NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS

 

Course Title: U.S. History from 1865
Course Prefix & Number: HIST 1302	Section Number:  843/844	Semester: Spring 2018
Semester Credit Hours: 3	Lecture Hours: 3	Lab Hours: 0
Course Description: A survey of the social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual history of the United States from the Civil War/Reconstruction era to the near present. United States History II examines industrialization, immigration, world wars, the Great Depression, Cold War and post-Cold War eras. Themes that may be addressed in the United States History II include: American culture, religion, civil and human rights, technological change, economic change, immigration and migration, urbanization and suburbanization, the expansion of the federal government, and the study of U.S. foreign policy.
Course Prerequisite(s): None
Required Course Materials: Brinkley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People.  8th edition.  McGraw-Hill. 2016  ISBN 978-1259969118 The web-based material is unique to NCTC. You must purchase it from the NCTC bookstore or directly through Canvas, to the McGraw-Hill publishing Connect website.

 

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Name of Instructor:	Dr. Michael Miller
E-mail Address:	mmiller@nctc.edu

 

GRADING CRITERIA

# of Graded Course Elements	Graded Course Elements	Point Values
10	LearnSmart (10 of 18 modules required)	100
5	Quiz (5 @ 10 Points)	50
1	Process Paper	100
2	Mid-Term/Final	50/100
8	Bonus (8 LearnSmart @ 5 Points)	40

Grade based on 400 total points. A=100-90 (=>360), B=89-80 (359-320), C=79-70 (319-280), D=69-60 (279-240), <60=F (<240). Additional extra credit assignments may be offered at instructor discretion.

 

McGraw-Hill CONNECT

In addition to the scheduled exams, students will be required to complete 10 LEARNSMART modules worth 10 points each. These exercises will expire if not completed in a timely manner and points will be deducted accordingly. Completion of 10 of 18 available modules represents 25% of your overall grade. Five bonus points will be given for each module completed beyond the required number. If you do not complete ten exercises, the highest ten exercise scores will be used to calculate your main class score and any scores from remaining unfinished lessons will be added as a bonus. REQUIRED (10 points): 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29. OPTIONAL (5 points): 15, 18, 22, 25, 28, 30, 31, 32. Students are expected to complete ALL READING whether a LearnSmart lesson is required or not.

 

EXAMS

Two exams will be administered during the semester. The midterm exam consists of three parts. Ten multiple-choice questions worth one point each (10). Three short answer questions worth five points each (15). A thorough essay on one of two questions on the exam, including a thesis, argument with evidence, and a conclusion that supports your position. Possible essay topics are distributed for review prior to test day. The essay component is worth 25 points or 50% of the exam grade. Exams cover readings, lectures, and any class presentations or assignments. Multiple choice and short answer portions of the test may be offered online. For the final exam, questions may be comprehensive of ALL course material. The format of the final is identical to the midterm except all points double. The midterm represents 12.5% of the course grade. The final represents 25%.

 

QUIZZES

A portion of the semester grade is determined by the result of five online exercises or online quizzes. Each quiz is worth ten points. Quizzes account for 12.5% of your class grade.

 

PROCESS PAPER

Each student will select an historical topic (upon instructor approval) and write a three to five page paper outlining and analyzing the topic by providing a thesis, argument, and conclusion assessing its historical significance. Papers must include citations for at least four separate sources, one of which must be a primary document. This is expected to be a professional looking paper formatted according to the latest Chicago Manual of Style guidelines. Email your topic choice by January 24. A rough draft will be due March 9 and final papers must be submitted by midnight April 13. Further guidelines will be discussed in class. This paper represents 25% of the overall grade. Written assignments must be type-written and submitted via Turnitin.

 

MAKEUP POLICY

Students should take the exams on the scheduled dates. If you cannot be present for the scheduled exam, please provide evidence of conflicting personal matters or school-sponsored activity well before the exam and arrange for an alternative test time. If unforeseen circumstances should prevent you from attending the scheduled exam, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Be prepared to provide documentation concerning the absence and reschedule a make-up exam within 72 hours. Should students fail to reschedule a test early or in a timely fashion, each portion of the exam (multiple choice or essay) is subject to a 20% penalty for each late day. If you are attending a university-sponsored event or activity, you (or the event sponsor) must notify the instructor at least two weeks prior to the date of the planned absence.

 

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

	At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
	Create an argument through the use of historical evidence.
	Analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
	Analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on this period of United States history.

 

 

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA______________________________           

 

         Communication

         Mathematics               

         Life and Physical Science

         Language, Philosophy & Culture

         Creative Arts

 

X         American History

         Government/Political Science

         Social and Behavioral Sciences

         Component Area Option

 

 

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES

 

X         Critical Thinking

X         Communication

         Empirical and Quantitative

 

         Teamwork

X         Personal Responsibility

X         Social Responsibility

 

COURSE TYPE

         Academic General Education Course (from ACGM but not in NCTC Core)

X         Academic NCTC Core Curriculum Course

   WECM Course

 

DISABILITY SERVICES

Students who have a documented disability should provide appropriate notification to the instructor in a timely fashion.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY                                                                                                                

Attendance in class is mandatory. Regular attendance, note-taking, participation, and reading the assignments will guarantee your success in this class and is highly recommended. Attendance will be checked.

 

CHEATING/PLAGIARISM/ACADEMIC DISHONESTY                                                         

Copying another person’s work, such as homework, class work, or a test, is a form of cheating. Plagiarism will also be considered cheating and the student will be subject to academic disciplinary action that may include loss of credit for the work in question. Students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary penalties as well, according to the Student Code of Conduct. See aubreyisd.net and nctc.edu, “Student Conduct Code.”

 

Examples of Plagiarism

1. Turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own; 2. Unintentionally or inadvertently turning in someone else's ideas, opinions, theories, or work as your own as the result of failing to document sources in the text, notes, or bibliography; 3. Copying words, ideas, or images from someone without giving credit; Failing to put a quotation in quotations marks; 4. Giving incorrect information about the source of information, quotations, or images; 5. Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit; 6. Copying so many words, ideas, or images from a source that it makes up the majority of the student's work, whether or not the student gives credit.

 

OTHER EXPECTATIONS

• Silence MOBILE PHONES in class completely, including vibrate. Do not talk, text, or use any mobile phone services and applications during class without instructor clearance. Absolutely no headphones/earbuds in class.
• Use of computers or the internet to access social media and other non-course content during class is distracting to other students and the instructor. Use computers for class-related purposes only. Violators may be instructed to turn off their computer or to leave the classroom.
• Take notes during lectures, discussions, and media presentations. Ask questions! Do not carry on unrelated conversations with the person next to or near you during lectures or other class presentations.
• Keep up with the readings, LEARNSMART exercises, and exams. Work on process paper regularly.
• Be on time. If you must come late or leave early, be discreet.
• Assignments will be clear and available in a timely manner.
• Standard black or blue pens are required for written exercises and essays. Ignoring this instruction may result in up to a 10% deduction on that portion of the exercise or exam.
• Exams will be graded as promptly and accurately as possible.
• If you have concerns about the course, or your work in it, do not wait until it is too late. Please contact me by email or during class to discuss them. Privacy laws limit the distribution of grade information via email.

 

NOTE:

It is understood that remaining in this class constitutes students’ agreement to abide by the terms outlined in this syllabus and an acceptance of the requirements outlined in this document. This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. All changes will be announced in class and online. The schedule below is for general guidance and is subject to changes at any time.

 

Name of Chair/Coordinator:	Crystal R.M. Wright
Office Location:	NCTC, Gainesville Campus, Room 824
Telephone Number:	940-668-7731, ext. 4320
E-mail Address:	cwright@nctc.edu