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INTRODUCTION

The goal of this course is to acquire knowledge of the actors, procedures and laws, and institutions that comprise the American foreign policy process. To achieve this goal, 1) we will study scholarly and journalistic inquiry into these parts of the process and 2) develop our own scholarly contributions to deepen our understanding of the process. Franklin Pierce Learning Outcomes: SS (Social Sciences), IA (Inquiry & Analysis), IL (Information Literacy), QL (Quantitative Literacy)

REQUIREMENTS

I. Daily Work (60%).
 
Your daily, graded coursework consists mostly of timed quizzes, ranging from 3-10 minutes: 1) reading-assignment quizzes due before class; 2) classroom-session quizzes due after class; 3) teamwork quizzes due during class. Take thorough notes on the reading assignments and in the classroom in order to perform well on quizzes. Quizzes ARE open-note/open-reading. Occasionally, I will ask you to submit daily work other than quizzes. (See "Take Quizzes and Submit Coursework" page.)
 
Extra credit for daily work is awarded to students for posting their notes on the class session. (See "Class Session Notes" page.)  These posted notes are a good for studying for class session quizzes, especially for absent students. Other opportunities for extra credit will be made available to you by the instructor but may not be requested by students.
 
II. Research Project (30%).
 
You will produce a 2500 word (minimum) final draft. In preparing to do so, you will be required to submit the following: 1) research question/annotated bibliography; 2) outline; 3) brief, rough draft. We will use class time for drafting and for instructor review of draft. A brief 5-6 minute, classroom presentation will also be required. Guidelines will be provided when these elements are assigned.
 
References for research/essay writing: 1) From Inquiry to Academic Writing (which some of you have) and its guide to citation protocols. 2) Diana Hacker's A Writer's Reference, which also has a guide to research and source documentation
 
III. Final exam (10%).
 
The final exam is comprehensive, with questions drawn from the semester's "Daily Work." It is NOT open-note/open-reading. It will be taken 10:15-12:15, Sunday, May 10.

GENERAL ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE

1. Ignorance and absence are not excuses for incomplete, late or non-submitted work. All required work, extra-credit work, and deadlines are made absolutely, crystal clear in the CampusWeb course pages and calendar. All coursework is completed online. With the exception of a sudden, medically-documented ailment that truly impairs one's ability to do work, there is no excuse of not knowing what is expected and when it is expected.
2. Office hours are when I engage you regarding individual concerns (not the five minutes before class; not during class; not the five minutes after class).
3. Assume that something is required of you every class day. 
4. Computer/tablet use in the classroom is welcomed and encouraged, but proper, academic and scholarly use of technology is expected.
5. Cell phones must be silent and invisible.
6. Remember, you all have Microsoft Office365, which is the whole Office suite online. IT makes downloadable copies of MS Office available for $35.
7. 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 Catalogue 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” (359 and 418). 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.)

LEARNING DIFFERENCES

If you have a documented learning disability, it is important that you work with the Academic Services Center to be sure you maximize the benefit of your efforts in this course.  It is imperative that you be proactive and a self-advocate.  Please talk to me. I can help! Additional information can be found at the  Center for Academic Excellence.

Another extra-credit opportunity tomorrow, May 5 (See below)

Tomorrow, May 5, a Franklin Pierce University day with Governor George Pataki, likely Republican Primary candidate for president. Franklin Pierce Political Science and ISS (Intelligence & Security Studies) thanks undergraduate Political Science major,...

Read more Another extra-credit opportunity tomorrow, May 5 (See below) Read more