Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: POS110
Title: American National Government
Modality: Internet
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 20478

Term: Spring 2015

Start Date: 3/9/2015

Weeks: 12

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Sheri Lauritano

Course Materials

Be sure that you have all the necessary materials prior to the start date of your course.

Required Textbook:

Title: Government by the People
Authors: Magleby, O'Brien, Light, Peltason, and Cronin
ISBN: 9780536508546

Rio Salado College has developed a unique Textbook Savings Program that uses customized textbooks and saves students up to 50% off the original price of textbooks. This textbook is included in the Textbook Savings Program and has been customized specifically for this course at Rio Salado College by Pearson Custom Publishing so that it contains information most relevant to the course. Your course materials are available through the Rio Salado College Bookstore.  All materials should be verified by ISBN before purchasing at the Rio Salado Bookstore or from another seller.

Additional Materials:

The DVD included with the book is required for this course.

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Study of the historical backgrounds, governing principles, and institutions, of the national government of the United States.
Official Course Prerequisites
None
Official Course Competencies
  1. State the causes of the American Revolution.
  2. Explain why the American Revolution is consistent with British constitutional values.
  3. List the main weaknesses of the government of the United States that operated under the Articles of Confederation.
  4. Identify three historians who interpreted the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, and state briefly their main concepts or theories.
  5. Identify the four major compromises agreed to by the participants at the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention.
  6. Indicate the votes in the "big four" states for and against the adoption of the new constitution.
  7. State the titles held by persons elected to leadership positions in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
  8. Trace the steps involved when a bill becomes a law in the U.S. Congress.
  9. State the main aspects of the Congressional support staff and describetheir general duties.
  10. Identify constitutional duties of the chief executive officer of the United States, and indicate whether they make high, moderate, or low demands on the office.
  11. Identify the five major support systems of the President of the United States.
  12. List the major steps involved in the formation of the U.S. national budget from its beginning in the Office of Management and Budget to its final passage by Congress.
  13. Describe the composition of a "typical" U.S. board or commission, and the general powers given to such a board or commission by congress.
  14. Explain the process by which a person is nominated and appointed to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court bench.
  15. Present the main points in the judicial review case, Marbury vs. Madison.
  16. Describe the structure of the lower federal courts.
  17. Explain how an amendment is added to the U.S. Constitution.
  18. Explain how procedural rights differ from substantive rights.
  19. Indicate values held by each of the two major political parties in the United States.

In order to accomplish the above course competencies, you need to demonstrate college level writing skills. A major component of POS110 is writing. Your instructor will evaluate the essay from one assignment and make an assessment of your overall writing skills. For a resource on how to write college level essays and exams, review the Writing Rubric.

On a standardized test or in a written assignment, students will demonstrate the ability to analyze information, evaluate material, and use inference to draw conclusions, use deductive reasoning, and use inductive reasoning at a college level. Review the Critical Thinking Rubric.

Course Requirements

Course Organization

  1. This course has 12 lessons, including ten assignments and two exams.
  2. You must complete all assignments in the course to be eliglble to receive a passing grade.
  3. Examinations: There are two examinations (a Midterm and a Final). These are at-home exams and require a validation code to enter. Once you complete all assignments prior to the exam, a link will come up in your assessment list for a required non-graded assignment. Click on this assessment to automatically receive the exam validation code.

Note: You must earn an average of 60% on the Midterm and Final Exams in order to pass the course.

Assignment Organization

There are 10 assignments in this course and two exams. The 10 assignments involve a combination of multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and analytical essays.

Due Dates

Assignment

Due Date

Pre-Test

Getting Started Quiz

Week 1

Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5

Week 5

Lesson 6 Midterm Exam

Week 6

Lesson 7
Lesson 8
Lesson 9
Lesson 10
Lesson 11

Week  11

Post-Test

Final Exam

Week 12



Time Requirements

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Procedure and Scale

There are 555 possible points for this course
Pre-Test = 10 Points
Getting Started Quiz  = 10 Points
Lesson 2: Short Answer = 25 Points
Lesson 3: Essay = 25 Points
Lesson 4: Essay = 25 Points
Lesson 5: Multiple Choice Quiz = 25 points
Midterm Exam = 150 Points
Lesson 7: Short Answer = 25 points
Lesson 8: Multiple-Choice Quiz = 25 points
Lesson 9: Essay = 25 points
Lesson 10: Essay = 25 points
Lesson 11: Multiple-Choice Quiz = 25 points
Post-Test = 10 Points
Final Exam = 150 Points
Total  = 555 points


Letter grades for assignments, examinations, and the course will be determined by the following scale:

500 - 555 points =

A (90% - 100%)

444 - 499 points =

B (80% - 89%)

389 - 443 points =

C (70% - 79%)

333 - 388 points =

D (60% - 69%)

   0 - 332 points =

F (0% - 59%)

Please Note: The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points possible.

The grading scale is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade higher than that earned by your total points. There will be no "point adjustments" made for such things as "class participation" or other subjective factors.

"Extra Credit" is not available for this course.

Exams

At-Home Examination Procedures

  1. You must complete all exams by the dates specified on the course calendar. If you test late, your instructor may lower your grade or assign you an F in the course, unless you make prior arrangements with him/her for an extension.
  2. You must complete the Final Exam by your course end date.
  3. You may take your exam(s) before your course end date only if you received all of your graded assignments.
  4. You must receive a combined average of 60% on the Midterm Exam and Final Project in order to pass the course.

Tips for Taking an At-Home Exam

Final Grade Options

  • Letter Grade - All Assignments and the Final Exam must be completed in order to earn a letter grade (A, B, C, D, F). Students who pass the midpoint of the class and do not complete the course will receive a failing grade. Students who are inactive in the course for any two consecutive weeks after the course midpoint will receive a failing grade.
  • Extension (in lieu of Incomplete grade) - Students may request an extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. The instructor will define the requirements and timelines to complete the course. Please Note: Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.
  • Withdrawal-Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the “Last Date to Withdraw” indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.  

    Students should not contact their instructor to request a withdrawal. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting my.maricopa.edu. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by providing Student Enrollment Services with appropriate documentation.

  • Credit/no credit option (P/Z) - Not available

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some images used in courses are licensed as follows: Accunet/AP Multimedia Archive, Clipart.com, Thinkstock, EBSCO Image Collection.

Exams

At-Home Examination Procedures

  1. You must complete all exams by the dates specified on the course calendar. If you test late, your instructor may lower your grade or assign you an F in the course, unless you make prior arrangements with him/her for an extension.
  2. You must complete the Final Exam by your course end date.
  3. You may take your exam(s) before your course end date only if you received all of your graded assignments.
  4. Note: You must earn a combined average of 60% on the Midterm Exam and Final Exam in order to pass the course.

Tips for Taking an At-Home Exam

Due Date Policies and Turnaround Time

Due Date Policies

For successful completion of the course, plan your study time so that you complete one lesson each week. While it is up to you to decide how to plan your time, do not let more than two weeks pass between submitting assignments.

By completing at least one lesson each week, you will easily be able to finish by the course end date.

As you are managing your due dates and working through the course, please keep the following important policies in mind. If you find that at any time you are falling behind in the course, contact your instructor immediately to develop an alternative plan for successful completion of the course.

  • Students who do not complete the Lesson 1 assignment(s) by the due date of class will be withdrawn from the course automatically.
  • Prior to the course "Last Date to Withdraw," it is the student’s responsibility to withdraw themselves via the my.maricopa.edu site, or by calling Student Enrollment Services before the "Last Date to Withdraw" date listed in your gradebook
  • Students who pass the "Last Date to Withdraw" of the class and do not complete the course will receive a failing grade. Students who are inactive in the course for any two consecutive weeks after the "Last Date to Withdraw" will receive a failing grade.

Turnaround Time

Instructors are required to go online three times per week. Therefore, you will receive feedback/grades for assignments and answers to emails between 48-72 hours. If there is an emergency and you need to reach your instructor in a shorter amount of time than this, please contact the Instructional Helpdesk (480-517-8380 or 1-866-511-8380). The Helpdesk will call your instructor to request that he or she get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Written Assignment Expectations

Every student is expected to produce his/her original; independent work for these assignments; otherwise, a grade of zero points will be given. The following are the expectations that will be used to evaluate your Written Assignments:

Completeness: Answers to each question should contain two to three paragraphs. Be sure to carefully read each question to assure that each part is answered with the appropriate depth and detail.

Knowledge: The clearest way to display knowledge is to provide depth and detail. Use key terms and provide definitions. Use detailed examples to illustrate concepts. Be specific and avoid generalizations.

Analysis: Critical thinking is the mental process of clearly and logically evaluating information and applying it to the world around you. It is the process of getting beyond surface meaning to inquire, question, and offer divergent opinions, with the goal of reaching a deeper meaning and understanding.

Writing: Answers must be in paragraph format unless the question specifically indicates otherwise.

Essay Grading Rubric

Short Answer Grading Rubric

Late or Missing Assignments

Policy regarding late and/or missing assignments and lack of participation: Assignment due date and submission policies must be followed as previously indicated. Students must actively work on course assignments to remain in the course.

If some unforeseen circumstance interrupts your progress, you must contact your instructor and arrange a new schedule. If necessary, your instructor may agree to your request for an extension of specific assignments and the end date of your course, and assign you a new end date. If you do not finish assignments by agreed-upon dates and/or the Final Exam by that date, you will receive an F for the course.

You will need to maintain status as an active student. If you do not maintain communication and submit assignments according to the policies, your instructor may assume that you withdrew from the course. Therefore, it is very important that you contact your instructor if some unforeseen circumstance interrupts your progress. Do not fall behind and expect to send more than two lessons at a time without the time and opportunity for your instructor to give you feedback on your work.

Submitting Assignments

All assignments are listed under the Reading Assignment box and in the Assessing Your Learning section. The lessons can be accessed from the Lessons links on your Course Home Page.

Note to students: Keep a copy of everything you submit.

Course Completion Policy

A student who registers for a Distance Learning course is assigned a start date and an end date. It is the student's responsibility to note due dates for assignments and to keep up with the course work.

If a student falls behind, she/he must contact the instructor and request an extension of her/his end date in order to complete the course.

It is the prerogative of the instructor to decide whether or not to grant the request.

Submitting Assignments

Online Submission Platform

The assignment due dates in this course are structured to complete all the lessons over the span of the course. Regular and consistent progress is expected in the course through the submission of assignments. The submission of an assignment can be no earlier than 7 days prior to the due date. Consult your course gradebook for specific due dates. Assignments/acknowledgments must be submitted through the online submission platform unless otherwise directed.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)

  • Extension (in lieu of an incomplete grade): Students may request an assessment extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. Assessment extensions may extend up to two weeks beyond the established course end as indicated in the gradebook. Please Note: Assessment extensions are given at the instructor’s discretion. Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.

  • Withdrawn Failing (Y) – Students may be removed from their classes with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade for non-participation, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

  • Withdrawal (W) - Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the "Last Date to Withdraw" indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.

  • Instructors are unable to submit a withdrawal (W) on behalf of a student. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting View My Classes/Schedule in the Student Center, and selecting Drop Classes. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by submitting a "Request for Complete Withdrawal From All Courses" available under the Records heading on Rio’s Important Forms page.

    Before withdrawing, students should consider contacting their instructor and/or Rio's Counseling Services to see what options are available to help them stay in class.

    STUDENTS – STOP Before You Drop! A withdrawal request is irrevocable, and may affect future Financial Aid, Visa status, Veteran benefit eligibility, scholarship eligibility and may delay graduation. Please be sure that it is the right option for you before submission.

    STOP BEFORE YOU DROP

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z) - Some courses may be offered with a credit/no credit option which, if offered, would be identified in the Grading Procedure and Scale section of this syllabus. See detailed information about the (P/Z) option here.

  • Note: Choosing the P/Z option is a permanent change to the gradebook. A P/Z grade will not be changed to a letter grade after the course end date.

Regular and Substantive Faculty-Student Interaction

The Rio Salado College faculty provide learners with frequent opportunities for regular and substantive interaction, which are critical components of a quality online program. At a minimum, faculty teaching online courses for credit monitor weekly due dates and initiate contact with students, post course announcements and/or "From Your Instructor" (FYI) notes that are academic and relevant, respond to academic inquiries within 72 hours, and provide detailed, personalized, and timely feedback. In addition, faculty regularly engage in synchronous and/or asynchronous interaction with students via tools such as discussion boards, rubrics, voice threads, video conferences, audio recordings, phone calls, email and/or text messages, social media, and online collaboration software. Though faculty members are responsible for initiating interaction, providing academic information, and facilitating learning, Rio students are responsible for remaining in regular contact with their instructors and engaging with the course content as active participants in the educational experience.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Withdrawal for Non-Participation (Y) – Students need to communicate regularly with their instructor and engage in academic activities as determined by the instructor and department. Students may be removed from their classes after 14 days of non-participation with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Students will not be discriminated against on the basis of a disclosed pregnancy. This includes discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. As a result, a pregnant or parenting student (a student during a defined postpartum period lasting up to 8 weeks after delivery), may be provided adjustments so they are able to access and participate in their educational program or activity.

Please visit the Working with Pregnant and Parenting webpage to learn more about this policy, reasonable adjustments and complete the Pregnancy Adjustment Form. If you have questions about the policy, please contact Rio Salado College’s Title IX/504 Coordinator Tafari Osayande at o.tafari.osayande@riosalado.edu or (480) 517-8196.

In the event of certain pregnancy-related medical complications, contact Disability.Services@riosalado.edu or call (480) 517-8562 for assistance in providing accommodations/academic adjustments.

Basic Needs

If a lack of basic needs such as food, transportation, school supplies, etc. is affecting your participation and/or performance in this course, please contact the Rio Salado Counseling Department at 480-517-8785 or via email at counseling.receptionist@riosalado.edu.

For additional services and resources:

Rio Salado College Counseling and Career Services
Maricopa Basic Needs and Community Resources

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning. Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. The library's Video Tutorials page provides instruction on how to use the online library to find books, articles, ebooks, and more. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service.

Please note that when library materials (e.g., articles, ebooks, and streaming media) are integrated into your lesson content, you will see the notation “…provided to you through the Rio Salado Library.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy (including cheating and plagiarism) can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is Academic Misconduct as defined in MCCCD Policy AR 2.3.11. Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11.

Honors Program

If you are taking this course for Honors credit, you must complete all assessments, including the Honors Project(s). The Honors Project(s) are listed in one or more lessons of the course and are designated for "Honors Students." Failure to complete the Honors Project(s) will result in a failing grade in the course and a loss of Honors credit.

Honors students are also enrolled in a non-credit Honors Achievement Award (HAA) or Presidential Honors Scholarship (PHS) section within RioLearn to submit co-curricular activity submissions. Co-curriculars must be completed in order to receive funding.

The Honors Department is here to support you! Connect with the college and other Honors students in our INSCRIBE community.

The Honors Department is available to provide additional resources and support to support your journey. Please contact the Honors department at RioSalado.Honors@riosalado.edu.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Addressing Incidents of Sexual Harassment/Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, and Stalking

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, MCCCD prohibits unlawful sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. The District also prohibits sexual harassment—including sexual violence—committed by or against students, District employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in District policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by District policy. Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution for all involved parties. For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process. For non-instructional complaints, students may contact Institutional Integrity and Compliance by submitting the non-instructional complaint form, emailing studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu, or calling 480-517-8505. Students may also contact their state regulatory agency; the Arizona SARA Council; and/or the Higher Learning Commission to escalate their concerns.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 or 1-800-729-1197 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Contact Us

Please see the following page for contact information.

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

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