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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Room #202 from 11:00am to 12:20pm TR
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Course Title:
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American State & Local Government
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Course Prefix & Number:
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GOVT2306
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Section Number:
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502
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Semester/Year:
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Fall 2019
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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 Texas constitution, structure and powers of state and local government, federalism and inter-governmental relations, political participation, the election process, public policy and the political culture of Texas.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Required or Recommended Course Materials:
Mora, Sherri. The State of Texas: Government, Politics & Policy. 4th edition. McGraw Hill Publishing, with CONNECT Access code. ISBN 978-1264031993
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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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Telephone Number:
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972-899-8410
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E-mail Address:
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kdavis@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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9:30am – 11am
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8:30am – 9:30am
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9:30am – 11am
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8:30am – 9:30am
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Noon to 2pm
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2pm – 3pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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2pm – 3pm
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12:30pm – 2pm
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(online)
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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide 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 the Texas Constitution.
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Demonstrate an understanding of state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
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Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice in Texas.
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Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Texas government.
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Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
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Analyze the state and local election process.
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Identify the rights and responsibilities of citizens
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Analyze issues, policies, and political culture of Texas.
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Research and compose an essay assignment/argument using proper grammar/English and basic computer skills.
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Percentage or Point Values
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13
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Participation Assignments
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10 pts / 130 pts
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14
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Smart Book Assignments
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5 pts / 70 pts
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1
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Debate
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50 pts
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3
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Research Papers / Survey Project
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50 pts / 150pts
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2
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Midterm Exams
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100 pts / 200 pts
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1
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Final Exam
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100 pts
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COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE
Participation Assignments are assigned weekly, and are pretty much all or nothing.
Smart Book Assignments through McGraw Hill done through CONNECT. Cannot accept late work
Sign up for a Debate, and they will be scheduled after the first week of class. More info below.
Three short research papers, or one paper and the two Survey assignments. More info below.
Midterms and the Final Exam will be 100 points each and count for over one-third 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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This is a TENTATIVE Schedule which is subject to change W/O notice due to inclement weather or other unforeseen events.
August 26th – First Day of Class
September 2nd – Labor Day – No Class
September 27th – SmartBooks Unit #1 - Due by 11:59pm
October 1st – First Midterm Exam - Module #1 - Chapters 1-4 and Intro
October 11th – Research Paper #1 due through CANVAS by 11:59pm
November 1st – Last Day to Withdraw from Course.
November 5th –SmartBooks Unit #2 - Due by 11:59pm
November 7th – Second Midterm Exam - Module #2 - Chapters 5-9
November 8th – Research Paper #2 due by 11:59pm OR Survey Cards due in class.
November 27-30 – Thanksgiving Holiday – No Class
December 3rd – Research Paper #3 OR Survey Input Spreadsheets due by 11:59pm
December 6th - Final SmartBooks Unit #3 - Due by 11:59pm
December 10th – Final Exam - Module #3 - Chapters 10-14
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If you cannot meet these dates/deadlines, then drop this course.
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.
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)
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 absence. See Attendance Regulations in the North Central Texas College Catalog.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is November 8, 2019.
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
o Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)
X Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course
o WECM Course
Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the student handbook and published online.
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 Division Chair:
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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. Bruce King
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Office Location:
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Gainesville Campus
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Telephone Number:
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940-498-6464
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E-mail Address:
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bking@nctc.edu
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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 choose 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 50 points towards your final grade, and points are assigned as follows:
15 points - Argued your own side and gave at least three valid responses.
15 points - Cited facts/research from at least 3 sources during your debate.
5 points - Did not “bait” or ask direct questions of your opponents.
5 points - Open/Close or be especially vocal.
10 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 6 points, the losers do not. A tie will result in BOTH sides receiving 5 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 6 points. Those on the losing side, who try, get 1-3 points. Those who lose, and do not try, get no points.
GOVT 2306 - Research Paper - Fall, 2019
Research Paper will consist of an 1000 to 1200 word paper from the assigned topic listed below. Please choose your words carefully and make sure your paper is no longer than 1400 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:
7 points - Is the length correct?
12 points - Covered subject matter w/o grammatical, spelling, or sentence errors?
10 points - Is there a conclusion? Was it a high, quality conclusion?
8 points - 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.)
13 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 5 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 October 11th – What is the state of Texas’ education? What are the current trends we are seeing over the last few decades? How are our Test Scores? Do we need to change course, or are there just a few problems to address? In the last Legislative Session, there was a substantial increase in Education Funding. Did Teacher’s get a raise, or was it all just “smoke and mirrors?” Who got raises, and who did not? Do you think this was a good plan from the Legislature or could they have done something better? What do you want to see happen in the future?
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns should not be used in a formal research paper, which this is, even though it is a bit short. Just say it like you mean it, and it is a fact.
If you have any questions, please ask!
Two Options for 2nd part of Research Grade – Due November 8th:
Write and Submit a Second Paper – What is your opinion of the candidates for US Senator for Texas? There is only John Cornyn, the incumbent on the Republican side, but what about all those Democrats? What do they stand for? Who do you think you support? Sources for this assignment should include the candidates’ Campaign websites and at least one news article about each one.
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns are not to be used in a formal research paper, which this is, even though it is a bit short. Just say it like you mean it, and it is a fact.
Or Conduct 50 or more surveys with Eligible Texas Voters. 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 people’s political habits. Any one is eligible to complete the survey as long as they are a US Citizen 18 years of age or older, living in Texas. It is vital that they complete the entire survey and NOT leave out any information. There are no wrong answers and we are NOT here to judge, but just to collect data. Incomplete surveys will NOT be counted. Your instructor will send around a sign-up sheet to see if you are interested in this option the first week of class. I will provide survey materials.
(This is NOT for everyone, and you can change your mind at any point. Do NOT choose this option if you are going to just make stuff up. If I find out you intentionally fabricated cards, I will give you a zero for the entire assignment, throw out all your cards, report you to the Dean for cheating and withdraw you from this class.)
Two Options for 3rd part of Research Grade – Due December 6th:
Write and Submit a Third Paper – How is Texas reacting to the latest mass shooting in El Paso? Especially after the High School shooting, what is Texas doing to address these problems? Is it enough? Do you think the State should do more, or it’s not doing enough? Conclude with your judgment/opinion of what you think/hope should have happened or will happen in the future.
Although your conclusion is your opinion be careful NOT to use “I” or “we.” Personal pronouns are not to be used in a formal research paper, which this is, even though it is a bit short. Just say it like you mean it, and it is a fact.
Input Your 50 or so Surveys into the Excel Spreadsheet provided. For those of you who completed gathering your surveys, now it is time to input your information into an Excel Spreadsheet. Look at the example of how to quantify the information for all 50+ surveys. For example, a “Yes” answer will be a 1 in the spreadsheet, and a “No” is a 2, etc… (see example in the Announcement section). Once finished, email them to me through my normal email account. (kdavis@nctc.edu) Do NOT email them through CANVAS. Return the survey cards during your next class period. Grades will NOT be awarded until the survey cards are returned, and the information has been successfully downloaded into the database.
If you have any questions, please ask!
Also, I have a few limited opportunities for extra credit for those who would like to input an additional 25 survey cards from a past semester. If you would like to help, I can award you an additional 5 points of extra credit. There are not many of these cards left, so it is first come, first serve. E-mail me if you are interested.
Grading Scale: 700 total points possible
A = 624+ pts B = 623 – 554 pts C = 553 – 484 pts D = 483 – 414 pts F = 413 or less
Instructor Contact Info:
Kevin Davis: 972-899-8410
Email: kdavis@nctc.edu
Address:
1200 Parker Square
Flower Mound, Texas 75028
Helpful Phone #’s for Flower Mound:
Admissions: 972-899-8430
Business Office: 972-899-8403
Counseling: 972-899-8412
Financial Aid: 972-899-8400
FM Director: 972-899-8408
Library: 972-899-8413
Testing: 972-899-8335