Prerequisite: POLS 1101. 
Outcomes: Students will understand the history and functions of American political parties and elections, explore issues involved in partisan and electoral activity from analytical and practical viewpoints, and be aware of other actors that influence, provide resources to, and regulate political parties and elections.

The substance of this course consists of information from several sources. In class, we will engage in as much discussion and as little lecture as possible. To that end, you need to do the readings before their assigned date. Be familiar enough with them to discuss and answer questions about them. We will also examine recent and current partisan and electoral events to get a "real time" view. Therefore, you must also stay informed of the progress of these events. We will follow current events mainly as covered on the Google News/Politics web site.

In addition to the assigned readings, we will review Google News/Politics articles (or articles from other sources) each week. You will present and lead class discussions of these. Together, we will select articles that complement class topics. So in a real sense, you will help to shape course content! Of course, you all are responsible for all of the assigned articles, text, and any other materials. In presenting these articles, I would like each of you to assume a particular role (e.g., candidates, party strategists, the press). This helps us gain particular insights into different perspectives on electoral and partisan issues. A list of roles appears in the POLS 3122 Role Page.

For most weeks, the class meets Tuesdays only. Online discussion replaces most Thursday classes: We will begin new topics and readings after each Tuesday class. You are required to post comments on that material to our Desire2Learn discussion (D2L) site. You are required to post at least one substantive response (1. not just "I liked...", or "I didn't like" or similar words; 2. analytical, not judgmental) to discussion/notes I will post on D2L each week and at least one substantive original comment on the readings. Treat online discussions as required readings – you are responsible for, and may be tested on them. There may be videos to view or other activities assigned as part of these discussions.

There are two 'midterms' and a final. Each is 15% of your grade. They consist of two essay questions. A few days before the exam, I will give you four essay questions. On the day of the exam, I will select 2 of these questions for you to answer. Please do not miss the exams (you know our schedule now, so plan your schedule well ahead). I will not give makeups unless you 1) notify me or the department in advance (no exceptions); and 2) verify a family/medical emergency in writing. A group project of 18-24+ (depending upon group size) pages (another 10% of your grade) is due in class no later than April 21st. The exact format and topics will be discussed in class, but you must consult me before proceeding. To prepare you for the project, an annotated bibliography is due by March 30th . An annotated outline is due by April 6th. Together, these are worth 5% of your grade. A revision worth 10% of your grade, is due during the last two weeks (see schedule). Do not turn in late papers! If I accept them (and I may not!), you will lose either 5% or 1 point of your paper grade (whichever is greater) for each day late. Your online posts are worth another 10% of your grade. A presentation of your project during the last couple of classes is another 10%. 5% consists of your web article presentations. Finally, 5% consists of your participation in and attendance of class.

While I do not grade on a curve (You earn what you earn, and I hope you all earn “A”s!), the typical class average is around a middle/upper “C” (Despite the often inflated nature of grading, a “C” is average – not below average; and a “B” is above average). Simply completing the course requirements will most likely earn a “C” (70-79). A “B” (80-89) requires a demonstration of effort beyond just the requirements. An “A” (90-100) requires extraordinary performance. Two final attendance notes: 1. While the UNG attendance policy (see the latest UNG Student Handbook, or the UNG Bulletin) applies to this course, and while I will take attendance, I’m only interested in your general attendance. If you’re only absent once or twice, don’t worry. If you’re absent a lot (UNG does not recognize “cuts”), your grade will suffer (note also: late = absent!); 2. Class announcements are considered sufficient notice. So, one way or the other, attendance matters.

Information Literacy (IL): Our class project addresses IL Outcomes #1-4. Using turnitin.com meets #5.