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Political Science 2300 Syllabus
Last Updated November 20, 2006
Course Title: Political Theory Instructor: Joe A. Green; Mr. Green’s website http://cactus.dixie.edu/green Mr. Green’s Office Phone: 652- Ms. Crowley, the McDonald Building secretary: 652- e-mail: green@dixie.edu Testing Center Phone #: 652-
Office Hours: 11:00 to 11:50 am on MWF; 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 5:00 to 6:00 pm on TH
Required Texts: Michael Morgan, ed., Classics of Ethical and Political Theory, Fourth Edition
Dixie State College’s Liberal Education Objectives 1 Students will demonstrate knowledge of human development and the human condition.
- Students will understand the ideas, people, and events in the past that are generally thought to be important.
Gifts Gift from students to the teacher can be misinterpreted. While the thought will be appreciated, Mr. Green cannot accept gifts under any circumstances. I would be better
for all concerned if they were not offered.
- Students will develop informed points of view based on knowledge in psychological, social, economic, and/or political theory which can be expressed orally or in writing.
POLS 2300 Course Objectives
- Students will master and appreciate the original ideas and the current relevance of Political Thought.
- Students will understand the major themes of Political Theory including: · ideas about the nature of politics · ideas about the origin the state · ideas that justify the state · ideas about who should rule
· ideas about liberty · ideas about justice
3.Students will demonstrate their mastery of the story and the themes of American Civilization through their:
Class Interruptions Please turn off your cell phones, radios, walkmen, and alarms such as watches and palm pilots during class. Electronic disturbances of this class will not be · performance on exams allowed. · written work · attendance and participation in class activities · completion of library assignments
- Students will relate the concepts, ideas and facts that they acquire in their study of Political Theory to their present life through a deeper understanding of themselves, public issues, and current events.
An eminent mathematician once remarked that he was never satisfied with his knowledge of a mathematical theory until he could explain it to the next (person) he met in the street. This is hardly exaggerated; however, we must remember that a satisfactory explanation entails duties
on both sides.
Student Duties You must commit to a fifteen week program of rigorous study. For the average C+ to B-) Dixie College student, this course will demand two hours out-of-class study for every hour we
meet in class or 6 hours a week. This means careful reading: in order to perform well on exams and class assignments you will have to work with your textbook, as opposed to just reading it. It also means you will do college level writing. Finally, you must be willing to consider viewpoints different from your own and to express your opinion in class. Attendance Missing class will involve costs. There will is no such thing as an excused absence even for athletics, forensics, field trips, or other college sponsored activities. As a matter of policy, I will not to go over or in any other way make up lectures or other activities for students who miss class. I will make no adjustments nor will I allow exceptions to policies regarding missing quizzes or exams when the reason is discretionary such as a vacation, the deer hunt, or a visit home. This said, consideration will be given for rescheduling some class activities in the event of school sponsored activities, illness, or accident and if consultation if done privately (in Mr. Green’s office) before the scheduled time of the activity.
Special Needs If you are a student with a physical or mental impairment and would like to request accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center (652-7516) in Room 201 of the Student Services Center. The Disability Resource Center will determine your eligibility for services based upon complete professional documentation. If you are deemed eligible, the Disability Resource Center will further evaluate the effectiveness of your accommodation requests and will authorize reasonable accommodations that are appropriate for your disability.
Grading
At the end of the quarter, I must make a judgement concerning how much of the content of the class you have learned. I will use the following formula to make this assessment:
$ exams (grade times 40%) $ micro papers (average grade time 30%) $ quizzes (grade times 30%)
You must take both exams and turn in all the papers to pass the class.
Grade Creation All grades in all the textbook and document quiz categories (above) will be determined using one of the following two methods. First, your score on your will be divided by the high score in the class. If your score is within 95% o f the high, you will receive an A. The breakdown will then descend by percentages of the high until the a score that is 60% of the high earns a D-. However, if the average grade for the class, calculated using the first method, is less than a C, a second method will replace the first. Instead of dividing by the high score, the denominator will be manipulated until the average grade for the class is set near C. Further adjustments will be made if there are several sections of the class and significantly differentiated denominators between the classes. If there are multiple sections of the class that use the same measuring instrument, as when all section take the same exam, the average will calculated from all sections rather than from just your class.
Exams
Two major exams will be given during the semester accounting for 40% of your grade – the midterm is worth 20% and the final is worth 20%.
Exam Schedule Each exam will be administered in the classroom. The Midterm will cover lecture and discussion material for the first half of the semester. It is tentatively scheduled for October 18. The Final will cover lecture and
John Locke, “Second Treatise on Government,” pp. 684- Jean-Jacques Rousseau, “Discourse on the Origin of Inequality,” pp. 777- John Stuart Mill, “On Liberty,” pp. 936- Karl Marx, “The Communist Manifesto,” pp.1109-
For each book Mr. Green will prepare a set of questions, and each member of the class will prepare a one page (200 to 225 words, 1" margins all around, 12 point font) written response to the question. Each response must be typed, have a title, a purpose statement, and convince Mr. Green that you have read and thought about the ideas in the book. Selected students will be sharing their papers with the class, so write them well. Micro Paper Grades Each paper will be graded using the standard A, B, C, D system. Grades will reflect Mr. Green’s assessment of your understanding of the text and how well you have outlined and organized your writing to be unified and especially coherent. The micro paper grade will average the grades on the five papers. In addition, you will be allowed to rewrite the first three papers one time for a higher grade.
Micro Paper Rules Due dates for the papers will be set as the class develops, but when the date is set, it will be posted on the message board of the website.
No Late or Make-up Micro Papers Each paper is due on or before the due date. Papers will not be accepted late, and no one will, therefore, be allowed to make up any paper. (In circumstances where this rule is unjust, exceptions may be made, but only after consultation with Mr. Green in his office). Certainly forgetting to go to the paper, getting stuck in Salt Lake or Las Vegas, or an upcoming family vacation will not count as acceptable excuses and will not be accepted. (See the attendance policy above.)
Participation and Attendance Quizzes
P&A Quizzes will account for 30% of your grade. You do not have to take all the Quizzes to pass the class.
P&A Quiz Schedule and Content Quizzes on the lectures and reading will be conducted during the semester. They will be given often enough to encourage continuous attendance and preparation. Each will be worth 10 to 20 points. You will be asked either to identify by author, source, and/or meaning of passages cited in the lectures or to respond briefly to specific questions about class discussions or the reading.
P&A Quiz Grade The P&A Quiz grade will be calculated using all the points accumulated during the semester. See the Grade Creation section above.
No Late Quizzes Quizzes will be unannounced and cannot be taken early, late, or made up.
