NORTH LAKE COLLEGE

5001 N. MacArthur Blvd.

Irving, Texas 75038-3899
DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
COURSE SYLLABUS
GOVERNMENT 2305 ONLINESummer I, 2015
Liberal Arts Division Office: A-310
Phone: (972) 273-3480
Call the office for hours of operation.
Instructor Information:
Professor:
Email:
Office Phone:
Office Location:
Office Hours:

AMY SMITH, M.A.

amysmith@dcccd.edu
972.273.3233
A 244
Office Hours are not available during Summer

Course Information:
Course title:
Course number:
Section number(s):
Credit hours:
Class meeting time(s):

Federal Government
2305
75426, 75429, 95402, 95408
3
ONLINE ONLY. No campus meetings.

Course description:

Origin and development of the U.S. Constitution, structure and powers of the
national government including the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches, federalism, political participation, the national election process,
public policy, civil liberties and civil rights.

Course prerequisites:

The following must be met: (1) DREA 0093 or English as a Second language
(ESOL) 0044 or have met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading Standard
AND (2) DWRI in 0093, or English as a Second Language (ESOL) 0054 or
have met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Writing Standard.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Essentials of American Government: Roots and Reform 2012 Election Edition
ISBN # 978-0-205-88399-8

The textbook is a necessity. This is the only edition of the textbook that may be used. Do not
purchase an ala carte version of this book. It will not contain all the necessary information.
MyPoliSci Lab is NOT used in this class.

Program-Level Objectives for GOVT 2305

Government 2305 develops the following objectives from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board:

Communication Skills
Critical Thinking Skill
Personal Responsibility
Social Responsibility

This course will assess the Critical Thinking and Communication Skills via exams, assignments and
discussions.

Course-Level Objectives for GOVT 2305 Federal Government

From the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Explain the origin and development of constitutional democracy in the United States.
Demonstrate knowledge of the federal system.
Describe separation of powers and checks and balances in both theory and practice.
Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal
government.
Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in the political system.
Analyze the election process.
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens
Analyze issues and policies in U.S. politics

Each of these objectives will be assessed, both separately and together, throughout exams, assignments and
discussions.

NLC GOVT 2305 Departmental Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Departmental Student Learning OutcomesSLOs are assessed via writing assignments and/or
surveys/quizzes. SLOs are common assignments that must be assessed by every instructor at NLC.
1. 90% of students will demonstrate understanding of the assumptions and biases that shape their political
perceptions by successfully completing a self-analysis of their political ideology. This SLO will be
evaluated through taking a quiz and then self-assessing the results in Assignment 2. This assignment helps
to generate a better understanding of elections, citizenship and current issues and policies in U.S. politics, as
mentioned in Course-level Outcomes 6, 7 and 8.

2. 80% of students will identify and analyze their elected leaders in the U.S. Congress, demonstrating an
understanding of the bicameral nature of the federal legislature, and the geographic representation it. This
SLO will be evaluated through doing website research to learn more about specific Congressmen in
Assignment 3. This assignment helps to generate a better understanding of Congress and the political
system, as mentioned in Course-level Outcomes 4 and 5.
3. 80% of students will analyze political polling devices and predictions, demonstrating an understanding of
statistical significance and bias in polling, while identifying the publics preference for presidential
candidates for the 2016 election. This SLO will be evaluated through researching current polling results and
then determining the potential outcome of the 2016 Presidential election in Assignment 4. This assignment
helps to generate a better understanding of elections and the Executive branch, the role of public opinion as
mentioned in Course-level Outcomes 4 and 5.

Contacting Your Instructor

If you have questions that cannot be answered by reading the syllabus or checking eCampus, please email
me at amysmith@dcccd.edu. Your emails must follow the Email Etiquette guidelines explained in the
eCampus course, under the Contacting Professor Smith button.
Timeline for email responses
Emails requiring assistance will be returned within 48 hours during the work week (Monday after 8 a.m.
through Friday at 5 p.m.) and will be returned within 72 hours over the weekends, starting at 5 pm. on
Friday. I typically do not check emails after 8 p.m. on weekdays and not at all on weekends, unless an exam
is due. I am unavailable on holidays. Please keep this in mind and do not wait until the last minute to
contact me regarding questions about assignments, exams or any other matters that may need immediate
assistance.
If your question in technical in nature, contact the eCampus help desk at 1-866-374-7169 or 972-669-6402.
Timeline for Grading
Unless otherwise stated, all assignments and discussion posts will be graded within 72 hours of their due
dates, excluding weekends and holidays. In the event of an extreme circumstance on my end, an
announcement will be posted in eCampus with an explanation of when grades will be posted.
I will be checking eCampus at least twice times a week and updating grades, per grading policies. It is the
students responsibility to be diligent about viewing his or her grades to check for grading
feedback/potential errors.

Course Evaluation Grading Procedures

Grading Scale

600 points total

Four Content Exams400 points total

90%--A (540-600)

Five Writing Assignments100 points total

Three Discussion Assignments100 point total

80%--B (480-539)
70%--C (420-479)
60%--D (360-419)

There are 4 exams. They are worth 100 points each for a total of 400 points
There are 5 assignments. They are worth 20 points each for a total of 100 points
There are 3 discussions. They are worth 33.3 points each for a total of 100 points.
Extra Credit and Extra Point Policy
The only extra credit offered this semester is the Intro Discussion at the start of the semester. It is found in
the Start Here button in our course and must be completed by the deadline. It is worth 10 points and is due
no later than June 10th at 8 p.m. I will be using this activity as your Certification assignment for financial
aid purposes. There will be no other extra credit offereddo not ask. Please do your best to keep up with
all of the work, deadlines and requirements. I also do not bump up grades at the end of the semester. You
will receive the grade you have earned.
Make Up Assignment and Exam Policy
You may make up assignments and exams (no extensions on exam 4) in EXTREME extenuating
circumstances, with proper documentation (i.e. death of immediate family, hospitalization, illness with doctors
ordersthis does include sick children but not sick pets). There will be no consideration for missing
deadlines, having busy work schedules, mixing deadlines up with other classes, etc. Do not email me asking for
favors. The syllabus guidelines are meant to maintain fairness to all students, so no one will receive special
treatment. Keep up with the calendar provided.
It will be your responsibility to alert me to these issues within 48 hours of the missed item if you want
consideration. Documentation will need to be provided with this communication. Discussion assignment
cannot be made up for ANY reason. No retakes on exams for poor grades and assignments may not be
resubmitted for higher grades after the established deadlines.

Online Course Time Commitments

**Students should expect to spend a minimum 10 contact hours weekly preparing for assignments,
exams and discussions in this very short semester. This mirrors time spent in a classroom in a
traditional face-to-face class and does not include typical study and research time.
Students who do well in online courses tend to spend a minimum of 12-15 hours per week in
preparation for and completing the content items in a short semester, such as this.

Instructors Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism Policy

Throughout this course, you will pursue your studies with integrity and honesty; this means any words,
thoughts, ideas, and data that is not your own you will provide the appropriate credit. Plagiarism includes
the following:

Failure to cite the source of any material borrowed from an outside source properly, including failure
to use quotation marks, paraphrases, and bibliographic information.
Submitting any assignment that you did not write for this class (this includes assignments written for
another class, essays purchased online or written by someone else).
Sharing ideas that seem to be replicated in someone elses work.

If a student is caught cheating or plagiarizing ANYTHING in this class, you will be reported to the Dean of
Liberal Arts for the 1st offense. Further cheating will result in an F for the course.

Course Schedule
Unit I: Forming a Nation contains the following:
Assignment 1: Rewriting the ConstitutionDue June 11th
Discussion 1: Immigration and FederalismDue June 13th
Exam 1Due June 15th
Chapter 1American Government: Roots, Context and Culture
Chapter 2Early Governance and the Constitutional Framework
Chapter 3Federalism

Unit II: The Party System contains the following:

Assignment 2: Where Do I Stand?Due June 17th
Discussion 2: The 2nd Amendment and Interest GroupsDue June 20th
Exam 2Due June 23rd
Chapter 10Public Opinion and the News Media
Chapter 11Political Parties and Interest Groups
Chapter 12Campaigns, Elections and Voting

Unit III: Policymaking contains the following:

Assignment 3: Who Represents Me? Due June 25th
Assignment 4: 2016 Election PollsDue June 28th
Exam 3Due June 30th
Chapter 6Congress
Chapter 7The Presidency
Chapter 13Social and Economic Policy
Chapter 14Foreign and Defense Policy

Unit IV: Our Rights contains the following:

Assignment 5: The 4th Amendment and PrivacyDue July 3rd
Discussion 3: Affirmative Action and the Supreme Court July 6th
5

Exam 4Due July 8th

Chapter 4Civil Liberties
Chapter 5Civil Rights
Chapter 9The Judiciary
**NOTE: ALL ASSIGNMENTS, DISCUSSIONS AND EXAMS HAVE AN 8 P.M. DEADLINE ON
THEIR INDIVIDUAL DUE DATES.

NLC INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES and STUDENT SERVICES

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
The Student Code of Conduct prohibits academic dishonesty and prescribes penalties for violations.
According to this code, which is printed in the college catalog, "academic dishonesty", includes (but is not
limited to) cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and collusion".
Academic dishonesty may result in the following sanctions, including, but not limited to:
o A grade of zero or a lowered grade on the assignment or course.
o A reprimand.
o Suspension from the college.
NOTIFICATION OF ABSENCE DUE TO RELIGIOUS HOLY DAY(S)
Students who will be absent from class for the observance of a religious holiday must notify the instructor in
advance. Please refer to the Student Obligations section of the college catalog for more explanation.
You are required to complete any assignments or take any examinations missed as a result of the absence
within the time frame specified by your instructor.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
North Lake College provides academic accommodations to students with disabilities, as defined under ADA
law. It is the student's choice and responsibility to initiate any request for accommodations. If you are a
student with a disability who requires such ADA accommodations, please contact North Lake College's
Disability Services Office in person (A430) or by phone at 972-273-3165.
http://www.northlakecollege.edu/resources/disability.html
STOP BEFORE YOU DROP
If you enrolled in college-level courses for the first time in the fall of 2007, the Texas Education Code
51.907 allows you to drop no more than six courses during your entire undergraduate career unless the drop
qualifies as an exception. The Counseling/Advising Center will give you more information about allowable
exceptions.
Once you have accumulated six non-exempt drops, you cannot drop any other courses with a W.
Therefore, you need to exercise caution when dropping courses in any Texas public institution of higher
learning, including all seven of the Dallas County Community Colleges.
More information is available at http://www.northlakecollege.edu/admissions/drop.html or
https://www1.dcccd.edu/catalog/ss/oep/dw.cfm.

DROP POLICY
If you are unable to complete this course, you must officially withdraw by JULY 2ND, 2015. Withdrawing is
a formal procedure which you must initiate; your instructor cannot do it for you. All Dallas County
Community Colleges charge a higher tuition rate to students registering the third time for a course. This
rule applies to the majority of credit and Continuing Education / Workforce Training courses.
Developmental Studies and some other courses are not charged a higher tuition rate. Third attempts include
courses taken at any DCCCD college since the fall 2002 semester. For further information, go online to:
http://www.DCCCD.edu/thirdcourseattempt .
FINANCIAL AID STATEMENT
Students who are receiving any form of financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office prior to
withdrawing from classes. Withdrawals may affect your eligibility to receive further aid and could cause
you to be in a position of repayment for the current semester. Students who fail to attend or participate
by the College Certification Date of June 11th, 2015 are also subject to this policy. To apply for
financial aid in the DCCCD, students must complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on
the web at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov .
COUNSELING SERVICES
Counseling services for personal issues are provided to all students currently enrolled at NLC. These
services are provided by licensed professionals who are bound by confidentiality (within ethical parameters)
at no charge. With the assistance of a counselor, students are able to identify, understand, resolve issues and
develop appropriate skills. To make an appointment call 972-273-3333.
THE ACADEMIC SKILLS CENTER (ASC)
The ASC provides a variety of services designed to help students develop and improve their writing and
language skills. In the ASC, we have:

The iRead Lab which offers individual and small group tutoring, as well as workshops, to help
current students improve their reading, study, and test taking skills.
The ESOL lab, with computer access, is open for students to work on assignments or homework.
Free tutoring for students enrolled in foreign language courses at North Lake.
The Writing Center to help students clarify writing tasks, understand instructors requirements,
develop and organize papers, explore revision options, detect grammar and punctuation errors,
properly use and document sources, and improve their writing skills.
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) for students to submit papers to our writing tutors electronically and
get feedback within 24-72 hours. The OWL can be accessed through eCampus.
1.) After logging on to eCampus, click on the Community Tab at the top.
2.) Type Owl in the search field and click Go.
3.) Next, click on the double drop-down arrows next to NLC-OWL2, and then click on Enroll.
4.) Once enrolled, students can receive services from the OWL.

The Blazer Internet Lounge with 12 computers, additional open seating, and WiFi Internet access. For more
information or to schedule a tutoring appointment, come by A-332 or call 972-273-3089.