Last updated: April 14,
2007
Spring 2008
Instructor:
Misa Nishikawa
Location:
NQ207
Time:
MWF 10:00-10:50a
Office:
NQ228
Office Hours:
MW10:50-11:40, TTh9:00-9:30, F1:30-2:20
E-mail:
mnishikawa@bsu.edu
This
course examines the effect of Public Opinion on the democratic political
process. The course will focus on the
measurement and interpretation of public opinion, American citizens’ capacity
to take a part in democracy, the influences on public opinion, and the linkage
between public opinion and public policy. The course will also look into public
opinion beyond the
Required Texts and
Erikson, Robert S. and Kent L. Tedin. 2007. American Public
Opinion. Updated 7th Edition
Michael Bratton et
al, 2004. Public Opinion, Democracy, and
Market Reform in Africa. Cambridge University Press
Prerequisite
The following course is not prerequisite for this
course but is recommended.
POLS
210
Grades
Grade is allocated in the following way:
|
Participation |
|
5% |
|
Exams 1, 2, and Final |
|
60% |
|
Assignments |
|
9% |
|
Paper |
Topic (2%), Intro (2%), Lit (2%), Theory (2%),
Statistics (2%), Presentation (2%), Final paper
(14%) |
26% |
|
Totals |
|
100% |
Grading
Scale: For all items in this class for which grades are assigned, the standard
grading scale will be used:
|
A |
93.0% |
|
A- |
90.0% |
|
B+ |
86.0% |
|
B |
83.0% |
|
B- |
80.0% |
|
C+ |
76.0% |
|
C |
73.0% |
|
C- |
70.0% |
|
D+ |
66.0% |
|
D |
63.0% |
|
D- |
60.0% |
|
F |
-59.9% |
Make-up exams will not be
given
except in the case of extreme circumstances.
The student must be able to provide documentation that the absence is
unavoidable (e.g., illness, death in the family, observance of a religious
holiday) and make arrangements with me prior
to the scheduled exam date.
Exams will be based on material covered during class in
lectures or class discussions and from the required readings.
Assignments
For some class meetings, a
few students will be assigned the responsibility of leading the class discussion
or for summarizing the main arguments in specified readings.
Paper
You
are required to read (academic) books or articles on public opinion and write a
research paper. The length of the paper should be about 20 double spaced typed
pages (with 12 point font and one inch margins). The paper is due on April 23. No extensions will be granted. Ten
points will be subtracted from your grade for each day that the paper is late.
The paper will not be accepted beyond three days from the due date. You are required
to present your report to the class.
Other assignments. To be announced.
Participation in class discussions is
strongly encouraged. Of course,
participation should be constructive, and all comments should be relevant to the
material being covered in class.
Students must do all of the
reading! Respect should be shown for
all other class members at all times. Inappropriate and disruptive
participation/behavior will result in a drop in the student’s grade.
Students are expected to attend class regularly, arrive promptly and have a collegial demeanor. Students are not allowed to sleep, read newspapers, listen to headphones, or talk to others during class. Engaging in these behaviors will result in a drop in the student’s grade.
Students
will be responsible for knowing any changes made to the syllabus during class
time whether they were in attendance or not.
The instructor’s lecture notes are not available to students; it is the
student’s responsibility to obtain class notes from a classmate, should class
be missed.
Be aware that problems with computers or printers
are not good excuses for late papers.
If
you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you
have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special
arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment
with me as soon as possible.
Academic Honesty:
Honesty, trust, and personal responsibility are fundamental attributes of the university community. Academic dishonesty by a student will not be tolerated, for it threatens the foundation of an institution dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. To maintain its credibility and reputation, and to equitably assign evaluations of scholastic and creative performance, Ball State University is committed to maintaining a climate that upholds and values the highest standards of academic integrity.
Schedule
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
|
|
Week
1 |
Jan
7 (M) |
Class
introduction |
|
|
|
Jan
9 (W) |
Public opinion in democratic societies |
E&T Ch 1 |
|
|
Jan
11 (F) |
Polling: The Scientific assessment |
E&T Ch 2 |
|
Week
2 |
Jan
14 (M) |
Microlevel opinion |
E&T Ch 3 |
|
|
Jan
16 (W) |
Macrolevel opinion
|
E&T
Ch 4 |
|
|
Jan
18 (F) |
Political socialization and political learning
|
E&T Ch 5 |
|
Week
3 |
Jan
21 (M) |
Martin Luther King |
|
|
|
Jan
23 (W) |
Public opinion and democratic stability |
E&T Ch 6 |
|
|
Jan
25 (F) |
Group Differences in Political Opinions |
E&T Ch 7 |
|
Week
4 |
Jan
28 (M) |
The news media and political opinions |
E&T Ch 8 |
|
|
Jan
30 (W) |
Elections as instruments of popular control |
E&T Ch 9 |
|
|
Feb
1 (F) |
The public and its elected leaders |
E&T Ch 10 |
|
Week
5 |
Feb
4 (M) |
Public opinion and the performance
of democracy |
E&T Ch 11 |
|
|
Feb
6 (W) |
Review Exam 1
|
|
|
|
Feb
8 (F) |
Exam 1 |
|
|
Week
6 |
Feb
11 (M) |
Modernization, cultural change and democracy Students 1, 2 |
I&W
Introduction |
|
|
Feb
13 (W) |
Paper: Topic |
|
|
|
Feb
15 (F) |
The forces shaping value change I Students 3, 4 |
I& |
|
Week
7 |
Feb
18 (M) |
The forces shaping value change II
Due: Paper topic Students 5, 6 |
I& |
|
|
Feb
20 (W) |
Paper: Introduction |
|
|
|
Feb
22 (F) |
The forces shaping value change III
Students 1, 2 |
I& |
|
Week
8 |
Feb
25 (M) |
The forces shaping value change IV Due:
Introduction Students 3, 4 |
I& |
|
|
Feb
27 (W) |
Paper: Literature review |
|
|
|
Feb
29 (F) |
The forces shaping value change V Students 5, 6 |
I& |
|
Week
9 |
Mar
3 (M) |
The forces shaping value change VI Students 1, 2 |
I& |
|
|
Mar
5 (W) |
The Consequences of value change I Students 3, 4 Due: Literature
review |
I& |
|
|
Mar
7 (F) |
Paper: Theory |
|
|
Week
10 |
Mar
10 (M) |
Break
|
|
|
|
Mar
12 (W) |
Break
|
|
|
|
Mar
14 (F) |
Break
|
|
|
Week
11 |
Mar
17 (M) |
The Consequences of value change II Students 5, 6 |
I& |
|
|
Mar
19 (W) |
The Consequences of value change III Students 1, 2 |
I& |
|
|
Mar
21 (F) |
Review Exam 2
Due: Theory |
|
|
Week
12 |
Mar
24 (M) |
Exam 2
|
|
|
|
Mar
26 (W) |
Paper: Statistics I
|
|
|
|
Mar
28 (F) |
Introduction Students 3, 4 |
Bratton et al.
Introduction |
|
Week
13 |
Mar
31 (M) |
Students 5, 6 |
Bratton et al.
Ch1 |
|
|
Apr
2 (W) |
Studying public opinion in Students 1, 2 |
Bratton et al.
Ch2 |
|
|
Apr
4 (F) |
Attitudes to democracy Students 3, 4 |
Bratton et al.
Ch3 |
|
Week
14 |
Apr
7 (M) |
Attitudes to market economy Students 5, 6 Due: Statistics |
Bratton et al.
Ch4 |
|
|
Apr
9 (W) |
Economic and political
behavior Summary |
Bratton et al.
Ch5 |
|
|
Apr
11 (F) |
Research Ethics
Paper: Statistics |
|
|
Week
15 |
Apr
14 (M) |
Research Ethics
Paper: Statistics
|
|
|
|
Apr
16 (W) |
Paper: Statistics
|
|
|
|
Apr
18 (F) |
Paper: Statistics
|
|
|
Week
16 |
Apr
21 (M) |
Paper: Prep
presentation Review: Exam 3 |
|
|
|
Apr
23 (W) |
Due: Final Paper |
|
|
|
Apr
25 (F) |
Presentation |
|
|
Week
17 |
Final
week Apr 29 (Tue) 9:45-11:45 |
Exam 3 |
|