Political Science PSc 1113 - 001
American Federal Government
MWF
Instructor: Daniel Brown
Time: MWF 8:30 – 9:20
Location: Dale Hall Room 112
E-mail: dpbrown@ou.edu OR dpadraigbrown@gmail.com
Office: Building 4 (South Campus) Room 228
Office Hours: Monday: 2:00 – 4:00 pm; Tuesday: 8:30 – 10:30 am; Thursday: 8:30 – 10:30 am OR by appointment
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: A study of the structure, organization and powers of the executive, legislative and
judicial branches including relationships between state and national governments. Emphasis upon political processes
and popular government, elections, political parties, pressure groups, voting behavior. (3 Credit hours)
COURSE FORMAT: This class will be conducted in a lecture/discussion format. It will include
lectures/discussions and exams utilizing both objective and subjective measures. It meets three times per week for
sixteen weeks.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The goal of this class is to learn.
During this course we will learn more about not only American Government but also how to read, write, and think
more critically.
PSc 1113-001 introduces you to the basic concepts of American Government and politics. This course is designed
to increase your knowledge of the following areas: the theoretical underpinnings of this government, the operation
of American institutions and politics, and the roles citizens play in American governmental processes. The current
American experience is only one of many experiments in organizing public life. As such, it is an on-going adventure
requiring reflection and adjustment.
The themes of majority rule and minority rights, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and power
in representation are prevalent throughout this course. In each of the following parts and in each class, we will ask
ourselves how these concepts affect American politics. Keep these themes in mind throughout the course and focus
upon them in your readings, writings, and dialogue.
This course is also designed to improve your analytical, critical writing, critical thinking, and communications
skills. Remember that your ability to develop and use these skills is as important to you as the information that you
will take from this course.
CONTENT OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course the student will have/will be able to
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Explained the origins of constitutional government.
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Identified and discussed important documents in American political history.
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Described the functions of the three branches of American government.
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Explained federalism and the national/state relationship.
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Assessed the range of the American political spectrum.
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Identified and explained the duties and responsibilities of American citizenship.
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Produce informal writing that gives evidence of personal reflection on political themes
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Produce formal writing that gives evidence of personal reflection on political themes
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Produce formal writing that analyzes and responds to challenging primary and secondary source texts
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Demonstrate knowledge of the United States Constitution and other fundamental texts.
REQUIRED TEXT(S):
Janda, Kenneth, Jeffrey M. Berry, Jerry Goldman, and Kevin W. Hula
The Challenge of Democracy Essentials: American Government in Global Politics, 8th Edition
ISBN-10: 1-111-34191-5
ISBN-13: 978-1-111-34191-6
I will provide access to resources online at the course’s D2L webpage (http://learn.ou.edu).
Other resources to be used in the class may be announced throughout the semester.
My advice is to acquire the required textbook for this course by the cheapest means possible. College is
expensive enough without overpriced books. Please feel free to share the cost of one book with friends and
classmates; buy used copies (even of previous editions of the text) through Internet book retailers (e.g., Amazon,
Half.com, etc.); purchase the book at the University Bookstore or any other bookstore; check the library to see if it
holds a copy, or purchase a much cheaper e-book through the publisher’s website: http://www.cengage.com/us/

Once you are at the publisher’s homepage, look at the top of the webpage, enter the ISBN-10 number,
select the US Higher Education Catalog, and then select “search”. This simple process takes you to the
textbook’s webpage, where you can rent the book, buy an e-book, or buy single select e-chapters, both of
which are compatible with iPad and other e-Readers or your computer.
If you cannot afford the book and you have exhausted all other means of acquiring the book, then please see me for
other options.
I will supply additional required reading material, consisting of academic, magazine, and newspaper articles. Please
see the course schedule at the end of the syllabus for when you should read the book chapters and additional articles.
In general, I also recommend that you visit the Liberty Fund’s Online Library of Liberty (http://oll.libertyfund.org/)
where you can access primary and secondary sources (most of them for free) in electronic format. Some of these
materials I will provide electronically, but feel free to peruse the catalog and read other selections if you’d like.
It is highly recommended that if you do not read a daily newspaper, or use a news aggregator such as Google
Reader, you begin to do so. Much of what is discussed in theory in this class is occurring as we speak per current
events. This includes domestic as well as foreign policy. Appropriate periodicals include: The New York Times, The
Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and The Washington Post. Blogs are also becoming increasingly important as sites
of “new media” to understand politics. I recommend, for example:
 Talking Points Memo (http://talkingpointsmemo.com/)
 The Daily Dish (http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/)
 And/or the following RSS feed: http://uspolitics.about.com/od/politicalcommentary/a/rss_feeds.htm
Keep in mind, however, that many blogs are not necessarily rigorously analytical and may be composed of a good
deal of opinion. Regardless of the media source you select, always implement the rule for this class: check the facts
from more than one source to guard against bias, something of which all media is guilty.
For the exams in this class, you will require a total of four green Scantron forms and a number 2 pencil. For the final
exam, you will also require a Blue Book. I will provide Scantron forms for the exams but you will be required to
purchase a Blue Book. All of these materials are available from the University Bookstore.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Your grade will be based on three primary sources:
 Three multiple choice exams, worth a maximum of 100 points each and drawing from both lecture
materials and assigned readings.
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One multiple choice comprehensive final exam with an additional essay component worth a maximum of
150 points.
o Some of the multiple choice questions on the final will come directly from previous exams. Others
will be new questions.
o The essay portion will consist of a choice of two possible essay questions which you will be
provided with (along with a rubric to allow you to understand the grading criteria) two weeks
before the final exam date. This means that, while you will be required to write the essay in
class during the final exam period, you should have studied for and planned a draft of the
essay prior to arriving at the exam. I would suggest, at the very least, to have devised an
outline of your argument prior to sitting for the final exam. I will be happy to meet with you to
look at a short draft or outline prior to the exam. A good essay should be between 2-5 pages in
length, but I do not necessarily consider length of response when grading. You will require a
“Blue Book” for this portion of the final exam, which I will check prior to the beginning of the
essay portion of the exam. You may use and cite any legitimate resources you see fit as long as
you provide at least a rudimentary citation of the source in your essay. Any citation style is
appropriate, so long as it allows me to track down and verify the source. As with all other
assignments, material from the lecture or readings is fair game.
Ten in-class essay quizzes worth a maximum of 10 points each.
o These short quizzes will consist of answering a question that I pose in class. The question will ask
you to display and apply knowledge acquired from lecture and/or required reading. You should
aim for at least one page of writing in a good answer, but I do not necessarily consider length of
response when grading. I administer these quizzes at my discretion throughout the semester. You
will not be able to make-up a missed quiz under any circumstances.
Participation points
o Participation points will be worth 100 points, the equivalent of one exam grade, and thus comprise
nearly 20 percent of your overall grade.
o These points are accrued based on attendance and class participation.
In short:
Three (3) multiple choice exams at 100 points each…………………………………300 points
Ten (10) in-class essay quizzes at 10 points each……………………………………100 points
One (1) multiple choice and essay Comprehensive Final Exam…………………….150 points
Participation…………………………………………………………………………..100 points
Total:
650 points
NOTE: Final grades in this course will be assigned by a Political Science department-mandated distribution.
The first three exams will take place at our regularly scheduled meeting time and place on the following dates:
Wednesday, September 21: Exam I
Friday, October 28: Exam II
Monday, December 5: Exam III
The Final exam will take place at the time allotted to us on the University’s final exam schedule: Friday
December 16 10:30 – 12:30
No early exams will be given. Make-up exams are allowed only in cases of documented emergencies.
Documentation for an absence and resulting missed exam is due within one week of the absence and prior to
the make-up exam. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor in order to make up an exam. If
you do not notify me prior to the scheduled exam period that you will not make it to the exam, you may not be able
to make up the exam. Even an email or call prior to the exam is sufficient, provided that you present documentation
to legitimize the absence prior to sitting for the exam.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN AND GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS CLASS:
In order to truly succeed in this class, you must be an active student while in class and be a prepared student before
each class. I expect you to complete the reading assignment prior to class and be prepared to take notes. I encourage
you to raise questions and to discuss topic of interest during class. There is no attendance policy for this course;
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therefore, attendance is not mandatory, but repeated absences and tardiness as well as a determination not to
participate will reflect negatively on your participation points for the class and are generally accepted to reflect
negatively on your performance in other areas of the class. Please keep in mind that note taking during lectures is
extremely important to gathering information that I will use to assess your knowledge of the topics covered in this
course.
Being an Active Student: Being an active student in a large, lecture-based class means that you take notes on a
continual basis while in class and be engaged in how I present material and answer various questions. I will help in
this process of note taking and organization by supplying lecture outlines. You should be able to walk out of each
class knowing what I said about each topic/question on the lecture outline.
Being a Prepared Student: You will be prepared for class if you do three activities before each class: (1) Read the
assigned textbook pages and articles before class, (2) take notes on those readings before class, and (3)
review/rewrite/reorganize your notes after each class. Doing these three activities before and after each class will
make being an active listener and note taker while in class much easier. My expectation is that you will learn the
material best if you read it, write about it, hear it, and then study it. As an added benefit, after this course, you should
be more skillful in listening, note-taking, reading, writing, and test-taking, which will only help you during your
wider college career.
Read actively. Take your time with the readings for this class. Don't get bogged down in tough passages, and don't
give up. Instead, always read with an eye toward the big picture and the main ideas the author is working out. Write
down your reactions (including your questions) as you read. Look up words in the dictionary.
Participate in class. Come to class with questions, and ask them. Listen to your classmates and (respectfully)
respond to their ideas. Take a lot of notes. In particular, be sure to take notes on any announcements I make, on the
main ideas that come up in our discussion, on connections with everyday life that are mentioned in class, and on
your reactions to our class discussion.
Get an early start on your essay. Good writing involves (1) active reading and class participation, (2)open-minded
exploratory writing, (3) a solid first draft, (4) multiple revisions, and (5) a final proofreading. Good writing takes
time.
Ask for help. My office hours are listed at the top of the first page of this syllabus. Come talk to me about the
readings or assignments, problems that might keep you from completing your work in this course, topics that have
struck your interest and that you'd like to pursue further, or anything else. Please note that this does not mean that I
will serve as your private tutor to re-teach all materials from a class you missed. It is your responsibility to get notes
from a classmate.
Visit the OU Learning Resource Center on the second floor of Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall in Room 280 (At the top
of the main staircase), or online at http://www.ou.edu/content/writingcenter/Students.html.
REMEMBER: A professor can be no more than a resource. Whether or not you effectively learn and grow
intellectually through this course depends, ultimately, on your own commitment and efforts. My goal in this class is
to provide you with a structure that can help you direct your own learning. Everything else is up to you.
FURTHER POLICIES OF INTEREST:
1. Preparation and Attendance: I expect you to attend every class, to bring with you to class note-taking
materials and the required readings for that day, and to conduct yourself in a courteous and scholarly
manner. There is no mandatory attendance policy for this class, but attendance is counted toward
participation points, and I am only interested in making distinctions between "excused and "unexcused"
absences when it comes to missed exams. I will do you the courtesy of trusting that you will act responsibly
and will miss class only when truly necessary; I will ask that you do me the courtesy of living up to that
expectation. However, regular attendance and thorough preparation are positively correlated with
classroom performance. This means if you show up at each meeting having read and thought about course
materials, you are more likely to improve your grade. Class is much more stimulating when you are
prepared ahead of time – for you and for me. Students are expected to attend every class to receive
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maximum benefits from the course. The student is responsible for all material covered or due during the
absence. Missed assignments will receive a “0” until completed according to the instructor’s guidance.
While I expect you to work hard and to prepare on a daily basis, I will be there to help you. Please come
and see me in my office hours or by appointment. Even if you are not having any difficulty with the
material, please come and see me. My door is always open.
2.
E-mail, Cell phones, and Computers: Please check your email daily. Note that it is your responsibility to
forward mail from your university account to whichever account you check most frequently: Do this right
away. I will use email to communicate with you individually and collectively from time to time. Please
also check “Desire to Learn (D2L)” (http://learn.ou.edu) often to download course content and other
materials, to see announcements that I do not/forgot to email.
With regard to cell phones, please turn them off, on silent or at least vibrate at the start of each class. Any
student observed using a cell phone, listening to an mp3 player, reading non-pertinent class materials
(i.e., studying for another class) will lose participation points and may be asked to leave the class.
Students may – and are encouraged to – use computers to take notes in class; however, if a student’s use of
the computer becomes a disruption for the class and other students, s/he will lose the privilege for that
day. Repeated abuse of this privilege will result in the student being unable to use his/her laptop for
the remainder of the semester
3.
Tardiness: Avoid being late for class. Understandably, sometimes things happen that are out of our control,
but do your best to manage your time. It’s one of the most fundamental keys to success in higher education.
Nevertheless, being excessively or repeatedly late for class is a disruption to the entire class and will result
in the loss of class participation points.
4.
Classroom disturbances: Your actions once in the classroom should take others into consideration. I assume
that this course can be conducted in the spirit of full academic freedom with civility and courtesy.
Accordingly, any member of this course may express any serious idea, point of view, and/or partake in a
serious learning environment without disrespect or extraneous conversation or noise. Whispering, talking
out of turn or interrupting, texting, reading the newspaper, sleeping, disruptive use of the computer,
listening to iPods or other mp3 players during class, early departure (without having notified the instructor
before class starts), racist, sexist, ethnocentric, and other rude behavior are not acceptable in the classroom.
Any student observed taking part in these activities will be removed from the classroom and see their grade
affected negatively.
5.
Disability: The University is happy to make reasonable accommodations for students who have a
documented disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) policy is to provide reasonable
accommodations and services to any student who has documented needs. “Any student in this course who
has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me
personally as soon as possible so we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation
and facilitate your educational opportunities”
Please don’t be afraid to contact me or come to me with problems you’re having or accommodations
that you require. If I cannot solve the problem, I will find someone who can.
If your require assistance, or you have questions related to any accommodations for note-taking, extra time
or a different environment for test-taking, etc., please notify BOTH me and contact the Disability Resource
Center and request appropriate documentation from during at least the first two weeks of class.
The Disability Resource Center is located in the Goddard Health Center, Room 166. They will develop an
individualized plan for accommodations that will be implemented in this class. They can be reached by
phone at (405) 325-3852 (Voice) - (405) 325-4173 (TDD) or by email at drc@ou.edu.
The Disability Resource Center website is http://www.ou.edu/content/drc/home/students.html
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See the University Catalog or Student Handbook for Academic Honesty policies and procedures, and for
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policies and procedures.
6.
Cheating/Plagiarism:
I will follow University policy. The Provost’s Policy on Academic Integrity States:
Academic integrity means honest and responsibility in scholarship. Professors have to obey rules of honest
scholarship, and so do students. Here are the basic assumptions about academic work at the University of
Oklahoma:
(1) Students attend OU in order to learn and grow.
(2) Academic assignments exist for the sake of this goal.
(3) Grades exist to show how fully the goal is attained.
(4) Thus, all work and all grades should result from the student’s own effort to learn and grow. Academic
work completed any other way is pointless, and grades obtained any other way are fraudulent.
Academic integrity means understanding and respecting these basic truths, without which no university can
exist. Academic misconduct – “cheating” – is not just “against the rules.” It violates the assumptions at the
heart of all learning. It destroys the mutual trust and respect that should exist between student and
professor. Finally, it is unfair to students who earn their grades honestly. I have zero tolerance for
academic dishonesty.

NOTE: Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s words, phrases, sentences, or ideas without
proper quotation marks or citations. Be very careful when using Internet sources – it is
unacceptable (and easily recognizable) when a student cuts and pastes material from an Internet
source into a research paper. Such uses of Internet material should be properly cited and
documented. Format standards will be in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style, or any
other legitimate academic style guidelines.
For more information, including a statement on what constitutes academic misconduct and plagiarism, see
OU’s “A Student’s Guide to Academic Integrity” at http://www.ou.edu/provost/integrity.
Cheating or plagiarism will result in an automatic “0” on the requirement, and may result in an F for the
course. The offense will also immediately be reported to the Department Chair for disposition in
accordance with University policy.
7.
Late Assignments: If an assignment is not turned in at the beginning of class on the due date (or appears
magically under my door or in my mailbox after class is over), it is late. Thus, to turn the work in the next
day would be two days late. Each day an assignment is late earns the owner a 20% reduction in the grade.
Students with documented, legitimate emergencies may make arrangements with me.
8.
Incompletes: A situation may arise which compels a student to request an incomplete in the course. The
appropriate University regulations shall govern the granting of such a mark.
9.
Bad Weather: If the University declares that we are operating under ‘inclement weather’ conditions, this
class will not meet, but all assignments for that day – including tests – will be due/take place during the
next class meeting.
10. Professional Obligations: As an instructor, my primary obligation is always to my students. However,
working at research institutions such as the University of Oklahoma, we are expected (and at OU are
required) to engage in scholarly research in our fields of expertise and engage in the academic exchange of
ideas by sharing this research with other scholars. This is an important obligation that the University takes
very seriously and which will occasionally require me to miss class meetings to attend academic
conferences. I have tried to plan the class schedule around these obligations, but at times my absence will
be inevitable. I therefore ask for your understanding on days I am absent in fulfillment of these obligations.
SUMMARY: This syllabus is a very broad outline for the course. Its purpose is to let the student know what is
expected and how to be successful in the course. It represents a contractual arrangement between instructor and
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student to accomplish our educational objectives. The instructor retains the right to modify it and this document as
required to better attain course expectations.
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UNIT I: THE FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
Monday, August 22 – Introduction/Syllabus/How to Succeed in this Class
Wednesday, August 24 – Government: Why and What Kind?
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 1
Hobbes, Thomas, The Leviathan
(Chapter XIII (13); Chapter XVII (17); Chapter XVIII (18); and Chapter XIX (19)).
Benkler, Yochai, “The Unselfish Gene,” Harvard Business Review, 2011.
Darrow, Clarence, “The Nature of the State,” Mises Daily August 12, 2011
Friday, August 26 – Government: Why and What Kind?
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 1
Locke, John, The Two Treatises of Civil Government
Book I: Chapter XI (11): § 106;
Book II: Chapter II (2): § 4; § 6-8; § 13-15; Chapter III (3): All; Chapter IV (4): All; Chapter VII
(7): § 87-94; Chapter VIII (8): §95-99; §111-112; Chapter IX (9): All; Chapter XIX (19): §211;
§220-222.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, The Social Contract and Discourses
Book I: Chapter VI (6); Chapter VII (7); Chapter VIII (8)
Monday, August 29 – The Revolution and Constitution
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 2
The Articles of Confederation
The Declaration of Independence
Wednesday, August 31 – The Revolution and Constitution
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 2.
Adams, John. “Thoughts on Government.” In Frohnen, The American Republic: Primary Sources.
“Letter I: ‘Centinel’ October 1787.” In Frohnen, The American Republic: Primary Sources.
Friday, September 2 – Separation of Powers
Required Readings: Janda, et al.
Levi, Edward H. “Some Aspects of Separation of Powers.”
Madison, James. “The Federalist No. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks
and Balances Between the Different Departments.”
Monday, September 5 – NO CLASS: LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Wednesday, September 7 – Federalism
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 3
Hamilton, Alexander. “The Federalist No. 9: The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic
Faction and Insurrection.”
Hamilton, Alexander. “The Federalist No. 10: The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic
Faction and Insurrection (continued).”
Friday, September 9 – Federalism
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 3
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Hamilton, Alexander. “The Federalist No. 15: Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the
Union.”
Madison, James. “The Federalist No. 51: The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks
and Balances Between the Different Departments.”
Monday, September 12 – Civil Liberties/Civil Rights
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 12-13
Stone, Geoffrey R. “A Culture of Civil Liberties” in Geoffrey R. Stone, War and Liberty: An American
Dilemma: 1790 to the Present. New York: W.W. Norton, 2007: 167-184.
Wednesday, September 14 – Civil Liberties/Civil Rights
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 12-13
McCue, Dan, “High Court Upholds Warrantless Search,” Courthouse News Service, May 15, 2011.
Friday, September 16 – Civil Liberties/Civil Rights
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 12-13
King, Jr. Martin Luther. “A Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
Monday, September 19 – EXAM I REVIEW
Wednesday, September 21 – EXAM I
UNIT II: LINKAGES BETWEEN CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT
Friday, September 23 – Socialization and Public Opinion
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 4
McRaney, David, “The Backfire Effect”
Monday, September 26 – Socialization and Public Opinion
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 4
Wednesday, September 28 – The Media
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 4 (130-145)
Livingston, Steven, “Clarifying the CNN Effect: An Examination of Media Effects According to Type of
Military Intervention,” 1997.
Friday, September 30 – The Media
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 4 (130-145)
Madar, Chase, “Bradley Manning: American Hero – Four Reasons Why Pfc. Bradley Manning Deserves
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Not a Prison Cell.” Al-Jazeera: English
Gellman, Barton, “Julian Assange: Whistle-Blower or Spy? His Belief in the Virtues of Radical
Transparency Has Turned the Diplomatic World Upside Down” Time.
Monday, October 3 – The Media
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 4 (130-145)
Wednesday, October 5 – Interest Groups
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 7
Truman, David, “The Governmental Process (1951)”
Loomis, Burdett. “From the Framing to the Fifties: Lobbying in Constitutional and Historical Contexts.”
Lessig, Lawrence. “How to Get Our Democracy Back: There Will Be No Change Until We Change
Congress.”
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Friday, October 7 – NO CLASS – Instructor Commitment
Monday, October 10 – Interest Groups
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 7
Mills, C. Wright, “The Power Elite”
NOTE: You have extra time to read this work, so take your time.
Hodge, Nathan, “Dogfight Erupts Over Costly Jet Engine,” Wall Street Journal.
Daily Mail, “A Fifth of All Congressmen Taking Paid-for Holidays to Israel this Summer.”
Wednesday, October 12 – Political Parties
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 6
Gillespie, Nick and Matt Welch, “Death of the Duopoly,” Wall Street Journal.
Friday, October 14 – Political Parties
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 6
Greenberg, Stanley B. “Why Voters Tune Out Democrats,” The New York Times.
Monday, October 17 – Campaigns, Elections, and Participation
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 5-6
Karpowitz et al., “Tea Time in America-The Impact of the Tea Party Movement on the 2010 Midterm
Elections”
Seib, Gerald F. “Democrats Try to Crack Mystery of the Missing Voters,” Wall Street Journal.
Wednesday, October 19 – Campaigns, Elections, and Participation
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 5-6
Cillizza, Chris, “President Obama and the “are you better off” question,” The Washington Post.
Levitz, Jennifer, “Tea Parties Turn to Local Issues,” Wall Street Journal.
Friday, October 21 – Campaigns, Elections, and Participation
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 5-6
Monday, October 24 – Campaigns, Elections, and Participation
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Chs. 5-6
Wednesday, October 26 – EXAM II REVIEW
Friday, October 28 – EXAM II
UNIT III: AMERICAN POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS
Monday, October 31 – The Legislative Branch: Congress
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 8
Wilson, Woodrow. “Congressional Government.”
Wednesday, November 2 – The Legislative Branch: Congress
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 8
Packer, George. “The Empty Chamber: Just How Broken is the Senate?”
Friday, November 4 – The Legislative Branch: Congress
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 8
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Monday, November 7 – The Executive Branch: The Presidency
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 9
Neustadt, Richard E. “Presidential Power: The Power to Persuade”.
Wednesday, November 9 – The Executive Branch: The Presidency
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 9
Rudalevige, Andrew, “The Contemporary Presidency: The Decline and Resurgence and Decline and
Resurgence of Congress: Charting a New Imperial Presidency.”
Friday, November 11 – The Executive Branch: The Presidency
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 9
Monday, November 14 – The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 11
Casper, Jonathan D. "The Supreme Court and National Policy Making"
Wednesday, November 16 – The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 11
Friday, November 18 – The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 11
Monday, November 21 – The Executive Bureaucracy
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 10
Brownlow, Louis, et al. “Report of the President’s Committee on Administrative Management (1937)
Wednesday, November 23 – Sunday, November 27
NO CLASS THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Monday, November 28 – The Executive Bureaucracy
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 10
Allison, Graham T. “Conceptual Models and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1969)”
Note: Focus principally on Allison’s argument as it relates to bureaucracy and how it functions.
You have extra time to read this work, so take your time.
Wednesday, November 30 – The Executive Bureaucracy
Required Readings: Janda, et al. Ch. 10
The Economist, “The Bureaucrat and the Human Condition: Bureaucracy in America.”
Friday, December 2 – EXAM III REVIEW
Monday, December 5 – EXAM III
December 12 – December 16: NO CLASS/NO OFFICE HOURS
INSTRUCTOR COMMITMENT
Friday, December 16 – COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM – 10:30 – 12:30
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PSc 1113: American Federal Government – Syllabus/Course Agreement
I, ___________________, acknowledge that I have read the syllabus for this course and understand its substantive
contents, as summarized below:
I understand that my grade in this course will be determined by Three (3) 50 question multiple choice exams at 100
points each (300 points); Ten (10) in-class essay quizzes at 10 points each (100 points); One (1) 50 question multiple
choice and essay Comprehensive Final Exam (150 points); and Participation points worth 100 points, for a total of
650 points. _______
I understand that no early exams will be given and that it is my responsibility to inform the instructor if I am unable
to sit for an exam during the scheduled time. I understand that I have one week from the missed exam period to
bring the instructor documentation. After this week, no documentation will be accepted and I will not be allowed to
make up the exam. _______
I understand that no extra credit points are planned and should not be requested. Any extra credit will be dispensed
to the class as a whole at the discretion of the instructor. _______
I understand that my attendance is positively correlated to my success in this course. I understand that excessive
undocumented absences and repeated tardiness will reflect negatively on my grade. _______
I understand that if I am ill or have an unchangeable requirement which prevents class attendance, I may petition the
instructor for excusal of that particular absence, but it is entirely my responsibility to contact the instructor and
provide justification. I understand that I have one week from the missed class period to bring the instructor
documentation. _______
I understand that it is my responsibility to get any notes and/or assignments from classmates on days that I am
absent. I understand that the instructor will not provide notes. _______
I understand that whispering, talking out of turn, texting, reading the newspaper, sleeping, disruptive use of
technology during class, early departure (without having notified the instructor before class starts), racist, sexist,
ethnocentric, and other rude behaviors are not acceptable in the classroom and will result in a reprimand including
being asked to leave the class and seeing a reduction in my grade. _______
I understand that I may use computers to take notes in class but I understand that if I am observed abusing computer
privileges, I will lose the privilege of using my laptop in class for that day. Repeated abuse of this privilege will
result in being unable to use my laptop for the remainder of the semester. _______
I understand that assignments not turned in at the prescribed time are automatically late and will continue to lose
20% per day that the assignment is late. _______
I understand cheating and plagiarism and that there is a zero tolerance policy. _______
I understand that it is my responsibility to ensure that my email and D2L accounts are set-up and working and to
frequently visit and maintain them. _______
I understand that the instructor reserves the right to lower my grade if I do not adhere to any of these policies.
_______
I understand that the syllabus and course may be changed at any time in order to better meet course expectations.
_______
__________________________
Signature
_______________ Date
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