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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Course Title:
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American National Government
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Course Prefix & Number:
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GOVT2305
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Section Number:
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849
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Semester/Year:
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Semester Credit Hours:
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3
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Lecture Hours:
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3
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Lab Hours:
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0
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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.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Required or Recommended Course Materials:
GOVT2305 Patterson, Thomas E. We the People. 12th edition. McGraw Hill. (E-book with Connect Plus Access)
ISBN 9781260200607
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Dollie Speights
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Campus/Office Location:
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Krum High School – Office Hours by Appointment
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Telephone Number:
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E-mail Address:
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dspeights@nctc.edu
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OFFICE HOURS
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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11am-12pm
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4pm-5pm
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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog
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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 an understanding of our 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 in the political system.
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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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Scholastic Integrity
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Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to cheating on a test, plagiarism, and collusion. See Student Handbook “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct [FLB (LOCAL)]” #20 on page 175.
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* The class meets 3 lecture hours per week. Regular and punctual attendance is expected of each student, and failure to do so can jeopardize your grade. Attendance is critical in this class; everything discussed in class, whether part of the regular material or not, will be potential topics for exams. If you miss a class, please ask a fellow student for notes. It is also the student’s responsibility to ask for all assignments, handouts, etc.
* Any student who misses 2 or less class periods will be awarded 10 extra credit attendance points. Tardiness and early class departures will disqualify you for these points. There are no excused and unexcused absences in this course, students are either present or absent. Any student who does not appropriately sign the attendance sheet will be counted absent.
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Grading Policy & Procedures
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Exams 280 pts
Class Assign/Activities 310 pts.
Learn Smart 340 pts
Post Tests 170 pts
Total Points 1100
Letter Grade Equivalent
90% or more of points A
80-89.99% of points B
70 -79.99% of points C
60 – 69.99% of points D
59.99% or less of points F
Exams- Four unit exams and a comprehensive final will be given. There are no makeup exams. The lowest test grade for each student will be dropped.
Late Work – Late assignments will not be accepted. All assignments and post tests are submitted online, so even when a student cannot make it to class, assignments can still be submitted on time. Please manage your time wisely, and leave enough time to deal with any computer problems that might arise and keep you from completing your course work as required.
Post Tests- Students will complete a post test for each chapter, which is designed as a study tool. All post tests must be completed on or before the due date. Post tests will not be reopened for any reason. Students are fee to use the book/notes/assignments information to complete the post tests.
CANVAS/CONNECT ACCESS: All students must have complete access to Canvas for the entire semester. It is the student’s responsibility to have access to the internet at all times, as well as having all needed programs to complete an online course. Students are not to give any other person access to his/her Canvas account. Students can be removed from the online course immediately up violating this rule. Once a student has given another person access to his/her canvas account, the credibility of any work completed becomes questionable.
Connect Access- The textbook, Learn Smart, and Connect activities are all maintained within the McGraw Hill Connect System. Students need to be enrolled immediately in Connect, which can be purchased at the bookstore, or online directly from McGraw Hill from Canvas. Temporary access can be used directly from Connect McGraw Hill for 12 days from the first day of class. Students must be enrolled by the end of day 1, as assignments are due immediately.
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Tentative Course Schedule
Unit I
Course Pre-test
Student Intro Essay
*Ch 1 Political Thinking
*Ch 2 Constitutional Democracy
*Ch 3 Federalism
Locate/Contact Congressional Reps: Due September 14
*Ch 4 Civil Liberties
*Ch 5 Equal Rights
Unit II
Ch 6 Public Opinion, Ch 7 Political Participation, Ch 8 Political Parties (combine)
Ch 9 Interest Groups, Ch10 News Media
Unit III
*Ch 11 Congress
Congressional Assignment: Due October 19
*Ch12 Presidency
Ch 13 Bureaucracy
*Ch 14 Judicial System
Research Assignment: November 16
Unit IV
Ch 15 Economic/Environ Policy
*Ch 16 Welfare/Education
*Ch 17 Foreign Policy
Final Exam December 12
GRADING CRITERIA FOR EACH ASSIGNMENT WILL BE POSTED IN CANVAS:
*Learn Smart: Each chapter requires the student to complete a Learn Smart assignment. This is a reading/learning outcome mastering activities.
**Each chapter requires the student to complete a chapter post test which contains 20 randomly selected questions. The student has unlimited attempts prior to the due date.
***Class Activities are through Connect and will provide the student with application of the material discussed within the chapter. Some activities require research outside of the textbook.
****Class Assignments will require the student to complete some level of research, analysis and writing.
*****Class Participation assignments may be given at any time during the semester. These assignments will be randomly assigned or completed in class. Class participation assignments will not be accepted late; therefore is a student is not in class when the assignment is due or completed, the student will receive a zero and the assignment will not be accepted late.
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Pertinent Information
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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 940-498-6266 or my NCTC email address:dhooper@nctc.edu. Again, do not give anyone access to your Canvas account. Any student who cheats on any course material (exams, assignment, post tests) will immediately fail the course and academic dishonesty papers will be filed with the Dean and VP of Instruction.
**Scholastic dishonesty-All students will be held responsible for plagiarism, cheating and/or collusion. Each student is expected to complete his or her own work in this course. Students who commit scholastic dishonesty are subject to receiving an automat “F” in the course.
**Falsified Information- Any student who submits falsified information in this course, including community service/local government extra credit information and false claims regarding submission of course work, are subject to an automatic “F” in the course and scholastic dishonesty documents filed with the appropriate Dean.
Community Service – Each student can earn a maximum of 20 extra credit points by volunteering within the community (2.5pts per hour). To ensure credit, students must clear the service with the instructor prior to volunteering. (Court ordered service will not count as credit for this class.) The student must properly complete and submit a volunteer sheet (obtain from the instructor) documenting the service. All volunteer service and sheets must be submitted on or before no later than December 1, 2016 at 3:00pm. Any student who submits false community service information will be given an automatic “F” in the course and scholastic dishonesty documents filed with the appropriate Dean.
Students who display inappropriate or disrespectful behavior will be immediately removed from the course and reported to the Associate Dean of Students.
Electronics Policy- Students are permitted to use electronic devices, such as computers, tablets, etc. for class purposes only, which includes accessing Canvas, note-taking, or class participation assignments in class. Students should not be using phones, computers, tablets for texting, social media, homework for other classes, etc. Inappropriate use of electronic devices will cause the student to be banned from bringing such devices and/or removal for the class and or/course at the discretion of the instructor.
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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 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
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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 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
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 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Financial Aid offers financial resources for students that qualify, visit the financial aid offices for more information. http://www.nctc.edu/FInancialAidHome.aspx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
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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.
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Connect Registration Instructions
Connect Technical Requirements and Support
Please review the following information from McGraw-Hill Higher Education before you begin any assignments in Connect.
- Run a system check: To have a successful experience in Connect, you will need to ensure that your computer's system meets the requirements needed to access and run your assignments (e.g.: operating system, browsers, plug-ins). It is strongly recommended that you troubleshoot your computer at least once a week, and before every test, to be sure that you will be able to complete the required exercises. Click on the following link to learn how to troubleshoot Connect and what the computer requirements are: http://connect.mheducation.com/connect/troubleshoot.do
- Get support: Connect has a Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center where you can connect with a tech specialist via chat, phone, or email. Click on this link to access the online support center: https://mhedu.force.com/CXG/s/ContactUs
If you have problems with registration or technical difficulties while completing assignments, contact CXG. I am not tech support! Every time you speak with a representative, you will receive a case/ticket number for reference. Be sure to keep this number so that you can easily check up on the status of any unresolved problems and also to share with me if required.
800-331-5094 (toll-free)
Sun: 12pm - 12am
Mon-Thurs: 24 hours
Fri: 12 am - 9pm
Sat: 10am - 8pm
(All in US Eastern Time)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy:
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 9th.
DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321. Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______
o Communication
o Mathematics
o Life and Physical Science
o Language, Philosophy & Culture
o Creative Arts
X Government/Political Science
o Social and Behavioral Sciences
o Component Area Option
o American History
REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES (For classes in the Core)
X Critical Thinking
o 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
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
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Name of Chair/Coordinator:
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Crystal R.M. Wright
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Office Location:
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Gainesville Campus, Room 824
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Telephone Number:
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940-668-7731, ext. 4320
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E-mail Address:
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cwright@nctc.edu
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Name of Instructional Dean:
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Dr. Larry Gilbert
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Office Location:
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Corinth Campus, Room 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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