LOS ANGELES MISSION COLLEGE
Political Science 1: Government of the United States—Section 3415 Syllabus
Spring Semester 2013
(February 04, 2013 to June 03, 2013)
Class
Meetings: Tuesdays (T) 6:50 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Instructional Building Room 1001
Check for Updates and Resources: http://www.lamission.edu/~chounls/3468
Download the MS-Word version of the syllabus: LAMCPS1_3415Sp2013Syl Expanded.doc
Instructor: Mr. Som
Chounlamountry
Telephone: (818) 364-7600
Extension 4149
Email: chounls@lamission.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 6:10 PM to 6:45 PM
Office Location: Instructional
Building Cubicle # 41
LAMC Sheriff Department (818)
364-7843
Spring Break: March 29, 2013 to April 05, 2013 (No Classes)
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 28,
2013 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Mission College Catalog
Course Description
Principles, institutions, functions, and policy processes of the American
Political System: including ideology and government; the constitution;
federalism; Congress; the Presidency, the Judiciary; Civil Rights and
Liberties; the media, elections and voting, political parties, interest groups.
Also includes California government structure and constitution.
Student Learning Outcomes
1.
Describe the powers, roles, functions, and limitations of the duties of federal,
state, and local governments and the impact on individuals.
2.
Analyze current American domestic and foreign policies and be able to put them
into a historical perspective
3. Differentiate initiatives,
referendums and recalls in California Constitution and laws.
Class
Materials
Required Text:
Bardes: ACP American Government Essentials 2011/2012,
LAMC. ISBN: 978-1-133-52335-2.
$117.60 New, $88.20 Used.
This is a special edition for LAMC; please check the LAMC Bookstore for
the latest version.
http://eagleslanding.lamission.edu/
13356 Eldridge Avenue
Sylmar, CA 91342
Phone: (818) 364-7768 or (818) 364-7767
Additional Class Materials
A total of three (3) Scantron
forms 882-e and one (1) large “Bluebook” examination booklet are required for
the In –Class Tests and Final Exam.
Assessments and Points
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Assessments and
Activities
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Points
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In-Class Attendance, Participation, and Quizzes
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25
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Plagiarism, Voter Guide & Policy Proposal Assignments
(Posted in Course Website)
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75
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Two (2) In-Class Tests (100 Points Each)
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200
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Policy Research Paper (1500-Words) or PowerPoint
Presentation (20 Slides)
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100
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Final Exam
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100
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Course Grading Scale
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Grade
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Point Totals
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Assessment Criteria
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A
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450 to 500
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Performance
of the student has been at the highest level, showing sustained excellence in
meeting all course requirements and exhibiting an unusual degree of
intellectual initiative.
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B
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400 to 449
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Performance
of the student has been at a high level, showing consistent and effective
achievement in meeting course requirements.
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C
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350 to 399
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Performance
of the student has been at an adequate level, meeting the basic requirements
of the course.
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D
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300 to 349
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Performance
of the student has been less than adequate, meeting only the minimum course
requirements.
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F
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0 to 299
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Performance
of the student has been such that minimal course requirements have not been
met.
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Attendance and
Participation: Attendance is mandatory. As a courtesy to all, please
turn off cell phones or place on vibrations. (AVOID texting during class
or responding to calls and leaving room). If you are late, please remain
outside the classroom and wait for a pause in lecture or class activity to
minimize disruption to the class. If you have a special situation,
please don’t hesitate to talk to me about it. You are responsible for dropping the class through the Admissions Office
Online. Please be disciplined about your education and attend consistently.
Attendance quizzes incorporating reading, lecture and relevant current events
may be used periodically.
Students are also expected to follow relevant current events. Ways to do
so include following a daily newspaper, for instance the Los Angeles Times, a
weekly news magazine, like Time, The Economist or Newsweek; watching a TV news
program covering domestic political news such as “Newshour with Jim Lehrer” at
6 p.m. and BBC News at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. on KCET Channel 28; and finally, listening
to public radio on 89.3 FM or 89.9 FM. You can also have access to most of
these papers, magazines, and news programs on the internet.
Late Assignments and Incomplete Grade: Late assignments are permitted only for religious,
medical or college businesses. I
reserve the right to drop the student to for in cases of excessive absences,
and/or incompletion of assignments. It
is your responsibility to drop the course. Incomplete Grade requests must meet
the LAMC standards for approval.
Extra-Credit—Optional
Internship: Students may select
to do internship with a political official or a candidate of their choice. LAMC
does not favor, promote, nor endorse one political office/official/candidate
over another. If you decide opt for this assignment, you are required to write
a three-page reflection paper explaining your internship and how this
experience has helped you understand the political process better.
Cheating: Unauthorized material
used during an examination (including electronic devices), changing answers
after work has been graded, taking an exam for another student, forging or
altering attendance sheets or other documents in the course, looking at another
student’s paper/scantron/essay/computer or exam with or without their approval
is considered cheating. Any student caught cheating will receive a zero for the
assignment/exam and referred to the Department chair and/or Student Services
for further disciplinary action.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is
defined as the act of using ideas, words, or work of another person or persons
as if they were one’s own, without giving proper credit to the original
sources. This includes definitions found online on Wikipedia, materials from
blogs, twitter, or other similar electronic resources. The following examples
are intended to be representative, but not all inclusive:
- failing to give credit by proper citations for others ideas and concepts,
data and information, statements and phrases, and/or interpretations and
conclusions.
- failing to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another,
whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or a part thereof
-
Paraphrasing the expressions or thought by others without appropriate quotation
marks or attribution
- Representing another’s artistic/scholarly works such as essays, computer
programs, photographs, paintings, drawings, sculptures or similar works as
one’s own.
First offense, you will receive a zero
for the assignment in question. Any further offenses may result in expulsion
from the class, as determined by the disciplinary action from the Office of
Student Services.
Recording Devices in the
Classroom: Section 78907 of the California Education Code prohibits the
use of any electronic audio or video recording devices, without prior consent
of the instructor (including cell phones, laptops, MP3 players, and more).
Reasonable Accommodations: If you are a
student with a disability and require accommodations, please send me a private
email. The sooner I am aware of your eligibility for accommodations, the
quicker I will be able to assist the DSP&S Office in providing them.
For students requiring accommodations, the DSP&S Office at Mission College
provides special assistance in areas like: registering for courses, specialized
tutoring, note-taking, mobility assistance, special instruction, testing
assistance, special equipment, special materials, instructor liaisons,
community referrals and job placement. If you have not done so already,
you may also wish to contact the DSP&S Office in Instructional Building 1018
(Phone: (818) 364-7732 TTD: (818) 364-7861), and bring a letter stating the
accommodations that are needed.
Tentative Lecture,
Reading, and Assignments Schedule
For
the most recent updates, please check the class website at http://www.lamission.edu/~chounls/
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Week
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Date
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Lectures and
Readings (Please have readings done
before meeting)
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Week 01
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2/5/2013
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Course Overview and
Introductions. What is Politics? What
is Government?
Homework:
1. Update your email with LACCD
http://laccd.edu/student_information/current_students.htm
View and Modify your personal information
2. Email instructor a Brief Bio to chounls@lamission.edu
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Week 02
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2/12/2013
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How Does
Government Affect Us On a Daily Basis? (Ch. 1)
Different Types of Government (Ch. 1)
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Week 03
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2/19/2013
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The
Constitution (Ch. 2)
Federalism (Ch. 3) and Local Government (California Ch. 9)
Bring Copy of US Constitution & Declaration of Independence (Online)
Bring Copy of US Constitution & Declaration of Independence
(Click to Download)
https://mymission.lamission.edu/userdata/chounls/docs/USConDec.pdf
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Week 04
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2/26/2013
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Civil Liberties
(Ch. 4)
DUE: (Plagiarism Assignment Due) 25 Points
1. Go to https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/definition.html
2. Learn about Plagiarism by doing the exercises
3. Take the Test for the Certificate. https://www.indiana.edu/~istd/test.html
4. Only a perfect will get the unique TIME STAMP certification.
5. Copy and Paste the Confirmation Certificate into a Word Processor and
appropriate assignments when required
6. Print the Confirmation Certificate and bring it to class for verification.
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Week 05
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3/5/2013
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Civil Rights (Ch. &5)
Prepare for MLK and Malcolm X Essay
Describe the philosophies of MLK and
Malcolm X. Who do you identify with best and why? Integrate and explain concepts like Nonviolent Civil Disobedience and Black Nationalism.
You may Compare and contrast the “I have a Dream” and “Ballot or Bullet” speeches.
You may watch movies either GANDHI or MALCOLM X by Spike Lee to help you prepare for the essay and earn extra-credit.
DUE 3/5 : Policy Research Topic Selection and List of 10 Possible Sources (25 Points)
Instructions:
1. Pick a topic from the approved list from the Handout. Pick a topic you will enjoy researching and writing about for the semester.
2. Use the Research databases from www.lamission.edu/library/ to find 10 published articles on the subject.
3. Articles from the internet will not be accepted.
Newest Handout
LAMC Rubric for Research Paper with Plagiarism and CA Bill Handout.pdf
http://youtu.be/7nWSds6kQb0
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Library Resources http://lamission.edu/library/resources.aspx
Books, periodicals, online databases, reference materials, and information from the Internet--the tools you need to succeed are all available in the Library. One of the reference librarians will help you find the information you need.
To access the databases below from off-campus, click the off-campus links to login with your student ID number and PIN. Your PIN is a four-digit number of your birth month and day. For example, January 1st would be "0101".
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Magazines, Journals, and Newspapers
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Reference Resources
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Books
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EBSCOhost Databases
(off campus? Click Here)
Magazines and journals [more]
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Gale Virtual Reference Library
(off campus? Click Here)
Complete text of over 150 reference books that cover a wide range of subjects.
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Mission College Library Catalog
(off campus? Click Here)
includes books located at college libraries in LACCD
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National Newspapers (ProQuest)
(off campus? Click Here)
L. A. Times and other national newspapers [more]
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Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
(off campus? Click Here)
[more]
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eBooks by EBSCOhost (formerly NetLibrary)
(off campus? Click Here)
Over 5,000 electronic books (eBooks) [more]
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Ethnic News Watch
(off campus? Click Here)
Newspapers, magazines, and journals of minority presses [more]
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CQ Researcher
(off campus? Click Here)
Current controversies and topics in the news [more]
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Gale Virtual Reference Library
(off campus? Click Here)
Complete text of over 150 reference books that cover a wide range of subjects.
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Sirs Knowledge Source
(off campus? Click Here)
Information on government and social issues [more]
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Opposing Viewpoints
(off campus? Click Here)
Articles with arguments for and against controversial topics [more]
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Los Angeles Public Library Catalog
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CQ Researcher
(off campus? Click Here)
Current controversies and topics in the news [more]
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Twayne's Author Series
(off campus? Click Here)
Critical introductions to the lives and works of authors
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County of Los Angeles Public Library
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Directory of Open Access Journals
Scientific and scholarly journals available on the web [more]
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Gale Literature Resource Center
(off campus? Click Here)
Trial ends December 2010
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FindArticles
Magazine and journal articles from 1998 through the present on the web [more]
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CountryWatch
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Periodical Holdings
Complete list of magazines, newspapers and journals in the Mission College Library.
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Los Angeles Public Library Databases
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Week 06
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3/12/2013
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Test # 1
(100 Points). Please bring Photo ID
Paper Workshop: Bring your 10 Possible Sources Printed or Electronic Form
LAMC AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Midterm Review Sheet.pdf
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Week 07
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3/19/2013
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Congress (Ch.
10); Domestic Politics (Ch. 14)
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Week 08
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3/26/2013
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The
President (Ch. 12); Foreign Policy
(Ch. 15)
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Week 09
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No Class
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March 29, 2013 to April 05, 2013 Spring
Break (No Classes)
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Week 10
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4/09/2013
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The Courts (Ch.
13); Review of the Three Branches
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Week 11
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4/16/2013
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Public Opinion
and Political Socialization (Ch. 6)
Political
Parties (Ch. 8)
Campaigns and Elections (Ch. 9)
DUE: Personal Voter Guide Due (25 Points)
Political Ideology and Personal Voting
Guide: Each student will use web
resources to understand his/her own political ideology then create a personal
voting guide on the candidates and issues for an upcoming or past election.
Explore your political ideology
A. Take the World’s Smallest Political Ideology Quiz from http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz. Print out the results and read about your ideology and bring the print out to class. Administer and explain the quiz to family member or friends for +1 Extra-Credit Point each. Max+ 10 Points. shortest_political_quiz courtesy of theadvocates.org.pdf
B. Figure out who are your current elected officials and candidates. Go to http://votesmart.org and enter your Zip Code. Bring to class the print out of the result pages. If it is available, consider using the Try 2013 VoteEasy feature.
Create your personal voting guide for an Upcoming Election or The 11-02-2010 General Election. NOTE: IF there is not an upcoming election, consider using the 11-02-2010 General Election
C. 1. Go to www.smartvoter.org, 2. Enter your address and zip code 3. Select the Current Election or the 11-02-2010 General Election, and click FIND YOUR BALLOT. 4. Choose your Candidates and Measures. 5. Go to http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_j.htm, 6. Read about the Qualified Statewide Ballot Measures 7. Choose YES or NO and WHY for each qualified measure.
D. Bring the follow to class for grading: 1) The printout of the Political Ideology, 2) The list of your current elected official, and 3) Your Personal Voting Guide. +5 Extra-Credit for the Best Personal Voting Guide. Example:
Personal Voting Guide by Marissa Velarde.pdf
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Week 12
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4/23/2013
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Test # 2 (100
Points). Please bring Photo ID
Test #
2 (100 Points). Please bring Photo ID and Scantron 882-e
Review: Congress (Ch.
10); Domestic Politics (Ch. 14), The President (Ch. 12); Foreign Policy (Ch.
15); The Courts (Ch. 13); Public Opinion and Political Socialization (Ch. 6);
Political Parties (Ch.
8); Campaigns and Elections
(Ch. 9)
Barbes Chapters 6-15 PowerPoint Outline and Political Parties Crossword.pdf
U.S. Supreme Court Cases
1. Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954)
2. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
3. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
4. Roe v. Wade (1973)
5. Bush v. Gore (2000
6. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
7. McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
8. Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
9. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
10. Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Domestic and Foreign Policy Terms
1. Cold War
2. Containment
3. Détente
4. Diplomacy
5. Earned-Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program
6. Economic Aid
7. Food Stamps
8. Foreign Policy
9. Medicaid
10. Medicare
11. Moral Idealism
12. Political Realism
13. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
14. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
15. Universal Health Insurance
+10 Extra Credit to Create your own Crossword with the words and terms above.
Use the http://en.puzzle-maker.com/crossword
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Week 13
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4/30/2013
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California
Politics (CA Ch. 1 to Ch. 5)
DUE: Policy Papers and Presentations (100 Points)
Attach the following Instructions and Rubric to your paper.
LAMC Rubric for Research Paper with Plagiarism and CA Bill Handout.pdf
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Week 14
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5/7/2013
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California
Politics (CA Ch. 6 to End); Student Presentations
Extra-Credit Assignment +10 Points LAMC Personality and Resume Extra-Credit.pdf
*Make sure your Resume is only 1 (one-page) and looks like the
examples in the UC Berkeley Guide.
Staple the template you chose to the back of your Resume. They should look similar.
Help Promote this Blues Project Public Service Announcement
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Week 15
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5/14/2013
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Course Review;
Student Presentations
Final
Exam Review Sheet
"With all deliberate speed"
Affirmative action
Amendments 11-27
Bill of Rights
Bills: How it becomes law in the federal level
CA Blanket Primary
CA State Assembly
CA State Senate
California Courts and Judges
California Historical Development
Californian Legislature
Challenges for California
Checks and Balances
City Government
Cold War
Compromise of 1850
Congress
Conservative
Containment
Criminal Justice and Civil Law
De facto discrimination
Declaration of Independence
Détente
Diplomacy
Direct Democracy
Earned-Income Tax Credit (EITC) Program
Economic Aid
Establishment clause
Federal Supreme Court
Federalism Diagram (We the People)
Federalist No. 10
Filibuster
Food Stamps
Foreign Policy
Free-Exercise clause
Gerrymandering
Governor
Great Compromise
Immigration
Imminent lawless action
Initiative
Interest Groups
Jefferson
Judicial review
Liberal
Libertarian
Locke
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Medicaid
Medicare
Montesquieu
Moral Idealism
New Jersey Plan
Paying the Bills
Political Realism
Political socialization
Populist
Presidency
Presidential vetoes
Prior restraint
Racial profiling
Recall
Recall Election
Referendum
Roe v. Wade 1973
Selective incorporation
Separate but equal
Separation of powers
Shays' Rebellion
State Supreme Court
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Supremacy clause
Supreme Court
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
The Civil Rights Acts
The New Jersey (small-state) Plan
The Plural Executive
The Progressive Movement
The Underrepresented
The Virginia Plan
The War Powers Act of 1973
Three-fifths compromise
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Universal Health Insurance
KNOW
THESE COURT CASES
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Gitlow v. New York (1925)
Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954)
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Bush v. Gore (2000)
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Week 16
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5/21/2013
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Course Review; Student Presentations
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FINAL
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5/28/2013
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Final Exam:
Tuesday, May 28, 2013 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
(100
Points) Please bring Photo ID
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This syllabus is a guide to use
throughout this course and is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance; it is my goal that you succeed in
this class. Revised 1.30.2013
