POLS 429, 397, 399: Capstone in American Politics

Semester: Spring 2012
Section: 01
Class Time: Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-4:45pm
Classroom: Butte Hall 227
Syllabus:

http://www.csuchico.edu/~ccturner/syllabi/capstonespring12.html

Instructor: Dr. Charles C. Turner
Email: ccturner@csuchico.edu
Phone: (530)898-6506 (office)
Office: 741A Butte Hall
Office Hours:
Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-3:30pm
(and by request)

Scope and Purpose
Welcome to the Capstone Corporation—a non-profit, quasi-governmental, semi-fictional corporation for which you will be an employee/intern for the next 16 weeks or so. You will be expected to work about 15 hours per week, on average (5 units of credit, plus studying and preparing). The Regional Manager of the Capstone Corporation, Dr. Turner, will be your direct supervisor. At this point in your career, you have nearly mastered being a student, but are probably still learning the ropes of being a professional. Your time at the Capstone Corporation is designed to help you use the skills you have developed as a student to transition into the professional world.

This semester the Capstone Corporation has been hired by the City of Chico to collaborate with several community agencies in order to facilitate increased communication and cooperation between these community partners. Your participation is key to the success of this project. As with any new endeavor, this one includes some unknowns that will have to be worked out along the way. We will probably need to work out some details and change things up a bit over the course of the semester. Capstone thanks you in advance for your understanding and patience.

So, what is the point of working for the Capstone Corporation and having a Capstone Experience? Well, one of the main points is synthesis. In order to successfully complete the Capstone, you need to synthesize a lot of the experiences you’ve had, skills you’ve developed, and information you’ve learned along the way. The focus of synthesis is not on acquiring new knowledge, but on combining existing knowledge in new ways to produce new outcomes. In this class, you will encounter some things that you have experience before (e.g., reading political theory, writing papers). You should not think of this as redundancy, but as a deepening of your understanding of the material. Think about a book you read in junior high. Do you think that if you were to read that book again now you would get more out of it? I hope so! The same thing will happen here. We will be taking some experiences you had as a budding college student, and enhancing them in a manner appropriate for a more mature senior—one who is about to embark upon an exciting professional career! So, something old, something new…that is what a Capstone Experience is all about!

This course is about American politics in three specific aspects: what should be done (community report, normative paper), what is done (SWOT analysis), and what you are doing about it (career project, community report). Along the way, we will focus on: thinking critically about politics, understanding and participating in politics, and careers in politics. Related to this last topic, one goal of this course is to make sure you know what you’re getting into after you walk across that stage in May. In order to address that goal, there will be class activities and assignments that focus on career development. Some of you may already have an idea of what you want to do next. Others may not. Either way, this course should help you think through some of those options.

As this course is your Capstone Experience in the General Political Science major, it provides a great opportunity for you to demonstrate mastery of several of the student learning outcomes that are central to the major. Namely:

à Students can distinguish among theories of politics and analyze current political situations in theoretical terms (normative paper).

à Students can describe basic structural components of national government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and explain their relationship to each other and to subnational units (throughout).

à Students can formulate hypotheses, construct research designs, and apply appropriate analytical skills, including quantitative reasoning, to the study of political science (SWOT analysis, community report).

à Students can locate appropriate sources by searching electronic and traditional data bases (SWOT analysis, community report).

à Students can use and cite appropriate sources correctly (all written work).

à Students can write and speak with sufficient clarity to convey their attitudes, knowledge and skills (all written work, career project, community report, class participation).

We will be discussing a wide range of issues at the Capstone Corporation. Sometimes you will have questions: feel free to ask them. Sometimes you will disagree with a co-worker. Sometimes you will disagree with me. That's okay! The political process is about deliberation and reasonable people often disagree. As long as we all treat each other with respect, we stand to learn a great deal from our discussions.

Course Readings
You don’t have to buy any books for this class. That being said, you do have to read some books. Free, electronic versions are linked below. You are also welcome to purchase print versions (of Utopia, The Prince, and The Communist Manifesto) from whatever source you like if you find that more convenient.

The books will be supplemented with readings from other sources. These additional readings are available on the internet (see links 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. You will also need to conduct independent research to fulfill several of the course requirements.

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:

SWOT analysis plan	60 pts.	15%
midterm exam/career project	60 pts.	15%
normative paper	60 pts.	15%
community report	100 pts.	25%
final exam	60 pts.	15%
participation/attendance	60 pts.	15%
	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

SWOT Analysis Plan of Action: On February 28^th, your team will turn in a SWOT analysis of your assigned community partner. You must turn this in electronically. The assignment is worth 60 points. We will devote significant class time to these projects. You will also be expected to devote significant time to this project outside of class—that is why you are earning 2 additional units for this class (397 and 399). Disclaimer: this is a team project. I know that some of you loathe, fear, etc. “group projects.” The fact of the matter is that most careers require collaborative work from time to time. You don’t always get to choose your team members, and sometimes you are evaluated based on the work of others, in addition to your own contributions. That being said, as this is both an academic exercise and a job assignment, one component of the assignment will be your own reflection on the team and members’ contributions.

Midterm Exam/Career Project: It’s time for you to choose. In the words of John Hodge (and memorably recited by Renton in Trainspotting): “Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career....Choose your future.” On March 13-15 you will, indeed, choose to deliver a 2-4 minute career project presentation (I hope). The paper and accompanying materials are due the day of your presentation. For this project, you will research three possible career options that you might pursue upon graduation. These could range from applying to graduate or law school to working for a government agency, business, or non-profit, to running a political campaign—the possibilities are vast! For each of the three options, you will need to write a paragraph that identifies: 1) the connection to a political science degree, 2) the procedural steps necessary to secure employment/admission, and 3) your interests in pursuing this future. You will select one of the three to describe to the class via a brief presentation. The assignment will be graded according to this rubric and is worth 60 points. An example of a successful Career Project paper can be found here.

Community Report: On April 5^th your team will turn in a Community Report. Your team will also be required to present its findings publically at the Community Forum on the evening of April 12^th. This assignment is the culmination of your team’s work with its community partner and is worth 100 points. We will develop a rubric for this assignment as a class.

Normative Paper: On May 10^th you will turn in a 4-5 page paper that compares contemporary American political ideals to the ideas of important political thinkers from the past. Your paper should use the ideas of More, Machiavelli, and Marx to critically evaluate three to four goals of American politics (as identified in the party platforms). The paper will be graded according to this rubric. The assignment is worth 60 points. This will probably be one of the last papers you write as an undergraduate. Make it a good one.

Final Exam: On May 17^th we will have a final exam. The exam will consist of identification/short answer and essay questions. It will be comprehensive. You will receive a study guide for the exam. The questions will cover a range of topics discussed in class and in the readings. We will review for this exam during the final regularly scheduled class meeting on May 10^th. It is worth 60 points.

Attendance and Participation: Over your 16 weeks of employment, you will accrue 3 personal days. You may use these when you are ill or have another obligation, but you will need to. Beginning with your fourth absence, your pay will be docked in a progressive manner for each additional absence (2 points, then 3, then 4, and so on). Come to class, team meetings, and other required events. 15% (60 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 pay attention, answer questions, contribute to your team, and join in class discussions. I will sometimes 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 kept up with the readings and assignments and are paying attention. Additionally, in-class activities, team meetings, and other required events will become part of your attendance and 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 full one letter grade penalty (10%) 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 formal charges with Student Judicial Affairs. For questions or concerns about plagiarism, please ask me or consult the University's Policy on Academic Integrity. The instructor reserves the right to check papers via Turnitn.com. (If you object to the use of turnitin.com, you are welcome to choose an alternative recommended by turnitin: “turn in a photocopy of the first page of all reference sources used, an annotated bibliography, and a one page paper reflecting on your research methodology.”) 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. Turn off cell phones and other distracting devices during class. Do not text. If your cell phone rings during class you will be expected to leave the classroom for the remainder of the period.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability or chronic illness, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Please also contact the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) as they are the designated department responsible for approving and coordinating reasonable accommodations and services for students with disabilities. ARC will help you understand your rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and provide you further assistance with requesting and arranging accommodations.

Accessibility Resource Center

www.csuchico.edu/arc

530-898-5959

Student Services Center 170

Since even graduating seniors are not perfect writers , you are encouraged to take advantage of Chico State's Student Learning Center. Indeed, there are many writing assignments, 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. What’s the biggest room in the world? Room for improvement! Also, if you do not already own one, a writing guide/manual is an invaluable tool. Our library has several print examples and several web sites that provide citation guides. Some good print examples are:

Baglione, Lisa A. Writing a Research Paper in Political Science. Second Edition, CQ Press. 2012.

Hacker, Diana. A Writer's Reference. Sixth Edition, St. Martin's Press. 2007.

Scott, Gregory M., and Stephen M. Garrison. The Political Science Student Writer's Manual. 7th ed., Pearson. 2012.

Strunk, William, Jr. Elements of Style.

Colburn, Forrest D., and Norman Uphoff. 2012. “Common Expositional Problems in Students’ Papers and Theses.” PS: Political Science & Politics 45 (2): 291-7.

Semester Schedule

Readings should be completed before each class meeting.

Date		Topics	Readings
Jan.	24	Introduction and discussion of syllabus; fill out questionnaire	none
	26	What should we be learning here? The undergraduate curriculum and careers in politics Guest Speaker: Assistant City Manager John Rucker	“A Century of Continuity”
	31	Announcement of teams: you will meet with your team and come up with a team name, set a weekly meeting time, and discover what you know and don’t know about each other and about your community partner.
Feb.	2	You and Your Career: Guest Speaker Kate Buckley from Career Services Conducting a SWOT analysis	SWOT analysis website; another SWOT website; one more; other information you discover (independent research)
	7	SWOT analysis, continued Understanding your City	Charter and Municipal Code of the City of Chico
	9	The City of Chico, continued ***NOTE: required attendance at State of the Community Address, 6:30pm, City Council Chambers.	Continue reading Charter and Code; other information on your community partner (independent research)
	14	Understanding your community partner; guidelines for working with your team	Read the SWOT document provided by your community partner
	16	The Career Project: researching and writing a paper; giving an oral presentation	Sample Career Project paper
	21	Meeting with your partners and Writing a SWOT analysis plan of action	Meet with team and community partner
	23	Meeting with your partners and Writing a SWOT analysis plan of action, continued	Meet with team and community partner
	28	Presenting initial findings to class	SWOT Analysis Plan due
Mar.	1	Cross-team meetings (like speed-dating, sort-of)	Read the other teams’ SWOT analyses:
	6	Cross-team meetings continued
	8	Developing a rubric for the Community Report
	13	MIDTERM DAY 1—CAREER PROJECT	give your speech and turn in your paper
	15	MIDTERM DAY 2—CAREER PROJECT	give your speech and turn in your paper
	20-22	SPRING BREAK—NO CLASS!	none
	27	Writing the Community Report
	29	Connecting community partners
April	3	Connecting community partners continued
	5	Reporting to the class and community: what have we learned?	Community Report due
	10	How to think critically about politics and introduction to Thomas More’s Utopia	*Utopia*, Book 1 (to “...and began in this manner:”)
	12	Utopia day 2 ***NOTE: required attendance at State of the Community Address, 7pm, City Council Chambers.	*Utopia*, Book 2 (“The island of the Utopians...”)
	17	Utopia day 3 and introduction to Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince
	19	Prince day 2	*The Prince*, beginning through chapter XIII
	24	Prince day 3 and Introduction to Marx and Engels’ The Communist Manifesto	*The Prince*, chapter XIV to end
May	26	Manifesto day 2	*The Communist Manifesto*, chapters 1-2
	1	Manifesto day 3, discussion of normative paper	*The Communist Manifesto*, chapters 3-4
	3	American government, past and present, day 1	The U.S. Constitution, The Republican Platform, The Democratic Platform
	8	American government, past and present, day 2 and writing a normative paper
	10	preparing for the final exam	Normative paper due; review semester materials
	17	FINAL EXAM—2:00-3:50pm	Good luck!