Political Science Courses: Requirements

revised 24 June 2008, by Jeremy Lewis., with ban on notebook computers in PSC 201
200 level Courses | 300 level courses | General requirements | 400 Level courses | APSA style

All PSC 300 level papers are now deliverable in email DOC (MS Word) attachments to <jLewis>, instead of hardcopy.

No title page is now needed; just an author(s), course(s) and "title" masthead.
Filename standard for attachments: (Class #, Lastname, Paper/Essay, year.Doc): 305SmithPaper08.doc.
Copy the same filname to the Subject line of your email.
Ensure paragraphs begin with a tab indentation (for readability).
Turn on page numbers but not headers or footers.
Select all (Ctrl-A) and SINGLE space the paper before sending, please. (It's easier to read on a laptop screen).
5 to 8 pages, single spaced, plus references and any charts..
Retain for safety, two copies on different disks.
Explain at top of paper, below title, which co-author (if any) is responsible for which parts of the paper.

200 level courses: set essays and short ePapers should now be single spaced and pasted into an email:

SINGLE spaced, 2.5 pp., or 4 pp. when co-authored

Ensure paragraphs begin with a tab indentation (for readability).

Then select all (Ctrl-A), copy (Ctrl-C) and past (Ctrl-V) into the body of an email.

The subject line (copied in the first line of the text) should list course#, name, and essay or paper.

Do not send the original Word DOC file any longer, for these short papers.

Essays and papers may then be checked via search engines and /or transmitted by the instructor toTurnItIn.com, which attempts to match them to all papers found on the internet or turned in by professors and teachers. This helps to guarantee that your neighbors are just as honest and hardworking as you are!

Text should be SINGLE spaced with 1" margins and in 12 point Times New Roman (or serif) font. Headings should be in Arial (or sans serif) 12 point. Pages must be numbered at bottom right. Endnotes, large tables or charts kept on separate pages at back.

Citation style is APSA, found on my web pages or in PS journal in Library.

Do not use quotes longer than four lines. Excessive quotes or large tables and graphs do not count towards minimum page numbers.

200 & 300 level PSC Course Grade Formula:

20% A midterm essay test, covering all since the beginning. This may include sets of one paragraph concept identifications, plus open-ended essay questions.
30% A research paper with page numbers plus references to (mostly hardcopy) sources in APSA style. 200 level papers should now be converted to single spaced before pasting into an email for delivery.
30% A final comprehensive essay examination in Finals' week. This may include sets of one paragraph concept identifications, plus open-ended essay questions. It will emphasize the second half of the term's material, but may include topics from the first half.
20% Class participation: quality and frequency of discussion, and genuine effort, plus presentations, minus absences, lapses in proper decorum, and missed presentations.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Behavior: you are expected to comply with the HC Honor Code and with specific rules placed on our Requirements page here.

Attendance, the college has adopted a policy of attendance in at least 75% of class sessions to achieve a passing grade in courses. This applies to political science courses other than individual study, internships, fieldwork and senior capstone seminars.

You are required to attend, participate by presentations and discussion, and contribute outlines, essays and papers. Maintain decorum as explained below.

Essay questions will emphasize themes, key arguments, concepts and theories; major Acts or case law; and major political events and trends. The questions will usually indicate which chapters, readings or lectures they refer to.

You are responsible for all chapters and readings indicated on the syllabus before a test date, even if that material is not discussed in class specifically.

Class participation scores are awarded at the sole discretion of the instructor. In addition to recognizing attendance, this assesses frequency and quality of presentations and comments in (and out) of class. Proper decorum in class is expected; sleeping, slumping, chattering, pulling faces, using rude language, taking bathroom breaks in the first hour, or wearing a hat over the eyes, for examples, are not proper. You will be penalized for failing to show up regularly and punctually for class, especially when you have a presentation due. Excessive tardiness may be counted as absence, and both may result in the class visiting your dorm room. Owing to behavioral incidents in 2007, notebook computers are now banned from PSC 201 -- and, in other PSC classes, are to be used for academic purposes only. It is rude to play games or use Facebook when some one is presenting; doing something like this may result in Failing on class participation -- or even Failing the entire course.

When giving a presentation - or when unavoidably absent from a presentation -- please provide in advance via e-mail a one page outline for the class web page. The outline should indicate at the top which course, book and reading it refers to. Since books change over time, the author and title should be followed on a separate line by the student's name and year of writing: "By Fred Bloggs, Fall 2005." This will help me ensure that I give you credit for the outlines.

Standard pages have one inch margins and 12 point Times New Roman font. Headings are in Arial 12 point. Quotes over 2 lines should be single spaced. Long quotes should be avoided. Hardcopy academic and official sources are essential, not merely short journalistic and encyclopedia articles. Tables and graphs are welcome, on separate pages at the end of the paper. They are not included in the page count, but may add to the quality rating of the paper.

Academic dishonesty such as cheating and plagiarism may result in receiving a zero score for the assignment and an "F" grade for the entire course. This includes (but is not limited to) looking at books or notes on a test or exam, turning in a paper or essay which is not your own work, or failing to cite sources properly. A paper without citations or with references typed on different paper or in different style, or written in a style unlike your other work, for examples, may be suspect as plagiarized. as a general rule, almost every paragraph of a paper (except the conclusions) should have at least one citation.

Exam decorum. You are requested during examinations to keep your books and bags closed, to store them at a distance from yourself, and to try not to leave the room until you have completed writing. To do otherwise may set up a suspicion of cheating. The instructor may refuse to re-admit a student who leaves the exam room early. Consequently, it is wise not to over-indulge in caffeinated drinks before an exam.

Classroom decorum. As a courtesy to others who are concentrating, please do not take a bathroom break during the first hour of a class session or an exam. Do not wear caps, especially not pulled down to shade the eyes and obscure the face when indoors. Do not pull faces or chat with your neighbors during lectures or discussion. Be respectful of the views of others, even while disagreeing.

400 level PSC Courses:

For individual study at any level and for any 400 level course, there is no simple formula; research, writing and oral participation are heavily weighted. 400 level courses include internships, individual study, topical seminars, honours and senior capstone projects. Consult the current syllabus for each.

At this level, your original commentary and insights are expected to range beyond simply summarizing the readings, and you will be expected to be active in pursuing scholarly inquiry in the form chosen for the course.

For an individual study or a capstone research paper, you will be expected to begin with a research prospectus of 1-2 pages, explaining why the plan is significant, what scholars have argued on the topic, and what you expect to find, plus 1 page outline and 1 page bibliography. At 400 level, this must be accepted as a competent and feasible proposal in order to proceed with the paper.

A capstone paper is of professional scale, including substantial analysis of scholarly literature, and hence typically fills 20 - 25 double-spaced pages in APSA style.

An internship paper of analysis and reaction is about 10 pages, accompanied by a weekly journal and any written reports completed as part of the internship duties.

Your capstone presentation of research findings is expected to be a fuller presentation of up to 20 minutes before a class of students and faculty. It should use audiovisual aids appropriate to the material. These may include a web page and powerpoint file, data tables and graphs or images. You will be expected to answer questions about your research methods, sources, theories and findings. You should rehearse this presentation with trusted friends beforehand.

When taking a 400 level course, remember that this is seen as the bridge between undergraduate and postgraduate study -- be prepared to take the initiative yourself and pursue research with vigor.