Political Science 301
American Government and Politics
Spring 2001

Course Description | Readings | Course Requirements | Research Paper

Richard Gelm, Ph.D

University of La Verne
Dept. of History and Political Science
1950 Third St.
La Verne, CA 91750

E-mail: GELMR@ULV.EDU

Office Phone: (909) 593-3511 ext. 4227

Fax (909) 392-2709

Office Hours:

Monday 3:00-4:00

Tuesday 10:45-12:00

Thursday 3:00-4:00

and by appointment

 

This course is designed as an introduction to the institutions of American government and the political environment in which they function. These lawmaking institutions are bound and shaped by a complex of democratic ideals and procedures. Among our objectives will be to analyze how effectively the government operates in light of its democratic goals. To accomplish this we will first examine the constitutional and philosophical bases upon which our government and legal system are built and then explore the processes by which citizens translate their aspirations into government action through political parties and elections. We will then focus our attention on legislative, executive, and judicial institutions and their impact on policy.

Edwards, Wattenberg and Lineberry,

GOVERNMENT IN AMERICA (9th edition, 2000).

Peter Woll,

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: READINGS AND CASES (13th. edition, l999).

Lecture outlines (to be provided) and assigned readings will serve as the primary basis for discussions and examinations.

All students are expected to participate in class discussions which will be conducted through e-mail, listproc and webboard. Since we will not meet as a class, it is imperative that students communicate with each other and the instructor through webboard and lisproc. Twenty percent of a student's course grade will be based upon weekly response papers and discussion participation. Each week students will submit a 1-2 page paper to the webboard, in which they identify a controversy related to the week's readings and propose a resolution to the problem. To facilitate comprehension and discussion of material, readings are to be completed by the dates listed in the syllabus. Students are also expected to keep up with current political events by reading a daily newspaper and consulting relevant political websites.

We will have a midterm and a final exam. Exams will be taken at ULV centers near the student. Makeup exams are given only under extraordinary circumstances. Students must request permission to take a makeup exam IN ADVANCE of the scheduled exam day.

Students will also write a term paper (12-15 pages) on a contemporary political reform proposal of some aspect of the American political system. All papers (hard copy only) are to be delivered (by U.S. mail) no later than Monday, May 28. Late papers will be penalized.

The following weights will be assigned to each of the course requirements in completing the course grade:

• Midterm exam 25%
• Final exam 35%
• Paper 20%
• Weekly response papers and class participation 20%

Your paper should involve an analysis and critical examination of a contemporary political reform proposal of some aspect of the American political system. The following is a partial list of suitable topics.

• Line item veto
• Campaign finance reform
• Balanced budget amendment
• Federalism reforms
• Welfare reform
• Healthcare reform
• Term limits
• Flat tax
• Immigration policy
• Public funding for public broadcasting
• Public funding for the arts

This is an incomplete list. There may be other topics of interest to you that are suitable for the assignment, but they must be cleared by the instructor.

Your paper should be organized into distinct sections which roughly correspond to the following breakdown:

1. A brief INTRODUCTION in which you identify your subject and its components, indicate its importance and specify how you will proceed in your evaluation.
2. A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND section in which you describe how your issue has been addressed by Congress, Presidents, the Supreme Court, States, etc.
3. An ISSUE ANALYSIS section in which you describe the specific policy issues associated with your topic and the pro and con arguments for each side.
4. An EVALUATION section in which you critically evaluate ways of resolving the problems you identify.
5. A DOCUMENTATION section identifying sources used in your paper. Endnotes or footnotes are acceptable. (For information on how to use endnotes or footnotes see Kate Turabian, A MANUAL FOR WRITERS or Joseph Gilbaldi and Walter Achtert, THE MLA HANDBOOK, or Diana Hacker, A POCKET STYLE MANUAL.)

All papers must be typewritten, double-spaced, on one side of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Paper length should generally be between 10-12 pages. Students must carefully proofread their papers. Spelling and grammatical errors will be taken into consideration in the grading.

By Monday, April 16 students are to submit (via e-mail or fax) an outline of their paper. This should include a clear description of the topic and an explanation on how you will argue your position. Each section of the paper should be outlined with main points identified. In addition, this outline should include a list of at least three sources (books, articles, etc.) that will be used in your research.

All papers (hard copy only) must be received by the instructor (via U.S. mail) no later than Monday, May 28. NO TERM PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH E-MAIL. Late papers will be penalized one-half of a letter grade for each day late.

It is expected that this assignment will be completed in its entirety by each student. Submission of papers written for other classes is not permissible. Plagiarism is not acceptable. Any student who turns in a paper which is not his or her own work will receive a failing grade for the course and will be referred to the Dean for further academic discipline.

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Last modified on March 6, 2001 by Richard Gelm