University of Cincinnati Introduction to American Politics 2020-Fall Semester Professor: Dr. R. Bradley Nestheide e-mail: robert.nestheide@uc.edu 34POL 1010-002 Office Hours—by appointment Room: ONLINE Course Overview The American Government series of classes is designed to provide an introductory look at the fundamental properties of American government, the theories that support the structure of that government, as well as how the structure and policies of that government have changed since its inception. The course will begin by focusing on ideational factors relevant to American government and politics. From there the course will move to an emphasis on the organizational and institutional structure of American government. Lastly the course will cover democracy and the relationships between the government and its citizens. Required Reading: Author: Theodore J. Lowi, Benjamin Ginsberg, Kenneth A. Shepsle, and Stephen Ansolabehere Title: American Government: Power and Purpose Edition: 15th edition ISBN: 9780393674996 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated Additional reading will be assigned throughout the course. These readings will be newspaper articles, journal articles, as well as other possible miscellaneous readings. Students will be encouraged to keep up with current events throughout the course in order to better facilitate discussion and debate as well as to weave the class material into the fabric of everyday life. Course Requirements This course of 15 weeks is completely delivered online. Each week we will cover one chapter (with the exception of midterm and final exam review week). For each chapter there will be the following expectations of students: 1) read the chapter, 2) watch the video lecture, 3) participate in the discussion board, 4) complete the homework assignment and 5) complete the chapter quiz. Lastly, there will be a midterm and a final exam. These exams will be non-cumulative with the midterm covering the first half of the course and the final covering the second half of the course. The grade structure of the class looks roughly as such, but can change a bit on circumstances as we progress throughout the semester. Participation—10% Quizzes/Homeworks/Response Essays—50% Midterm Examination—20% Final Examination—20% Semester Schedule, assignments, and readings. *schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor ASSIGNMENTS AND DUE DATES TOPIC READINGS Week 1 First Introductions Politics and History CHAPTER 1 Week 2: Ch. 1 lecture HW 1, Quiz 1, Online Discussion Chapter 1: Five Principles of Politics CHAPTER 1 Week 3: Ch. 2 lecture HW 2, Quiz 2, Online Discussion Week 4: Ch. 3 lecture HW 3, Quiz 3, Online Discussion Week 5: Ch. 4 lecture HW 4, Quiz, Online Discussion Week 6: Ch. 5 lecture HW 5, Quiz 5, Online Discussion Week 7: online review session MIDTERM EXAM Chapter 2: Constructing a Government: The Founding and the Constitution Chapter 3: Federalism and the Separation of Powers CHAPTER 2 Chapter 4: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights PART I CHAPTER 4 Civil Liberties and Civil Rights PART II & Chapter 5 The Civil Rights Movement MIDTERM EXAMINATION CHAPTER 5 Week 8: Ch. 6 lecture HW6, Quiz 6, Online Discussion Week 9: Ch. 7 lecture HW 7, Quiz 7, Online Discussion Week 10: Ch. 8 lecture HW 8, Quiz 8, Online Discussion Week 11: Ch. 9 lecture HW 9, Quiz 9, Online Discussion Week 12: Ch. 14 lecture HW 10, Quiz 10, Online Discussion Week 13: Ch. 15 lecture HW 11, Quiz 11, Online Discussion Week 14: Ch. 17 lecture HW 12, CH 17 QUIZ, Online Discussion Finals Week: 12/3 – 12/8 Final Exam: Due on Canvas by 12/8 at 11:59PM Chapter 6: Congress the First Branch CHAPTER 6 Chapter 7: The Presidency as an Institution CHAPTER 7 Chapter 8: The Executive Bureaucracy CHAPTER 8 Chapter 9: The Federal Courts: Structure and Strategies CHAPTER 9 Chapter 14 Mass Media CHAPTER 14 Chapter 15: Public Policy and the Economy CHAPTER 15 Chapter 17: Foreign Policy CHAPTER 17 Intro video lecture Online Discussion Final Exam available on Canvas on 12/3/20 FINAL DUE: 12/8/20 by 11:59PM CHAPTER 3 NONE Students With Disabilities If you are having difficulty with the class, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or in my office hours to discuss any problems or issues you may have. Students with disabilities should contact me at the beginning of the course and I will be happy to work with students in order to ensure that any needs on the part of students are met. Please note that university policy requires students registered with Disability Services to provide their instructors with an Accommodation Form if they want to use their accommodations. See https://www.ucclermont.edu/students/dso.html. The university does not provide this information and it is the responsibility of the student to self-disclose with an Accommodations Form. For assistance in this area please contact Meghann Littrell: Director, Accessibility Resources and Testing Services Accessibility Resources Student Affairs 4200 Clermont College Drive Batavia OH 45103 Phone: (513) 732-5327 Fall Semester 2020 Term Dates: August 24, 2020–December 8, 2020 Full Academic Session Classes Begin: August 24 Classes End: December 2 Enrollment Dates and Deadlines Open Enrollment: April 13, 2020–August 30, 2020 Online Registration Closes: August 30 @ 11:59 pm Wait List Registration Closes: August 29 @ 11:59 pm Online Grading Basis Changes Close (switching between Pass/Fail, Audit, and Normal grading): September 7 @ 11:59 pm Online Credit Hour Changes Close: September 7 @ 11:59 pm 100% Refund/Drop Deadline (class removed from academic record): September 7 @ 11:59 pm* No Refund/Withdrawal Period Starts (class remains on academic record): September 8 @ 12:00 am* $25 Late Registration Fee: Late Registration Fees will not be charged this semester Online Withdrawal Deadline: November 13 @ 11:59 pm Grading Deadline: Monday, December 14 @ 5:00 pm Notes: All dates indicated are in Eastern Standard Time. Dates in bold with an asterisk (*) denote a date with potential financial implications. Link to calendar for withdrawals: https://www.uc.edu/about/registrar/calendars/fall-2020-calendars/fall-2020-dates-deadlines.html Academic Integrity and the Student Code of Conduct Cheating and plagiarism of any variety will not be tolerated. The ways in which this applies to your assignments, quizzes and tests will be discussed on the first day of class. For details regarding the policy of the University of Cincinnati and Clermont College on these matters please see the Student Code of Conduct, which may be found at the hyperlink below: http://www.uc.edu/conduct/Code_of_Conduct.html Academic Integrity Policy: The University Rules, including the Student Code of Conduct…will be enforced. Any violation of these regulations, including acts of plagiarism or cheating, will be dealt with on an individual basis according to the severity of the misconduct. Plagiarism: 1. Submitting another's published or unpublished work, in whole, in part, or in paraphrase, as one's own without fully and properly crediting the author with footnotes, quotation marks, citations or bibliographical references. 2. Submitting as one's own, original work, material obtained from an individual, agency, or the internet without reference to the person, agency or webpage as the source of the material. 3. Submitting as one's own, original work, material that has been produced through unacknowledged collaboration with others without release in writing from collaborators. 4. Submitting one’s own previously written or oral work without modification and instructor permission. Grading Scale The following grade scale will be used in this course: A = 93-100, A- = 90-92, B+ = 87-89, B = 83-86, B- = 80-82, C+ = 77-79, C = 73-76, C- = 70-72, D+ = 67-69, D = 63-66, D- = 60-62, and F = Below 60. There is no curving or dropping of grades in this class. For a reference to the standards for these grades, see the Department of Political Science and Sociology Grading Guidelines provided below: A- to A = Superior critical reading, thinking and analytical skills. Detailed understanding of course readings. Generally clear, well-organized writing that develops important issues in a thoughtful way. Analysis of texts is without technical or factual errors. An excellent essay will significantly surpass the expectations of a good essay by demonstrating critical mastery of the logic, assumptions, and evidence of research sources. Excellent use of quotations and proper citation of texts. Class discussion is frequent and thoughtful; shows a very good grasp of the issues. B- to B+ = Good to Very Good critical reading, thinking and analytical skills. Solid understanding of course readings. Generally clear, well-organized writing that reports important issues in some detail. Analysis of texts is generally without technical or factual errors. A good to very good essay will have a thesis, define and incorporate concepts appropriately, present a coherent argument, and make a persuasive case for its thesis using convincing evidence; it may also need to consider plausible and reasonable alternatives systematically. Good use of quotations and proper citation of texts. Class discussion is regular and helpful; shows a solid grasp of the issues. C- to C+ = Adequate critical reading, thinking and analytical skills. Basic understanding of course readings. Generally competent writing that identifies important issues but leaves them insufficiently explained or examined. Analysis of texts may be technically or factually defective in minor ways. An adequate essay will have a thesis, define and incorporate concepts appropriately, and present a coherent argument. Correct use of quotations and citation of texts. Class discussion is occasional and generally adequate; may reveal some misunderstanding of the issues. D- to D+ = Inadequate critical reading, thinking and analytical skills. Poor or incompetent understanding of course readings. Below average writing that omits or misunderstands important issues. Analysis of texts may be technically or factually defective in substantial ways. An inadequate essay may not have a clear thesis, or may not define and incorporate concepts appropriately, or it may not present a coherent argument. There may be ineffective use of quotations and inadequate citation of texts. Class discussion is infrequent; may reveal a lack of engagement with the issues or serious misunderstanding. F = Unacceptable. No serious engagement of course readings. An unacceptable essay shows little or no serious attempt to understand important issues. Writing is unclear, or unorganized, or undeveloped to the degree that the essay is deemed a failure. Analysis of texts may contain egregious errors. There may be a failure to cite texts. Class discussion is infrequent and ill informed; reveals no real understanding of even basic issues. Title IX Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of your actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Title IX also covers sexual violence, dating or domestic violence, and stalking. If you disclose a Title IX issue to me, I am required to forward that information to the Title IX Office. They will follow up with you about how the University can take steps to address the impact on you and the community and make you aware of your rights and resources. Their priority is to make sure you are safe and successful here. You are not required to talk with the Title IX Office. If you would like to make a report of sex or gender-based discrimination, harassment or violence, or if you would like to know more about your rights and resources on campus, you can consult the website www.uc.edu/titleix or contact the office at 556-3349.
