Dr. V. McGuire University of Colorado
The American Political System 1101-300 Fall 1997 Lectures: Monday 6:00-9:00 Muen E131 http://www.colorado.edu/itrc/cb/courses/PSCI1101-300

Purpose: The basic premise of this course is that most, if not all Americans do not think about the American National Government. Everyone has an opinion, and most people can argue their opinion when prompted. However, very few Americans have an informed opinion about issues, understand the origins of American governance thus understanding the process. Most do not take the time to analyze events, within a theoretical framework, to arrive at a good understanding of events.

The course is designed with two types of students in mind: one is the student who wants to be a better informed citizen and a well rounded individual/student. The second student is one who is “shopping for a major”; a beginning college student who has no idea what Political Science or, more generally, the Social Sciences are. If you do not fit into either category please do not disturb the class.

Goals: The goals in this course are modest; they are to acquaint you with the actual workings, the stated and unstated principles, and the formal and informal structures of the American government. I hope to nurture in you some interest in American politics, some respect for learning and studying, some ability to read more critically and think more rigorously, and some excitement about the college experience.

Procedure: Most classes will be of the lecture format. This does not abrogate the student of any work. This is a course of ideas but the ideas come from the students. There will be many opportunities for you to have ideas but you must create your own personal set of ideas. They may be the same as your friends or your parents but they must be yours, not theirs. Thus, participation in class is crucial, not just for the course but for your personal development. Additionally, students should log-on periodically to the course on the World Wide Web (the address is above). Here you will find announcements, notices, etc. from the instructor. Also, I will post questions and/or explanations for discussion. All should participate in this “virtual classroom.”

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Books: Edward Greenberg and Benjamin Page, The Struggle for Democracy

        on sale at the UMC bookstore and Colorado bookstore on the hill.
        Suggested Reading: Walter Stone Republic at Risk ISBN 0-534-11610-8

Evaluation: There are three midterm exams and a final exam, which is cumulative. Each is worth 22.5% of the grade. 50% of each exam is objective, short answer questions. They cover all the readings to that point. An additional 50% of each exam is short essay drawn exclusively from class lecture. Your must bring a Scantron answer sheet to all the exams (available in the bookstore). For the final exam a “blue book” is required (also available in the bookstore). To attain a passing grade ALL exams must be taken. The participation component, 10%, comes from both in-class discussions and contributions to the Hypernews section on the Web.

The American Political System 1101-300 Fall 1997 p. 2