ROOM & TIME: 10-10:50, PET 113

OFFICE HOURS & CONTACT INFO: MWF 8:55-9:55, 10:55-12:25 (and appointment) in Petrocelli 324. To contact me, text me at 978-660-5968 or email me at cohenf@franklinpierce.edu. In ALL emails, leave a contact phone number.

Bookmark this course on your smartphone, laptop/desktop, tablet, etc. Get in the habit of checking the calendar, for new news, and for assignments every day. Ignorance (e.g., "I didn't know there was something due.) of deadlines is no excuse, as checking for these things is as easy as one click on your device.

Outstanding student of mine from US Govt and other classes who is the tutor. He is at the Center for Academic Excellence. He will be available, by appointment ONLY, every Monday from 1-4 and Tuesdays from 7-8:30 PM in the Tower. For an appointment with Nick, email AcademicExcellence@franklinpierce.edu, call at 899-4107, or drop by the office at least 24 hours in advance. Appointments for his Monday session must be requested no later than 3PM on Friday. Nick is a friendly guy, easy to work with, and perfect for the job.

The goal of this course is for students to acquire knowledge of the origins, evolution and operation of the American political system. The objectives are to understand, as an introductory level: the political foundations/impact of the U.S. Constitution; the function of the three branches of government; the domestic/foreign policy making process; the changing relationship between federal and state levels of government; and nature of political participation in public opinion, interest groups, campaigns and elections. Learning outcomes: SS, IA

REQUIREMENTS

Homework/Class-Session Quizzes (65%)

Research: Writing, Oral Presentations, Quizzes (25%). Mixes individual effort and teamwork.

Final Exam (10%). May 9, 10:15 AM, PET 113. The final exam is comprised of questions drawn from all quizzes. 

EXTRA CREDIT

Extra credit is awarded to students for posting their notes on the class session in Class Session Notes. (I suggest you take notes in Word and then copy and paste them in Class Session Notes. Best way not to lose your work.) These posted notes are a good for studying for class session quizzes, especially for absent students. Other opportunities (events/speakers on campus, additional assignments) for extra credit will be made available to you by the instructor. 

ASSIGNMENTS

CALENDAR (deadlines/events)

You can check your course progress in Gradebook

1. Expect to work HARD!
2. Ignorance and absence are not excuses for incomplete, late, or non-submitted work.
3. Check this page daily to keep track of all required and extra-credit work.
4. Use office hours, email, text, phone to address individual concerns. Do not use class time or the five minutes before and after to do so. 
5. All required work is posted and submitted on CampusWeb.
6. All reading material is posted on CampusWeb.
7. Expect to rely exclusively on computer technology in classroom and for homework.
8. Cell phones must be SILENT and INVISIBLE in class.
9. You will use Microsoft Office for all written work and presentations. All FPU students have online and downloadable access at Office 365.
10. Academic dishonesty (Plagiarism, Cheating). Ignorance is no excuse for plagiarism and cheating. It’s either academic dishonesty or it’s not. A single instance of academic dishonesty will result in a FAILURE for the entire course. In addition, a report will be immediately forwarded to the Office of Academic Affairs so that the University may take action. The Franklin Pierce Academic Catalog provides a precise definition of plagiarism.
    
    Plagiarism is the act of stealing or passing as one’s own the ideas or words of another. Diana Hacker identifies three specific acts that constitute plagiarism: “(1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks and(3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words.” Specifically, this includes: copying the words of another student from examinations, themes, term papers, or theses; copying the printed words or ideas of a writer without giving credit to the author; using, borrowing, stealing, presenting or downloading another student’s ideas or writing and submitting such material as one’s own work; or resubmitting work in whole or in part that has previously been submitted in another course, without permission of the current instructor. (Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s Press.)