Political Science 2320: Functions of American Government. ONLINE - FALL 2017

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1 Political Science 2320: Functions of American Government. ONLINE - FALL 2017 Course description: This course is a study of functions performed in the American system of government, both national and state, within the framework of the U.S. and Texas Constitutions. POSI 2320 Sections: 12893(010), 12895(011), 15422(012) & 16794(016) Instructor: Blake Farrar Instructor s office: UAC 326/Virtual Online Office; bf18@txstate.edu Departmental phone: Office Times: T/Th. 11:30am-2pm. Please to schedule an appointment. All students are required to have an active Texas State . Please include your full name and course information in all s. I will do my best to respond as soon as possible and within 48 hours during weekdays, also by Mondays if sent during the weekend. If I do not respond within 48 hours please feel free to follow up with a friendly reminder. General Education Core Curriculum (Code 070) Political Science Component Area Outcomes: Students will analyze governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations. Core Objectives: Critical Thinking: o Students will demonstrate creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information. Communication: o Students will effectively develop, interpret and express ideas through written, oral and visual communication. Social Responsibility: o Students will demonstrate intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities. Personal Responsibility o Students will relate choices, actions and consequences to ethical decisionmaking.

2 Additional Departmental Learning Outcomes: Outcome 1: Students analyze governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations. Students will demonstrate their ability by explaining the impact of the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution on civil liberties. Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate their ability by evaluating and synthesizing knowledge of the judicial review and due process at both the federal and state level. Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate their ability by interpreting and expressing ideas about the impact of the U.S. Constitution and the Texas Constitution on civil rights. Outcome 4: Students will demonstrate their ability by expressing their knowledge of civic responsibility by analyzing the rights and responsibilities of citizens on individual behavior. Outcome 5: Students will demonstrate their ability by expressing how issues and policies in U.S. and Texas politics impact regional, national, and global communities. Required Text: There is a Texas State Political Science Custom E-Book required for this class. American and Texas Politics - POSI 2320 Custom Access Code ISBN: You will register your e-book and access online practice questions/assessments at: Register for your McGraw-Hill account using your formal (Texas State) name and your Texas State address. A. It is recommended that you purchase the Access Code from the Texas State University Bookstore. If there are no Access Codes at the Bookstore, you can purchase online directly from McGraw-Hill. B. THERE WILL BE A SPECIFIC LINK FOR EACH COURSE/PROFESSOR ON THE CLASS TRACS SITE. This is how you will register your e-book and access your online assessments and assignments.

3 C. Register for your McGraw-Hill account using your formal (Texas State) name and your Texas State address. If you do not, your grades cannot be uploaded to TRACS. D. If you re having trouble registering, get help here: or call here: Texas State unique contact. Please be sure to get a case number for your reference. E. You are NOT required to purchase a paper version of this text; however, you may do so from the publisher for $30 shipped to your home. NOTE: This is a custom Texas State product, and therefore only the access cards at the San Marcos bookstores or access purchased directly through your instructor course TRACS site links will work. If you purchase a Connect access card from an outside vendor (Amazon.com, Chegg.com, etc.) it will not work with this Connect course and you will still have to purchase the correct access to complete required assignments and assessments. Whether you purchase this product at the Texas State University Book Store, a local San Marcos bookstore, or directly from the publisher, you will access the product directly from the class TRACS site by clicking on AM & TX E-Book located on the left side menu buttons. Once you open that button, you will Click here to launch this tool in a new window. When the new window opens, click Connect to create an account. Be sure to use your Texas State Bobcatmail and an easy to remember password. Once you ve created your account, you will enter the access code you purchased at the bookstore or click purchase to obtain access to the e-book directly from the publisher. Student homework assignments and assessment quizzes are submitted directly via this online format associated with the e-book, therefore, it is IMPERATIVE that you purchase the exact ISBN noted above to obtain the correct access. TRACS Requirements: All students must have an active Texas State account and be able to access online materials. You may activate it online at Click on Online Services, then on CATSWEB. Click on Students, and under Online Services click Activate My Net ID. With an active Texas State account, students may access online course materials posted to TRACS. Course Structure: This course will be taught strictly ONLINE and all requirements can be completed on a computer with a reliable Internet connection and updated browser software. It is important that you make sure that your Java, Adobe Flash and Internet Browsers software are up to date. For the best results it is recommended that you use Firefox as your browser for this course. There are no synchronous meetings online or times that you will be required to be on campus. Much of the course is structured around weekly deadlines, so it will require a significant amount of individual initiative to complete the course satisfactorily. However, you are advised to work ahead as you can.

4 Connect/Assessments: 1) There will be Connect Learn Smart E-Book Readings and Practice Questions assigned for each of the 4 Topics to be completed online via the Connect E- Book menu button on our TRACS site or the link provided above. Once you access the assigned E-book chapter, click on the Practice button on the bottom left hand side of the screen. These activities are designed to improve student comprehension and overall performance. Each topic contains a number of chapters and the topic grades are averaged to account for 4 points for a total of 16% of your course grade. 2) There will be 4 Connect Topic Assessment Quizzes, one at the end of each topic. These quizzes are connected to the reading and activities assigned for each topic. The four assessment quizzes will each account for 4 points for a total of 16% of your course grade. In order to access the assessment quizzes you must complete each of the Make-up s will NOT be administered in Connect. All Connect items must be completed before 11:59pm the day of the deadline listed in the syllabus. s: Students will complete one TRACS per Topic. These assignments can be found within the Topic Lessons but also on the s or Assessments page in TRACS. Each assignment is worth 5 points each for a total of 20% of your course grade. Forums: Participation will be graded via discussion board topics, located in the FORUMS page in TRACS. Active participation in the forums is essential. There will be a required Introduction Post (worth 3pts and 3 replies to other group members each worth 1pt). There will also be 4 forum topics relating to the Course Materials or Current Events. Students will be divided into groups alphabetically, group assignment information will be provided in the Introduction Forum. Students are required to comment on the initial topic prompt and to post 2 meaningful replies to other students' posts per topic. These Discussion Posts will be graded once the response deadline has past. The Topic Posts will be worth 5 points and each reply will be worth 2 points (except for the Intro Post/Replies). If you have any questions about the topics, format of the posts, or your grade please do not hesitate to post a question to the General Course Questions Forum. A grading rubric for forums is provided in the RESOURCES page TRACs as well. Late forum posts are accepted for partial credit on a sliding scale, as long as you contact me and submit your post within one week of the original deadline. Netiquette: The class will discuss political issues that are complex and often controversial. Students are expected to act with respect to others and the topics we tackle. Understanding that there are multiple views to most issues (otherwise they would not be issues) is the first step to opening a dialogue. No threatening or abusive behavior will be tolerated. I don t expect any issues to arise, but if you have any issues with the discussion board please me as opposed to responding in kind. Further suggestions about netiquette are available on the RESOURCES page in TRACS.

5 Your semester grade will be calculated as follows: Syllabus Quiz 3% Connect Learn Smart Topic Practice 16% (4 points each) 4 Connect Assessment Quizzes 16% (4 points each) 1 Introduction Post 3% 3 Intro Responses 3% 4 Discussion Posts 20% (5 points each) 8 Discussion Responses (2 per topic) 16% (2 points each) End of Semester Syllabus 3% 4 TRACS s 20% (5 points each) Final Course Grade Scale: A 89.5% and above B % C % D % F below 59.5% Extra Credit: Extra credit may be announced at the instructor s discretion and applied to final course grades. Extra credit is due by the date listed in the assignment instructions. University Mission and Goals: Academic Honesty: As University students, you are expected to do your own work. Cheating on exams and/or plagiarism will be handled in accordance with Texas State policy. For more information you may access : Code of Student Conduct: The Honor Code: Addressing Acts of Dishonesty: Students accused of dishonest conduct may have their cases heard by the faculty member. The student may also appeal the faculty member s decision to the Honor Code Council. Students and faculty will have the option of having an advocate present to insure their rights. Possible actions that may be taken range from exoneration to expulsion. Students with Disabilities: Qualified students with disabilities are entitled to reasonable and appropriate accommodations in accordance with federal laws including Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, and the university policy UPPS Students with special needs (as documented by the Office of Disability Services) should identify themselves at the beginning of the semester.

6 Course Schedule: Getting Started Aug. 28 Sept. 11 Course Overview Syllabus Syllabus Quiz Intro Forum 3 Intro Replies Connect Sign Up Topic 1 Sept. 12 Oct. 2 Topic 1 Post Topic 1 TRACS 2 Topic 1 Replies Topic 1 Connect Items Due Feedback Syllabus Quiz - Assessments Fri 9/8 Immediate Introduction Post - Forum Fri 9/8 Tues 9/12 3 Introduction Post Replies - Forum Mon 9/11 Tues 9/12 Topic 1 Post - Forum Fri 9/29 Tues 10/3 Topic 1 TRACS Fri 9/29 Tues 10/3 2 Topic 1 Replies - Forum Mon 10/2 Tues 10/3 Topic 1 Connect Learn Smart E-Book Mon 10/2 Tues 10/3 Connect Topic 1 Assessment Quiz Mon 10/2 Tues 10/3 Topic 2 Post - Forum Fri 10/20 Tues 10/24 Topic 2 Oct Topic 2 Post Topic 2 TRACS 2 Topic 2 Replies Topic 2 Connect Items Topic 2 TRACS Assessment Fri 10/20 Immediate 2 Topic 2 Replies - Forum Mon 10/23 Tues 10/24 Topic 2 Connect Learn Smart E-Book Mon 10/23 Tues 10/24 Connect Topic 2 Assessment Quiz Mon 10/23 Tues 10/24 Connect items are due by 11:59pm and TRACS assignments by 11:55pm.

7 Topic 3 Post - Forum Fri 11/10 Tues 11/14 Topic 3 Oct. 24 Nov. 13 Topic 3 Post Topic 3 TRACS 2 Topic 3 Replies Topic 3 Connect Items Topic 3 TRACS Fri 11/10 Tues 11/14 2 Topic 3 Replies - Forum Mon 11/13 Tues 11/14 Topic 3 Connect Learn Smart E-Book Mon 11/13 Tues 11/14 Connect Topic 3 Assessment Quiz Mon 11/13 Tues 11/14 Topic 4 Post - Forum Fri 12/8 Tues 12/12 Topic 4 Nov Dec. 12 Topic 4 Post Topic 4 TRACS 2 Topic 4 Replies Topic 4 Connect Items End of Semester Survey Topic 4 TRACS Fri 12/8 Tues 12/12 2 Topic 4 Replies - Forum Mon 12/11 Tues 12/12 Topic 4 Connect Learn Smart E-Book Mon 12/11 Tues 12/12 Connect Topic 4 Assessment Quiz Mon 12/11 Tues 12/12 End of Semester Survey Tues 12/12 Wed 12/13 Connect items are due by 11:59pm and TRACS assignments by 11:55pm.