Are You In the Right Course?
Students who have taken a Government or Political Science course at another college or university must contact me immediately by email so that we can make sure you are in the right course. I will need to know where and when you took the course, and the course name and number.
Access Information (Summer II 2008)
Office: Heritage Hall 103
E-mail: eflores@delmar.edu
Phone (Voice Mail): 361/698-1226
Fax: 361/698-2224
Office Hour: Monday-Friday, 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. or by appointment
Web Site: http://www.delmar.edu/socsci/Faculty/Flores/eflores.html
Program Objectives
1. "To analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic,
cultural, and global forces on the area under study."
2. "To comprehend the origins and evolution of U.S. and Texas political
systems, with a focus on the growth of political institutions, the constitutions
of the U.S. and Texas, federalism, civil and human rights."
3. "To analyze, critically assess, and develop creative solutions to public
policy problems."
4. "To recognize and assure one's responsibility as a citizen in a democratic
society by learning to think for oneself, by engaging in public discourse and
by obtaining information through the news media and other appropriate information
sources about politics and public policy."
5. "Gaining factual knowledge (terminology, classifications, methods, trends)."
6. "Learning fundamental principles, generalizations, or theories."
7. "Learning to analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, and points
of view."
Course
Description
GOVERNMENT 2302- AMERICAN GOVERNMENT II
GOVT 2302. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT II: FEDERAL AND TEXAS TOPICS (3-0-3) 4510025125 (TCCN: 2302)
Legislative, executive, and judicial functions at national and state levels; bureaucracies; local governments; domestic policy, including finances,
regulations, and services; foreign policy. Also offered as an online course. Students who have taken a government course at another college or
university should contact an advisor or the Department of Social Sciences before enrolling in a Del Mar College government
course. Also offered as an online course. Prerequisite: ENGL 1301 and 1302 or ENGL 1301 and concurrent enrollment in ENGL 1302. Assessment Levels: R3, E3, M1. Contact me if you do not meet these prerequisites.
Text
American Government and Politics Today-2007-2008 Texas Edition
Schmidt, Shelley, Bardes, Maxwell, Crain
Thomson/Wadsworth Publishers
NOTE: THIS IS A LOOSE-LEAF, THREE-HOLE TEXTBOOK.
.
Student Statement
Each student is required to sign a student statement.
(Click on Powerpoint Reviews for the course you are enrolled in.)
Govt. 2302 Course Outline:
EXAM #1 readings:
A. Congress
Chapter 11
B. The State Legislature
Chapter 23
EXAM #2 readings:
C. The Presidency and the Federal Bureaucracy
Chapters 12 and 13
D. The Governor and the State Bureaucracy
Chapter 24
EXAM #3 readings:
E. The Politics of Taxing and Spending
Chapters 15, 16 and 26
F. Foreign Policy
Chapter 17
FINAL EXAM readings:
G. The Judiciary and the Criminal Justice System
Chapters 14 and 25
H. Political Institutions in the Local Policymaking Arena
Chapter 27
Dates
Summer II 2008 Session
July 8- Classes Begin
August 4 -Last Day to drop a course
August 13 - Written Assignment DUE IN CLASS
August 13-Extra Credit Assignment DUE IN CLASS
August 14 - Final Exam 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (Late Written Assignment and Extra Credit Assignment accepted IN CLASS with 5 point deduction on each assignment. No late assignments accepted after class on August 14.)
Exam Dates
| Government 2302.002 | |
Exam #1: July 16
Exam #2: July 24
Exam #3: August 4
Final Exam: August 14 |
Course Work
Course work consists of four exams (including a comprehensive final) and one major Written Assignment (see below). I will drop the lowest exam grade of exams 1, 2 and 3. Exams counted towards the final grade and the Written Assignment are each worth 25% of the course grade. No make-ups for exams. If you miss another exam, the grade will be zero. The final exam and the Written Assignment grade cannot be dropped. If you do not turn in the Written Assignment or take the final exam, your grade for those assignments will be zero. There will be an extra credit assignment worth 15 points which will be added to the overall number of points in the course before averaging the grades
Exams
Students must provide two scantrons for the exams. We will use the back and front of each scantron.
There will be three exams and one comprehensive (covering new and old material) final exam. Each exam consists of 40 objective questions (multiple choice/true false; 2 points each) and one 25-point essay. Exam questions are drawn from the text, class notes, additional material that may be assigned to the class, and information provided by invited speakers. Exam essays are selected randomly from lists of essay questions distributed to students prior to the exams. One essay will be assigned to the entire class. On the day of the exams, students must write essays on paper provided to them without the assistance of notes, drafts, etc. Students cannot use their own paper to write the essays. All exam material must be turned in upon completion of exam.
In grading essays, I consider the following:
Make-up Policy
No make-ups for exams. I will drop the lowest exam grade of exams 1, 2 and 3. If a student misses another exam, the grade for that exam will be zero.
Extra Credit Assignment
There will be an extra credit assignment worth 15 points which will be added to the overall number of points in the course before averaging the grades. THE ASSIGNMENT IS DUE IN CLASS ON AUGUST 13. LATE EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED IN CLASS ON AUGUST 14 WITH 5 POINT PENALTY. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ACCEPTED AFTER CLASS ON AUGUST 14.
Summary/Evaluations of Six Online Political Editorials, Columns and/or Cartoons (one-inch margins;double-spaced;MLA Style;6-8 pages total) Each summary/ evaluation should be at least a page in length. Works Cited Page AND copies of editorials/columns/cartoons (with publication dates of July 1, 2008 to the present) must be turned in with the summary/evaluation. The Works Cited Page and copies do not count towards the 6-8 pages. THE ASSIGNMENT IS DUE IN CLASS ON AUGUST 13. LATE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED IN CLASS ON AUGUST 14 WITH 5 POINT PENALTY. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ACCEPTED AFTER CLASS ON AUGUST 14.
Students will demonstrate that they can
1. summarize and evaluate 6 political editorials, columns or cartoons found on the editorial (or "opinion," "viewpoints," or "commentary" etc.,) pages of an online newspaper, weekly magazine, TV network website, etc.
2. use the internet and
3. complete a Works Cited Page (Go to http://www.delmar.edu/engl/wrtctr/handouts/mla.pdf for a Del Mar Stone Writing Center handout to see how to site editorials and columns. Under "Three Common Entries," look at #3--"Online source or World Wide Web site.")
The following citation sample for cartoons is from Brief Penguin Handbook:
Cullum, Leo. "Roaming Charges."
Cartoon. Cartoonbank.com. 19 October 1998.
24 Nov. 2001 < http://www.cartoonbank.com/>.
In the first line, "Cartoonbank.com" should be underlined.
The assignment consists of the following: Select 6 editorials, columns and/or cartoons. (The combination--4 editorials, 1 column and 1 cartoon; 3 editorials and 3 cartoons; 6 columns, etc--is up to you.) The length of each summary/evaluation will vary depending on the length of the editorial or column, or if you select a cartoon. But each summary/evaluation should be a minimum of one page.
Summary/Evaluation of Editorials/Columns
1. I strongly recommend that students submit links of editorials/columns for approval so that we can make sure they are columns and editorials (and not articles or letters to the editor).
2. Summarize each editorial or column. What were the main points?
3. Evaluate the editorial or column with the following questions in mind:
a. What was it about the headline that made you want to read the editorial or column? The subject matter interested you? Perhaps it included language that grabbed your attention? Or you thought it was humorous? Were there other reasons you were drawn to it? Give examples to make your point.
b. What writing "tools" or techniques did the writer(s) use? Statistics? Case studies? Humor, etc?
c. Did you find the argument persuasive? Why or why not? Consider: Did you learn something new from the editorial or column? If so, what? Did it make you realize something that you hadn't thought about? Or did the editorial or column reinforce what you already believed?
Summary/Evaluation of Political Cartoons
1. Summarize what the cartoon was about. What political issue or person did the cartoon focus on? What was the message?
2. Evaluate the cartoon with the following questions in mind:
a. What was it about the cartoon that made you select it? The subject matter interested you? The cartoon was visually appealing? In what way? Were there other reasons you were drawn to it? Explain fully.
b. Did you find the cartoon's message persuasive? Why or why not? Consider: Did you learn something new from the cartoon? If so, what? Did it make you realize something that you hadn't thought about? Or did it reinforce what you already believed?
Students must turn in copies of the editorials/columns/cartoons with the summary/evaluation. No points will be earned if copies are not turned in. No points will be earned if they were published prior to the required publication dates. No credit will be given for a summary/evaluation of articles or letters to the editor.
The Summary/Evaluation Assignment is DUE IN CLASS ON AUGUST 13. . LATE ASSIGNMENT ACCEPTED IN CLASS ON AUGUST 14 WITH 5 POINT PENALTY. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS ACCEPTED AFTER CLASS ON AUGUST 14. Observe the following:
a. This assignment can be turned in early.
b. Place all work cited information on one Works Cited page.
c Make the Works Cited page the last page of the assignment.
d. Turn in all Summary/Evaluations together.
e. Staple the assignment. No folders or binders.
f. Keep a copy of this assignment. No assignment--no grade. Keep your extra copy until you receive your final grade for the course.
Two good sources for newspapers are http://www.newspapers.com/ and http://www.refdesk.com/paper3.html . You may also draw sources from other sources such as weekly magazines and network websites. At the websites, you will find the editorials and columns by clicking on words such as
"Opinions"
"Commentary"
"Analysis"
"Views"
"Viewpoints"
"Editorials"
"Contributors"
A very useful source for political cartoons is Daryle Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index at http://www.cagle.com/. You can also find political cartoons at newspaper websites. For example, if you go to http://www.washingtonpost.com and click on "OPINIONS" and then "Tom Toles," you'll see the names of several syndicated cartoonists.
Attendance Policy
Students who do not intend to complete the course should assume responsibility for dropping the course. Do not assume that I will take care of this matter. Students who miss more than four classes may be dropped from the course. Students are responsible for any material, instructions, etc., that they miss due to absences. SEE "DATES" SECTION OF SYLLABUS FOR LAST DAY TO DROP.
Disability Accommodations/Information
"Students requesting disability accommodations or information are encouraged to contact the office of Special Services, Rm. 188 Harvin Center, 698-1298."
Scholastic Dishonesty
"Students are expected to maintain the integrity of the College by avoiding dishonesty in their own behavior and by expecting honest behavior from their fellow students. One of the requirements for passing the courses students take at Del Mar College is that students do their own work. Meeting this requirement means avoiding plagiarism, collusion, and cheating. A full description of this policy is available from the Vice President of Student Development." http://www.delmar.edu/catalog/rights.html#rights4
I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES IN THIS SYLLABUS. STUDENTS WILL BE PROMPTLY NOTIFIED OF THESE CHANGES..top