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Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: PS357 - Political Inquiry and Analysis

Course Title:	PS357 - Political Inquiry and Analysis
Department:	School of Political Science
Instructor:	Richard Healy JD, AB, E-Mail -- Vita
Phone:	(407) 404-4816 (Cell phone with VM. Please leave a message if appropriate.)

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE:

How do we research this discipline called, "Political Science"? It's obviously not a conventional science but has attributes of scientific discipline inquiry. It cannot produce exactly replicable results, which is a hallmark of "The Sciences". It can share with science some of the methods of inquiry and applications of system thinking. We'll approach politics in that way- inquiring into research methods of politics and the principles of politics systematically. This course explores research methods and approaches to the study of Political Science. How do we gather data and information? What are some fundamental assumptions that support political analysis? What are normative and empirical models- qualitative and quantitative research methods? When is one approach more preferable to others? We'll consider this and more in PS357 and you'll be able to apply this in your life to further understand politics.

Required Texts  Online Bookstore

Theory and Methods In Political Science, 2nd Edition, David Marsh and Gerry Stoker, Editors, Palgrave MacMillan Publishing, 2002.
ISBN: 0333948556     ISBN-13: 9780333948552

Week 1:
Introduction to Political Science and ontology and epistemology examined.
Read Introduction (Does not count as a Chapter)
Read Chapter 1

Week 2:
Behaviorism as a way of perceiving politics
The Rational Choice Theory
Read Chapter 2
Read Chapter 3

Week 3:
Feminism and political science
Read Chapter 5

Week 4:
Interpretation and interpretive theory
Read Chapter 6
Submit your Journal, Weeks 1-4 inclusive.

Week 5:
Marxism
Read Chapter 7

Week 6:
Normative Theory
Read Chapter 8

Week 7:
Qualitative Methods
Read Chapter 9

Week 8:
Quantitative Methods
Conclusion
Read Chapter 10
Read Conclusion (Does not count as a Chapter)
Submit Journal Weeks 5-8 inclusive.

Grading Scale

90-100 points = A Excellent
80-89 points = B Above Average
70-79 points = C Average
60-69 points =D Below Average
59 points or below = F Failing Grade

Grading Opportunities:

There are 2 grading opportunities in this course: one at the midpoint and one at the end. They both are in regard to the Course Journal. You will be graded individually on every chapter for a total of 9 grade entries.

COURSE JOURNAL:

You are required to keep a Journal which has the following items for EACH chapter in every week, in this order.

a. Summarize: What did I just read? Summarize the readings for each chapter in your own words. Do not quote more than a few words if necessary. I will run "EVE" and anti-plagiarism detection program if I think it's appropriate. No page should have more that 10% copied or plagiarized words. How do you best determine that percentage? Write the entire page in your own words.

Page minimum: 1

Page maximum: 1.5

PER CHAPTER

b. What relevance does this have to my personal (including personal political) and business life?

(How is this connected to me/my thoughts/my life?)

Page Minimum: 1

Page Maximum: 1.5

c. What implications does this chapter have (always many more than one or two) to our national life? In other words, how is what I've read in the chapter important in our history and/or in the present in the US? (If you are of a different nationality, apply to your nation). Implications are, "...relationships of a close...nature" (Per Dictionary.com).

Page minimum: 1

Page maximum: 2

What you want to look for here are connections. How is what you read related to, for example, the present? Consider Marxism. The Text considers on page 167, Structured inequality in Britain. It's hardly limited to just Britain geographically. IS there structured inequality in the US? We're referring to class, gender and race. What does Marxism say about it? Is what Marxism says applicable in any ways to the structured inequality in the US? That's one example. There are many examples in each chapter.

In the first two assignments, if you wish to send me a draft of your Weekly Journal for review and suggestions, I would be pleased to read it.

Please use (bold) headings for every chapter and every week.

They are;

a. Summary

b. Relevance

c. Implications

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All pages are;

1. SINGLE-spaced
2. Conventional margins
3. Conventional fonts (no script and the like)
4. Beginning at the top of the page and going to a "usual" place near the bottom of the page (no partial pages or partial half- pages, just "full whole pages or half pages).
5. Maximum font size is 12. No all-bold pages. Use bold for headings or for emphasis only.

For EACH week, you'll be writing a minimum of 3 full pages and a maximum of 4.5 full pages for each chapter. There are only three weeks that have two chapters. The rest have one chapter.

By the end of the course, you'll have in your Journal responses to nine Text Chapters times a minimum of 3 pages per chapter which equals a total minimum of 27 pages, done over 8 weeks. I don't view that as excessive for the time. Besides, you'll learn a LOT and get your tuition's worth or perhaps even more.

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Faculty Biography:

I was born in Massachusetts and went to school there, being graduated from Worcester Academy, Tufts University (AB in Political Science/History), Boston University School of Law (JD) and have 6 of 10 courses for a Master in Education from Tufts. After working in law-related fields for six years, I started my own business and was self-employed for twenty-four years. I’ve taught in higher education now for 10 years- almost all full-time.

I have taught in high school and adult education situations, as well as college settings. I have five adult daughters and a great wife, Bev.

I have taught a total of 42 different courses in Law, History, Business, Education and Government, as well as Public Speaking, for a number of institutions and I’m approved to teach an additional 10 courses, for a total of 52. I’ve facilitated about 350 online courses.

As always, if you have questions, please email me or phone for more urgent matters.

Warm regards,
Richard Healy