Brett S. Sharp, Ph.D.

Political Science 5023.14186: Scope of the Discipline

Dr. Brett S. Sharp, Assistant Professor, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Science with areas of concentration in Public Administration, Public Policy, and American Government. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Religious Studies from Oklahoma State University. He is currently the Associate Director of the Oklahoma Policy Research Center at UCO. He has conducted research in a wide variety of areas including state policy, bureaucratic reform, public productivity improvement, administrative theory, religious movements, ethnic conflict, and a variety of applied research projects in industrial-organizational psychology, agricultural policy, and public finance.

Office Hours:  MWF 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM and W 7:00-7:30 PM (and by appointment)

Office:  LAR 102-J

Classroom:  LAR 140

Grigsby, Ellen. (2005). Analyzing Politics: An Introduction to Political Science (3rd Ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Scott, Gregory M. & Garrison, Stephen M. (2002). The Political Science Student Writer’s Manual (4th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Plato, The Republic (preferably Desmond Lee’s translation published by Penguin Classics).

Aristotle, The Politics (preferably T. A. Sinclair’s translation published by Penguin Classics).

Machiavelli, Niccolo (1999). The Prince. (Signet Classic Edition).

Kuhn, Thomas S. (1996). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (3^rd Ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Lakoff, George. (2002). Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think (2^nd Ed.). University of Chicago Press.

Patterson, Thomas E. (2002). The Vanishing Voter:  Public Involvement in an Age of Uncertainty.  New York: Vintage Books.

Putnam, Robert D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Touchstone.

Rosecrance, Richard. (1999). The Rise of the Virtual State: Wealth and Power in the Coming Century. New York: Basic.

  Instructor will determine course grades using the following scale:

  90 -100 = A

  80 - 89 = B

  70 - 79 = C

  60 - 69 = D

  0 - 59 = F

Grading Component Include:

    Class Participation10%

    Reaction Papers 25%

    Mid-Term Exam20%

    Research Paper/Presentation 20%

    Final Exam25%

CLASS ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION
Attendance has its privileges. Class attendance is a high priority in this course. Active participation in class discussion is an important part of succeeding in this class and is expected of all students. Obviously, you can’t participate if you’re not here. Class time provides an opportunity for you to ask questions, participate in group discussion, clarify issues, and deepen your understanding of the concepts covered in the reading assignments and lectures. Class participation will be a significant factor in the determination of the final grade. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get any notes, assignments, and changes in the schedule that were made on that day. If you come in late, it is your responsibility to see that the attendance record is correct. Class participation takes even higher priority during the library training session, student research presentations, and when outside speakers are invited to address the class.

READING ASSIGNMENTS
Readings as assigned on the course schedule must be completed before the date indicated.

REQUIREMENTS FOR REACTION PAPERS
At various points during the semester, students are assigned to do a 2-3 page reaction paper of the reading assignments. These are due at the beginning of the class on the evening assigned. Each paper should cover all assigned readings not already addressed in previous reaction papers. The paper should include a brief synopsis of the major themes of the readings followed by your reaction and analysis. The paper should demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in the assigned readings, but should also strive to be creative, integrative, thought-provoking, and interesting. One option is to use a review essay format. Chapter 8 of Scott and Garrison’s The Political Science Student Writer’s Manual should be especially helpful. Papers will be graded on synthesis of assigned readings, originality and style, format and grammar, linkage to concepts discussed in class, and quality of analysis. Be prepared to discuss your reactions in class.

ADA STATEMENT
The University of Central Oklahoma complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who need special accommodations must make their requests by contacting the Coordinator of Disability Support Services, Ms. Kimberly Fields at (405) 974-2549. The DSS Office is located in the Nigh University Center, Room 415. Students should also notify the instructor of special accommodation needs by the end of the first week of class.


REQUIREMENTS FOR RESEARCH PAPER
Each student will write a 15-25 page, double-spaced research paper for this course. You will choose a topic that directly relates to some aspect of politics in the state of Oklahoma. Other than that one requirement, you may prepare your paper within any subfield of political science or use any accepted political science methodology. You must cite enough references to make your paper convincing. Superior papers will demonstrate a significant measure of original research and should be of sufficient quality to submit to a peer-reviewed political science journal.

Students must follow the American Political Science Association Author Date System (see discussion and examples in Scott & Garrison’s The Political Science Student Writer’s Manual). Selection of a research topic must be made by Wednesday, October 6 and subsequently must receive instructor’s approval. The first draft of the research paper (including title page, outline, first three pages, and preliminary list of references) is due on Monday, November 15.

During the last two weeks prior to Final Exams Week, each student will present their paper to the rest of the class using a schedule developed under the direction of the instructor. Each student will provide short handouts to the rest of the class summarizing their research and findings. Audio-visual media may also be used.

Students will be allowed about 15-30 minutes each to present their papers as if they were participating on a panel at a professional conference. The rest of the class will act as “discussants” using any time left available. Students are expected to incorporate any useful feedback (comments, criticism, recommendations, etc.) from their colleagues and instructor into the final version of the paper to be turned in.

The final draft of the research paper is due by 5:00 PM, Wednesday, December 8. Papers will be graded on topic selection, format, grammar, style convention, content delivery, analysis, research quality, and presentation. Please refer to the discussion of plagiarism in the Academic Integrity Statement attached to the syllabus as well as the section on Ethical Use of Source Material on pages 145-148 in The Political Science Student Writer’s Manual.


EXAMINATIONS
There will be two exams during the semester. Both exams will be comprised primarily of essay questions and may also include several multiple choice items. The final exam will be comprehensive. Make up examinations will not be offered except for documented emergencies. Even then, an alternate form of the examination will likely be substituted. In case of school cancellation due to weather or other reasons during the scheduled time for the final exam, university policy will be followed in the assigning of grades, which in the past has included the professor’s best judgment to what the student has earned up until that point. Therefore, your best interest is not to depend upon the final exam to make up for previously poor grades.


REGENTS’ STATEMENT
A full-time college student is expected to spend a minimum amount of time each week in class attendance and study out of class approaching a 40-our week. A person employed on a full-time basis should not simultaneously expect to maintain a full-time academic schedule. At the undergraduate level, this means that for each hour in class, a student is expected to spend at least three (3) hours doing homework. For a three credit class, a student is expected to spend nine (9) hours a week doing homework.



ACADEMIC HONESTY
Cheating = Failure (please refer to Academic Integrity Statement below). Cheating is unacceptable conduct and will result in an automatic grade of “F” for the course, and be reported to Academic Affairs. Students are required to do all of the work for this class on their own. Copying answers to exercises or examinations from anyone constitutes cheating. Allowing another student to copy one’s answers will be treated as cheating. Consulting with the instructor about any assignment does not constitute cheating and is encouraged.


The Political Science Department of the University of Central Oklahoma is asking all students taking political science courses to read the following Academic Integrity Statement. Our purpose in doing so is to ensure that all our students are aware of what is improper academic behavior.
 

Academic Integrity Statement

As members of the academic community, students are expected to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and academic integrity. The Political Science Department expects that its students will conduct themselves honestly. This means, above all, that students submit for credit work that is the product of their own efforts. Principles of academic integrity require that all dishonest work be rejected as a basis for academic credit, and that students refrain from any and all forms of dishonorable conduct in the course of their academic work.

The examples and definitions given below are intended to clarify the standards by which academic honesty and integrity is judged. The list is merely illustrative of some of the more common infractions. It is not intended to be exhaustive. Any question a student has about what constitutes inappropriate behavior should be directed towards their instructor. The rule of thumb to follow is: If in doubt, ASK!

Definitions and Examples

Plagiarism - Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work as one’s own. Plagiarism includes not only the exact use of another’s words, word for word, but also the paraphrasing or summarizing of the works of another person without acknowledgment, including the submitting of another student’s work as one’s own. The student is responsible for understanding the legitimate use of sources, the appropriate ways of acknowledging academic, scholarly, or creative indebtedness, and the consequences of violating this responsibility. In case of doubt, give a citation of the author you are using. Failure to indicate the extent and nature of one's reliance on other sources is plagiarism. A plagiarized paper will result in a failing grade on the work in question, and perhaps, for the entire course.

Cheating on Examinations - Cheating on examinations involves giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination. Examples of unauthorized help include the use of notes, texts, or “crib sheets” during an examination (unless receiving instructor approval), or sharing information with another student either during or after an examination.

Falsification - It is a violation of academic honesty to misrepresent material or to fabricate information in an academic exercise or assignment (e.g. false or misleading citation of sources, the falsification of the results of experiments or of computer data).

Multiple Submissions - It is a violation of academic honesty to submit substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once without the explicit consent of the instructor to whom the material is being submitted the second time.
 

Previous Syllabi:

    Fall 2003

    Fall 2002

    Fall 2001