Welcome to the online syllabus for my Web-based U.S. Government course, GOVT 2305 ONL. This page is designed to provide information about this particular course and its requirements. For additional information click on the links to the left. If you have questions which aren't answered here, please let me know.  A printable and more detailed syllabus will be available on the course Bb page (formatted as a Word document and as a pdf document). Be sure to download the more detailed syllabus from Blackboard that includes a week-by-week course schedule.

Once you have read through this online syllabus and the FAQs about ONL classes, including the information to the right and left, please send me an email with the contact information that I ask for at the bottom of this syllabus page.  You will not be able to send me the required orientation email until the semester begins and the course Blackboard page is fully loaded with everything you will need for the course.  Please send me the required orientation email during the first week of the semester.

In addition, you will need to take the orientation quiz in Bb once the semester starts and score at least ten points on the quiz.  More information about this quiz is provided below and on the course Bb page.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to United States national government. The course includes an introduction to a framework for understanding United States government and politics, the constitutional basis for United States government and politics, the processes, the institutions, and the policies of United States government and politics.

Course Objectives

The basic objectives of the course are for the student to:

1.  Gain an awareness of the principles that are the foundation of our political system and how those principles have changed throughout our history.
2.  Understand the basic structure, processes, and operations of our political system.
3.  Develop an awareness of the ways in which government affects, and is affected by, its citizens.
4 . Think in political terms as part of the process of becoming a more effective citizen.

Course Materials

Textbook: Janda, Berry, Goldman, Schildkraut, Hula, The Challenge of Democracy:  American Government in Global Politics, the Essentials, packaged with Aplia access, Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, c2014. ISBN: 978 1133602309 

Textbooks can be purchased at an ACC bookstore.  Be sure to purchase the textbook bundle that is packaged with Aplia access.  Aplia is an interactive homework tool designed to help students learn the material and apply what they are doing to real world situations.  More information about how to register for Aplia access is available in the course syllabus found in Bb.

Students can can choose to go all digital with Aplia (with eBook included) by purchasing direct from Cengage if they don't want to purchase a hard copy of the text from the bookstore that is bundles with Aplia access. 

Make sure that you use the right ISBN if you want a hard copy of the textbook and that you purchase the textbook that comes packaged with Aplia access.

Textbooks can be purchased at an ACC bookstore.

Online resources will include Blogger.com  Please also take advantage of the available resources for DL Students, including the Technical Skills Checklist, the Learning Style survey, and the Help page for DL students. 

Course Readiness Skills

In order to succeed in this course, students need particular personal qualities as well as technical skills.  On a personal level, students must be:

1) able to set goals and deadlines for themselves and able to meet those deadlines (be able to use a calendar, plan, allow adequate time, etc.)

2) able to remain on track and on time

3) equipped with strong reading and writing skills

4) equipped with strong problem-solving skills

5) willing to spend eight to ten hours a week on this class (logging in to Bb, completing the Aplia problem set each week, taking the required chapter quiz each week, taking advantage of the learning resources in Bb, outlining, reading, and studying each chapter, working on the discussion board postings or the required blog posts, etc.)

On a technical level, students must be:

1) proficient with a computer (keyboarding skills, opening attachments, installing updates to software, configuring settings, etc.)

2) able to search, bookmark, download/upload, learning new software (such as Aplia)

3) able to call Tech Support and take advantage of support assistance

4) able to access a reliable computer, an up-to-date OS, and a fairly fast, reliable internet connection

5) use the following web sites in this course:  Blackboard, Blogger, Aplia.

Course Requirements

This course requires students to complete four units of study.

Each unit includes a timed essay exam taken through Blackboard (75 possible points), graded Aplia learning modules ("problem sets") taken online through Aplia, timed chapter quizzes taken online through Aplia (10 points each), and an online unit discussion board (30 possible points). 

• Each unit will have a timed essay exam taken through Blackboard that will include essay questions of varying point values and complexity.  Each essay exam will be worth up to 75 points.

• Each chapter in the textbook will have graded problem sets using the Aplia system (accessed through Aplia). These assignments (called "problem sets" in Aplia) have varying possible points (from eight to 20, depending on the assignment); 14 chapters make a total of 182 possible points.  Each problem set will take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes to complete.  Each one should be completed with at least 80% correct.  Students will receive three chances to reach the 80% mark for each assignment.  Problem sets must be completed by Wednesday each week - you cannot wait until the night before a unit deadline and expect to complete all the chapter problem sets for that unit - you won't have full access.
• Each chapter in the textbook will have a timed, ten-point quiz taken through Aplia.  There are ten questions, each worth one point.  The quiz must be completed by Friday each week.

• Each unit will have a 30-point discussion board in which students do some research and post their findings, along with commenting on the postings of others.

In addition, students will be creating and posting to a blog throughout the semester.  You will be asked to submit sixt blog postings, each one worth anywhere from ten to 25 points, for a total of 105 points.

Testing and Retesting

Required Exams: There will be FOUR unit essay exams and ONE comprehensive optional final. Each unit essay exam will be worth up to 75 points, will be timed, and will be taken through Blackboard. Please note that I do not take the textbook entirely in order, so be aware of the chapters covered on each exam.  All essay exams must be taken by the deadline for that unit of study.  

The optional comprehensive final (taken through Bb) will consist of essay questions and will cover the entire course - that is, all 14 chapters. If you take all five exams (including the optional final), I will drop your lowest test score in this class. In other words, if you miss one of the unit exams, then you must take the comprehensive final to replace that score of zero.

Alternatively, if you want to improve your point total, you can take the comprehensive final and I will substitute your score on it for your lowest unit exam score.  If you are satisfied with your point total on your four exams and other course work, you do not have to take the optional final.  If you do take the optional final, I will only use the grade if it helps (that is, if it's higher than your lowest test score).

Blogging

As part of your work in this course, you will be submitting six blog posts using Blogger.com, with each posting worth between 10 and 25 points.  More information about these blog will be available on the course Bb page.  The deadlines can be found in the column to the left.

Discussion Boards

For each unit of study, there will be one required discussion board ("message board") in which you will research and discuss questions with your classmates related to the topics covered in that unit. Please note that these forums will be open only while that unit of the course is currently under study (the test deadline is also the forum deadline for any unit). I will not grade discussion board postings that are dated after the unit deadline. 

Everyone is expected to participate in the forum for each unit (you may earn up to 30 points per unit, up to 20 points for your main research-based post and up to ten points for your comments on the postings of your classmates).   Participation means that you've followed the instructions and done the research before posting thoughtful, thorough, and relevant information and reasoned observations, either in response to the forum question or the forum instructions or in response to something one of your classmates has posted.  You will also be expected to follow an acceptable citation style in your postings and to properly cite your sources.  More information about these discussion boards can be found on the course Blackboard page.

Information about how I grade these discussion boards can be found on the FAQs page.

Graded Aplia Problem Sets

Each chapter will have an associated Aplia "problem set" accessed through Aplia.com.  You must purchase Aplia access as described above in the information about the textbook.  More details about how to purchase Aplia access (along with an eBook) are in the detailed syllabus found in Bb.  These learning modules are designed to help you learn the material in each chapter, apply what you are learning, and earn some less stressful points in this class.  More information about these modules will be available in the course Bb page, where the link to Aplia can be found.

Aplia problem sets must be completed each week.  The first week of the semester includes a practice Aplia problem set.  Thereafter, you will complete one Aplia problem set each week - due on Wednesday of the week.  You cannot wait and study the course material right before an exam deadline; you must work through the chapters consistently and the Aplia tool is intended to keep you on track.

You can complete any coursework early. These deadlines for the course are the LAST DAY to do something, not the only day to do something.

Timed Chapter quizzes

Each chapter will include a timed ten-point, ten-question multiple choice quiz taken in Aplia.  The chapter quiz must be taken no later than Friday of each week.  A detailed course schedule is included with the syllabus available in Blackboard.

Required Email

During the first week of the semester, after you have thoroughly read this syllabus and its accompanying links, please send me an email (Email: gls@austincc.edu) with your course/section number in the subject heading and include the following contact information. Sending this email satisfies part of the online orientation requirement for this course.

A. Your name, preferred phone number, ACC g-mail address.  (Note:  Blackboard allows me to send emails to the class, but it ONLY uses students' ACC g-mail addresses, so you must activate this account and check it regularly - or you can have email sent to g.austincc.edu forwarded to another account.  For more information visit www.austincc.edu/accmail)

Required Orientation Quiz

In addition to the required email, you must log onto Blackboard and take the required orientation quiz during the first week of the semester, earning at least ten points.  If you do not earn at least ten points on your first try, you may retake the quiz.  These points will become bonus points for you - but this is a REQUIRED component of the orientation.

DEADLINE:  Sending me this required email and taking the required orientation quiz (and earning at least ten points) must be completed by the end of the first week of class. Once you have done both things, you have completed the orientation process and are ready to begin the course.

Course Policies

Testing Center Policy:  Students using the Academic Testing Centers must govern themselves according to the Student Guide for Use of ACC Testing Centers and should read the entire guide before going to take the exam. 

To request an exam, you must have:

• an ACC Photo ID
• the course abbreviation (GOVT)
• the course number (2305)
• the course synonym (11111)
• the course section (000)
• my name

Do NOT take cell phones to the Testing Center.  Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester.  ACC Testing Center policies can be found at www.austincc.edu/testctr

Scholastic Dishonesty: A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression.  As described in the ACC Student Handbook, scholastic dishonesty constitutes a violation of college rules and regulations and is punishable according to the procedures outlined in the Handbook. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarism, and collusion.

Plagiarism includes use of another author's words or arguments without attribution. Collusion is defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements.

Please do your own work in this class.  Do not share your answers or work with your classmates.  Do not copy and paste information from Wikipedia or any other Web source and present it as your own work.  If your work appears too similar to that of a classmate, or too similar to what appears on a Web site, I will investigate and bring charges of academic dishonesty if warranted.  You may not work on assignments with your classmates and then submit the same answers.  That is considered collusion as described above. You may never use anyone else's words or statistics without using quotation marks and listing the source of the quote. Failing to use quotation marks and list the source is considered plagiarism as described above.

Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work includes, but is not limited to, tests, quizzes, papers or projects, classroom presentations, and homework. If a student commits any of the above actions, the instructor will impose disciplinary action in the form of an academic penalty of zero on the paper or assignment in question and, where necessary, a course grade of 'F'.

Withdrawal: You may withdraw any time during the semester until April 21 without academic penalty. To withdraw from any class, you must do it officially through Online Services. The responsibility of officially withdrawing rests entirely with you. I will not withdraw any student from the course who completes the orientation, even if that student never takes a single exam. I will also not sign off on retroactive withdrawals. The withdrawal deadline can't be ignored or finessed.

Student Rights and Responsibilities: Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, petition, and association.  These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to other sin the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process.  Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment.  This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student.  As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures.

Academic Freedom: Each student is encouraged to participate in the course discussion forums. Such participation means expressing your personal views or observations as they relate to the questions under discussion. Your grade will not be affected by the content of your views - in other words, I don't have to agree with you. However, in order to foster inquiry and ensure that everyone can express his or her views freely, we will all respect the views of others when expressed during such forums.

Office for Students with Disabilities: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical, cognitive, or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes and are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.

Students who have received approval for accommodations from OSD for this course must provide me with the "notice of Approved Accommodations" from OSD before accommodations will be provided.  Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after I have received the "notice of Approved Accommodations" from the student.

Students are encouraged to contact a campus OSD office before the semester begins to better ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely manner.  Additional information about the Office for Students with Disabilities is available at www.austincc.edu/support/osd