Political Science 201 (Fall, 2014)
Introduction to American Government: Michael D. Cobb
M/W: 10:15-11:05, 107 Harrelson Hall + Friday Lab (required)
Website: http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/cobb/
E-Mail: mike_cobb@ncsu.edu
Office: 223 Caldwell Hall, Phone # 513-3709
Office Hours: By appointment (see also TA for office hours)
Course Description and Goals
This course provides you with a broad survey of the behaviors and institutions that define the
American political experience. Although the focus of our course is on American government,
you should also think of this class as an introduction to political science. I have three main goals
in this course:
(1) to introduce you to the social scientific study of political behaviors, institutions, and events;
(2) to introduce you to some of the basic facts about American government and politics; and
(3) to exercise your critical reasoning and communication skills.
The first goal treats this course as a fundamental one in political science, much like introductory
course in economics, mathematics, and chemistry introduce you to fundamental concepts and
tools that are needed to do more advanced work in the discipline. The second goal is narrower:
to supply you with the terminology and vocabulary necessary to be able to discuss basic and
essential facts about the American political system. We will discuss political behaviors like why
people do or do not vote, why Americans “dislike” policies such as “welfare” but not social
security, and how the design of political institutions such as the Courts affects their performance.
My third goal for you recognizes this course’s place in a liberal arts education. I aim to help you
develop important life skills whether or not you plan to pursue a career in political science.
Consequently, I emphasize critical thought and analysis as opposed to mere memorization of
names, events, and descriptive statistics. As a result, I treat every lecture as an opportunity to
challenge you to think about my interpretations of politics, and to ask why I believe what I say if
you disagree.
Required Reading Materials
There are two required textbooks for this course. These books are available at the NCSU and
nearby bookstores, or via places like Amazon: (1) America’s New democracy (6th edition), by
Morris Fiorina et al; (2) The Measure of a Nation, by Howard Freidman.
Lectures will cover current events, the Fiorina textbook, and sometimes The Measure of a Nation
book. Lab discussions will focus on reviewing my lectures, discussing current events, and talking
about the Freidman book. You are also strongly encouraged to subscribe to on-line national and
local newspapers, and to read “wonky” blogs like the “Monkey Cage” at the Washington Post,
“The Upshot” at the NY Times, and “538” (aka, Nate Silver and company).
Course Requirements
(1) Exams: (45%; 15% each)
Two Midterms (Sept 24 & Nov 3)
Final Examination (Dec 8) (cumulative exam)
(2) Pop-Quizzes (taken Fridays in Lab) (30% combined)
(3) Research paper (approximately seven-ten pages in length; Due Nov 21 (15%)
(4) Class/Lab participation and minor assignments (10%)
(5) Political science research requirement (PSRR) (0%)
Exams: Each exam is worth 15% of your course grade (45% total). Exams consist of a
answering a few concept identification questions and then about three short answer essay
questions. Performing well on the exams is important, but also notice that most of your course
grade is based on your performance in other areas of the class.
Quizzes: Starting the second time you meet in Friday lab (Aug 29), your TA is very likely to
give you a pop-quiz on the week’s reading, my lectures, and important news events about
American government covered in class. The first quiz might also cover main points in the
syllabus, to make sure you’ve read it. Quizzes typically involve multiple-choice
question/answers. Quizzes are not announced ahead of time, but they will occur most Fridays.
Thus, you should plan on taking around 8-9 quizzes over the course of the semester; however,
your single worst quiz performance will be dropped when your quiz average is calculated.
Research Paper: You will be provided with appropriate research topics and paper instructions by
early September. The paper is worth 15% of your grade, and it is due by the start of the last
Friday lab, November 21. Papers submitted more than 10 minutes after the start of lab are
subject to one-day point deductions according the late assignment policy explained below in the
grading policy section.
It should go without saying that your term paper must be original work; please do not
jeopardize your course grade and academic standing by plagiarizing. This paper must be
uniquely written for my course. For free writing assistance, you might want to contact the
Writing Assistance Program offered by the Undergraduate Tutorial Center—147 Leazar Hall
(515-3163). Or, if reading this on-line, follow this link:
http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/
Lab: Minor Assignments: Although infrequent, you might be given assignments to complete by
the next time you attend your discussion section. For example, I might ask you to watch the
local news and to record the stories, their length, and substance, so that we can evaluate the mass
media’s role in providing citizens with quality information about their political environment.
Attendance: It is your responsibility to regularly attend class and labs. According to university
policy, attendance is mandatory in this class and it is recorded. Although it might sound cliché,
school is your job. An unexcused (by University policy) absence on an exam or quiz means you
forfeit all 100 points. Because of past abuses, if you claim an excused absence because of a
death in the family, the university will be asked to verify this claim. Closer to home, I have yet
to award a grade of an “A” to anyone who did not regularly attend class. If you are unsure about
how the university views attendance, follow this web link to find out more:
http://www.ncsu.edu/provost/academic_regulations/attend/reg.htm
Grading: All assignments are graded on a 100-point scale. Unless stated otherwise, you
automatically forfeit ten points per day (24 hours) that an assignment is late without a valid
(University approved) excuse. Point deductions occur over weekends as well.
Political Science Research Requirement:
All PS201 students are required to become familiar with the procedures of political science
research, either by participating in the Political Science Research Subject Pool (PSRSP) or by
writing a short (3 page) paper. Either activity should require the same amount of time. (Students
repeating PS201 do not have to complete the requirement a second time). Students that fail to
satisfy the research requirement will receive a grade of incomplete for the course until they
satisfy this requirement.
PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH: Students choosing the PSRSP will
satisfy the requirement by participating as a participant in political science research studies
totaling more more than two hours in four, half-hour units. A study lasting less than 30 minutes
earns one credit; one that lasts more than 30 minutes earns two credits. To sign up for the pool,
you will be sent a link to a survey where you provide your name and e-mail address. Next, when
studies are available, you will be contacted (via e-mail) by researchers seeking subjects. You will
have at least 7 opportunities to earn at least one credit. You will receive a brief description of the
study and session locations/times and may choose to accept or decline participation. The studies
will insure student anonymity and/or confidentiality and follow the guidelines of the NCSU
Institutional Review Board. You may at any time withdraw from a study you find objectionable
without loss of participation credit. Please report any such incident to Dr. Boettcher
(bill_boettcher@ncsu.edu). At the conclusion of participation the investigator will explain the
study and answer any questions.
REPORT ON A RESEARCH ARTICLE: As an alternative to participating in the PSRSP you
may write a paper discussing a recent article from a political science journal. You are expected to
gain and demonstrate some familiarity with the methods of political science research. Select an
article from the list found at: http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/boettcher/articles.html Give the full
reference for the article: name of author(s), year, title of the article, title of the journal, volume,
page numbers. Then summarize the hypotheses/goals of the researcher(s), method(s) used to test
the hypotheses, results of the study, and political significance/relevance of the results. The paper
should be typed, double-spaced, in a 10 or 12 point font, at least three pages long, and include
you name and social security number. Papers must be turned in by the 14th week of the semester.
All papers are graded pass/fail. If a paper is unacceptable you will be given the reasons for its
rejection and asked to make necessary revisions.
Statement on students with disabilities
Wherever possible modifications to tests and other assignments and special arrangements for
attending and recording lectures and seminars will be made in order to accommodate the needs
of students with disabilities. Any student with such a need is encouraged to make an appointment
with the instructor in order to obtain the necessary assistance.
Statement on academic integrity
Students are expected to complete their assignments with due regard to academic integrity. In
order to do so they should familiarize themselves with the relevant sections of the student code
of conduct (Sections 7-13). By signing all work submitted on paper, or by identifying
themselves in work submitted electronically, students affirm that they neither gave nor received
unauthorized aid. Collaboration on assignments among students may only occur when explicitly
authorized by an instructor.
In particular the Department of Political Science takes plagiarism very seriously. Plagiarism is
“the representation of another’s works or ideas as one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged
word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work, and/or the inappropriate
unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.” Thus each argument made in a paper which is
not completely the student’s own, must be footnoted or otherwise referenced to indicate its
source. Students found guilty of academic misconduct will at a minimum receive a 0 for the
assignment and have their conduct reported to the office of student affairs. Depending on
the severity of the infraction, it is possible that you will automatically fail the course.
Class Rules
No Phones. Please be respectful and turn off your phones by the time lecture begins; don’t use
them since they are not needed for class. My lectures may not be tape recorded without prior
consent. Laptops are strongly discouraged (see the “sticky” in moodle about note-taking).
If a teaching assistant sees you using social networking sites like Facebook during class, your
course/lab participation grade will be reduced by 5 points per each occurrence.
Discussion
Regular attendance and participation are good for you and for the whole class (especially in
Labs). Your attendance and participation are essential for your success in this class. You cannot
earn a good grade if you don’t come to class. It is sometimes said that those who show up run
the world. Certainly, holding a job depends on getting there on a regular basis and carefully
completing your assignments. Coming to class and being prepared and active will develop your
professionalism, which you will need whatever sort of work you will do.
The entire class benefits from having active, engaged class members. The classes will be more
interesting if people are regularly involved in discussions, especially as we will be able to refer
back to earlier points and discussions. To further good discussions, you should do complete and
consider all assignments and regularly follow the news. Quizzes will include questions about the
news.
Our discussions will work best if they are open and, to the extent possible, rational and informed
by evidence. Each person’s point of view adds to our discussion and should be treated with
respect and consideration. As you voice your views, keep in mind the need for civility in the
classroom. Criticism of ideas is certainly acceptable; name-calling and derogatory labels are not.
CHASS CAREER SERVICES
Explore career options related to your major, make decisions about your major or minor, build
resumes and cover letters, prepare for interviews, develop internship/ job search strategies,
maximize career fairs, and more. Use ePACK to make an appointment with your career
counselor -- Jane Matthews or Woody Catoe -- through ePACK at ncsu.edu/epack. Career
Development Center – careers.ncsu.edu.
CHASS Advising
To assist students with academic questions, there will be advisors available Monday through
Thursday from 9-4 and on Friday from 9-2 on a walk-in basis in Caldwell Lounge. They can
advise on college and university policies, academic records, degree requirements, and university
resources. Examples of areas they can discuss include: intracampus transfer, registration
procedures, the General Education Program, and determining strategies to handle academic
difficulty. Their expertise may be especially useful before and during registration times, and for
newer freshmen and transfer students transitioning to life here at NC State.
“Students in distress”
As members of the NC State Wolfpack community, we each share a personal responsibility to
express concern for one another and to ensure that this classroom and the campus as a whole
remains a safe environment for learning. Occasionally, you may come across a fellow classmate
whose personal behavior concerns or worries you. When this is the case, I would encourage you
to report this behavior to the NC State Students of Concern website:
http://studentsofconcern.ncsu.edu/. Although you can report anonymously, it is preferred that
you share your contact information so they can follow-up with you personally.
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
August 20: Introduction & Expectations

Introduction to the course/instructor; syllabus discussed
Aug 22: Discussion Section (This, like all labs, is a REQUIRED FRIDAY LAB)



Introductions/questions
Political knowledge quiz
PSRSP discussion
Aug 25: Lecture on Democracy in the US

Read = Chapter 1, Fiorina (pp. 3-21)
Aug 27: Lecture on the US Constitution

Read = Chapter 2, Fiorina (pp. 23-45)
Aug 29: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Sept 1: No Class = Labor Day
Sept 3: Lecture on Federalism

Read = Chapter 3, Fiorina (pp. 46-68)
Sept 5. Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Sept 8: Lecture on American Political Culture

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 4 (pp. 69-98)
Sept 10: Lecture on Public Opinion (part I)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 5 (pp. 99-122)
Sept 12: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Sept 15: Lecture on Public Opinion (part II)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 5 (pp. 99-122)
Sept 17: Lecture on Media (part I)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 6 (pp. 123-145)
Sept 19: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Sept 22: Lecture on Media (part II)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 6 (pp. 123-145)
Sept 24: Mid-Term Exam # 1

In-class exam / a blue book is not required, but you will need paper to write on
Sept 26: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Sept 29: Lecture on Political Participation (part I)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 7 (pp. 146-169)
Oct 1: Lecture on Political Participation (part II)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 7 (pp. 146-169)
Oct 3: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Oct 6: Lecture on voting behavior in national elections

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 8 (pp. 170-202)
Oct 8: Lecture on Political Parties (& Interest Groups)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 9 (pp. 203-232)
Oct 10: No Discussion Section = Fall Break
Oct 13: Lecture on Congress

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 10 (pp. 233-262)
Oct 15: Lecture on the Presidency

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 11 (pp. 263-294)
Oct 17: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Oct 20: Lecture on the Bureaucracy

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 12 (pp. 295-327)
Oct 22: Lecture on the Judiciary

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 13 (pp. 328-360)
Oct 24: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Oct 27: Lecture on Civil Liberties

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 14 (pp. 361-388)
Oct 29: Lecture on Civil Liberties II

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 14 (pp. 361-388)
Oct 31: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Nov 3: Mid-Term Exam # 2

In-class exam / a blue book is not required, but you will need paper to write on
Nov 5: Lecture on Civil Rights

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 15 (pp. 389-418)
Nov 7: Discussion Section


Read = Freidman, Foreword & Introduction (pp. 11-28)
Read = Moodle Articles
Nov 10: Lecture on Public Policy (General)

Read = Fiorina, Chapter 16 (pp. 419-450)
Nov 12: Lecture on Health Care

Read = Freidman, Chapter 1 (pp. 29-70)
Nov 14: Discussion Section

Read = Moodle Articles
Nov 17: Lecture on Public Safety

Read = Freidman, Chapter 2 (pp. 71-98)
Nov 19: Lecture Education Policy

Read = Freidman, Chapter 3 (pp. 99-130)
Nov 21: Final Discussion Section


Reminder: Research paper is due at the start of class
Read = Moodle Articles
Nov 24: Lecture on “Measuring Democracy”

Read = Freidman, Chapter 4 (pp. 131-166)
Nov 26: No Class—Thanksgiving Vacation
Nov 28: No Class—Thanksgiving Vacation
Dec 1: Lecture on Equality

Read = Freidman, Chapter 5 (pp. 167-206)
Dec 3: Lecture on Analyzing the Data


Read = Freidman, Chapter 6 (pp. 207-223)
Final Exam Review
Dec 8: (8:00 – 11:00 am): Final Examination in same classroom