Syllabus and Class Schedule

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

 

Course Title:

Federal Government

Course Prefix & Number: 

GOVT2305

Section Number: 

0391

0398

Semester/Year:

 

Spring 2020

Semester Credit Hours:

3

Lecture Hours:

3

Lab Hours:

0

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.        

Course Prerequisite(s): None

Required Course Materials:

Patterson, Thomas E.  We the People. 13th edition. McGraw Hill. (E-book with Connect Plus Access) Required

ISBN 978-1264031919

             

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:

Kathy Corley

Campus/Office Location:

Bowie Room 130

Telephone Number:

940-872-4002 extension 5216 office phone follows me

E-mail Address:

kcorley@nctc.edu use Canvas email within the class

 

OFFICE/class HOURS

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Office 9-Noon

Office 9-Noon

Class 8-9:20

Office 11-12:30

Office 9-Noon

 

 

Office 9:30 – 11:30

Class 1-2:20

 

Fridays are also days when the college requires the instructor to attend a meeting

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

 

Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.

 

Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.

 

Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.

 

Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government.

 

Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.

 

Analyze the election process.

 

Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

 

Analyze issues and policies in U.S. Politics.

(From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog)

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements

Graded Course Elements

Point Values

4

Discussion Boards

Extra Credit

Pre-Course

Short quizzes over what is going to happen in course

20

6

Short Papers

60

3

Module Quiz

340

1

APA Paper

100

1

Letter to Congressman

20

1

Post Course Quiz

10

1

Final/SmartBooks

100

 

See Final instructions and questions

650

A=89.5% up

B=79.5% to 89.4%; C=69.5 to 79.4%; D=59.4% to 59.5%

F below 59.4%

 

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

Will also find in the Syllabus and Class Schedule Module in Home. Make sure you print this off, as well as the Class Schedule. Do not count on Canvas to keep you up with what you are doing in the course. WRITE THE DATES ON A CALENDAR THAT IS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES.

 

Dates

2305 Hy Section 391

Due Dates Tues.

points

Class Days Thur.

Jan.23-Jan. 27

Syllabus and Class Schedule

Jan. 28

5

Jan. 23

 

Must complete by Jan. 27

Jan. 28

15

Jan. 30

Jan. 30-Feb 27

Let's Talk

 

0

 
 

How to cite a Ted Talk in APA

Feb. 4

0

 

 

Why a Constitution

Feb. 4

10

Feb. 6

 

Why a Democracy

Feb. 11

10

Feb. 13

 

Does our Democracy Represent

Feb. 18

10

Feb. 20

 

SmartBooks Chapters 1-5

Feb. 25

0

 

 

Module 1 Quiz

Feb. 27

100

Feb. 27

Feb. 28-April 2

Let's Talk 2

 

0

 
 

Read APA Paper Helps

Mar. 3

0

Mar. 5

 

Why is it hard to Amend

Mar. 10

10

Mar. 12

 

Read Essay Assessment Rubric Instructions

Mar. 24

0

 
 

APA Long Paper

Mar. 24

100

26-Mar

     

0

 
 

SmartBooks Chapters 6-11

Mar. 31

0

 
 

Module 2 Quiz

Apr. 2

120

Apr. 2

Apr. 3-Apr. May 7

Should the 17th be Amended

Apr. 7

10

Apr. 9

 

What can we Learn?

Apr. 14

10

Apr. 16

 

Letter to Congressman?

Apr. 21

20

Apr. 23

     

0

Apr. 30

 

SmartBooks Chapters 12-17

May. 5

0

 
 

Module 3 Quiz

May. 7

120

May. 7

     

0

 
 

Post-Course Quiz

May. 10

10

 
 

Final

May. 11

100

 
     

650

 

 

 

 

 

       

A=100% to 89.5%; B-89.45%-79.5%; C=79.45%-69.5%; D=69.45%-59.5%; F<59.45%

 

See Canvas Course for detailed instruction on each assignment.  

 

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's responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgment 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.  The 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: For an online course: if you do not log in each week to complete an assignment you will be counted absent for that week. After three weeks, I will drop you from the course up until the withdrawal day. If those three weeks are reached after that day, you will remain in the class but will not have a chance to make up missed work.

Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is April 3, 2020.

 

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 provide 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

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

 

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)]”. 

 

[Instructor-specific Academic Dishonesty Policy: If you are found to plagiarize an assignment (not giving credit to the source) you will receive a zero for that assignment. More than three times on smaller assignments (discussion boards or short papers), will cause you to be dropped from the course. On the APA Seven-Page Paper (long paper), you will need to tell within the paper where the information came from and it must match the author placement in the References. Example: within the paper, a citation would appear as (Davis, 2019). In the References: Davis, Mary. (2019). The way to cite a paper. If you are unclear on how to do this check with the instructor, an NCTC tutor, or look it up online. If you have a source listed in the References section of your paper (last page) you must also cite that source with the body of the paper. Even one missing source from either inside the paper or from the references section will cause to lose major points. If you need help citing in APA, send me the information on the source and I will help you.

 

 

 

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS

Name of Chair/Coordinator:

Crystal R.M. Wright

Office Location:

Gainesville Campus, Room 824

Telephone Number:

940-668-7731, ext. 4320

E-mail Address:

cwright@nctc.edu

Name of Instructional Dean:

Dr. Bruce King

Office Location:

1500 North Corinth St, Corinth, TX 76208-5408

Telephone Number:

940-498-6464 (This will change to a Denton Exchange #)

E-mail Address:

bking@nctc.edu

 

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