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GVB 110: American National Government

There will be three exams. Exam 1 will cover approximately the first quarter of the course, exam 2 will cover the second quarter of the course, and the final exam will cover the entire last half of the course. Each exam will consist of a set of terms. You will identify each term, discuss its significance, and discuss how we should respond to the idea. Each exam will be graded on a number scale (100 to 0). A study guide will be provided before each exam. Students absent on the examination days must provide a documented excuse (doctor’s note, etc.) Please keep returned exams in a binder for inclusion in your final portfolio.

Class Participation

 Thoughtful and reflective engagement in class discussion is an important part of this course. Reading American political news is required and you are expected to be prepared to offer your thoughts on the week’s news. You will also be expected to discuss the assigned reading and also to respond to the ideas of others. Students may be called on to discuss readings in class. Students will also participate in a mock constitutional convention and a constitutional amendment debate.

Weekly Reading Journal of Justice

The weekly journal of justice is a log of your reactions to and analysis of the assigned readings. You should write at least a paragraph or two about each assigned chapter or article. The best journal entries make clear your understanding of the material and your willingness to grapple with it. The overriding question you should be addressing in the journal is whether the issues discussed in the readings are fair or just. Bring in your own experiences into the journal whenever you can. Additional credit will be given to students who also analyze the news of the week. Each journal turned in will be graded as exceptional (4), good (3), acceptable (2), or unacceptable (1). The journal must be typed. The writing may be informal, but must be clearly understandable. Late journals will not be accepted without a documented excuse. When I return them, please keep them together in a binder, to become part of your final portfolio for the course.

Formal Essay

Each student will complete and hand in two drafts of a formal essay that will make a compelling argument about a constitutional amendment proposal. Papers will be graded on both form and content. The paper will be graded on a letter scale (A+ to F). Grades for late papers will be reduced one third grade for each day late with a maximum of one full grade reduction. Students will also offer comments on the essays of other students. Please keep both drafts of your paper and a copy of your comments on other students’ papers in a binder for inclusion in your final portfolio.

Attendance

This course follows the attendance policy established by Hillyer College. Students who are absent from class must provide written documentation for each absence. Students with four unexcused absences may be dropped from the course. According to Hillyer College policy, I will issue an attendance warning when a student appears to be at risk for excessive absences. You should know that copies of attendance warnings are mailed to your home address by the Hillyer College Dean’s Office.

Final Portfolio

This isn’t actually an assignment in and of itself, but a collection of all the material you have handed in during the course, bundled together neatly in a folder or binder. Please keep all assignments in order by due date.