Course Documents

These first documents need to be downloaded and read by each member of the class, as the fundamental guidelines for the course are provided therein.

Syllabus

The course syllabus lists the general requirements and expectations for the course. All specifics for the course and for the assignments mentioned in the syllabus can be located on this website. Check both the syllabus and this website for instructions regarding assignments.

Each professor should make available to the students a syllabus of the course. This syllabus needs to include such information as an outline of the course topics, a listing of necessary assignments, a schedule of test dates, and the grading policy. Why? The syllabus serves as an ‘offer’ between the student and the professor. A syllabus does not remove the student’s responsibility for attending class sessions, nor does it constrain the professor from changing the specific elements of the syllabus.

Style Sheet

The course stylesheet explains how to format all papers for this class. All papers that you hand in for credit, except for in-class activities, must adhere to this stylesheet. Failure to adhere closely to the stylesheet may result in you failing to pass this course. At the very least, a student who does not follow the stylesheet will not receive as many points as he/she would otherwise receive.

References

This document explains and shows how to properly reference all of your works for this class. The APSA is the American Political Science Association. This document provides explanations how to properly cite and reference your sources. The easiest way to fail this class is to fail to cite and reference your sources. The easiest way to lose points in this class is to fail to cite and reference properly.

What information must be cited? There is no need to cite facts deemed ‘common’ knowledge. How do we define common knowledge? If the ‘common’ person knows it as a fact, then it is common knowledge. However, there are two exceptions to this rule: if your entire argument centers on a fact, or if the fact is contentious in the discipline (though not contentious to the common person). In both of these cases, cite the fact. It is better to over-cite than under-cite.

Wikipedia is a wonderful encyclopedia, and Dictionary.com is a fantastic dictionary—both are available online 24/7/365. However, neither are acceptable sources for any work you do in this course. The reason Wikipedia is not acceptable is identical to the reasons encyclopedias are not, in general, acceptable: they are excellent quaternary sources. A primary source is a first-hand account of an event. A secondary source is an analysis using primary sources. A tertiary source is summary or compilation of primary and/or secondary sources. Each level we move out introduces inaccuracies and blurring of the differences between terms and theories within the discipline. Encyclopedias are quaternary sources. As such, they give good general background on items, but do not successfully distinguish the fine shades of meaning. This is also the reason using dictionaries is not acceptable. The audiences are the general public. As such, words are used in different ways than we use them in the discipline.

The Examinations

The First Examination

The First Examination for the course will occur during class on Friday, October 26. To help you attain the level of mastery that you seek, I am providing both a review and a practice for the First Examination. Use all of this material wisely, for you are wise, indeed, grasshopper.

The Final Examination

This is a copy of the instructions for the final examination. You will email your examination to me as an attachment in one of the following three formats: Adobe portable document format (.pdf), Microsoft document (.doc), or rich text format (.rtf). Every word processor of any import in the Western world can save in .rtf. If you have WordPerfect, save in .rtf or .pdf. If you have MS Word 2007, save in .rtf or .doc; do not save in .docx. If you use Open Office, save in .doc or .rtf.

This examination is due in my emailbox at 9:40am on Friday, December 14, 2007. Failure to get your examination to me in the appropriate format by the due time will result in a failure for the examination. I will acknowledge when I receive your examination.

All Assignments

Foreign Policy Happenings (FPH) Briefs

Throughout the semester, several events will take place in the world that have an impact on US foreign policies. One important skill is to be able to take a news story and draw implications for future US actions from it. This is the primary purpose of this assignment.

Foreign Policy Happenings (FPH) Briefs Analysis

Throughout the semester, the members of the class will post FPH briefs to the course website. These writings are available to each and every member of the class. By the end of the semester, a picture of this country’s position in the world and how its decisions affect (and are affected) by the world will begin forming. This analysis paper will be your description of this picture.

Policy Memoranda (Short Writing Assignments)

To hone your analytical and communication skills, each student will write two policy memoranda on some current issue (of your choice) in US foreign policy.

Miscellaneous Items

Řuritá Aktivita (The Ruritanian Activity of 12 October 2007)

You are a member of a foreign policy think tank. The current Director of National Intelligence has come to you for your input of what the administration should do, if anything, to the unfolding events in the small European state of Ruritania.