POLS 221A  Introduction to Political Inquiry


 
Semester: Spring 2001
Section:  01 or 02
Class Time: 01: M/W/F 9:00-9:50am
                   02: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-4:45pm 
Classroom: 01: Butte Hall 321
                   02: Butte Hall 201 
Syllabus: http://www.csuchico.edu/~ct65/syllabi/politicalinquiry.html		 Instructor: Dr. Charles C. Turner 
Email: ccturner@csuchico.edu
Phone: (530)898-5199 (office) or (530)895-8076 (home) 
Office: 745 Butte Hall
Office Hours: M/W/F 10am-noon (or by request)

Scope and Purpose

Political Science is a department/major/field of inquiry that's in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences here at Chico State.  And that's kind of what this class is all about.  First, we are going to read, think, talk, and write about how political science is political.  Then we will focus on how it is scientific.  Then we will look at how its approach to science is both behavioral and social.  The goal in all of this is to gain a sense of perspective on what and how we learn in political science.  Sound confusing?  Well, sometimes it is.  But, by the end of the semester you will be able to answer with confidence those awkward questions from friends and family:  "why are you a political science major?" "what are you going to do with that?"  "So, you're gonna be a politician?"

Throughout this course we will be focusing on five main objectives. One, appreciating history--the study of politics has a rich history.  We will understand the present state of the discipline better if we also pay attention to the past.  Two, surveying the landscape--political science is not a single, narrowly defined subject.  It's the systematic study of all things political--from countries to cities to corporations.  We will appreciate it more when we can see how all of its various subfields fit together.  Three, building a toolbox--like any scientific discipline, the study of politics advances through the use of methodological tools.  Our discipline has developed an array of strategies for proving claims through the use of evidence and reasoning.  We need to recognize and practice using these tools.  Four, thinking critically--not only do we need to know what's out there, we also need to know how to think about it and evaluate it.  Not all political scientists come to the same conclusions about politics.  We need to make reasoned arguments about what we think and why.  Five, communicating effectively--mastering all of the previous objectives won't get us very far if we can't communicate our knowledge and reasoned opinions to others through clear and concise communication.  Practicing communication is the best way to improve, so we will be talking and listening and writing and reading about politics.  If I do my job well, and you do your job well, by the end of this course you should have made progress in each of these five areas and have developed a deeper understanding of your chosen major field.

We will be discussing a wide range of issues in this class.  Sometimes you will have questions:  feel free to ask them.  Sometimes you will disagree with a classmate.  Sometimes you will disagree with me.  That's okay!  The political process is about deliberation and reasonable people often disagree.

Course Readings

The following books are required for the course and are available at the Associated Students Bookstore (underlined titles are links to publisher web pages--you are welcome to purchase the books from whatever source you like):

Arendt, Hannah. Eichmann in Jerusalem : A Report on the Banality of Evil. (New York:  Penguin, 1994) 0-14-018765-0

Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 3rd edition. (Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1996) 0-226-45808-3

Schelling, Thomas C. Micromotives and Macrobehavior. (New York:  Norton, 1978) 0-393-09009-4

Tinder, Glenn. Political Thinking: The Perennial Questions, 6th edition. (New York: Longman, 1996) 0-673-99389-2

Jones, Laurence F., and Edward C. Olson. Political Science Research: A Handbook of Scope and Methods. (New York:  Longman, 1996) 0-06-501637-8

These books will be supplemented with reading from other sources.  These additional readings are available on the internet (see below).  You will need to access this syllabus on the web on a regular basis in order to complete the readings and other class assignments.

Course Requirements and Grading
For the University grading guidelines, consult the University Catalog.
 
Your grade for the course will be based on the following:
These are the outcomes:
briefs 80 pts. 20%
politics paper 60 pts. 15%
research design 60 pts. 15%
research proposal 100 pts. 25%
final exam 60 pts. 15%
participation 40 pts. 10%
400 pts. 100%
 		  
A 
 372-400 pts. 93-100%
A-
 360-372 90-92%
B+
 352-359 88-89%
B 
 332-351 83-87%
B-
 320-331 80-82%
C+
 312-319 78-79%
C 
 292-311 73-77%
C-
 280-291 70-72%
D+
 272-279 68-69%
D 
 240-271 60-67%
F 
 0-239 pts. 59% and below
 

Briefs:  Over the course of the semester, you will be writing 8 "briefs."  I have given them this name to indicate both that they are fairly short (never more than 3 pages) and that the style and tone are somewhat less formal than the traditional "paper."  Your task is to clearly answer the question at hand based on the week's readings (or another source when indicated below).  You should bring these briefs to class, ready to turn in, on the day they are due.  We will frequently use them as a starting point for class discussions.  They are worth 10 points each.

Politics Paper:  At the end of week 4, you will turn in a 4-5 page paper that addresses some of the broad questions from the first part of this course.  The central focus of the paper should be the Arendt book, but other readings can be incorporated as well.  We will discuss this paper in more detail in class.  It is worth 60 points.

Research Design Paper:  At the end of week 8, you will have the opportunity to show off what you've learned about research design by writing a 4-5 page paper that analyzes strengths and weaknesses of the research design employed in a political science journal article that you select.  You will turn in a copy of the journal article with your paper.  We will discuss appropriate journals and articles in class.  This assignment is worth 60 points.

Research Proposal:  Your crowning achievement in this class will be a 10-15 page research proposal.  This paper will bring you to the very brink of conducting your own political inquiry.  It will include the selection of an appropriate research topic, the development of a research question, a review of the literature on this topic, and a testable hypothesis.  You will be writing this paper in several stages, as indicated below, with the final product due at the end of week 16.  This project is worth 100 points.  You will need to get started early on this project in order to have time to locate the books and articles you will need.

Final Exam:  During finals week, we will take a final exam worth 60 points.  The exam will consist of identification/short answer and essay questions.  It will be comprehensive.

Participation: Come to class; it is hard to participate if you are not here! 10% (40 points) of your grade is based on participation because I want to reward you for taking an active role in your education.  I also want to encourage you to come to class, pay attention, answer questions, and join in class discussions.  More than three absences over the course of the semester will result in serious damage to your participation grade.  I will call on you to answer questions.  I'm not expecting "right" answers--sometimes there isn't a right answer; I am expecting thoughtful and intelligent answers that demonstrate you have done the reading and are paying attention.  Additionally, pop quizzes, in-class writing assignments, and other in-class activities will become part of your participation
grade.


Other Details
You must make arrangements with the instructor ahead of time if you cannot attend a class session or complete an assignment on time. Late assignments will be assessed a one letter grade penalty for each class period they are late.  Students are expected to complete their own work.  Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on the assignment, and possible further disciplinary action.  For questions or concerns about plagiarism, please ask me or consult the University Catalog's section on Academic Honesty.   If you are unhappy with a grade you receive on an assignment, do not understand my comments, or believe that I have mis-interpreted your writing, come talk to me.  It is always possible that I have erred. This syllabus is subject to change and/or revision during the academic term.  Reasonable alternative assignments will be developed for students with documented learning disabilities.  No cell phones.  No beepers.  No pagers.

Since this course is designated as the Writing Proficiency course for political science, you are encouraged to take advantage of Chico State's Writing Center (Taylor Hall, 203).  Indeed, there are writing assignments every week, so you should look at this class as an opportunity to enhance your writing skills.  Writing well is a lifelong learning process, so don't feel like you have to be a "bad" writer to take advantage of student writing services, or that there is no need for help once you are a "good" writer.  There is always room for improvement!  Also, if you do not already own one, a writing guide/manual is an invaluable tool.  Some good examples are:

Hacker, Diana.  A Writer's Reference. Fourth Edition, St. Martin's Press. 1999.
Lunsford, Andrea, and Robert Connors.  EasyWriter: A Pocket Guide. Bedford/St.Martin's Press. 1998.
Schmidt, Diane.  Writing in Political Science:  A Practical Guide.  Second Edition, Addison, Wesley, Longman. 2000.
Scott, Gregory M., and Stephen M. Garrison.  The Political Science Student Writer's Manual. Third Edition, Prentice Hall. 2000.
Strunk, William, Jr.  Elements of Style.

You should also print out a copy of the CSU, Chico Department of Political Science Quick Reference Guide for Research Papers and Reports, by Diane E. Schmidt.

Semester Schedule