POLS 1100-401: U.S.

Government and Politics (Online)

INSTRUCTOR: Kurt Shirkey

OFFICE: Taylorsville Redwood Campus, AAB 335
HOURS: via email, or by appointment
PHONE: (801) 957-5142

COURSE: POLS 1100-401

SEMESTER: Spring, 2016
PLACE: Online
EMAIL: kurt.shirkey@slcc.edu

Course Requirements
A proactive and engaged college student should do well in this course. Instead of having a few large assignments,
it features the following mix of small assignments:
QuizzesSeven online quizzes worth a total of 100 points.

DiscussionsSeven online discussions worth a total of 70 points.

ePortfolio Setup Assignment10 points

Persuasive Website24 points

Final ePortfolio Assignment and Reflective Writing20 points

Course Textbook

The free textbook is available at http://pols1100text.weebly.com

You may be directed to other readings via links in the Canvas course site.

Explanation of Course Components

DiscussionsThis course relies heavily on discussion pedagogy. Every learning module has one discussion, and
they typically run from Monday morning to Saturday evening. Each discussion is worth 10 points. You must be
proactive and participate in these discussions several times during the week. Discussions cannot be made up if
you miss them. The discussion grading criteria are described in detail near the end of this syllabus.
QuizzesQuizzes will consist of defined-answer questions and will closely track the course text. Notice that
quizzes are worth more as the course proceeds. This is due to the fact that each successive quiz will not only cover
the new material, but will also incorporate a few questions about previous sections. The quizzes will be open for
three days so you can take them any time within that period.
General Education ePortfolioEach student in General Education courses at SLCC maintains a General
Education ePortfolio. Instructors in every Gen Ed course will ask you to put at least one assignment from the
course into your ePortfolio, and accompany it with reflective writing. It is a requirement in this class for you to
add to your ePortfolio, and this syllabus details the assignments and reflections you are to include. Your
ePortfolio will allow you to include your educational goals, describe your extracurricular activities, and post your
resume. When you finish your time at SLCC, your ePortfolio will then be a multi-media showcase of your
educational experience. Here are some helpful links to get you started:
Information on SLCC ePortfolios:
Help sites for ePortfolio platforms:

http://www.slcc.edu/gened/eportfolio/ or http://eportresource.weebly.com
http://slcceportfolio.weebly.com
https://slccwordpresshelpsite.wordpress.com
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http://slcceportfolio.wix.com/slcceportfolio
http://slcchelpsite.jimdo.com
Here are some good examples of student ePortfolios for which I have permission to show you.
Learning Modules and Assignment Due Dates
This course is organized around learning modules, each with its own set of readings, documents, discussions,
exercises, assignments, and quizzes. There are six learning modules for course content, plus the introductory
learning module. Here is the schedule:
Introductory ModuleIn this section, well get to know each other. While we do that, youll have time
to explore the course site and begin to read the course materials. The requirements for this section are:
o Jan 11-Jan 23 Introduce Yourself Discussion (10 points)
o Jan 21-23 Introductory Quiz on the syllabus contents, General Education videos, and American
Institutions course information. (10 points)
Module OneIn this learning module well talk about what it means to think like a political scientist.
The graded requirements for this section are:
o Jan 25-30 Five Very Powerful Questions Discussion (10 points)
o Feb 4-6 Quiz 1 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read chapter
one of the text carefully. (10 points)
Module TwoIn this learning module well cover the Constitutional foundations of the American polity.
The graded requirements for this section are:
o Feb 8-13 Reactions to the Constitution Discussion (10 points)
o Feb 18-20 Quiz 2 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read
chapter two of the text carefully. (12 points)
o Feb 20 ePortfolio Setup Assignment (10 points)
Module ThreeIn this learning module well cover the national governing institutionsCongress, the
Presidency, and the Supreme Court. The graded requirements for this section are:
o Feb 22-27 Presidential Rhetoric Discussion (10 points)
o Mar 3-5 Quiz 3 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read
chapter three of the text carefully. (14 points)

Module FourIn this learning module well cover linkage institutions such as political parties,
organized interests, and the media. The graded requirements for this section are:
o Mar 7-Mar 12 Political Advertisements Discussion (10 points)
o Mar 14-19 - SPRING BREAK
o Mar 24-26 Quiz 4 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read
chapter four of the text carefully. (16 points)

Module FiveIn this learning module well cover electoral politics and other political behavior. The
graded requirements for this section are:
o Mar 28-Apr 2 Campaign Finance Discussion (10 points)
o Apr 7-9 Quiz 5 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read
chapter five of the text carefully. (18 points)
o Apr 16 Persuasive Website (24 points)

Module SixIn this learning module well cover civil rights and civil liberties. The graded requirements
for this section are:
o Apr 18-23Seneca Falls Declaration Discussion (10 points)
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o

Apr 26-28Quiz 6 on the course readings. In order to prepare for this quiz you should read
chapter six of the text carefully. (20 points)
May 3 Final ePortfolio Assignment and Reflective Writing (20 points)

Full Descriptions of Course Assignments

Course Introduction
Introduce Yourself Discussion: We want to use this discussion to introduce ourselves, so each student should
make an initial post consisting of two full paragraphs. In the first paragraph, tell us about yourself: Where you are
from; your educational background; hobbies and interests; favorite movies and books; best vacation ever;
proudest/most embarrassing/most frightening moment; career plans; etc. In the second paragraph, tell us about
you as a political person: Do you vote? Do you discuss political issues with friends and family? What are the most
important issues to you? Why? What would you do if you could pass one federal law or constitutional
amendment? Also, comment on at least two of your classmates posts.
Module One
Five Very Powerful Questions Discussion: Read about a recent politically relevant news story (partisan politics
or important domestic or internationalnot localissues) in more than one news source and apply one or more
of the five very powerful questions to it. Put the links to the stories in your discussion post. How does asking
these questions affect your approach to the issue in the news story? Is there sufficient information in the articles to
answer your question(s)? If not, what additional information would we need to answer the question(s)? Respond
to others posts.
Module Two
Reactions to the Constitution Discussion: Read Thomas Jeffersons Letter to James Madison and George
Masons Objections to the Constitution, both of which are in the course textbook. What do you think of Jefferson
and Masons reactions to the Constitution? Do you agree or disagree with their various points? (Not all of their
points, but the ones you think are important.) Why/Why not? What parts of their letters do you not understand?
Can we help each other understand what they were saying? (Dont be afraid to ask What did so and so mean by
X?) Is anything Jefferson or Mason wrote still relevant to our times? Respond to others posts.
ePortfolio Setup Assignment: Get your ePortfolio set up correctly according to the online tutorials or the free
library workshop, if you haven't already done so. Here is the point breakdown for this assignment:
For five points, it should have a Welcome page, a Goals and Outcomes page, a
Coursework page, and an Outside the Classroom page. The Resume page is
optional for this course, but note that it may be a requirement for some courses or
programs.
For six points, make sure you have a good welcoming statement on your Welcome
page.
For seven points, make sure you have an About Me section on your Welcome page-and tell me only what you feel comfortable relating to your professors about
yourself.
For eight points, make sure you have goals on your Goals and Outcomes page.
For nine points, put SLCC's learning outcomes (see below) on the Goals and
Outcomes page.

For ten points, have something on your Outside the Classroom page regarding a
hobby, volunteer or paid work, extra-curricular activity at SLCC, balancing life and
school, sports, pleasure reading, etc.
Put the URL of your ePortfolio's Welcome page in the Canvas assignment tab, and also make sure you enter it
into MyPage on the Student tab if you haven't already done so.
Module Three
Presidential Rhetoric Discussion: Aside from the formal powers vested in the office, Presidents derive much
power from their ability to persuade. What are the characteristics of effective Presidential rhetoric? What
techniques do they (and their speech writers) use to convey authority, to express solidarity with average
Americans, to convince people of the rectitude of their decisions, to appeal to the emotions of their listeners? We
will restrict our discussion to the following examples of Presidential rhetoric: Gerald Fords remarks upon
granting a pardon to Richard Nixon on Sept 8th, 1974; George W. Bushs address to a joint session of Congress on
Sept 20th, 2001; Franklin Roosevelts first fireside chat on March 12th, 1933; and John F. Kennedys Inaugural
Address on Jan 20th, 1961. Listen to the multimedia files of all of these speeches, which are available at
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/media.php. While you listen, take notes referenced to the questions above. You
may also want to track down transcripts of these speeches. Respond to others posts.
Module Four
Political Ads Discussion: Go to the Living Room Candidate site put up by the American Museum of the Moving
Image at http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/. Look through the ads on the Living Room Candidate site (any
year, any candidate you wish) and tell us about an ad that you think fits one of the ad types described in the text.
What characteristics lead you to place it in that category? Does it fit more than one category? What is your
reaction to the ad? Do you think it was effective at the time it was aired? Respond to others posts.
Module Five
Campaign Finance Discussion: Lets talk about campaign financing in Utah Congressional races. Go to the
Open Secrets website at http://www.opensecrets.org/races/index.asp and do some research on the financing of the
most recent of Utahs three House of Representatives races (2014) and the most recent Utah Senate race (2012).
Really dig into this informative site. What do you find interesting about the money sources in these races? Do the
overall money totals for incumbents and challengers fit patterns described in the text? Can we make inferences
about the candidates based on their money sources? Respond to others posts.
Persuasive Website Assignment: You need to create a 5-6 section Persuasive Website.
The idea behind this assignment is to eliminate the need for you to write a standard 5-6 page essay and
then turn those papers in to me at the end of the term. Instead of this approach, I would like you to create a more
interactive/visual presentation within your ePortfolio that addresses one of the current political topics I have listed
below. This Persuasive Website will be located within your current ePortfolio. You are NOT expected to create
an entire new website from scratch! Simply use the course page for POLS 1100 that you are creating for your
final ePortfolio Assignment as a place to put this assignment. You can write/design it directly on your course
page, or you can insert links to some additional new pages that you add to your ePortfolio.
For the assignment itself, you need to select one of the six topics I have listed , and answer all of the
questions associated with that topic. For example, if you choose the Term Limits topic, be sure to tell me if you
believe members of Congress should have term limits, if not, why not, and if yes, how these limits should be
structured. Think of this like a more detailed and longer answer to one of our weekly discussion topics, with
some additional research and data, and nice graphics. See the Grading Criteria on p.8 of this syllabus.
Remember that you are PERSUADING your readers to agree with your opinions on the political
question/topic you select. So take a firm stand, outline your position, and then defend it with cited evidence from
outside sources. I would suggest you write two to three pages of material, at least, which gives some background
on the topic and your answers to the questions. Then cut and paste in some charts/graphs/video clips/clip art/etc.
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from outside sources (web research) that support your arguments. Your need to use credible sources (no
Wikipedia! No Joe-Bobs Opinion Blog!) and cite them appropriately using MLA, APA, or footnote style. Maybe
add a few links to some additional outside readings on the topic as well. A good couple of pages worth of text,
with integrated charts and graphs, should be sufficient. Be professional, but be creative! Here are your topics to
choose from:

What has the War on Terror done to Americans 4th Amendment protections? You are basically left to
argue that the WOT has not affected the 4th Amendment, that it has strengthened Americans 4th
Amendment protections, or that it has eroded Americans 4 th Amendment protections.
What should be done with the Electoral Collegekeep it, reform it, or replace it with something
different?
Should members of Congress (Representatives and Senators) have term limits? If not, why not? If yes,
how should they be structured?
What is the situation with respect to the wealth and income gap between the rich and poor in the United
States? Should something be done about it, or is the gap a healthy part of capitalism?
What is the current status of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as recently interpreted by
the Supreme Court, and what kinds of restrictions (if any) should be put on gun ownership in America?
What is the current role of money in U.S. elections for House of Representatives and Senate? What
Supreme Court decisions have affected campaign finance? What (if anything) should be done about the
amount of money in elections? Defend your answer.

Module Six
Seneca Falls Discussion: Read the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments in the course text. Lets have a
discussion about which of those charges leveled against Men in 1848 are no longer valid, and which of them (if
any) might legitimately be made today. Have women achieved full political, social, and economic equality with
men? You may bring in outside evidence, but lets begin with Seneca Falls and move forward from there. Respond
to others posts.
Final ePortfolio Assignment and Reflective WritingCreate a unique course page in your ePortfolio called
American Institutions that falls under your primary Coursework section. On this page put a heading called
American Institutions, a relevant photo or image that is related to this course, the course number and name, the
semester in which you are taking the course, a brief description of the assignments from this class you are putting
into the ePortfolio, and your persuasive website assignment or a link to it. In addition, I want you to make a link
from your Goals and Outcomes page--specifically, from one of the SLCC General Education learning outcomes-to the page for this class. In other words, consider which one of the learning outcomes this course best addresses.
Finally, include a reflective writing on one of the following subjects. Your reflective writing should be in the first
person, and make it 3-4 paragraphs long. Here are your topics to choose from:

Make connections between what you studied in this American National Politics course with what youve
learned in other courses at SLCC or before. Make specific references to your work in this class and in the
other courses. How did what you learned in the other courses enhance what you learned in here, and vice
versa?
Take a look at SLCCs learning outcomes for General Education at the end of this syllabus. Note that
while no specific course helps students move toward achieving all of those outcomes, each Gen Ed course
is supposed to help you make progress in achieving as many of those outcomes as are relevant to the
course. Making specific references to your work in this course, tell me how you have progressed toward
achieving at least three of those outcomes.
Reflect on how you thought about the American political system before you took this course and how you
think about it now that the course is over. Have any of your assumptions or understandings changed?

Why? What assignments/activities/readings were influential in this process? How will you approach
politics differently?
Here are some examples of what your page might look like:
http://mercator99.weebly.com/american-institutions.html
http://mercator99.yolasite.com/american-institutions.php
http://davidhubert.wordpress.com/general-education/american-institutions

Other Useful Information

ParticipationAn online course such as this places a greater burden on students than does a traditional live
course in a classroom. Theres no other way to say this: you must be proactive and self-disciplined or you will not
do well in this course. While there is no participation grade per se in this course, everything in it requires that
you be actively engaged in your own education. This syllabus and the online course calendar tell you when
discussions are open and when they close, when essay assignments are due, and when quizzes are held. It is your
responsibility to participate in those discussions, complete those assignments, and take those quizzes. It is also
your responsibility to keep track of your assignment scores and contact me immediately if you have any questions
about them, rather than waiting until the end of the term and being surprised by your grade.
Late assignmentsIf you fail to turn in an assignment on time, it can drop one letter grade per day late
depending on the validity of the excuse. I will grade a discussion once it is closed, and your grade will reflect your
comments up to that closing date. You cannot make up for lack of participation in a discussion. Missed quizzes
cannot be made up without specific documentation of why you were unable to complete them when they were
scheduled.
Final grades Grades will be calculated according to how many points you receive on class assignments,
relative to the maximum number of points. I use a ten-point scale where those receiving 90% or more of the
possible points earn an A, those with 80-89% of the possible points earn a B, and so on. Pluses and minuses are
given to percentages within three points of the next letter grade. I generally do not curve grades, nor do I offer
extra credit points. You can see the grades for all the assignments in the course site.
General Education Statement- This course fulfills the History requirement for the General Education Program
at Salt Lake Community College. It is designed not only to teach the information and skills required by the
discipline, but also to develop vital workplace skills and to teach strategies and skills that can be used for life-long
learning. General Education courses teach basic skills as well as broaden a students knowledge of a wide range of
subjects. Education is much more than the acquisition of facts; it is being able to use information in meaningful
ways in order to enrich ones life.
While the subject of each course is important and useful, we become truly educated through making connections
of such varied information with the different methods of organizing human experience that are practiced by
different disciplines. Therefore, this course, when combined with other General Education courses, will enable
you to develop broader perspectives and deeper understandings of your community and the world, as well as
challenge previously held assumptions about the world and its inhabitants.
Accommodations for persons with disabilities Students with medical, psychological, learning or other
disabilities desiring accommodations or services under ADA, should contact the Disability Resource Center
(DRC). The DRC determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these accommodations and services
for the college. Please contact the DRC at the Student Center, Suite 244, Redwood Campus, 4600 So. Redwood
Rd, 84123. Phone: (801) 957-4659, TTY: 957-4646, Fax: 957- 4947 or by drc@slcc.edu.
Faculty can refer students who disclose a disability to the DRC. If a student is struggling in your class but
has not disclosed a disability, we recommend that you provide a list of resources that includes the DRC. For
example, you might refer the student to Academic Advising, the Learning Center as well as the DRC. You can
include any resources you think might be beneficial to that student. This is an effective way to let the student
know that the DRC is an option, but you are not telling them that you regard them as having a disability.
HelpIf you have any questions about the course, email me from within the course. Use the email at the top of
this syllabus only if you cannot access the course at all. If you do email me at the e-mail account outside of the
course, please specify which of my online courses you are enrolled in, because I have several. If youre having
trouble getting into the course, or problems with CANVAS, you should call the SLCC Online Support Center at
(801) 957-4406 or 1-888-963-7522. For computer or student account problems, you can call the SLCC
Information Technology Help Desk at (801) 957-5555.

Student Code of Conduct/PlagiarismI do not tolerate plagiarism and cheating in this course. Plagiarism is
taking credit for another persons words, works, and ideas or failing to acknowledge that persons words, works,
and ideas. If you borrow from someone else you must give that person credit through proper citations. The first
offense in which students are caught plagiarizing or cheating on assignments and tests will result in the failure of
that assignment. A second offense may result in course failure. For more information, see
http://www.slcc.edu/policies/docs/Student_Code_of_Conduct.pdf
Title IX Information - 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1681 (a): TITLE IX
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefit of,
or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal funds.
Examples of violations (but not limited to):
Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and sexually motivated physical conduct
Overt or subtle pressure for sexual activity
Sexually offensive verbalization including remarks, teasing, slurs, and innuendo
Repeated inappropriate jokes or comments about sex or gender specific traits
Conduct that is demeaning or derisive and occurs substantially because of ones gender
Sexual assault
Sexual Violence
Gender based disparate treatment
Violations can occur in any college environment, such as (but not limited to):
Field Trips
Student Clubs
Transportation

Classrooms
Athletics
On Campus Events

If you have questions or concerns regarding your rights or responsibilities, or if you would like to file a Title IX
complaint please contact:
StudentsDr. Marlin Clark, Dean of Students, 801-957-4776, STC 276 A (Redwood)
Employees or Community membersKen Stonebrook, Title IX & Discrimination Manager, 801-957-5027, AAB 211G (Redwood)
Online Reporting Formhttp://www.slcc.edu/eeo/title-ix/complaint.aspx
Salt Lake Community College has a strong prohibition against RETALIATION! The college does not tolerate
acts of retaliation against anyone for engaging in filing a complaint or participating in an investigation.

Grading Criteria - Discussions

When I grade online discussions, I consider the following characteristics:
1. How active has the student been in making posts? In order to get above a C (average6 or 7 out of
10) grade for discussions, students must post one substantive comment of their own plus respond
effectively to the original posts of at least two of their classmates. In addition, you are responsible to
respond to others in the thread that you started with your original post. All of this must be spread out over
multiple days during the discussion, rather than all on one day.
2. Is the student reading all posts from others, or only a few?
3. Are the posts evenly distributed during the discussion period rather than concentrated all on one day
at the beginning or end of the period?
4. Do the posts consist of full paragraphs and complete sentences? Usually two full paragraphs are
sufficient, but you should err on the side of elaboration.
5. Do comments stay on topic?
6. Do the posts contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way? Simply posting variants of I agree or
I disagree does not constitute a meaningful contribution.
7. Are the posts consciously reflective? This means that the author reflects on his/her own thinking, on
what other classmates are writing, and/or on what the class reading has to say.
8. Do the posts make concise, effective reference to course readings or other materials? Quote
extensively if you absolutely need to in order to make your point, but paraphrasing works best in most
cases, e.g., So and so said this in the such and such article, but I think thats contradicted by subsequent
events like. . . .
9. Do the posts indicate a thoughtful comment that is well-organized, rather than something that reads
like it was dashed off quickly?
10. Do the posts make substantial points, bring in new evidence or lines of argument, or pose interesting
questions, all of which stimulate others to respond with serious comments of their own?
11. Is the language in the posts professional and reasonable? Disrespect, offensive language (unless its
appropriate to your argumentIm not a prude), and personal attacks are unacceptable. This class is a
community of scholars, not a forum for vulgarity, lowbrow humor, or personal rivalry.
12. Can the student disagree with others without causing a personalized spat?
13. Are spelling and grammatical errors fairly infrequent?
Using these criteria, Ill assign grades on a 10-point scale, where 10 equals excellent, 8-9 equals very good,
6-7 equals average, 4-5 equals below average, 1-3 equals poor, and zero means the student did not
contribute in the specified time.

Grading Criteria Persuasive Website

Criteria
Content
Development

Quantitative
Data
Credible
Evidence
Analysis

Page Layout

Control of
Syntax and
Mechanics

Exceeds
Expectations
(4 pts.)
Writer correctly employs
nearly all of the major
political concepts,
personalities, or events
needed to give a complete
answer to the essay prompt.

Quantitative data about the

topic is presented very
effectively as tables or
graphs.
Assertions on the webpage
are almost always supported
by credible evidence.
Analysis is original, fresh
and convincingindicating
the author has thought
carefully about his/her
approach.
The pages of the informative
website are very attractive,
with an appropriate mix of
headings, text, images and
quantitative data.
The writer demonstrates a
good grasp of standard
writing conventions (e.g.,
spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, grammar,
usage, paragraphing, word
meaning) and uses
conventions effectively to
enhance readability. Errors
tend to be so few that just
minor revisions would get
this piece ready to publish.

Meets
Expectations
(3 pts.)
The writer correctly
employs most of the
major political
concepts, personalities,
or events needed to give
a complete answer to
the essay prompt, or
employs them, but with
some errors in their
application to the topic.
Quantitative data about
the topic is presented as
tables or graphs.
Assertions on the
webpage are generally
supported by credible
evidence.
Analysis is usually
original, fresh, and
compelling.
The pages of the
informative website are
generally attractive.

The writer usually

demonstrates a good
grasp of standard
writing conventions and
uses conventions
effectively to enhance
readability. Errors tend
to be relatively few.

Below
Expectations
(2 pts.)
The writer omits some
major political
concepts, personalities
or events needed to
give a complete
answer to the essay
prompt, and/or makes
significant errors in
their application to the
topic.
There is some
quantitative data
presented about the
topic.
Assertions on the
webpage are
sometimes supported
by evidence.
Analysis is not
original, fresh and
compelling, because it
is limited to the cited
evidence.
The pages of the
informative website
dont flow very well
because they dont
have a good mix of
headings, text, images,
and quantitative data.
The writer shows
limited control over
standard writing
conventions.
Conventions are
sometimes handled
well and enhance
readability; at other
times, errors are
distracting and impair
readability.

Well Below
Expectations
(1 pt.)
The writer hardly
uses major political
concepts,
personalities, or
events at all in the
essay, and/or makes
significant errors in
their application to
the topic.
There is no
quantitative data
presented about the
topic.
Assertions on the
webpage are often
unsupported.
Original analysis is
not evident.

The pages of the

informative website
are confusing and
unattractive.

Errors in spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization, usage,
grammar and
paragraphing
repeatedly distract
the reader and make
the text difficult to
read.

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SLCC Learning Outcomes

The main objective of POLS 1100 is to help students attain a broad understanding of the institutions and practices
of the U.S. government and political system. The learning outcomes of this course match the college-wide
learning outcomes established by Salt Lake Community College in the following ways.
SLCC Learning Outcome #1: Upon successful completion of any program, students should acquire substantive knowledge
in the discipline of their choice sufficient for further study, and/or demonstrate competencies required by employers to be
hired and succeed in the workplace.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcomes: At the end of this course students should be able to:
Demonstrate that they understand key concepts, events and personalities relating to the Constitutional foundations of
U.S. government.
Demonstrate that they understand key concepts, events and personalities relating to the major national-level
governing institutions.
Demonstrate that they understand key concepts, events and personalities relating to political behavior and linkage
institutions.
Demonstrate that they understand key concepts, events and personalities relating to the civil liberties and civil rights
of people living in the United States.
SLCC Learning Outcome #2: Upon successful completion of any program, students should be able to communicate
effectively.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course students should be able to:
Effectively communicate orally or in writing about the key concepts above, or about other significant topics in U.S.
politics.
Construct an electronic portfolio that mixes text and images in an impressive way.
SLCC Learning Outcome #3: Upon successful completion of any program, students should develop quantitative literacies
necessary for their chosen field of study.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course students should be able to:
Use and interpret information presented as data, graphs, and tables relevant to analyzing political behavior, public
policy, and/or the historical development of the U.S. political system.
SLCC Learning Outcome #4: Upon successful completion of any program, students should be able to think critically.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course students should be able to:
Demonstrate in writing that they understand key aspects of critical thinking such as claims and evidence analysis,

Identify fallacious argumentation within the context of the theory and/or practice of U.S. politics, and

Make their own arguments within the context of the theory and/or practice of U.S. politics.

SLCC Learning Outcome #5: Upon successful completion of any program, students should develop the knowledge and
skills to be civically engaged.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course student should:
Possess sufficient knowledge about U.S. national government and politics to be civically engaged.
SLCC Learning Outcome #6: Upon successful completion of any program, students should be able to work with others in a
professional and constructive manner.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course student should:
Give and receive criticisms and analysis regarding designated discussion topics.
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SLCC Learning Outcome #7: Upon successful completion of any program, students should develop computer and
information literacy.
POLS 1100 Learning Outcome: At the end of this course student should:
Create an electronic portfolio of their work and reflection in this course and at SLCC.

Use computer hardware and software to complete course assignments.

Use credible sources in their work.

Properly cite the sources they use in their work

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