Political Science 111 A & B
Introduction to Modern Politics:
Structures and Processes of Government
Wilfrid Laurier University
Term: Winter 2009
Instructor: Dr. Karen Lochead
Class Time: Sec. A – TR 1:00-2:20pm
Office: DAWB 4-160
Sec. B – TR 4:00-5:20pm
Phone: 884-0710 ext. 2204
Classroom: Sec. A – N1001; Sec. B – BA 102
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Wed. 10:00am-12:00pm (or by appointment)
Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. Students may be
required to submit their written work in electronic form and have it checked for plagiarism.
Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier's Accessible
Learning Office for information regarding its services and resources. Students are
encouraged to review the Calendar for information regarding all services available on
campus.
The Political Science Department’s policy on deferred midterm and final examinations
can be found at http://www.wlu.ca/arts/politicalscience
COURSE DESCRIPTION & LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Who has more power –Harper, Obama or Castro? If Canada practices ‘responsible
government’ does that mean that the United States practices ‘irresponsible’ government?
Why do people re-elect dictators? How does a bill become a law? What’s the difference
between a statue and legislation? Are all interest groups ‘special’? What do public
servants do? These are just some of the questions that PO 111 will help you to answer.
Designed to introduce you to the major structures and processes of modern government,
topics to be covered in PO111 include: the nature and scope of political power,
legitimacy, and authority; the processes and effects of political socialization; the major
forms and functions of law and constitutions; the key characteristics of democratic and
authoritarian regimes; the distinguishing features of federal, confederal and unitary
forms of governments; the organizational logic of parliamentary and presidential systems
of government; the distinct and not-so-distinct responsibilities of the executive,
legislative, judicial and administrative branches of government; the merits and demerits
of major electoral systems; and the dynamics of state-society interaction as manifested
through such actors as political parties, interest groups, and the media. Through tutorials
and assignments this course will also help you to develop your critical thinking, argument
development, research and academic writing skills. Upon the successful completion of
this course you should have a good understanding of how different forms of modern
government work, what the institutional components of modern governments are
designed to do, and how ordinary citizens like you can become involved in government
decision making.
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REQUIRED TEXTS
The following texts should be purchased from the bookstore:
1) Mark O. Dickerson and Thomas Flanagan, An Introduction to Government and
Politics: A Conceptual Approach, 7th Canadian ed. (Toronto: Thomson Nelson,
2006).
2) Leslie. E. Casson (ed), A Writer’s Handbook: Developing Writing Skills for
University Students (2nd ed; Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2006).
COURSE EVALUATION
Tutorial Participation:
10%
Research Paper
30% (due Mar. 10)
Short Assignment:
10% (due Jan. 20)
Final Exam:
30%
Midterm Test:
20% (Feb. 10)
LECTURE SCHEDULE AND REQUIRED READINGS
Text = Dickerson & Flanagan, An Introduction to Government & Politics
I – Foundations: Introduction to PO 111
Week 1 – Key Concepts
*** No tutorials this week ***
Tues. Jan. 6
Web:
Please log-on to one or both of these websites and take a FREE
learning styles test:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
http://www.usd.edu/trio/tut/ts/stylest.html
Thurs. Jan. 8
Text:
Ch. 1 – “Society, Government & Politics”
Ch. 2 – “Power, Legitimacy & Authority”
Week 2 – Key Concepts continued
*** Tutorials for sections A1 to A7 and B-1 to B5 begin this week ***
Tues. Jan. 13
Note:
Short Assignment (due Jan. 20) will be explained in class today
Text:
Ch. 5 – “Political Culture & Socialization”
Thurs. Jan. 15
Text:
Ch. 6 – “Law”
Ch. 7 – “Constitutionalism”
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II – Forms of Government
Week 3 – Democratic & Autocratic
*** Tutorials for sections A8 to A-14 and B-6 to B-10 begin this week ***
Tues. Jan. 20
Note:
Short Assignment is due today
Text:
Ch. 16 – “Classification of Political Systems”
Ch. 17 – “Liberal Democracy”
Thurs. Jan. 22
Text:
Ch. 19 – “Autocratic Systems of Government”
Ch. 18 – “Transitions to Democracy”
Week 4 – Parliamentary & Presidential
*** Tutorial #2 this week for sections A-1 to A-7 and B-1 to B5 *****
Tues. Jan. 27 & Thurs. Jan. 29
Note:
Jan. 27 is the final submission date for the Short Assignment
Text:
Ch. 20 – “Parliamentary & Presidential Systems”
Week 5 – Unitary, Federal & Confederal
*** Tutorial #2 this week for sections A-8 to A-14 and B-6 to B-10 ***
Tues. Feb. 3
Text:
Ch. 21 – “Unitary & Federal Systems”
Thurs. Feb. 5
Midterm Review & Short Assignments Returned in Class
Week 6 – Midterm & Research Seminar
*** NO TUTORIALS THIS WEEK ***
Tues. Feb. 10 - Midterm Test (to be written in class)
Thurs. Feb. 12 – Mandatory Research Seminar
Week 7 – Reading Week (no class or tutorials)
III – Formal Institutions of Government
Week 8 – Legislative & Executive Responsibilities
*** Tutorial #3 this week for sections A-1 to A-7 and B-1 to B-5 ***
Tues. Feb. 24
Text:
Ch. 20 – “Parliamentary & Presidential Systems” (review)
Ch. 26 – “Representative Assemblies”
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Thurs. Feb. 26
Text
Ch. 27 – “The Political Executive”
Week 9 – Administrative & Judicial Responsibilities
*** Tutorial #3 this week for sections A-8 to A-14 and B-6 to B-10 ***
Tues. Mar. 3
Text:
Ch. 28 – “The Administration”
Thurs. Mar. 5
Text:
Ch. 6 – “Law” (review)
Ch. 29 – “The Judiciary”
IV – Informal Institutions of Government
Week 10 – Interest Groups & Political Parties
*** Tutorial #4 for sections A-1 to A-7 and B-1 to B-5 ***
Tues. Mar. 10 & Thurs. Mar. 12
Note:
Argumentative Research Papers are due on Tues. Mar. 10
Text:
Ch.23 – “Interest Groups & Political Parties”
Week 11 – The Media
*** Tutorial #4 this week for sections A-7 to A-14 and B-6 to B-10
Tues. Mar. 17
Note:
Final Submission date for Argumentative Research Papers
Film:
TBA
Thurs. Mar. 19
Text:
Ch. 24 – “Communications Media”
Week 12 – Electoral Systems
*** Tutorial #5 this week for sections A-1 to A-5 and B-1 to B-5 ***
Tues. Mar. 24 & Mar. 26
Text:
Ch. 25 – “Elections & Electoral Systems”
Week 13 –Electoral Systems cont. and Course Wrap-Up
*** Tutorial # 5 this week for sections A-6 to A-10 and B-6 to B-10 ***
Tues. Mar. 31
Text:
Ch. 25 – “Elections & Electoral Systems”
Thurs. Apr. 2
Course Wrap-Up, Exam Review & Research Papers returned in class
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TUTORIAL SCHEDULE AND REQUIRED READINGS:
Please note that you will not received credit for attending the tutorial session of a
tutorial group that you are not registered in unless you receive permission from
your instructor or TA first. This policy in made necessary by the fact that there are
approximately 500 PO111 students registered in 24 different tutorial groups. It will be
impossible to run effective tutorials and to keep accurate records of attendance and
participation if you do not abide by your tutorial group’s schedule.
Sections A-1 to A-7 and B-1 to B-5 tutorials will be held on even weeks (i.e. Week 2,
Week 4, Week 8, Week 10 and Week 12) beginning the week of Jan. 12.
Sections A-8 to A-14 and B-6 to B-10 tutorials will be held on odd weeks (i.e. Week 3,
Week 5, Week 9, Week 11 and Week 13) beginning the week of Jan. 19.
Section A Tutorials EVEN weeks
Section A Tutorials ODD weeks
A-1 W 9:30-10:20 STM 113
A-8
W 9:30-10:20
A-2 W 10:30-11:20 STM 113
A-9
W 10:30-11:20 STM 113
A-3 W 11:30-12:20 STM 113
A-10 W 11:30-12:20 STM 113
A-4 W 12:30-1:20
STM 113
A-11 W 12:30-1:20
STM 113
A-5 W 5:30-6:20
STM 113
A-12 W 5:30-6:20
STM 113
A-6 R 5:30-6:20
STM 121
A-13 R 5:30-6:20
STM 121
A-7 R 5:30-6:20
STM 113
A-14 R 5:30-6:20
STM 113
STM 113
Section B Tutorials EVEN weeks:
Section B Tutorials ODD weeks
B-1 T 9:00-9:50
STM 123
B-6
T 9:00-9:50
STM 123
B-2 W 12:30-1:20
P2027
B-7
W 12:30-1:20
P2027
B-3 W 1:30-2:20
P2027
B-8
W 1:30-2:20
P2027
B-4 W 5:30-6:20
STM 110
B-9
W 5:30-6:20
STM 110
B-5 R 5:30-6:20
STM 111
B-10
R 5:30-6:20
STM 111
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TUTORIAL #1 (WEEK 2 OR 3) – THE DEVIL’S PICNIC
Required Reading:
Taras Gresco, The Devil’s Picnic: Travels through the Underworld of Food and Drink
(Toronto: Harper Perennial, 2005), Epilogue, pp. 343-357 (available on reserve in the
library).
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Taras’ central argument? Do you agree with this argument?
2.
Does the government of any country have a right to prohibit, regulate, or otherwise
control what an individual does, buys, sees, or takes into his/her body? If so, on
what grounds or under what circumstances?
3.
Consider the following questions:
a) Should Canadians be allowed to consume raw milk and raw milk products if
they choose? Should they be permitted to give them to their children?
b)
Should Canada legalize marijuana use, production and/or distribution? Why or
why not? If so, should any restrictions and/or regulations be placed on its use,
production and/or distribution?
c)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of prohibition as a public policy?
TUTORIAL #2 (WEEK 4 OR 5) – THE CLINTON AFFAIR (PUN INTENDED)
Required Readings:
Borga Brunner, “A Short History of Impeachment: High Crimes and Misdemeanors”–
available at: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/impeach.html
Report of the Independent Counsel to Congress (the Starr Report) – available at:
http://www.gooddocuments.com/icreport/introductionnintro.htm
(Please read all 5
pages/screens of the “Introduction” to this report)
Recommended:
Andrew Philips, “Clinton Impeached” Maclean’s (28 December 1998) – available at:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0
011783
Discussion Questions:
1. What exactly was Clinton impeached for?
2. Do you think that Clinton should have been removed from office? Why or why not?
3. Do you think that a Canadian Prime Minister would face the same degree of public
and political scrutiny/outrage if s/he engaged in similar activities (i.e. had an extramarital affair; had an extra-marital affair with an intern; lied under oath; lied under
oath about ‘sexual relations’; etc.)? Why or why not?
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4. What (if anything) does the Clinton affair say about:
a) differences between Canadian and American political culture;
b) differences between the Parliamentary and Presidential systems of government;
c) the nature and limits of power, legitimacy and authority;
d) gender relations.
WEEK 6 (MIDTERM) & WEEK 7 (READING WEEK) - *** NO TUTORIALS ***
TUTORIAL #3 (WEEK 8 OR 9) – PARLIAMENTARY PITFALLS
Required Reading:
Michael Chong, “Rethinking Question Period and Debate in the House of Commons”,
Canadian Parliamentary Review, 31:3 (Autumn 2008), pp. 5-7 – available at:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoParl/english/issue.htm?param=190&art=1296
Bill Blaikie, “Reflections on Reforming Parliament”, Canadian Parliamentary Review,
31:3 (Autumn 2008), pp. 2-4 – available at:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/InfoParl/english/issue.htm?param=190&art=1295
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you agree or disagree with Chong’s assessment of Question Period?
2. Is Question Period necessary? Why or why not? What are the merits and demerits of
Question Period?
3. How, according to Chong, can Question Period be improved? Do you agree of
disagree with Chong’s suggestions? Can you think of any other ways to improve
Question Period?
4. What problems does Blaikie identify? Do you agree or disagree with Blaikie’s
assessment of Parliament?
5. How (if at all) can the problems identified by Blaikie be remedied?
TUTORIAL #4 (WEEK 10 OR 11) – LOBBYING & ETHICS
Required Reading:
Government of Canada, “The Lobbying Act and You: Information for Designated Public
Office Holders”, Federal Accountability Act Fact Sheet – available at:
http://www.faa-lfi.gc.ca/fs-fi/16/14fs-fi-eng.asp
and
Colin Campbell, “Line Between Media Business and Politics Getting Fuzzy”, Maclean’s
(30 October 2006) – available at:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Params=M1ARTM00130
06
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For Fun (Recommended):
Check out Rick Mercer’s take on the Federal Accountability Act (of which the Lobbying
Act is a part): http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/backissues_season4.html - under “Week
of Jan. 9. 2007” click on “Video: Federal Accountability Act”. For another, earlier Rick
Mercer take on this issue, go to ‘Season 3’, Week of April 18, 2006’, ‘Video: Federal
Accountability Act’.
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the merits and demerits of the Lobbying Act?
2. Should Derek Burney be able to keep his job? Why or why not?
3. Should Elizabeth Roscoe be able to keep her job? Why or why not?
4. Should former public servants be able to work as lobbyists? Why or why not?
5. Should former elected representatives be able to work as lobbyists? Why or why not?
6. Is there a difference between former public servants and elected representatives
working for (and/or acting as lobbyists for) media corporations and working (and/or
acting as lobbyists for) other types of corporations or for interest groups?
TUTORIAL #5 (WEEK 12
IN CRISIS?
OR
13) – DEMOCRATIC (NON-)PARTICIPATION: DEMOCRACY
Required Reading:
André Turcott, “What do you Mean I Can’t Have a Say?: Young Canadians and their
Government” CPRN Research Report (June 2007) – available at:
http://www.cprn.org/documents/48799_EN.pdf.
Discussion Questions:
1.
Why, according to Turcott, are young people staying away from the polls? Which of
his arguments do you find to be the most convincing/plausible and why? Can you
think of any other factors that may explain why youth voter turnout is on the decline?
2.
What, according to Turcott should be done to increase (youth) voter participation?
Do you agree or disagree? What other options exist for increasing (youth) voter
participation?
3.
Is Canadian democracy in crisis? Explain.
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GENERAL POLICIES GOVERNING PO 111
EMAIL COMMUNICATION:
Email is the most efficient means of contacting your instructor or TA outside of his/her
office hours. Please follow the guidelines listed below when communicating with your
instructor or TA via email:
-
-
-
please correspond with your instructor/TA using your official WLU email
account. To insure your privacy, your instructor/TA will not reply to emails sent
from a non-WLU email account (i.e. hotmail, gmail, rogers, sympatico, etc.)
please write something descriptive in the subject line of your email (i.e. ‘PO 111’;
‘PO 111 Essay Question’, ‘PO 111 Midterm Question’, etc.) Emails without a
descriptive subject line will be assumed to be SPAM and will be deleted
please address your email to your instructor or TA (i.e. ‘Dr. Lochead’,
‘Professor’, David, Linda, etc.)
please remember to sign your email with your first and last name and please
indicate which section (A or B) or which tutorial group you are in
please allow 24-48 hours for a response to your email
please note that your instructor and TA generally do not answer emails after
4:00pm on weekdays or on weekends (4:00pm Friday to 9:00am Monday)
Please keep in mind that email correspondence is ideally suited to questions that can be
answered in 5 lines or less. If you would like to discuss course materials, a course
assignment or some other matter in greater detail please visit your instructor or TA during
his/her office hours or make an appointment to see him/her at some other mutually
convenient time.
CLASS & TUTORIAL ATTENDANCE
Bi-weekly lectures and scheduled tutorials are mandatory components of PO 111; your
attendance at bi-weekly lectures and scheduled tutorials is not optional. As is stated in
the University Calendar: “Any student who, in the opinion of the instructor, is absent too
frequently from lectures or laboratory periods will be reported to the dean of the faculty.
On the recommendation of the department concerned, such a student after due warning
by the dean shall be debarred from taking the final examination in that course.”
MISSED CLASSES/LECTURES
Please note that it is your responsibility to obtain notes for any missed classes from a
fellow student. Your instructor does not post her lecture notes, overheads or
powerpoint slides on WebCT and will not provide you with lecture notes, overheads
or powerpoint slides for any missed classes. If a long-term illness or other serious
extenuating circumstance may force you to miss multiple classes or tutorials please
contact your instructor at the earliest possible convenience and she will attempt find a
volunteer to take notes for you during your absence.
MISSED TUTORIALS
Two (2) marks will be deducted from your tutorial participation grade for each tutorial or
significant portion of a tutorial missed.
Tutorials missed due to extenuating
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circumstances will not be penalized but must be officially documented and discussed
with your TA or the instructor at the earliest possible convenience. When possible, your
TA or instructor will make arrangements for you to attend another tutorial session based
on the same readings and to receive credit for your participation in this tutorial; if not,
you may be asked to complete a short assignment in lieu of attending a tutorial. Please
note that you will not receive credit for attending another tutorial or completing a
short assignment unless you receive permission from your instructor or TA first.
LATE PENALTY
All late assignments (i.e. assignments submitted after 4:00pm on their due date) will be
penalized 3% per day (weekends included). A waiver of this penalty will only be
considered in the event of an officially documented extenuating circumstance (see
‘Extension and Deferral Policy’ below).
FINAL SUBMISSION DATE FOR ASSIGNMENTS:
The final submission date for assignments is one week (7 days) after their due date. If an
extenuating circumstance may prevent you from submitting an assignment by its final
submission date please contact your instructor at the earliest possible convenience and be
prepared to provide her with official documentation concerning your situation.
FINAL DATE FOR WRITING A DEFERRED MIDTERM
The last day to write an approved deferred midterm in PO 111 is Mon. Feb. 23. If you
can not write a deferred midterm on or before Mon. Feb. 23 (due, for example, to an
ongoing illness) the weighting of your final exam will be increased from 30% to 50%.
EXTENSION AND MIDTERM DEFERRAL POLICY
All requests for assignment extensions and midterm deferrals must be directed to your
instructor. Your TA does not have the authority to grant extensions or deferrals.
Your instructor will only consider granting an assignment extension or midterm deferral
in the event of an officially documented extenuating circumstance (i.e. serious personal
illness; critical personal or family crisis; etc.). If an extenuating circumstance may
prevent you from completing a course assignment on time or writing your midterm on the
assigned day, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible convenience, ideally
some time BEFORE the assignment is due or the midterm is scheduled to be written.
If you are in need of an extension or deferral due to illness, your instructor will require an
original signed doctor’s note (scanned or emailed notes will not be accepted) which
includes all of the following information:
(i) the date of your visit to the doctor;
(ii) the nature of your illness;
(iii) the date of the onset of your illness; and,
(iv) your expected recovery time.
The length of your extension or terms of your deferral (if granted) will depend upon the
date of onset, expected duration and severity of your illness.
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If you are in need of an extension or deferral for some other reason, please contact your
instructor at the earliest possible convenience about the type of documentation required.
FINAL EXAM DEFERRAL POLICY
Please see the Department of Political Science Deferred Examination policy at
http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=166&p=6408.
ASSIGNMENT AND MIDERM RETURNS:
Your instructor will attempt to return assignments and midterms in class and in a timely
manner (usually within three weeks for assignments and within two weeks for the
midterm). Please note, however, that your instructor can not guarantee that deferred
midterms and late assignments (with or without an extension) will be returned at the same
time as midterms written on the assigned day and assignments submitted on time. This
means that late research papers may not be returned before the date of the final exam.
Assignments and tests not returned or collected by the last day of class will be available
for collection from the assignment hand-back room during its scheduled hours of
operation.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT:
All members of the University community share the responsibility for the academic
standards and reputation of the University. Academic honesty is a cornerstone of the
development and acquisition of knowledge. It is also a condition of continued
membership in the university community.
Academic dishonesty, also known as academic misconduct, is misrepresentation with
intent to deceive or without regard to the source or the accuracy of statements or findings.
The following examples are representative, but not exhaustive, of activities constituting
academic dishonesty: plagiarism (presenting the work of another person(s), in whole or in
part, as your own); double submission (submitting the same work and/or large portions of
the same work more than once without prior approval); cheating (using or attempting to
use unauthorized aids, assistance, materials or methods); impersonation; submitting false
records or information; stealing or destroying the work of another person(s); removing,
mutilating, misplacing or destroying books or other library materials; unauthorized or
inappropriate use of computers, calculators and other forms of technology in course
work, assignments or examinations.
Penalties imposed by the University for academic misconduct may include one or more
of the following: a warning; a verbal or written reprimand; reassessment of work; failure
on a particular assignment; failure in a course; denial of admission or readmission;
forfeiture of awards or financial assistance; suspension; or, expulsion from the
University.
Please note that any student found guilty of academic misconduct in PO 111 will be
awarded a grade of ‘0’ (zero) on the relevant assignment(s), test(s) and/or exam(s)
and will be reported to both the Chair of Political Science and the Dean of Arts.
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Depending on the severity of the offence a more severe penalty may also be imposed
by the instructor and/or by the University.
WLU’s policy on academic misconduct can be found at:
https://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=158&p=8383&pv=1. Please speak with your
instructor if you have questions about this policy.
For information on how to cite appropriately and how to avoid plagiarism (one of the
most common forms of academic misconduct) please see:
-
Leslie E. Cassson (ed.), A Writer’s Handbook: Developing Writing Skills for
University Students, 2nd ed. (Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2006) – esp. “The P
Word: Plagiarism”, pp. 70-79
-
WLU’s Writing Centre - http://www.wlu.ca/homepage.php?grp_id=306 (click on
‘Handouts’ then see the links under ‘Documentation’)
EVALUATION CRITERIA & DUE DATES
TUTORIAL PARTICIPATION - 10%
During the course of this semester you are required to attend and participate in 5
scheduled tutorial sessions. Scheduled tutorials are a MANDATORY component of PO
111 and tutorial participation will account for 10% of your final grade.
Tutorials will be run in seminar format. This means that your tutorial leader will be
guiding your tutorial group’s discussions of the required readings; s/he will not be
lecturing to you. It is your responsibility to come to each tutorial session having
thoroughly read the required readings for the tutorial session at hand (see tutorial
schedule above, pp. 5-8) and having critically thought about the relevant discussion
questions.
Because a large number of students are enrolled in this course, your tutorial sessions have
also been designed to provide you with a more intimate venue for asking questions (about
course materials, assignments, etc,), clarifying your understanding of course topics,
weekly lectures and incidental course materials, and getting to know at least some of your
fellow students.
Please note that your TA will be providing you with his/her email address and will also
be holding weekly office hours to provide you with one-on-one assistance and/or
feedback on course assignments, the midterm, the final exam and course materials in
general.
Evaluation Criteria:
Your TA will keep a record of your attendance and participation in tutorial sessions.
Please note that:
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·
2 marks will be deducted from your participation grade for each tutorial or
significant portion of a tutorial missed (tutorials missed due to extenuating
circumstances will not be penalized but must be officially documented and
discussed with your TA or the instructor at the earliest possible convenience;
when possible, your TA or instructor will make arrangements for you to attend
another tutorial session based on the same readings or, if that is not possible, to
complete a short assignment)
·
if you attend but do not participate in weekly tutorials you will receive a grade of
‘0’ (zero) (i.e. there is no tutorial ‘attendance’ grade)
·
quantity is not a substitute for quality … please take care not to dominate tutorial
discussions or to ignore the content of required readings in your comments
·
to receive a grade of ‘10’ you must attend and meaningfully participate in all 5
scheduled tutorial sessions, your comments must be relevant to the readings at
hand, you must be willing to answer discussion questions and questions posed by
your TA on a regular basis AND your comments must demonstrate a thorough
reading of all required readings.
SHORT ASSIGNMENT - 10% (due Tues. Jan. 20; final submission date is
Tues. Jan. 27)
Each student is required to complete a short assignment entitled ‘The Art of Writing an
Argumentative Paper’. Details of this assignment can be found on pages 17-19 of this
syllabus. Please note that you are required to read Leslie E. Casson (ed.), A Writer’s
Handbook: Developing Writing Skills for University Students (Peterborough: Broadview
Press, 2006) before beginning this assignment.
Your completed short assignment should be submitted in class on Jan. 20 or date stamped
in the main office of the Political Science Department (DAWB 4-120) and placed in your
TA’s mailbox (TA mailboxes are located near the 4th floor elevators). Assignments
found in a mailbox without a date stamp will be considered to have been submitted on the
day they were collected from the mailbox. Please note that neither your instructor nor
your TA will accept assignments via email. A late penalty of 3% per day (weekends
included) will be applied to all assignments received after 4:00pm on Jan. 20. The final
submission date for this assignment is Tues. Jan. 27.
MIDTERM TEST – 20% (to be written in class on Tues. Feb. 10; final date to write
a deferred midterm is Mon. Feb. 23)
Each student is required to write a midterm test in class on Tues. Feb. 10. This midterm
test will evaluate your knowledge of all course materials (lectures, required readings,
class discussions, tutorial discussions, incidental course materials, etc.) covered during
Weeks 1-5 inclusive. The format of the midterm will be announced in class but is likely
to consist of: multiple choice, identify and short answer questions.
The final date to write a deferral is Mon. Feb. 23. If you can not write a deferred
midterm on or before Mon. Feb. 23 (due, for example, to an ongoing illness) the
weighting of your final exam will be increased from 30% to 50%.
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ARGUMENTATIVE RESEARCH PAPER – 30% (due Tues. Mar. 10; final
submission date is Tues. Mar. 17)
NOTE: You are required to read Leslie E. Casson (ed.). A Writer’s Handbook:
Developing Writing Skills for University Students (Peterborough: Braodview Press,
2006) (one of your required texts) before beginning this assignment.
Each student is required to write an original 7-10 page argumentative research paper on
one of the research paper topics that appear at the end of this course syllabus (p. 20).
You may not write your argumentative research paper on a topic that does not appear on
this list – no exceptions!
Please note that it is an academic offense to submit the same work and/or large
portions of the same work more than once without prior approval. If you would like
to write your PO 111 paper on a topic that you have previously explored in another
assignment or that you plan to explore in another assignment this semester you must
speak with your instructor before beginning your PO 111 paper. Please note that failure
to inform your instructor that you have already written (or plan to write) an assignment
on the same topic as the one chosen for your PO 111 paper may result in charges of
academic misconduct and their consequences.
Minimum Requirements:
-
the body of your research paper must be at least 7 full pages in length (double
spaced; 12pt Time New Roman font; standard 1 inch margins; no extra spacing
between paragraphs). Please note that your title page and bibliography will not be
counted as pages for the purpose of calculating your paper’s length.
-
a diverse range of sources must be consulted and cited in your research paper.
Papers that rely heavily or exclusively on one type of research source (i.e. web-based
sources) will not be considered acceptable.
-
a minimum of 5 ACADEMIC sources must be CITED in your research paper.
Academic sources include: non-fiction books and book chapters; academic
journal articles; government documents; and, other documents written by
‘experts’ on your chosen research topic. Textbooks (including your course
textbooks), newspaper articles, and magazine articles are not considered
‘academic sources’ but they may still be used in your paper (they simply will not
be counted towards your minimum research requirement of 5 academic sources).
Cited means: specifically referenced (i.e. footnoted), preferably more than once,
in the body of your paper.
‘Wikipedia’ and other web-based encyclopedias are NOT appropriate sources
for this (or any other) scholarly paper. The use of such sources will negatively
affect your grade.
-
your research paper must contain a clearly articulated central thesis statement
which clearly explains the central argument and supporting points of arguments to be
developed in the body of your research paper. Your thesis statement should appear
in the first or second paragraph of your research paper.
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-
your research paper must present a coherent and well developed argument. A
coherent and well developed argument should have the following characteristics: (i)
a clear central thesis statement; (ii) a logical organizational structure; (iii) clear
definitions of all relevant terms and concepts; (iv) a diverse range of supporting
evidence; (v) thoughtful analysis linking the evidence presented to the point of
argument at hand and to your central argument; and, (vi) a relevant conclusion.
-
your research paper must be well written meaning that it must: be written in full and
complete sentences; be free of grammatical errors and sentence structure problems;
be free of spelling mistakes; use appropriate paragraphing (one idea per paragraph
please); use appropriate word choices (do not use words that you do not understand,
including supposed synonyms generated by your computer’s thesaurus); and, be easy
to read and understand (please write as clearly and directly as possible to avoid
confusing the reader and/or obscuring the intended meaning of your words and
phrases).
-
PLEASE NOTE: research papers that fail to meet these minimum requirements
will be awarded a failing grade.
Formatting Requirements:
All papers must be appropriately and correctly referenced using footnotes.
All papers must include a properly formatted bibliography.
All papers must be double spaced. (NB: do not double space x2 between paragraphs;
your bibliography should be single spaced with double spacing between references).
All papers must be written in 12pt Time New Roman font.
All papers must have standard 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins.
All papers must have numbered pages (NB: do not number your title page).
All papers must be stapled (not paper clipped) together.
All papers must be prefaced by a title page (not numbered) which includes all of the
following information: assignment title (please do not call your paper ‘PO 111
Research Paper’; please give your assignment a proper title which reflects its
contents); author’s first and last name; author’s student number; instructor’s name;
course code and section (i.e. PO 111A or PO 111B); your TA’s name; your tutorial
section (i.e. A-5); the date the assignment was submitted.
Submission Information:
Argumentative research papers should be submitted in class on Tues. Mar. 10 or datestamped in the main office of the Political Science Department (DAWB 4-120) and
placed in your TA’s mailbox (located near the 4th floor elevators) by 4:00pm.
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Papers submitted without a date-stamp will be considered to have been submitted on
the day they are collected from your TA’s mailbox. Neither your instructor nor your
TA will accept assignments via email. A late penalty of 3% per day (weekends
included) will be applied to all papers submitted after 4:00pm on Mar. 10. The final
submission date for this assignment is Tues. March 17.
Evaluation:
Research papers will be evaluated using the following criteria:
-
scope and breadth of research
quality of thesis statement
quality of evidence
quality of analysis
quality of argument
organization of material
communication skills
overall quality
FINAL EXAM – 30% (as scheduled by the Registrar’s Office)
Each student is required to write a 2 hour final exam during the regular winter
examination period (Apr. 8-29). Please check with the Registrar’s Office to confirm the
date, time and location of your PO 111 final exam. Please do not make travel plans, work
commitments, etc. until you know the date and time of all of your final exams.
The PO 111 final exam will evaluate students’ knowledge of all materials (lectures,
required readings, class discussions, tutorial sessions, and other incidental course
materials) covered during Weeks 1-13 inclusive, including materials tested on the
midterm. The format of this exam will be announced on the last day of class but is likely
to include: multiple choice questions; identify questions; short answer questions; and one
essay question.
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Short Assignment
“The Art of Writing an Argumentative Paper”
Question:
Which animal is the most appropriate pet? Explain with reference to a particular category
of pet owner (i.e.: students; families; children; the elderly; apartment dwellers;
homeowners; city dwellers; urban dwellers; or, if you want to be more creative … Greek
Gods; Sorcerers; Ninjas; Princesses; Fairies; etc.). Please do not write a comparative
paper (i.e. dogs are better pets than cats) as this requires a different type of format than
the one this assignment is focused on.
Assignment:
Read Lesslie Casson’s book, A Writer’s Handbook, and then write a 6 paragraph paper
that explains why a particular animal is the most appropriate pet for your chosen category
of pet owner. Your paper must have an informative introduction, a clear thesis statement
and present a well developed argument that uses evidence and analysis to persuade your
reader that your central argument has merit. Your paper must be properly formatted (i.e.
double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font), written in full and complete sentences, use
proper paragraphing, and be free of spelling and grammatical errors. You are not
required to do research for this paper!
Evaluation:
This assignment is worth 10% of your final grade. This assignment will be graded on the
quality of your argument, evidence, analysis and writing skills.
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Outstanding Paper: brilliant argument, evidence and analysis; no sentence
structure/grammar/spelling/etc. mistakes
9-9.5
Exceptional Paper: brilliant argument, evidence and analysis; very few
sentence structure/grammar/spelling/etc. mistakes
8 – 8.5
Excellent Paper: well-developed argument, evidence and analysis; minor
sentence structure/grammar/spelling mistakes or paragraphing problems
7-7.5
Good Paper: solid argument, evidence and analysis but with some minor
quibbles; minor sentence structure/grammar/spelling/etc. mistakes
6-6.5
Adequate Paper: adequate argument, evidence and analysis but with some
major quibbles and/or major sentence structure/grammar/spelling/etc.
mistakes
5-5.5
Marginal Paper: poor argument, evidence and analysis and major sentence
structure/grammar/spelling/etc. mistakes
0-4.5
Unacceptable Paper: paper does not meet assignment requirements
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Basic Format Guide:
Title Page:
· Title of the paper (be creative!)
· Your name
· Your student number
· Your Instructor’s Name
· Course # and Section
· Your TA’s name
· Your tutorial section
· Date Submitted
Choosing a Pet: Students
and Fish Bowls
Choosing a Pet: Students
and Fish Bowls
By
Mary Smith
000000
For
Dr. Karen Lochead
PO 111A
TA: David Smith
Section A-3
Date Submitted
22 January 2007
Author: Mary Smith
Student Number: 000000
Instructor: Dr. Karen Lochead
Course: PO 111A
TA: David Smith
Section: A-3
Date Submitted: 22 January 2007
Paragraph 1 – Introduction: What is this Paper About?
· Introduce your reader to the general topic (pets), theme (pet ownership) and scope
(chosen category of pet owner, i.e. students, single mothers, princesses, etc.) of
your paper
Paragraph 2 – Paper Outline: Thesis Statement
· Explain the purpose of your paper (to discuss, analyze, explain, argue, etc.)
· State the central argument of your paper (i.e. a goldfish is the most appropriate pet
for a student)
· State the 3 supporting points of argument to be developed in your paper (i.e.
goldfish cost very little to purchase and maintain; they have short life-spans; and,
they are quiet)
· Note: Yes, generally speaking it is acceptable to place a thesis statement at the
end of the first paragraph of a paper but for the purposes of this assignment please
give your thesis statement its own paragraph
Paragraph 3- Point ‘1’ of your Central Argument
· State your first point of argument
· Example: A goldfish is the most appropriate pet for a student because it costs
very little to purchase and maintain.
· Present evidence in support of this point of argument (i.e. state average price for a
goldfish, a goldfish bowl, goldfish food, etc)
· Provide analysis linking this point of argument to your central argument (i.e.
explain why the low purchase and maintenance costs of a goldfish contribute to
making this animal the most appropriate pet for a student)
· Offer a conclusion on this point of argument (i.e. Clearly a cash-strapped student
would be hard pressed to find a more economical pet)
· Offer a transition from this point of argument to your next point of argument (i.e.
Low purchase and maintenance costs, however, are not the only qualities that
make a goldfish an appropriate pet for a student.)
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Paragraph 4 – Point ‘2’ of your Central Argument
· State your second point of argument
· Present evidence
· Provide analysis
· Conclude
· Transition
Paragraph 5 – Point ‘3’ of your Central Argument
· State the your third point of argument
· Present evidence
· Provide analysis
· Conclude
Paragraph 6 – Conclusion
· Draw your topic, theme and scope back together and summarize your argument
· Example: There are many different kinds of pets and there are many different
reasons for owning pets [Explain]. Students, however, must chose their pets
carefully [Explain why]. As this paper has demonstrated, a goldfish is the
most appropriate pet for a student because “1”, “2” and “3”.
· Leave your reader with something to think about
· Example: This does not mean, however, that all students should have goldfish
as pets [Explain why].
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PO 111 Argumentative Research Paper Topics
You are required to select a topic for your PO 111 argumentative research paper from this
list of topics. You may not write your argumentative research paper on a topic that does
not appear on this list – no exceptions! If you chose to write your paper on a topic that
does not appear on this list, you will be awarded a grade of ‘0’ (zero) on this assignment.
Please see pp. 14-16 of your course syllabus for assignment details.
1.
Do interest groups complement or undermine the formal institutional channels of
political decision making (i.e. legislatures, executives, etc.)? Discuss in general or
with reference to a particular interest group in a political setting (country/state/
province/international arena/etc.) of your choice.
2.
Are political parties necessary? Discuss in general or analyze the positive and/or
negative impacts of a political party of your choice in a political setting
(country/state/ province/etc.) of your choice.
3.
Does direct democracy positively enhance or negatively impact effective political
decision making? Discuss in general or with reference to a particular policy issue.
4.
Are the courts an appropriate avenue for policy change? Discuss in general or with
reference to a particular policy issue.
5.
Is the media a ‘neutral arbiter of facts’? Discuss with reference to a particular
country or issue of your choice.
6.
Examine the merits and demerits of the unitary, federal OR confederal form of
government in a country of your choice. Questions worth considering include: Why
was this form of government adopted? What problems has it or can it help to
address? What problems has it or can it create?
7.
What factors positively and/or negatively affect the process of democratization?
Discuss with referenced to a country or countries of your choice.
8.
If you were advising a newly democratized country, which electoral system would
you recommend and why?
9.
Discuss the problem of low voter turnout in a country of your choice. Alternatively
you can discuss the low voter turnout rates of a particular category of voters (i.e.
youth, African Americans, visible minorities, aboriginal people, etc.) in a country of
your choice.
10. Select an historic or contemporary political leader and examine the sources of his/her
political power, legitimacy and authority. Questions worth considering include:
what permitted him/her to acquire political power/legitimacy/authority?; what
permitted him/her to retain political power/legitimacy/authority?; what caused
him/her to loose political power/legitimacy/authority?