TO:
Beth Dobkin, Provost
FROM:
Keith Ogawa, Chair
Academic Senate
DATE:
May 12, 2014
RE:
Senate Action S-13/14-33CA
New Course Proposal
Politics 100: Writing Research and
Analysis for the Politics Major
At the April 24, 2014 meeting of the Academic Senate, the attached New Course Proposal for POL 100: Writing Research
and Analysis for the Politics Major was approved on the Consent Agenda.
The item was unanimously approved by the Undergraduate Educational Policies Committee and forwarded to the Senate's
Consent Agenda. This action was assigned Senate Action #S-13/14-33CA.
Attachment
Cc: President James Donahue
Vice Provost Richard Carp
Dean Steve Woolpert
APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT COURSE APPROVAL
February 27, 2014
Presenter: Associate Professor Mindy Thomas, J.D.
COURSE:
●School of Liberal Arts
●Department of Politics
●Politics 100
●Writing Research and Analysis for the Politics Major
HISTORY OF COURSE: Approved by UEPC as an experimental course and taught Fall
2013. The course has been developed for the new College “Writing Across the Disciplines”
course now required in each department. The instructor has worked closely with the Writing
Center and the CCC to develop course compliance with College requirements.
DEPARTMENTAL APPROVAL: Yes, please see email from Chair Hisham Ahmed, 2/20/14.
CIRCULATION OF COURSE PROPOSAL TO CHAIRS AND DIRCTORS: Yes, please
see email form SOLA Dean Steve Woolpert, 2/26/14.
APPROVAL OF COURSE PROPOSAL BY THE DEAN: Yes, please see email from
SOLA Dean Steve Woolpert, 2/26/14.
COMPLETION OF LIBRARY RESOURCES REVIEW: Yes, please see February 2014,
Library Resources Review from Reference and Instruction Librarian Susan Birkenseer.
APPROVAL OF COURSE PROPOSAL BY DEPARTMENT CHAIR:
Yes, please see email from Chair Hisham Ahmed, 2/20/14.
PERMANENT COURSE PROPOSAL, ADDITIONAL ISSUES:
●Prerequisites: at least one introductory course from lower division required courses:
Pol. 01 Comparative Politics; Pol. 02 American Politics; Pol. 03 Political Thought, or
Pol. 04 International Politics.
●Learning Objectives: After taking this course, the student will be able to demonstrate:
1. clear and accurate understanding of political science in all four areas of the major;
2. ability to produce effective written and oral communication in all four areas of the
major, including competent citation, clear and careful organization around a competent
thesis, professional format, grammatical presentation, analytical accuracy and intellectual
depth;
3. mastery of basic and more complex forms of argument in political science, including
knowledge of types of political science writing, competent presentation of, and support
for, objective and persuasive analysis in all four areas of the major;
4. effective engagement in the creative processes of intellectual political science writing,
research, and analysis, including techniques for brainstorming, collaboration, revising,
flexibility in thinking and research, and reflecting on feedback;
5. Competent, upper division level research skills in all four areas of
the major.
●Relation of course objectives to departmental learning outcomes: This course aims
to help students develop the skills and content specified in our departmental outcomes by
advancing their abilities to at least a minimum competency level for the variety of upper
division work in the major. Our major is based on knowledge in four subfields of political
science: theory, international relations, American politics, and comparative politics. The
departmental learning outcomes contain specific competencies related to all four
subcategories and also those related more to particular subfields. For example, all our
courses emphasize “effective analysis of significant political science issues,” and a
“commitment to civic engagement.” But not all our upper division courses in the four
subfields would emphasize equally “principles and theories of American constitutional
democracy.” The course objectives for Politics 100 allow a more flexible focus on each
of the four subfields that is most appropriate to the particular writing, research and
analysis skills to be taught as we move toward achieving the departmental learning
objectives.
●Justification for the Course: There are three general justifications for the course: (1)
compliance with the new College Core requirement that all departments have a Writing
Across the Disciplines course for their majors consistent with CCC standards for WID
courses; (2) our own departmental interest in supporting our students to more effectively
progress from lower division writing, research, and analytical skills to writing, research,
analytical skills appropriate to our upper division courses and curriculum, and (3) our
own department interest in improving appropriate academic response to departmental
data that suggesting about half of our students go directly into the work force after
college and about half go on to post graduate work in a variety of fields.
●Assignments for the Course: (1) Eleven detailed assessment tools moving from basics
skills and concepts to more sophisticated skills and concepts in all four sub fields of the
major; (2) included among the eleven assignments are at least 16 pages of different kinds
of analytical writing in the field; (3) the eleven assignments cover citation use and form,
peer editing, organization and outlining, reading for detail and accuracy, research
techniques and effectiveness, accuracy of data reporting, and so forth; (4) there is a
culminating scholarly paper of 8-10 pages with research required, and supported by
appropriate citation and attribution; (5) the overall total of written analysis required for
the course is approximately 26 pages.
●Course Credit and Grading: 1 unit, with standard College grading, i.e., there is no
pass/fail option allowed for this course. Students spend at least 3 hours outside class for
every hour in class. The course instruction includes a combination of lecture, oral and
written hands-on exercises, and discussion
●Student Population: The course is designed to be taken in the sophomore year of the
major. It is required and designed specifically for Politics majors. However, other
students can be allowed to take the course if there is room in the class and the instructor
gives permission. The enrollment is restricted to twenty students.
●Relationship to Present College Curriculum: the course is required for all students
with a Politics Major who entered as of Fall 2012 and after. This is a requirement of the
new Core Curriculum. No modifications in other departmental courses are required
because of this course and no other departments of the College are impacted by the
course.
●Extraodinary Implementation Costs or Measures: None
●Course Description for the Catalogue:
“Being able to do effective college research, writing and analysis does not depend
solely on skills we are born with – it also involves learned skills that are acquired
through practice. This course will help students master these skills and related
concepts in a “building blocks” system that moves from learning and practicing
basic skills and concepts to learning and practicing complex skills and concepts.
The class is taught in a small group setting with lots of individual support, and it
aims to foster the student’s transition from lower division to upper division
research, writing, and analysis. The course provides insights into all four areas of
the Politics major by examining such subjects as the nature of political and legal
justice, the legitimate basis of democratic government, gay marriage, conspiracy,
terrorism, human rights, government corruption, immigration, and the effects of
drugs, guns, and money on national and international politics.”
●Sylabus for Course: Please see attached syllabus.
●Review of Experimental Offering: The course seemed to work well in general, as
planned. One specific issue that arose was that of a possible follow-up to the research
and library resources session conducted at the beginning of the course. Our department
support Librarian did an excellent introductory session at the beginning of the course and
we are thinking a follow up session would be appropriate. This added session could be
tailored toward particular needs that arise during the course in reference to research and
library skills. Discussion of this is already underway and it is anticipated it would occur
about mid-way through the course.