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SYLLABUS TEXAS STATE GOVERNMENT 2306 CLARENDON COLLEGE SPRING 2010 3 CREDIT HOURS ONLINE COURSE Instructor: Kim Jeffrey Office Hours: Because this is an online course, the best way
to reach me is the Web CT e-mail through the online course. For
emergencies us my personal home e-mail: kimjeffrey100@hotmail.com . I will check and answer e-mails every
couple of days or sooner. Monday, Tuesday, January 11, 12 Registration for Fall 2010. Tuesday, January 12 Classes
Begin: Web CT is open to students CALENDAR OF IMPORTANT DATES:
CLASS
PARTICIPATION: Students
will post to the Discussion Board a short summary relating to a current
political event of their choice. YOU WILL NEED SEVEN POSTINGS FOR EACH
SECTION OF THE COURSE FOR A TOTAL OF TWENTY-ONE POSTINGS. In your own words, post
a short summary about any current issue or event that that relates to
government. Decide what your topic
is, how you would handle the situation if you were the
decision-maker in control and give your reasons as to why you would
address the problem in this way. Provide the source of your information. THESE POSTINGS WILL BE YOUR CLASS
PARTICIPATION SCORE AND WILL BE 10% OF YOUR TOTAL GRADE FOR THE CLASS. There will be a format for you to follow on
the Discussion Board of the Homepage. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To
acquaint the student with the structure and functions of the Texas
Constitutional System. The course is designed to satisfy state and college
requirements for degree-seeking students as well as to provide a direction
for future study. Government 2306 partially satisfies the requirement for an
Associate Degree at Clarendon College and is designed to transfer to a senior
college or university. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Texas Government 2306 is an introduction to the theory and practice of
politics and governance in Texas at the state and local and county levels.
Topics include political theory, the Texas Constitution, Federalism,
Separation of Powers, political participation, elections, the Texas economy
and current events and issues. METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: This is an
online course. Students who take the responsibility
for learning will learn the most. Therefore, in this class I will be acting
more as a "facilitator of learning" than a "traditional
teacher." What you learn in this course will come from these sources:
textbook readings, current events that will be posted by the student, email
messages from other students and me. If you need extra help, remember that I
am only an email message away. TEXT: Halter,
Gary M. Government & Politics of Texas: A Comparative View. 7th
Ed. McGraw-Hill. New York: 2008. The
text may be purchased at the Clarendon College Bookstore. YOU WILL NEED
THIS TEXTBOOK, however it will not matter if you have a different edition.
This is a very brief textbook with only 299 pages. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will become familiar with the
structure and functions of the Texas Constitutional System and the democratic
process at the state level. Students will gain an understanding of Federalism
and Separation of Powers in the context of state government, its
institutions, politics and policy. Students will also gain more understanding
of current events and issues through their own research and research of
fellow students. EXAMS: There will be three exams for this course. Each exam will be worth 30% of your total grade. Your class participation will be worth 10%. Each exam will consist of fifty (50) multiple-choice questions. Each question will have four choices, with only one correct answer. Please check the syllabus for the dates of the tests. Please note the exams are set for three days in a row and you may test anytime during this period. The final exam will be on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, May 1, 2, 3. Please make sure you can fit the exams into your schedule. Exams will be based on the textbook reading assignments. Total grades will be based on the following formula: A = 90 - 100 B = 80 – 89 C = 70 - 79 D = 60-69 F = below 60 Exam I 30% Exam II 30% Exam III 30% Class Participation weekly research assignments 10% Total 100% CLASS POLICIES: Exams will be
administered online on the dates specified on the syllabus. The final exam will be given only
on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, May 1, 2, 3. ATTENDANCE: Since this is an
online course there is no attendance policy. It is up to you to set your own
times “for class.” The exams will be given only the dates stated on the
syllabus and of course will not be monitored.
No one will be looking over your shoulder. However, you will have 60
minutes allotted for each exam. Please make sure you will have no
interruptions or disturbances during the exam. WITHDRAWAL: If you choose to drop
this course, it is up to YOU to do so. I cannot drop the
course for you. The
last day to drop this class with a “W” is Friday, April 9. It is your responsibility to read and
understand the policies concerning withdrawal from college or from any
individual course(s). These policies
may be found in the College Catalog or you may contact the Office of Student
Services 806-874-3571 or 800-687-9737. A student
is only allowed to drop the same class twice before he/she will be charged up
to triple the tuition amount for taking the class a third time or more.
Beginning with the Fall 2007 semester, students in Texas may only drop a
total of six courses throughout their entire undergraduate career.
After the six, the student will no longer be able to withdraw from any
classes ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: SCHOOL POLICY: Cheating will not be
tolerated and may be
cause for expulsion from the class and/or receiving a grade of “F” for the
class. In addition, the student will be reported to the Dean of Students, and
students who are reported as cheating to the Dean of Students more than once
shall be disciplined by the Dean. Cheating violations include but are not
limited to (1) obtaining an examination, classroom activity, or laboratory
exercise by stealing or collusion; (2) discovering the content of an
examination, classroom activity, laboratory exercise, or homework assignment
before it is given; (3) using an unauthorized source of information during an
examination, classroom activity, laboratory exercise, or homework assignment;
(4) entering an office or building to obtain unfair advantage; (5) taking an
examination for another person; (6) completing a classroom activity,
laboratory exercise, homework assignment, or research paper for another
person; (7) altering grade records; (8) using any unauthorized form of
electronic communication device during an examination, classroom activity, or
laboratory exercise; (9) plagiarism. Plagiarism is the using, stating,
offering, or reporting as one’s own an idea, expression, or production of
another person without proper credit. PLAGIARISM:
Read the following explanations carefully and be sure that you understand
them. 1.
Word-for-word plagiarism: The student quotes his or her source without
using quotation marks. Even if the student cites the source, he or she is
still plagiarizing because proper quotation procedures were not used. 2.
Paraphrased plagiarism: The student uses a source and with the
exception of changing a few words or phrases essentially quotes the original.
Even if the source is properly cited, the writing is still plagiarized
because the student has used the author’s style, vocabulary, and content and
claimed it as his or her own. 3.
Improper citations: If a student uses someone’s information other than
his or her own, the source of the material must be properly cited. Failure to
do so is plagiarism. 4.
Improper use of ideas: Ideas are as equally protected as words. If the
student uses someone’s ideas, but expresses them in his or her words, the
student plagiarizes if he or she does not cite the source of the idea. 5.
Internet use: Copying and pasting from the Internet is plagiarism.
Purchasing papers from a paper mill is plagiarism. 6.
Student sharing: While students are certainly free to work together
and study together, an assignment that calls for individual work must reflect
the student’s personal effort. If a student borrows or copies another
student’s work, that is plagiarism. If a student has another student write a
paper, that is plagiarism. If two students collaborate on an individual
assignment and turn in the same work, that is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic
offense. It involves legal issues about improper use of materials that do not
belong to the student. Plagiarism is unethical. A student must do his or her
own work; otherwise, the learning process is compromised. Plagiarism is
unfair to fellow students who take the time and make the effort to do their
own work. Essentially, plagiarism is cheating and will not be tolerated. OFFICE
HOURS: You may e-mail me at any time using the Web CT online email.
I will check my e-mail every couple of days or sooner. I may also be reached
by phone at 806-856-5932 between the hours of 5:00 and 9:00 in the evenings
or you can leave a message on my machine.
The best way to reach me is through the Web CT Mail box. Please use my personal e-mail for
emergencies only.
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