THREE TO FOUR ASSIGNMENTS EVERY WEEK from the beginning to the end of the semester. All homework items can be found in multiple places in Canvas: "Course Summary" on course's front page; "To Do" and "Coming Up" on course's front page and your "Dashboard"; click "Jump to Today" or "Course Stream" on course's front page; and in your Canvas "Notifications." You should set notifications to receive email notifications of all newly assigned work. Set all "Course Activities," "Discussions," "Conversations," "Groups" to "Notify Me Immediately." This is an important video on how to set notifications.

THERE ARE NO HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM AND FINAL EXAMS. The work during final exam week is equal in points to the work completed during a regular school week.

ALL WORK IS ASSIGNED AND SUBMITTED ON CANVAS. IT IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, EVERYWHERE YOU GO. ALL OPEN/DUE DATES ARE PRESENT IN NUMEROUS PLACES ON CANVAS (See above). SO, NO EXCUSES FOR NOT SUBMITTING IT ON TIME. DO NOT ASK ME TO REOPEN ASSIGNMENTS.

YOU ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM EVERYDAY, but I don't waste time taking attendance except when noted.

WHETHER ABSENT OR PRESENT, you are 100% RESPONSIBLE for all classroom (i.e., lecture, discussion, workshop) material.

A PORTABLE, PERSONAL COMPUTING DEVICE is essential to doing work in- and outside the classroom.

CANVAS AUTOMATICALLY SAVES YOUR WORK and, therefore, before the due date you may open and work on the assignment as many times as you wish. Just don't click "Submit" until you are finished.

ANSWER KEYS to Canvas quizzes are always shown to students after the due date. Consider those feedback. If you feel I made a mistake, then don't hesitate to contact me.

OFFICE365. All students have Office365 accounts, meaning all of you have access to online and downloadable versions of Microsoft Office. If you have not done so, then please download all of Microsoft Office. Any files submitted must be in MS Office formats.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (Plagiarism, Cheating). My policy is that which is stated in the Franklin Pierce University Academic Catalog. Regarding the "instructor's discretion" part of the policy, a student receives a zero for the assignment, in addition to the penalties described in the catalog. Students helping each other on quizzes is NOT considered academic dishonesty.

SPECIAL ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS must be sought at the Center for Academic Excellence

THE GOAL OF THIS COURSE is to introduce students to the major concepts and theories of the political science approach to studying the U.S. Constitution and the American political system. In pursuit of this goal, you will increase your understanding of:

(1) federalism, i.e., the limits on federal power from states rights;

(2) checks and balances & separation of powers in the branches of government;

(3) the role of interest groups and social movements in the political process;

(4) campaigns and elections.

GLE Learning Outcomes: Social Science Knowledge and Understanding, Inquiry and Analysis, Critical Thinking.

SKILLS DEVELOPED:

social science inquiry and analysis
written and oral communication
critical thinking
digital literacy

COURSEWORK consists of the following:

(1) Quizzes that gauge comprehension of course material, including readings (and occasional videos), lectures and discussions.

For quizzes on lectures and discussions use your notes. Everyone is accountable for lectures and discussion material whether absent of not.

Canvas automatically saves your work and, therefore, before the due date you may open up the assignment as many times as you wish. Just don't click "Submit" until you are finished.

Students are welcome to help each other with quizzes.

(2) Intellectual and scholarly inquiry