILL count against your grade.
Exceptional attendance, however, will be looked upon favorably at the end of the
semester. Since this class meets only once each week it is imperative that students attend
every class.
To monitor attendance, a sign-in sheet will be passed around during every class session.
On some days the role will be called.
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Students will lose five (5) points from their final point total for each absence. Absences
beyond two (2) for the semester may result in a failing grade for the semester.
The only acceptable excuse for missing class is official campus business. Should such an
event occur, the student must provide official documentation from the school indicating
the student’s name and the date of the absence. Medical excuses are not valid, do not
bring the documentation. The only acceptable excuse is official campus business.
Participation
Students are required to participate in class as part of their grade. Participation will take
place both in the classroom and online. In many cases students do not ask questions or
offer comments because they are afraid of saying the wrong things. Do not be afraid.
Most students have similar concerns and questions and the chances are that someone else
is also thinking of the same question or comment.
Participation in class can affect your grade in a positive way in the same manner as
exemplary attendance can. It is to your benefit to participate. Asking questions and
becoming involved is part of learning. A total of 50 participation points is possible for
the semester.
Exams and Quizzes
Students are required to take two exams (one mid-term and one final) and take six
quizzes over the course of the semester. Students will also complete three
writing/research assignments based upon online work.
Exams
Exams will be comprised of a series of multiple guess questions and a final component of
the exams will be an essay. Students will be provided with several choices on which to
write their essay. All exams will take place in the testing center; the final exam will
take place in this classroom. The final exam will last two hours. The format for the
final exam will be the same as the midterm exam, it will not be comprehensive.
Exams are worth 100 points. Part of each midterm (40 points) will be based on multiple
guess questions and the remaining half (60 points) based on the identifications.
Proper essay/identification answers will contain as much pertinent information as
possible. It is important to write in a clear, coherent manner. See attached memorandum
on essay/identification construction for further information.
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Quizzes
In addition to the exams, students will also take six quizzes over the course of the
semester. Each quiz will be based upon online material. These six quizzes will each be
worth 20 points and will be a combination of multiple guess and short answer/fill-in-theblank questions. The quizzes will last approximately fifteen minutes, to be monitored
online. Students will have a block of two days to complete a quiz so that they are not
locked into taking it at a specific time.
Although no extra credit will be offered, it is possible that more than six quizzes will be
given. If more than six quizzes are given then the extra quizzes may be used to replace a
lower quiz grade.
See our CE6 classroom for the calendar.
Writing Projects
Each student will complete three (3) writing projects worth 50 points each. Each project
will consist of a double-spaced analysis of a specific topic (see list in CE6 classroom).
An analysis must be at least 1000 words and not more than 1250 words and typed in a
number 12 font using New Times Roman. Papers may be submitted either online
through CE6, through email, or in person.
Papers will offer an historical analysis into a specific topic, event, or person to be chosen
from the provided list. Students must have instructor approval prior to beginning a topic.
Papers should be properly footnoted and documented where necessary using the Chicago
style. See syllabus annex for guidelines.
Make-ups
Because the exams will be taken in the testing center and the quizzes will be administered
online, there will be no make-ups given. Each quiz or exam will be available for either
one day (online quizzes) or several days (exams). It is reasonable that students can
complete their assignments within the allotted amount of time.
Grading and Evaluation
Grading will be based on a point system. Students will acquire points as assignments are
completed. The points will go toward your final total. The maximum total will be 520
points combining all quizzes and exams and assignments. Bonus points will be available
along the way in the form of extra points on quizzes and exams. No other extra credit
will be given. Don’t ask to read a book or write a paper, etc. Apply yourself and study
and you won’t need to. This is college, not high school, act accordingly. If you do not
understand how the point system works then you need to see me.
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Grading breakdown:
520 to 468
467 to 415
414 to 362
309 to 256
203 to 000
=A
=B
=C
=D
=F
Academic Integrity
Academic Ethics: The College District may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a
student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the
award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work material that is not one’s
own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not limited to, one or more of the
following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of annotated texts or teacher’s
editions, and/or falsifying academic records.
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.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner
during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying
computer or Internet files, using someone else’s work for the assignments as if it were
one’s own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a
course.
Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic
dishonesty, including but not limited to, providing a paper or project to another student;
providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate
during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a
classmate to copy answers.
You are expected to do your own work. Copying words or ideas of others without
documentation is against Collin County Community College policy and could result in an
F for the course. That is: Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. Any student
caught in such unethical activity will receive a zero for the assignment. Serious
violations, such as stealing an exam or downloading a paper from the internet, will result
in failure for the entire course. I will also report serious violations to your dean.
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related
to application for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s
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own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty
involves one the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the college’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
ADA Compliance Statement
It is the policy of Collin County Community College to provide reasonable
accommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities. The College
will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with
respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational
opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200
or 972-881-5898 (V/TTD: 972-881-5950) in a timely manner to arrange for appropriate
accommodations.
Religious Holy Days
In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, Collin will allow a
student who is absent from class for the observance of a religious holy day to take an
examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time.
Students are required to file a written request with each professor within the first fifteen
(15) days of the semester to qualify for an excused absence. A copy of the state rules and
procedures regarding holy days, and the form of notification of absence from each class
under this provision, are available from the Admissions and Records Office.
General Information and Comments
When turning in quizzes please do not use spiral notebook paper unless it has no fringes
on it. The fringes are irritating and do not contribute to maintaining an orderly style.
Failure to abide by this policy will count against your grade after your first offense.
It will be a 5 point deduction per offense.
Please do not wear baseball caps or other such headgear in the classroom. We hold
class in a room in a building, not outdoors and not in a barn. You are not at the ballgame
or rodeo or some other such place, you are in a classroom, please behave as such. I don’t
wear my hat in the classroom, neither shall you. Failure to abide by this policy will
detract from your grade by 5 points per offense.
Students will NOT wear headphones in class. Students caught wearing headphones will
receive a point deduction per offense of 5 points.
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Cell phones and/or pagers or MP3 players are NOT to be used in class at all. All
electronic devices will be turned off and placed in the student’s backpack or briefcase. I
do not want to see cell phones lying on top of your belonging on the floor; I do not want
to see cell phones lying on the desk in your view. I do not want to see them at all.
Failure to abide by this policy will result in a grade detraction for each offense.
Deduction of 5 points per offense.
Come to class and take notes. If you pay attention to the discussions and keep up with
the readings then the semester will be more rewarding for you. It is also important to
keep up with your grades and understand where you are in the class. It does not do you
any good to come see me about your grades with two weeks left in the semester. By then
it is too late. So stay active with your grades and if there are problems or concerns then it
is important to talk to me about those issues sooner rather than later.
Do not arrive late. It is disrespectful and rude. Excessive tardiness will result in the
loss of points from your semester total. Students will lose 1 point per tardy after
drop/add date.
Learn to swim.
If you plan to use a computer/laptop during class, you must sit in the forward section of
the classroom. Students will NOT be permitted to use a computer if they do not sit in
the forward section. Unfortunately this allows computer-students to be monitored more
closely and ensure they are not chatting or messaging or surfing the web.
When taking notes in class it is important to pay attention to what is being said. If you
are only copying down the Power Point notes then you are missing a considerable
amount of information. Students often spend too much time worrying about Power
Point information and not enough time listening to the discussion. The Power Point is a
guide for the teacher more than it is an outline for the students.
The best way to contact me is to come by during office hours (you don’t need an
appointment during office hours, just come by) or to email. I check email frequently and
that is the best way to get me. Use the office phone number during office hours and you
will get me. Don’t leave a message on the office phone unless it is a last resort. When I
leave campus I will not check the messages on the phone but I will check emails, so use
email to get me.
This syllabus may be amended by the instructor as needed and the schedule may be
changed.
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