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° Department of Political Science
° Symposium 4 on Terrorism - November 7, 2001
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°GradeA gradebook
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° PS103 Tutorials - Learning Assistance Center
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° Student Essays
° Papers by Professor Renka:
    ° Madison and Federalism
    ° Pre-Primary in 2000
    ° Primary Predictions
    ° The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Polling

PS103 Syllabus - Fall 2001
Professor Russell Renka

Internal links:
° Introduction
° Course Textbook and Reader
° Course Requirements and Credits
° Source Citations and Source Locations
° What's Expected of You
° How to Reach Me
° Weekly Readings and Examination Itinerary

Introduction                  Top

    This course covers the government and politics of the United States and its states, including Missouri.  Governments have special authority granted to no other organizations--the power to make laws and regulations and to enforce them, and to collect taxes from all of us.  Government is a nearly universal way human beings regulate themselves and their fellows.  This course introduces the fundamentals of American politics and government in a university studies context.  Coverage of topics is by national standard reflected in any competent introductory textbook.  Included here is state-required coverage of  federal and state constitutions.  There are no formal course prerequisites, although I assume nearly all of you have some background in civics and U.S. history courses.

    Politics has been defined as "the art of the possible."  To understand politics is to get beyond the dry civics and legal formalities of government structure and function.  A formal diagram of "how a bill becomes law" exists in every textbook.  Politics explains why a particular bill becomes law and another falls short, by injecting the motives and assets of politicians to gain insight.  For example, the Republican-majority 104th Congress passed a minimum wage increase in 1996 despite the traditional Republican disdain of such measures and the ardent hostility of many Members of Congress toward it.   Politics explains how that could happen--as we shall see.  Many Americans in 2001 deeply dislike politics and politicians, but it's impossible to understand government without politics.  And any effective citizenship in a democracy requires some real knowledge of politics along with the formal principles of its governance.

    This course is taught at three levels.  Some material is basic description, such as an outline of the trimester system set forth in the Supreme Court's highly controversial Roe v. Wade abortion decision, or a specification of what the First Amendment says about freedom of speech.  Some is analytic; once you know basics, you can interpret whether the distinction in law of first and second trimesters makes sense based on what we know from medical research, or whether public tobacco advertising should be classified as commercial speech.  And ultimately you confront the evaluative or judgmental; you ultimately decide what if anything to accept in Roe v. Wade or in tobacco advertising. 

    All have the objective of enabling you to understand what you read or hear in the public realm, and to react as an informed consumer and citizen.  Essay portions of exams are designed to let you show knowledge at each of these levels.

    This course emphasizes two core university studies objectives (all listed at School of University Studies - University Studies Objectives) .  First is effective citizenship.  Plainly put, the course enhances your ability to be an informed participant and knowledgeable consumer.  This does not mean I promote an automatic acceptance of the American status quo; quite the contrary, blind acceptance is a fool's path.  The second, equally important objective is to master locating and gathering information.  Few things are more confusing to the average American than to figure out sources of the myriad effects our government has upon our lives.  Website access is a great help, but one must still learn navigation and acquisition skills.  Several assignments are therefore designed to ensure that you become conversant in web usage beyond the simple use of search terms in your favorite search engine.

Course Textbook and Reader:        Top

    The text is:  Patterson, Thomas E.  2001.  The American Democracy, 5th ed., Election Edition, with Supplement:  Missouri Government and Politics (following the Subject Index after pp. I-1 to I-18).  Boston:  McGraw Hill.  It is at Textbook Service.  The McGraw Hill associated website for Patterson is at McGraw-Hill Online Learning Center - Student Center [http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/polisci/patterson5/student_index.mhtml ] with access to each chapter.  All chapters have an extensive set of features, including self testing.  I highly recommend that you take the multiple choice self test on each and every chapter.  There is also a book-wide Glossary of Terms, and an Internet Guide.  Two special features are included:  Impeachment and Trial of former President Clinton in 1998-99, and The Millenial Election Overview including the 2000 presidential election.

    The Reader (a collection of articles) is at Southeast Bookstore on shelves referring to my two PS103 sections (03, 04), is:  Cigler, Allan J., and Burdett A. Loomis, eds.  2001.  American Politics:  Classic and Contemporary Readings, 5th ed.  Boston:  Houghton Mifflin.

    I also have readings written by me and posted on website links.  These are shown below in the Itinerary.

 PS103 Course Requirements and Credits                             Top

Examinations:  The 16-week course has four sections, each ending with an examination worth 200 points.  Each exam has two sections, multiple-choice, and essay, worth 100 points each.

    The multiple choice questions cover all readings, classroom materials, and other materials we may address during that four-week period.  These questions combine the basic and the analytic, but largely bypass the judgmental (although some will require you to recognize an opinion of a writer or your instructor on an issue raised in class and/or readings).  On the proportion of questions taken directly from reading, v. those taken from lecture:  I don't know, since both are important, and single items often blend both.      Net Value:  100 points per exam, 400 points in all

    The take-home essays are written on your choice from two or three essay options on a basic problem cited in that section.  You'll normally have five days to write a paper of about 2.5 to 3 honest pages with appropriate citation of your sources.  Each option basically consists of a closely related set of 2 or 3 queries; for old questions, see Essay Questions.  These require you to integrate class material and readings to address that issue.  Typically the first part is basic; for instance, show the legal distinction made by Roe v. Wade between each trimester of pregnancy.  The next part requires analysis; for instance, explain why the end of the second trimester is so crucial to the abortion issue.  Finally is judgment; considering what you've said before, do you finally accept or reject the Roe v. Wade trimester distinction?      Net Value:  100 points per exam, 400 points in all

    The fourth examination covers material from Weeks 13 through 16 only.  Essay is done during Week 16, and the multiple-choice part is done on the date of the final.  There is no comprehensive final exam.

Review for Exams:  Before each in-class exam I conduct an afternoon review session, to be announced in class after we discuss what time would be best for you.  Also, McGraw-Hill Online Learning Center - Student Center has a self-administered multiple choice test for each of the 21 text chapters.  I strongly recommend you use those right after doing the reading, before the exam, or both.  In Cigler and Loomis, you can review by using their introduction to each Chapter.

Polling:  I teach about polling because it is such an important technique in modern life for learning about people.  It's also a very attractive way to lie or mislead.  The web has opened the polling world to millions of people, many of whom have no idea how to tell among The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Polling.  So I'll be assigning you to do just that in Week 5 on the  Itinerary.        Value:  50 points

Political Science and other Forums:  Our Department will conduct at least two public forums this fall (details forthcoming).  You should plan to attend at least two; or if that's impossible, then find comparable events elsewhere such as Common Hour events.  If you write an adequate summary of what took place, each Forum is worth 50 points.   Total Value:  100 points.

Bulletin Board:  My PS103 classes share one Ultimate Bulletin Board discussion site for material pertinent to this class.  Every student is expected to read the Board and make periodic postings of his or her own on a relevant site.  See Posting on the Board for getting registered and started on the Board.  This site will include material covered in class, give you room for opinions on public topics, and provide news on other political happenings.  It's ideal for asking what something in lecture or readings is about.  I expect one posting per person per week with significant substance.  I'll inventory participation each week and post your points over the weekend in the GradeA gradebook.  Remember:  credit applies only to meaningful participation, that is, saying something that contributes to furtherance of a conversation on one or more appropriate topics.  Value:   6 points per week, up to 100 points total.

    In summary, points are allotted by:
Examinations - multiple choice sections   400 points (100 per exam)
Examinations - take-home essays           400 points (100 per exam)
Miscellaneous short assignments             50 points
Polling Assignment                                 50 points
Political Science Forums                        100 points
Bulletin Board                                      100 points
All assignments - possible:                    1100 points

Grades:  GradeA gradebook will post interim grades to let you keep up with your assignments and grades.  Each of you has a unique Username (your first initial capitalized, plus last name with first initial capitalized, as in "RRenka") and Password (last four digits of your SS number--but I can change that to another term if you give me one).

Source Citations and Source Locations               Top

    Essay writing in PS103 means using and citing sources, including but not limited to those cited as reading in this Syllabus.  Use any style guide you wish, but do not fail to cite the source when copying or paraphrasing a source.  If you have an established major, use the style guide from that profession.  I don't care which one you use in PS103; just pick one and be consistent in its use.  As a time-saver, whenever you use class readings as sources, you can copy the formal citation straight from this syllabus Itinerary and paste it to your paper.

    For internet source citations, see Poly-Cy Guide to Internet Resources for Political Science - Style and Web Site Citation Guides.  Or consult the Reference Desk at Kent Library.  See also Kent Library - Online Databases.  For extensive website references on American government, see  University of Michigan Documents Center, especially its Political Science Resources:  United States Politics.  

What's Expected of You:                          Top

Attendance:  Those who attend typically do well, and absentees typically do not.  Attend each class session unless there’s a valid reason to miss (i.e., personal illness or ill child, death in immediate family, motorcycle wreck, full blown Midwestern blizzard, New Madrid Fault disturbance of 6.0 or greater magnitude on Richter Scale, Armageddon witness).  We often use class discussion for short writing assignments and/or assignments to find relevant information from journals, the library, or websites (per Miscellaneous assignments, cited above).  Some of these are impromptu, and it’s often difficult or impossible to compensate by asking later that I email you the assignment details.  Use email or telephone voice mail to advise me if you will miss or have missed class.  

Lateness to class:  Just come in quietly.  I don’t encourage deliberate lateness, but traffic, weather, and professors in earlier classes all can cause you to arrive at five after the hour.   If you routinely amble in ten minutes late without a reason, then you can find a new class.  On my part, we have a clock in class, and I'll try to close on time.

**On plagiarism:  The Student Handbook says "plagiarism is the act of passing someone else's work off as one's own. In addition, plagiarism is defined as using the essential style and manner of expression of a source as if it were one's own. If there is any doubt, the student should consult his/her instructor or any manual of term paper or report writing. Violations of academic honesty include:
    1. Presenting the exact words of a source without quotation marks; 
    2. Using another student's computer source code or algorithm or copying a laboratory report; or 
    3. Presenting information, judgments, ideas, or facts summarized from a source without giving credit."

     That's pretty clear, yet plagiarism still crops up with distressing regularity.  I cannot and will not accept any work except your own!  In academic circles, proper recognition of authorship is the gold standard.  We are all required to maintain the currency.  You may use any source, so long as you properly distinguish what’s truly yours from what is borrowed from and attributed to someone else.  Note:  I did not plagiarize the University's statement, since it's attributed to its proper source.  Another source on plagiarism is More about Plagiarism from Dr. Dennis Holt. 

Services and Special Needs:  Just advise me directly if you have specific difficulties that I can help you handle.  For example, I'll do oversized-print handouts if someone is visually impaired so that the usual 12-point type doesn't work; or you can use computer-assisted expansion of hypertext.  There is an Accessibility Plan at .  The Learning Assistance Center offers tutorial assistance.  And special needs or not, I urge everyone to freely use The Writing Center, including their Proofreading.

How to Reach Me:                              Top

    I have an open door policy, and can very often be found at or near my office computer.  My office is Carnahan (Social Science) 211-L right next to the classroom (Room 202).  The Department of Political Science is also located at Room 211; you can leave messages for me there if I am absent.  In general, I can be reached as follows:
        a)      Leave a message at my Department mailbox or with the department office in Carnahan 211.
        b)      Leave a message at the mail drop outside my door at Carnahan 211-L.
        c)      Place a voice mail message at my office telephone number, (573)651-2692.
        d)      Email me at rdrenka@semo.edu.
        e)      If you’re out of town and cannot send a paper or assignment by email, then FAX it to 573/651-2695.
        f)    Consult my Home Page (URL: http://cstl-cla.semo.edu/renka) for other details about myself and my courses, including this syllabus.

PS103 Weekly Readings and Examination Itinerary - Professor Renka - Fall 2001     Top

°Southeast Academic Calendar - Fall 2001

Week 1 - August 20-24     Politics, Public Goods, and Government
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 1 - The American Heritage
    Patterson Appendix A-1 - The Declaration of Independence
    Cigler and Loomis Reader, selection 1.1 - Jack N. Rakove, "A tradition Born of Strife"
    Patterson Chapter 2 - Constitutional Democracy

Week 2 - August 27-31   Constitutional Foundations of Democracy
Readings:
    Reader selection 9.1 - James Madison,  Federalist No. 10
    website reading - Russell D. Renka, Madison and Federalism
    Selection 1.2 - Charles A. Beard, "An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States"
    1.3 - John P. Roche, “The Founding Fathers:  A Reform Caucus in Action”
    1.4 - James Madison, Federalist No. 51
    1.5 - Burt Solomon, "What Were They Thinking?" (origins of Electoral College)

Week 3 - September 4-7      Federalism; U.S. and State Constitutions
Monday, September 3:  Labor Day; no class
Readings:  Patterson Appendix A-4- The Constitution of the United States
    Patterson Chapter 3 - Federal Government
    Patterson Supplement - Missouri Government and Politics by Rick Althaus
    Reader selection 2.2 -  McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
    Sel. 2.3 - John D. Donahue, "The Devil in Devolution"
    2.4 - Martha Derthick, "American Federalism:  Half-Full or Half-Empty?"
    
Week 4 - September 10-14      Civil Liberties and Equal Rights
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 4 - Civil Liberties
    3.1 - Near v. Minnesota (1931)
    3.2 - Fred Friendly, "From the Saturday Press to the New York Times"
    3.3 - Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
    3.4 - Jeffrey Rosen, "Why Privacy Matters"
    3.5 - Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
    3.6 - Alexander Nguyen, "The Assault" (on Miranda warning)
    Patterson Chapter 5 - Equal Rights
** Exam no. 1 - Th and F, September 13,14 (multiple choice, in class); essays topics are handed out at exam's end and are due by class time five days later 

Week 5 - September 17-21     Public Opinion and Polls
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 6 - Public Opinion and Political Socialization
    4.1 - Benjamin Ginsberg, "Polling and the Transformation of Public Opinion"
    4.2 - Molly W. Sonner and Clyde Wilcox - "Forgiving and Forgetting:  Public Support for Bill Clinton During the Lewinsky Scandal"
    4.3 - David S. Broder and Richard Morin - "A Question of Values"
    4.4 - Dana Milbank, "I Hear America Ringing"
    website - Russell D. Renka, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Polling

Week 6 - September 24-28     Political Participation and Voting
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 7 - Political Participation and Voting:  Expressing the Public's Will
    5.1 - Micah L. Sifry, "Finding the Lost Voters"
    5.2 - Michael Schudson, "Voting Rites:  Why We Need a New Concept of Citizenship"
    5.3 - Robert D. Putnam, "Bowling Alone:  America's Declining Social Capital"

Week 7 - October 1-5      Elections and Political Parties
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 8 - Elections and the Two-Party System:  Defining the Voters' Choice
        6.1 - Kay Lawson, "Why We Still Need Real Political Parties"
        6.2 - Everett Carll Ladd, "Of Political Parties Great and Strong"
        6.3 - John Kenneth White and Daniel M. Shea, "Creative Party Finances in the Information Age"

Week 8 - October 8-10         What Was That All About Last November in Florida?
Fall Break:  Th and Fr, October 11-12
Readings:  Patterson Chapter 9 - Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns:  Contesting Elections
      7.1 - Burt Solomon, "Presidency--Disunity for All"
       7.3 - Robert Dreyfuss, "Rousing the Democratic Base"      
        website:  Law and Data:  The Butterfly Ballot Episode by Henry Brady et al., in PS Online, March 2001; see a copy of the infamous Palm Beach County ballot itself, at The Sun-Sentinel Virtual Ballot 
       website:  Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections - 2000 election results, with each state shown county by county for the 3000-plus U.S. counties
        website reference sources:  Elections 2000 - Florida election recount, from U of Michigan Documents Center; Miami Herald: Who Won?

Week 9 - October 15-16    ** Exam no. 2 -  Multiple Choice part; essay (on the Florida election) will be posted in advance and will be due by Thursday, October 18 (TR class) or Friday, October 19 (MWF class)

Week 9 - October 17-19     Linkage Institutions:  Interest Groups
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 10 - Interest Groups
        7.2 - Alan Ehrenhalt, "Political Pawns" (on outside money in campaigns)
        9.2 - Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "Lobbyists--Why the Bad Rap?"
        9.3 - Theda Skocpol, "Associations without Members"
        9.4 - Allan J. Cigler and Burdett A. Loomis, "From Big Bird to Bill Gates:  Organized Interests and the Emergence of Hyperpolitics"

Week 10 - October 22-26      Linkage Institutions:  The News Media
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 11 - The News Media
        Sel. 8.1 - Joshua Meyrowitz, "Lowering the Political Hero to Our Level"
        8.2 - Thomas E. Patterson, "Bad News, Bad Governance"
        8.3 - Scott Stossel, "Echo Chamber of Horrors" (on Florida election fiasco)

Week 11 - October 29-November 2    The U.S. Congress
Readings:  Patterson, Ch. 12 - Congressional Election and Organization
    website:  Presidents and Congresses from Russell D. Renka
    Sel. 10.1 - Kenneth A. Shepsle, "The Changing Textbook Congress"
    10.2 - Lee H. Hamilton, "Ten Things I Wish Political Scientists Would Teach About Congress"
    10.5 - Richard E. Cohen, "Crackup of the Committees"

Week 12 - November 5-9    The Congress
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 13 - Congressional Policymaking
    Sel. 10.3 - Sarah A. Binder, "Going Nowhere:  A Gridlocked Congress?"
    10.4 - Mark Murray, "King of the Roads" (about Bud Shuster)
**Exam no. 3 - (multiple choice, in class); essays topics are handed out at exam's end and are due by class time five days later    

Week 13 - November 12-16      The Modern Presidency
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 14 - Presidential Office and Election:  Leading the Nation
    website:  Presidential Elections through 2000 from Russell D. Renka
    Sel. 11.1 - Richard E. Neustadt, "The Power to Persuade"
    11.2 - Robert A. Dahl, "Myth of the Presidential Mandate"
    11.3 - Evan Thomas, "Why Clinton Won" (on impeachment)
    11.4 - Carl M. Cannon, "Promises, Promises"

Week 14 - November 19-20     Presidency
Thanksgiving Break:  November 21-23
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 15 - Presidential Policymaking:  Eliciting Support
   Sel. 12.4 - Norman Ornstein and Thomas Donilon, "The Confirmation Clog"
    website:  Bipartisan Governing: Possible Yes; Likely No by Barbara Sinclair, in PS Online, March 2001

Week 15 - November 26-30     The Judiciary
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 17 - The Federal Judicial System
    Sel. 13.3 - Richard A. Posner, "What Am I?  A Potted Plant?"
    13.4 - Stuart Taylor, Jr., "The Tipping Point"

Week 16 - December 3-7    Wealth and Poverty
Readings:  Patterson Ch. 18 - Economic and Environmental Policy
    Sel.14.4 - Allen Schick, "A Surplus, If We Can Keep It"

Finals Week - December 10-14 
    Section 03 (TR 9:30) - Thursday, December 13, 8:00 -10:00 a.m.
    Section 04 (MWF10) - Monday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

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