Professor Wattier's POL 460 Course Syllabus

Online Course Syllabus available at:  http://campus.murraystate.edu/academic/faculty/mark.wattier/   

Department: Government, Law, and International Affairs

Course Number: POL 460 Credit Hours: 3 Semester: Spring, 2007

I.  Title: Political Behavior

II. Instructor: Mark J. Wattier

Office: 5A-9 FH

Telephone: (270) 809-2695

E-mail: Mark.Wattier@MurrayState.Edu   

 Office hours: 

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Tu-Th
•   1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Tu-Th
• 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. W
•  1:00 p.m. –  3:00 p.m. W
• by appointment on other weekdays

III. Class location and meeting times: 9:30 - 10:20 T-TH in FH-507

IV.  Catalog description: An introduction to major concepts and systems of thought useful in explaining and understanding political behavior. 

V.   Purpose: The purpose of the course is as stated in the description.  

VI. Course objectives: The primary learning objectives of the course are: 

1. to introduce the variety of perspectives that are used to study political behavior;
2. to provide students an opportunity to learn how social scientific methodologies are used to discover knowledge and ascertain its validity; and
3. to learn to use these concepts and perspectives to analyze the politics of our everyday lives.

VII. Course outline

Course Introduction:  1/16 

First Examination:  2/15

V.  Values in Change (2/20 & 2/22)

    Read:  Dalton, chap. 5

Visit:  

Maslow's hierarchy of needs at Wikipedia.org 

Well Being by GNP.gif

Inglehart's Value Map.gif  

Culture War at Wikipedia.org

Review of T. Alexander Smith and Raymond Tatalovich. 2003. Cultures at War:  Moral Conflicts in Western Democracies. Orchard Park, NY:  Broadview Press at politicalreviewnet.com

VI.  Issues and Ideological Orientations (2/27 & 3/1)

    Read:  Dalton, chap. 6 

Visit:  

U. S. National Debt Clock  

 ABC News, "To Iraq and Back," at http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/WoodruffReports/ 

Frontline's News War (full program online) 

American Enterprise Institute's Public Opinion and War on Terror  

Gallup International's Voice of the People from http://www.gallup-international.com 

Pew Charitable Trust's Divided World 

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs 

World Public Opinion.org 

VII.  Elections and Political Parties (3/6 & 3/8)

    Read:  Dalton, chap. 7  

Suggested Reading:  Mark J. Wattier. 2005.  Presidential Primaries and Frontloading:  An Empirical Polemic. Paper presented at the "State of the Party: 2004 & Beyond" conference sponsored by the Racy C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, University of Akron, Akron. Visit the conference web site at: http://www.uakron.edu/bliss/StateofParties.php  

Visit: 

Duverger's law at Wikipedia.org 

Europe -- Political Parties and Youth Organizations 

Lijphart Election Archives 

VIII.  The Social Bases of Party Support (3/13 & 3/15)

    Read:  Dalton, chap. 8

Second Examination:  3/27

Third Examination:  5/9/2007 (STARTING AT 8:00 A.M.)    

Research reports Due: 4/26/2007 at 9:30 a.m. 

VIII. Instructional activities: We shall study political behavior in multiple ways, including but not limited to lectures, class discussions, reports, assigned readings, and web sites.

IX. Field and clinical experiences: None.

X. Resources: Course resources include an instructor with over twenty years experience, and excellent reading materials.  

XI. Grading procedures:  The final course grade is based on the points accumulated according to the following scale:  

Examinations (300 total points): This course has three in-class examinations. Each examination will cover the assigned reading and lecture material of its lecture unit. In other words, the examinations are not comprehensive. Each examination will have three sections: (1) concept identification, (2) conceptual distinctions, and (3) an analytical essay.  In the concept identification section you will be asked to define seven of ten concepts from the reading and lecture. In the conceptual distinction section you will be asked to identify the basic distinction among three of five pairs of concepts. In the essay section you will be asked to analyze a campaign problem with the concepts tested in the previously mentioned sections. For instance, the ability to project a "positive" image is considered an element of electability. I might ask you to discuss whether and to what extent a particular candidate has this particular characteristic. In the essay section, you will usually have a choice of questions to answer. Each examination is worth 100 points. 

Make-up examinations: If you miss an examination, its make-up must be arranged in consultation with the instructor.  If you miss the make-up examination, a score of zero will be assigned the missed examination.   

Research Paper:  The textbook (see below) includes a data supplement, which consists of selected variables from national probability samples from several advanced industrial democracies.  These survey data provide an opportunity for students to gain experience in testing hypotheses with empirical data.  Students, in consultation with the instructor, will execute tests of specific research hypotheses.  Students are expected to write a research paper that follows the Style Manual for Political Science.  Research papers must be typed.  Hand-written papers will not be accepted.  A recommended minimum length for the paper is from 10 to 12 type-written pages.  The paper must be your own work (see Statement on Plagiarism [PDF]) and well written (see The Write Stuff [PDF]).  Students must turn in an electronic version of their paper, in Microsoft Word, so that the instructor can have Turnitin.com check papers for plagiarism.  Papers for which there is substantial evidence of plagiarism could earn no points.  The paper is due Thursday, April 26, 2007, at 9:30 a.m.  Late papers will be penalized 15 points for each day the paper is late.  The paper is worth 100 points.  For more specific guidance on the research paper, please visit POL460 RESEARCH PAPER.  

Impressive class participation as bonus points: Prior to each class read each assignment carefully and, to the best of your ability, be prepared to discuss the assignment in class.  By class participation I mean both asking and answering questions grounded in each lecture topic. I sincerely welcome and wish to encourage your participation in class discussions. Class participation counts as bonus points; it can only help your grade.  Class attendance is surely a necessary condition for class participation; however, class attendance without participation does not earn class participation credit.  You may earn 5 points for each impressive act of class participation.  An "impressive" act is one that demonstrates careful study of the assigned reading material.  "Impressive, most impressive," young Skywalker! 

XII. Attendance policy (30 total points):  Students are expected to attend class. Students are expected to affix their signatures to a sign-in sheet.  If you miss a class for a reason covered by MuSU's attendance policy (see 2005-2007 Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 10), please write a note that clearly explains the absence on the next day's sign-in sheet.  One point is earned for each day except some selected days could be worth as much as 5 points. 

XIII. Textbook: The textbook for this class is Citizen Politics (4th ed.), by Russell J. Dalton.  Additional readings are posted on the online version of the course syllabus in portable document format (PDF).     

XIV. Prerequisites: None

XV. Academic Honesty policy:  The Academic Honesty policy, as adopted by the Board of Regents, February 14, 1975, is incorporated into this syllabus (see 2005-2007 Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 10).

XVI. Students with Disabilities:  Students with bona fide disabilities should inform me privately and appropriate arrangements will be made.

XVII. Cell Phones:  Please turn off cell phones when class begins.