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Introduction to Political Science Course ID: PS 2304 Professor Introduction to Political Science Course ID: PS 2304 Professor: Dr. Thomas F.X. Varacalli Section: 001 Office Hour: UAC 360, MTWR, 3:30-4:50 Time: MW 2:00-3:20 Phone: 512-245-6617 Place: UAC 308 E-Mail: [email protected] Description from Course Catalog: This course is an introductory survey of the discipline of political science, focusing on the history, scope, and methods of the field and the substantive topics in the discipline. Prerequisite: POSI 2310 or POSI 2320. Course Objectives: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to key concepts in political science and to prepare students for the job market. Students will be expected to analyze political ideas and institutions, compare and contrast subdisciplines, interpret key texts, prepare job training materials (e.g., resume, cover letter), review and master grammatical rules, attend department events, and compose a review of literature. Book for Purchase at Texas State University Bookstore: Thomas Varacalli and Sherri Mora, An Invitation to Political Science, Preliminary Edition (Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt). ISBN: 978-1-5249-8976-7 [textbook custom made for Texas State] Grading Scale and Distribution: A: 90-100 B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 60-69 F: 59 or lower Paper – Review of Literature: 20% Midterm Examination: 20% Grammar and Syntax Review: 20% Final Examination: 25% Cover Letter: 5% Resume: 5% Department Events: 5% Review of Literature Term Paper: Students are to write a six-to-eight-page review of literature on a topic of their choosing. The purpose of this paper is to introduce students to academic journals and monographs. In their paper, they are to examine how different scholars interpret and analyze a specific research question. Students must draw out the implications of the differences in the literature. Students must use at least ten peer-reviewed sources. At least five of these sources should come from academic journals. The term paper is due Wednesday, December 4. Grammar and Syntax Review: Almost every Wednesday, students are to complete grammatical exercises throughout the semester. Each grammar assignment will be weighted equally. Each assignment will be posted in TRACS. Students will have one week to do each assignment. Midterm Examination: Students will take a midterm examination that will cover the various themes of the first half of the semester. It will include multiple choice, true and false, and short answers. The midterm examination is on Wednesday, October 16. Final Examination: Students will take a comprehensive final that will cover all the major themes of the course. It will include multiple choice, true and false, and short answers. The final examination is on Wednesday, December 11, 2PM – 4:30PM. Cover Letter: Students will write a “practice” cover letter to a potential employer. The professor will give a prompt. Students will be submitting the cover letter only to the professor. The purpose of this exercise is to teach students how to market themselves and to tailor their letters to meet the needs of potential employers. The cover letter is due Wednesday, November 22 via e-mail. Resume: Students will write a “practice” resume that will include their education, job history, list of achievements, and technical skills. Students will be submitting the resume only to the professor. The purpose of this exercise is to teach students how to market themselves and to tailor their resumes to meet the needs of potential employers. The resume is due on Friday, November 8 via e-mail. Department Events: Students are expected to attend TWO department events throughout the course of the semester. More opportunities will be given throughout the semester, but here are some possible department events: Tuesday, September 10, 2019, 5PM, UAC 105 – Meet Your Professors Tuesday, September 17, 2019, 7:30PM, Alkek Theater – Dr. James Ceaser, University of Virginia, “James Madison: The Founder of the Modern Founding” Monday, September 23, 2019, 6:00PM, UAC 310 – Holly Doyle and Dr. Dianne Rahm, Texas State University, “Redefining Environmental Racism: The Flint Example” Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 7:00PM, UAC 310 – Scholarly Panel on “Echoes of Flint: Water Quality Threats to Texas Cities” Monday, October 7, 2019, 7:30PM, Alkek Theater – Dr. H.W. Perry, University of Texas School of Law, “The Supreme Court of the United States” Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 7:30PM, Alkek Theater – Thomas E. Ricks, Pulitzer-Prize Journalist, “Orwell on the English Language” Note: More opportunities will be given throughout the course of the semester. Class Policies: Absences: Students who have more than three unexcused absences will have their grade dropped by a letter. Excused absences (sickness, family emergencies, university-excused functions, unfortunate acts of nature, and other legitimate unforeseen events) will not be counted against the student. Citations: You must use a proper citation style. Chicago is preferred, but you are free to use any citation style, so long as it is correctly and consistently applied. For questions concerning grammar and sentence structure, consult the classic Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White. Classroom Conduct: Disruptive actions, including talking out of turn, texting, passing notes (even if flattering of my teaching ability), sleeping, listening to music, having headphones on, not paying attention, etc. will not be tolerated. Be attentive and courteous to your professor and fellow classmates. Do not arrive late or leave class early, unless there is a pressing or urgent matter. Electronics: Laptops, phones, I-Pads, e-readers, and other electronics, however ancient, may not be used unless they are for either the purpose of taking notes or using these devices to download and view the assigned books. Food and Drink: Do not eat in class. A discrete drink is fine. No slurpees. Late Work: Failure to hand in work by the due date may result in your grade being dropped by a full letter. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to hand in a paper on time, contact your professor immediately. Plagiarism and Collusion: This class has a zero-tolerance plagiarism and collusion policy. Plagiarism and collusion will lead to an automatic “F” on the assignment and, quite possibly, the course. Students guilty of plagiarism and collusion will face the proper authorities. In order to avoid either of these heinous academic sins, please make sure to cite your work carefully. For more information about plagiarism and collusion, please visit: http://www.txstate.edu/effective/upps/upps-07-10-01.html Students with Disabilities: If you are a student with a disability who will require an accommodation(s) to participate in this course, please contact me as soon as possible. You will be asked to provide documentation from the Office of Disability Services. Failure to contact me in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. TRACS: It is expected that you will check regularly both your e-mail and TRACS course home page. Some reading assignments will only be available through TRACS. If you cannot log in, please contact your professor immediately. Bobcat Honor Code: http://www.txstate.edu/honorcodecouncil/Academic-Integrity.html All students are expected to uphold and cherish the Honor Code of Texas State University! As members of a community dedicated to learning, inquiry, and creation, the students, faculty, and administration of our university live by the principles in this Honor Code. These principles require all members of this community to be conscientious, respectful, and honest. WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUS. We complete our work on time and make every effort to do it right. We come to class and meetings prepared and are willing to demonstrate it. We hold ourselves to doing what is required, embrace rigor, and shun mediocrity, special requests, and excuses. WE ARE RESPECTFUL. We act civilly toward one another and we cooperate with each other. We will strive to create an environment in which people respect and listen to one another, speaking when appropriate, and permitting other people to participate and express their views. WE ARE HONEST. We do our own work and are honest with one another in all matters. We understand how various acts of dishonesty, like plagiarizing, falsifying data, and giving or receiving assistance to which one is not entitled, conflict as much with academic achievement as with the values of honesty and integrity. THE PLEDGE FOR STUDENTS Students at our university recognize that, to ensure honest conduct, more is needed than an expectation of academic honesty, and we therefore adopt the practice of affixing the following pledge of honesty to the work we submit for evaluation: I pledge to uphold the principles of honesty and responsibility at our university. THE PLEDGE FOR FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION Faculty at our university recognize that the students have rights when accused of academic dishonesty and will inform the accused of their rights of appeal laid out in the student handbook and inform them of the process that will take place. The statement is as follows: I recognize students’ rights and pledge to uphold the principles of honesty and responsibility at our university. ADDRESSING ACTS OF DISHONESTY Students accused of dishonest conduct may have their cases heard by the faculty member. The student may also appeal the faculty member’s decision to the Honor Code Council. Students and faculty will have the option of having an advocate present to insure their rights. Possible actions that may be taken range from exoneration to expulsion. University Resources: Political Science Office: 355 Undergraduate Advising Center Phone: (512) 245-2143 Fax: (512) 245-7815 Liberal Arts Computer Lab: 440 Undergraduate Advising Center Computer Lab Website: http://www.polisci.txtstate.edu/resources/computer-lab.html Writing Center: http://www.writingcenter.txstate.edu/ Office of Disability Services: http://www.ods.txstate.edu/ Departmental Outcomes: The Department of Political Science has adopted student learning outcomes for general education courses (POSI 2310 and POSI 2320) and for all undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered in the Department of Political Science.
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