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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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MWF – 9:00am to 10:50am – Rm #202 - FM
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Course Title: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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Course Prefix & Number: GOVT 2305
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Section Number: 580
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Semester: 2016 SP
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Semester Credit Hours: 3
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Lecture Hours: 3
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Lab Hours: N/A
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution, structure and powers of the national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, federalism, political participation, the national election process, public policy, civil liberties and civil rights. 48 lecture hours.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Required Materials:
We the People (ebook with Connect Plus Access Card) by Thomas E. Patterson, McGraw Hill, 11th edition, ISBN: 978-0077763442
** Students can order a full color loose leaf book for an additional $15 directly from McGraw Hill when registering Connect Access
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Kevin Davis
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Campus/Office Location:
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Flower Mound Room #107 - Cubicle #4
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E-Mail / Telephone:
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kdavis@nctc.edu / 972-899-8410
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Office Hours:
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MWF 1 - 3 & TR 11 - 2
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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
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x
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At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
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Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
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Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
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Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.
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Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties.
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Analyze the election process.
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Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
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Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics.
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Research and compose an essay assignment/argument using proper grammar/English and basic computer skills.
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CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA_______________________________
o Communication
o Mathematics
o Life and Physical Science
o Language, Philosophy & Culture
o Creative Arts
o American History
X Government/Political Science
o Social and Behavioral Sciences
o Component Area Option
REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES
X Critical Thinking
X Communication
o Empirical and Quantitative
o Teamwork
X Personal Responsibility
X Social Responsibility
COURSE TYPE
o Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)
x Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
o WECM Course
GRADING CRITERIA
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Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Point Values
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Learn Smart
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Assignments through McGraw Hill CONNECT
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5 pts / 80 total
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Current Events
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Semi-Weekly assignments through CANVAS
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5 pts / 70 total
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Debate
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Individual Participation – Page 3
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20
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Research #1
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See Instructions – Pages 3 & 4
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50
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Res #2 or Survey
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See Instructions – Pages 3 & 4
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50
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Midterm Exams
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Chapters 1-4 & 11 and Chapters 5-8 & 12
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100 pts / 200 total
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Final Exam
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Chapters 9-10 & 13-16
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100
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Grading Policy & Procedures
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Completed Course Smart Assignments will get full credit IF completed by due date. This is about 15% of your grade, so DON'T ignore it!
Weekly Current Events are assigned periodically, and will count as all or nothing.
Sign up for a Debate, and they will be scheduled after the first week of class. See below for more information.
There are two short research papers due. See below for more information.
Midterms and the Final Exam will be 100 points each and count for over half of your grade!
Make Up Exams will ONLY be made for medical reasons, which are accompanied by a doctor's note on letterhead or a Rx Pad. Make-Up exams will be essay in nature, but will only be worth up to 80 points. Make Up will be given 1 week after the missed exam, or result in an Incomplete if the Final Exam is missed. Students MUST call/email ASAP to arrange this delay.
Plagiarism/Cheating/Collusion will NOT be tolerated and will result in a Zero for that assignment and a report to the Dean for Disciplinary Action.
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Course Schedule
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This is a TENTATIVE Schedule which is subject to change W/O notice due to inclement weather or other unforeseen events.
January 18th – First Day of Class.
February 1st – Learn Smart Section #1 - Due by 11:59pm
February 3rd – First Midterm Exam - Module #1 - Chapters 1-4 & 11
February 10th – Research Paper #1 due on-line
February 20th – Learn Smart Section #2 - Due by 11:59pm
February 20th – Last Day to Withdraw from Course.
February 22nd – Second Midterm Exam - Module #2 - Chapters 5-8 & 12
March 3rd – Research Paper #2 due on-line or Surveys due in class
March 8th – Final Learn Smart - Due by 11:59pm
March 10th – Final Exam - Module #3 - Chapters 9-10 & 13-16
If you cannot meet these dates/deadlines, then drop this course.
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Other Pertinent Information
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v Academic Dishonesty will NOT be tolerated in this course. You are not to give any person (which includes parents, spouses, friends, etc) access to your Canvas Account at any time during the semester. If you do, you are putting the integrity of the course work completed in question. Do not ask someone to email me on your behalf in Canvas. If you have an emergency and cannot contact me yourself, it is best to have an alternative person contact me on my office phone 972-899-8410 or my NCTC email address: kdavis@nctc.edu. Again, do not give anyone access to your Canvas Account. Any student who cheats on any course material (exams, assignment, post tests) may immediately fail the course at the discretion of the instructor and academic dishonesty papers can be filed with the Dean and VP of Instruction.
v Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is February 20, 2017.
v YOU are responsible for getting your assignments to me as requested. You know when they are due, so points will be taken off for late work, IF it is even accepted at all.
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Attendance Policy
Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. Absence does not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Dropping a course is the student's responsibility, but you MAY be dropped for excessive absences. See Attendance Regulations in the North Central Texas College Catalog.
Rumsfeld’s Unknown Speech
"As we know, there are known knowns. These are things we know. These are things we know we know… We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know… But there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know, we don't know." – Donald Rumsfeld
Debates:
Every student should participate in at least one debate. (Students may elect to participate in a second debate for extra points, but points will only be added if their side “wins” the debate.) We will register for debates the first week of classes, and each student can chose which side to represent on the debate; Pro or Con. (Debate slots are filled based on first-come, first-serve. Extra credit sign-ups will be available after everyone has had a chance.)
The debate is worth 20 points towards your final grade, and points are assigned as follows:
4 points – Argued your own side and gave at least three valid responses.
4 points – Cited facts/research during debate.
4 points – Did not “bait” or ask direct questions of your opponents.
4 points – Opened/Closed or was especially vocal.
4 points – Won debate according to secret ballot election results.
(At the end of each debate, the electorate (those in class) will vote on which team did the better job. Winner of the secret ballot election gets 4 points, the losers do not. A tie results in BOTH sides receiving 4 points.)
Students can sign up and participate in a second debate for extra credit. If you are on the winning side, you are awarded an extra 4 points. Those on the losing side, who try, get 2 points. Those who lose, and do not try, get no points.
GOVT 2305 – Research Papers – Spring, 2017
Research Papers will consist of two 700 to 1000 word essays from the assigned topics listed below. Please choose your words carefully and make sure your paper is no longer than 1000 words with your citations. Put your name at the top, skip a line and then start writing. Be sure to focus on relevant information and not extraneous personal information like exact birth dates, siblings, pets, mother’s/father’s occupation, etc. Make sure your discussion is significant to the topic at hand and researches/discusses both sides of each issue. In your conclusion, discuss your own opinions on the subject; for or against, etc. and justify that conclusion!
Make sure to cite ALL your quotes, and use APA or MLA format for citations/sources. Failure to cite your quotes is plagiarism, and you will be counted off for that. Also, do not cite more than 10%, or 100 words, of your paper. Using encyclopedias and encyclopedic websites (wikipedia.com or about.com), or grade school websites, will count against you! Do NOT quote your instructor or textbook. This is supposed to be OUTSIDE research, so make good use of the books, magazines, journals, reports, and government/education websites.
Each paper is worth 50 points towards your final grade, and points are assigned as follows:
5 point – Is the length correct?
15 points – Covered subject matter w/o grammatical, spelling, or sentence errors?
10 points – Is there a conclusion? Was it a high quality conclusion?
5 point – 4 or more “good” sources? (You will lose points for using wikipedia.com, about.com, or any encyclopedic site, as a source. You also lose points for using your textbook or instructor as a source.)
15 points – Quality of your paper. (Answers the questions, sticks to subject, no excessive quoting, no awkward spots, and has good flow?)
Papers will be submitted through Canvas by 11:59pm on the day it is due. If you miss the deadline, you can e-mail it to me, but I will deduct 5 points for not following directions. I will also deduct 10 points for EVERY day that it is late. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure YOUR paper is submitted by the deadline.
Paper #1 Due February 10th – What is your opinion of President Donald Trump so far? Although he has only been in office for a month, what has he accomplished? Does he seem to be making progress on his promises to Make America Great Again? Are his Cabinet picks working out okay? Do you see any problems so far? Be sure to cover what you think he has done well and what he has not done well. Conclude with your opinion of what you think/hope he will do by the end of his first term.
Two Options for 2nd half of research – Due March 3rd:
Write and Submit a Second Paper – The US Constitution gives everyone the right to Due Process. What does that mean and where does it stop? Many people want us to not allow gun sales to those on the “No Fly” list, but there is currently no due process for those who are put on the list. What Due Process should they get? The Dallas Shooter recently was killed by a robot carried bomb, and received no Due Process. Some Americans in foreign countries were killed using drones. Did they deserve Due Process? Cite examples of proper Due Process and examples where Due Process was lacking. Conclude with your opinion of how much, or little, Due Process a person should receive in America.
Or Conduct 50 or more surveys with Voting Age Adults. Surveys will be provided by your instructor, but you have to get 50 or more individuals to complete them before the deadline. These will be non-partisan surveys about peoples voting habits. Any one is eligible to complete the survey as long as they are a US Citizen 18 years of age or better. It is vital that they complete the entire survey and NOT leave out any information. Incomplete surveys will NOT be counted. Let your instructor know if you wish to choose this option and he will provide you with the survey materials.
There will be several students from this, and other, classes conducting surveys, and any person of voting age will only count ONCE for grading purposes. Make sure they have NOT completed this survey with someone else.
If you have any questions, please ask!
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook. http://nctc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2014-2015/Catalog/North-Central-Texas-College-Student-Handbook
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Govt & Econ Dept Chair:
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Donna Hooper
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Office Location:
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Corinth 209
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-6266
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E-mail Address:
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dhooper@nctc.edu
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Dean of Instruction:
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Dr. Larry Gilbert
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Office Location:
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Corinth 305
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-6216
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E-mail Address:
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lgilbert@nctc.edu
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Disability Services (OSD)
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The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides accommodations for students who have a documented disability. A disability is anything that can interfere with learning, such as a learning disability, psychological challenge, physical illness or injury. Accommodations may include extra time on tests, tests in a distraction reduced environment, volunteer note taker in class, etc.
On the Corinth Campus, go to room 170 or call 940-498-6207. On the Gainesville Campus, go to room 110 in the Administration (100) Building or call 940-668-4209. Students on the Bowie, Graham, Flower Mound, and online campuses should call 940-668-4209 to arrange for an intake appointment with OSD.
North Central Texas College is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, ADA Amendments Act of 2009, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112).
http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices/Disabilityservices.aspx
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Support Services
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Counseling and Testing staff offer a variety of services to current and prospective students, such as College 101, placement testing, academic advising and course registration, transfer assistance, and College Success seminars (Time Management, Study Skills, Test Anxiety, Choosing a Major, Learning Style Strategies, Career Exploration), and much more. http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/CounselingTesting.aspx
Student Success offers academic coaching, tutoring, including a Writing Center, a Math Lab, free 24/7 online tutoring through Grade Results and assist new students acclimate to college by providing computer lab services for prospective students. First generation students can also participate in TRIO which offers specialized support services.
http://www.nctc.edu/StudentServices/SupportServices.aspx
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Financial Aid
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Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information. http://www.nctc.edu/FInancialAidHome.aspx
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EEOC Statement
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North Central Texas College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, or disability in the employment or the provision of services.
In this government class EVERY student will be treated fairly and NO special treatment will be given or tolerated. You will pass or fail on your own merits.
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Helpful Phone #’s for Flower Mound:
Admissions: 972-899-8430
Business Office: 972-899-8403
Counseling/Testing: 972-899-8412
Financial Aid: 972-899-8400
FM Director: 972-899-8402
Library: 972-899-8413