Syllabus:

Spring 2024 Poli 1

Instructor Contact Info / Office Hours

Sara Callow

Email:  callowsara@fhda.edu

How Can You Reach Me?

• By Email: (during the week, I commit to a “next day” turnaround time).  Messages sent over the weekend or school breaks may not receive a reply until sometime on the first regular school day.  
• By Online Office Hours via Foothill Zoom!  Every Wednesday, 3-5pm 
  • Click on the calendar icon on the left side of your Canvas menu
  • Make sure you have the calendar for our class (SP24 POLI F001 01W) selected.
  • Click on the date / office hours you would want to make an appointment for
  • Select your specific time and fill it out!
  • Email me if you can't figure it out and we can agree together on a timeframe.
• By Phone:  Please reach out to me via email to schedule a telephone conference if that is your preferred method of communication. 

COURSE OBJECTIVE: 

As described in the course catalogue, this course focuses on a “contemporary analysis of the structure and function of American Government, its constitutional and political systems at the federal, state and local levels. Focus on the following topics: paradigms in the social sciences, models of justice and models of democracy, evolution of American elites and American constitutionalism, role of media in American political culture, political parties and political socialization, concept of the separation of powers: legislative, executive and judiciary branches, protest and protest movements, Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1991”. 

 As we progress through all of these topics, we will be keeping one overarching theme in mind, and that is a focus on democracy – what it means and how well our system fulfills its requirements in both design and practice.  I believe the question, “How democratic is the American system of government?”  is an interesting lens through which to examine the government of the United States, and I hope you will find it an interesting way of looking at things too.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES: 

According to the established student learning outcomes, at the completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Understand and utilize a variety of theoretical approaches to the analysis of institutional/policy outcomes of government
• Demonstrate an analytical use of concepts and research to support hypotheses and conclusions.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: 

This course makes use of a free online textbook from OpenStax.  You do not need to purchase a textbook for this course.  All readings will be incorporated into the assigned modules. 

There will also be additional online readings assigned for many of our learning objectives.  These will also be available on our course Canvas site in the assigned modules.  There may be slight adjustments made to the schedule/assignments as we progress and students are responsible for keeping up with any announced changes.

 

DROPPING THE CLASS:  

Dropping the class and being aware of specific drop dates and their differing penalties is your responsibility!!  Take care to pay attention to these dates and guidelines.  After the drop deadline, I will only support requests to withdraw from this course with a “W” grade if extraordinary personal circumstances exist.

• Please review the specific deadlines around dropping and withdrawing from the class at the Spring 2023 Dates and Deadlines website. 

ATTENDANCE: 

Since this is an online class, we don’t have any sort of daily attendance.  However, there is a unique module for each week of the course, and you must complete each assigned module before the week is over – so “presence” is required online every single week of the course.  There is flexibility within the week, but once the deadline closes for the week, you cannot make up missed material – so absences online DO affect your grade

 

GRADING:

This course has 600 total points available for you to earn. The instructor does not “give” grades; each student earns his or her grade.  Students must pose grading questions within 72 hours after receiving graded assignments in order to receive consideration.  Grading disputes will NOT be considered outside of this timeframe. 

 

Course activities and corresponding points are covered on the next page.  

Points become Grades according to the following chart. You can view your points, but not grades, online.  Please note that the online system will consistently show ALL points that have been available in the class, which includes the extra credit.  Your grades are factored only out of 600 – not the 650 including extra credit.  I do not award A+ grades unless someone earns all 600 points without using the extra credit.

 

 

Point totals	Grade	Percentage
564-600	A	94-100%
540-563	A-	90-93%
522-539	B+	87-89%
504-521	B	84-86%
480-504	B-	80-83%
462-479	C+	77-79%
420-461	C	70-76%
360-419	D	60-69%
0-359	F	0-59%

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

WEEKLY DISCUSSIONS:  

• Every week (except for midterm and final exam weeks) there will be a mandatory discussion.  Participation in this discussion will be worth 15 points.  There are a total of 10 weeks with discussion, and therefore 150 points available through discussion.  Each week, there will be a clearly explained standard for how to earn the 15 points.  These discussions will take place in small groups which I assign and will usually be based on the case studies in the textbook.  Discussions will typically be open on Monday mornings.  Your initial response to the discussion is due on Wednesdays by 11:59pm.  You will have to complete a follow up response to a classmate in the discussion, and that is DUE on Friday evenings by 11:59pm in the week for which they are assigned.  There are no exceptions to the due date.   Grading rubrics are attached to each discussions.  You can view them by clicking the three dots in the upper left hand corner of each discussion and selecting "rubric".

 

WEEKLY QUIZZES: 

• Every week (except for midterm and final exam weeks) there will be a mandatory quiz.  The quiz will be worth 10 points and will consist of consist of questions primarily focused on the chapter(s) of the textbook assigned for the week (though they may occasionally reference the lecture material as well).  You only have one attempt, so you should carefully prepare before starting the quiz.  Quizzes are time limited to 20 minutes.  If you have read the textbook chapter, you should be able to answer most questions quickly and find the answers to the couple that you get stuck on.  However, the time limit will make it difficult for you to succeed if you have not done the reading.  There are a total of 10 weeks with quizzes, and therefore 100 points available through quizzes.  Quizzes will be open on Monday mornings and are DUE on Sunday evenings by 11:59pm in the week for which they are assigned.  There are no exceptions to the due dates for quizzes.  

 

PAPER WRITING ACTIVITIES:  There are two paper assignments in the class.

• Federalism Representation Assignment (50 total possible points): Each student will be required to complete a 50 point assignment that is focused on an investigation of their own elected representatives.  The assignment is posted in the “Syllabus” section of the course and the points available for each question are clearly listed.  The assignment will be graded by question based on how thorough the responses to the questions are.   
• Final Project / Civic Event (100 Points): During the course of the quarter, you will be required to find a civic event that you can attend virtually.  Following this event, you are expected to write a five page paper explaining how this particular event enhanced your understanding of local government / civic institutions / citizen participation.  Your paper should summarize the event in one paragraph and then link your experience to class learning for the remainder of the pages.  Some potential ideas:  town government meetings, school board meetings, political campaign events, various interest group gatherings, civic speeches with a focus on civic topics, lectures at this college or another that address current political topics, protests, volunteering for a candidate, interest group or initiative in some function, etc.  There will be clear instructions and a rubric for this paper posted in the “Course Basics” section of the course on Canvas.  The paper is due in the Week Eleven Module.  I encourage you to find an event you can attend during the first half of the course, attend and take detailed notes on what occurs.  Then, as we progress in the course, you can be adding to your notes as you realize how readings relate to what you experienced/saw.   Writing the paper towards the end of the course should not be a major task if you have taken notes linking it to learnings all the way along.  Late papers will be accepted but will be reduced by one whole grade for each day late.  There will still be a quiz for the week the paper is due, and it will not be postponed. There is NO REASON for you to be writing this paper the night it is due!!  I am happy to meet with people and review paper drafts up to a reasonable point, but will not conduct 100 meetings the week they are due.  I will provide and an “A” paper from last quarter and post it in the “Syllabus” section of the course, along with a rubric.

 

MIDTERM & FINAL EXAMS:

• Midterm Exam (100 Points): The midterm is ONLY open for one week - during the "midterm module"... (beginning on Monday at 8 am and will close on Sunday at 11:59pm).  It will consist of 50 multiple-choice/true-false/fill-in-the-blank questions worth two points each. The exam will be conducted online with a strict time limit of 2 hours.  The midterm will cover material from the book, lecture, and additional materials.  There will not be a makeup exam for the midterm unless you can document severe illness/emergency.  
• Final Exam(100 points): The final exam is scheduled for the week of the "Final Exam Module" and is the only assignment that week. NOTE THAT THIS WEEK ENDS ON A FRIDAY – as required by the college.  The exam will ONLY be open that week!  As a courtesy to students who prefer some weekend time, I will make it available early on Saturday morning before the module would traditionally begin.  The structure of the final exam is identical to the midterm.  It is not cumulative and will cover material presented since the midterm.  The final will cover material from the book, lecture and discussion articles SINCE the midterm. There will not be a makeup exam for the final unless you can document severe illness/emergency. 

OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT

• Optional Extra Credit Assignment (65 possible points):  For students who would like to earn extra credit there are two 25 point assignments and one extra credit discussion.  
  • The larger 25 point assignments are opinion pieces (similar to what you would read in a high-quality newspaper) focused on a particular topic in American Government.  If you choose to do both, you will write both the pro and con of the same issue.  
  • The discussion is similar to our weekly discussions but focused on methodology.
• More details on extra credit can be found in the extra credit module located at the bottom of the modules page.  Extra credit is not accepted late - and there are no exceptions to this policy.  If you want extra credit, you have to plan a bit in advance!

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: 

In the online environment for this class, each assignment is open for at least a whole week (some assignments are available longer!) With this flexibility and also the need to create a cohesive learning environment, there are not generally other exceptions for late work.  The only two assignments accepted late are the papers.  These are subject to a 10% penalty per day late - tardiness is discouraged!  All other deadlines are firm.  If you are suffering from some medical or family emergency, please approach the instructor BEFORE a deadline arrives if you are hoping for an exception.  Exceptions will only be made with firm documentation from a licensed professional outside of your family. 

 

BASIC BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS: 

Students are responsible for knowing all information contained in this syllabus and all information announced on the Canvas website. Students are required to check their email regularly. Students are expected to observe common courtesies in their written communication.  As this course is about politics, sometimes students have strong opinions!  That is okay, but you must make sure your language remains academically based, thoughtful and considerate in tone.  Unless otherwise specified within the assignment, students must complete all assignments individually.  Foothill College expects all students to conduct themselves as honest, responsible and law-abiding members of the academic community and to respect the rights of other students, members of the faculty and staff and the public to use, enjoy and participate in the University programs and facilities. 

SPECIAL NEEDS: 

Students with a disability or with special needs relevant to this course are encouraged to speak with the instructor as soon as possible and to consult with Foothill's Disability Resource Center. (Links to an external site.)

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY: 

Section 420 of the Student Conduct Code describes academic misconduct as including but not limited to plagiarism, cheating, multiple submissions, or facilitating others’ misconduct. Possible sanctions for academic misconduct range from an oral reprimand to expulsion from the university.

 

PLAGARISM: 

Plagiarism is presenting the work of another as one’s own without proper acknowledgement. Paraphrasing or quoting another’s work without citing the source is a form of academic misconduct. Even inadvertent or unintentional misuse or appropriation of another's work (such as relying heavily on source material that is not expressly acknowledged) is considered plagiarism. If you have any questions about using and citing sources, you are expected to ask for clarification.

 

The instructor may require that submitted assignments be evaluated by TurnItIn.com, a web-based service associated with D2L and used by the university to ensure the originality of student work. TurnItIn compares the submitted text against information available on the Internet, databases of journal articles, and millions of student papers previously submitted to TurnItIn. Your submissions will be retained by TurnItIn in its database for the sole purpose of verifying the originality of future papers. Additional information about TurnItIn is available at http://turnitin.com/en_us/training/student-training. Please let the instructor know if you need help or have any concern

 

EMAIL & COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT POLICY:  

I expect that you will check your university email at least every day.  You will be responsible for course changes communicated via email and over course announcements. 

 

FEEDBACK (or HOW I WILL REACH YOU!):  

Although this is an online course, I want everyone to  have the experience of receiving regular feedback.  Where to  find this feedback?  See below for various assignment feedback mechanisms:

• Weekly Discussions:  Initial posts are due on Wednesdays.  By the end of the day Thursday, you can go into your individual graded comments section of weekly discussions to see my comments and questions.  I will not be able to give everyone an individualized comment each week, but I strive to provide individualized comments on a frequent schedule.  At a minimum, you will receive an individualized comment from me every other week, by the end of the day Thursday.  If your initial post is late or will not receive full credit, you WILL get a comment by the end of the day Thursday each time you miss the due date or a key requirement.  No feedback means you are on track and will get a personalized comment next week!  If you are worried about how your discussions are going, checking on these comments regularly will help you stay on track.  After the discussion closes on Friday and all initial and follow-up responses are submitted, I grade via the rubric.  Discussion rubrics are graded within 48 hours of discussion closing - so by Sundays at 11:59 pm you will know your discussion grades and you are encouraged to review the rubric and score you received. 
• Weekly Quizzes: Quizzes are automatically graded as you take them by the course management software.  Your score will be recorded in the grade book.
• Weekly Announcements:  At least once per week, and usually on Sundays or Mondays, I post an announcement to the entire class.  These announcements recap key points, correct misunderstandings, and recognize interesting contributions to our class discussions.  Announcements may come more frequently than once a week but are generally important.  You are responsible for knowing the content of announcements.  Please stay aware of announcements - which are found at the top of the Course Home Page. 
• Longer assignments - feedback on your two paper submissions will likely take me up to a week to complete.  However, where you find my grade, you can expect to receive individualized comments.  I will post an announcement to the entire class when these assignments are graded.

How to Be Successful in the Course!

"Oh, I can do that later. . ."

I want you to be successful in this course. Each week you will have reading, discussion boards, online lessons, and chapter tests to complete. There is a temptation to think in-person activities are more urgent than your online work. The problem is, then your online assignments pile up and you fall behind. Follow the weekly schedule and stay on top of your assignments.

I recommend that you log in at least three times per week to complete your work.  Use the Canvas Calendar and create alerts in your phone or on your computer for lesson due dates or anything else you think you might forget! Set up your Notifications in Canvas as well. (You can receive notifications via text .)

Take your tests from a reliable computer, preferably one with high speed or a t1 line. I will not reopen tests if they are missed or lock up after the day they are due so please give yourself enough time to find a solution if there is a problem.  Take your chapter tests early, well before the 11:59pm cut off time, or you risk the test closing and losing your score.

I'm sure you understand that it is your responsibility to get to a computer to complete your work on time.  Go to school, your local library, or a friend’s house if your computer crashes or your Internet goes down.  Please do not contact me for extra time on assignments.  You have options so I strongly urge you not to wait until the last minute to do your work.

 

Student Activities:

In order to achieve the student learning outcomes you will be evaluated through the following assignments:

• Exams:To assess general knowledge of course material and critical thinking skills, students will course exams.  
• Discussion Forums:To make sure students engage each other over the material, each student will be graded on discussion forums dispersed throughout this course worth points.  These posts must be professional, meaningful and incorporate specific examples from the text or Learning Modules. 
• Civic Event and Federalism Papers:Students will learn more about the operation of local government, how it relates to course learnings and who represents them in government.   
• Reading Assignments:In order to understand what psychologists do (interpret, evaluate and educate), students must complete reading assignments for certain chapters our textbook.  
• Chapter Quizzes:These quizzes are open book, open note quizzes that allow you to check your understanding of the reading.  

 

Time Commitment

Time to complete each module may vary from week to week. If you want to get the most out of the materials presented and earn the best grade you can, you should plan to spend at least 7-8 hours on the reading and assignments each week.