Complex Assignment (They are 2 essays, 2 current events, and 2 discussion boards)

Discussion Boards—15% of Final Average (3 DB’s @ 5% each)

A rubric for your Discussion Boards is provided in the “Introductions” Module. You may choose to complete 4 Discussion Boards, but like the Current Events, the best 3 of the 4 will be taken.

You will be expected to answer short answer questions based on textbook material and will be expected to respond to at least 1 other students’ post (due at the end of each unit). 3 Questions will be posted for each chapter (found below). You may answer 2 questions from each chapter. Each response to each question answered must be at least 100 words. Please list the word count at the bottom of each response. You may use the response provided at the end of the chapter as a starting point (as a point of inspiration) but your answer in and of itself must be original (based on your own thought and learning). You must use the textbook at some point in your response but you may include outside resources such as news stories and/or academically sound sources such as reputable websites or other academic material. Make sure to cite where you got the information from the textbook in MLA format for all points in your post in which textbook material is referenced. A citation help section is available in the Introductions Module.

Reply Posting Guidelines:

The second part of each discussion forum involves replying to an original post offered by at least one of your peers. You may choose to reply more often, but the minimum expectation is for each student to engage with at least one person in each forum. Responses to peers must expand upon the post’s material (ie. your response could expand upon your peers’ response by adding other relevant information, refuting their response, or confirming their response using evidence, etc.) Your reply does not involve the same level of rigor as the original post, but it must be of substantial academic and intellectual value.

Be sure to directly address the main points made in the original post and even offer additional sources to consider. You must reply in the same unit you are taking part in. SIMPLY REPLYING WITH “GOOD POST” OR “I AGREE” WILL NOT SUFFICE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT AND WILL NOT GAIN CREDIT. This is an opportunity for real exchange of ideas, so make the most of the opportunity to teach and learn from your classmates. Any personal attacks are grounds for immediate removal from the course and possible referral to the dean for further discipline review. Again, your grade will be based on the quality and originality of your feedback. The minimum writing requirement for a reply post is 100 words. Finally, provide a word count and if needed list any works cited at the end of the reply.

Extra Credit Discussion Option –

Additional Reply Posts (up to extra 5 per forum):

In each discussion forum, one reply is required as part of the activity. As incentive to keep the conversation going, you can earn up to 2 extra credit points for making up to 5 additional reply comments to your peers (1 required + 5 optional = 6 total). There is a maximum of 10 extra credit points awarded per forum. This option only applies when you are a participant in the forum. If your work is late or incomplete, you will not earn extra credit. Once the deadline for a given forum has passed, so does the opportunity for extra credit on that discussion topic.

Unit 4 Discussion Board Questions

Ch 13

1. What is a bureaucracy? How does it apply to American Politics?
2. Explain the budgetary process
3. To what extent do you believe that the American Bureaucracy is accountable? Explain your answer.

Ch 16

1. Explain the purpose of a progressive income tax
2. Explain how the Republican and Democratic parties differ on Welfare Policy
3. Explain how accurate “equality of opportunity” is

Ch 17

1. Explain how American foreign policy has changed from isolationist to containment and finally to multilateralism
2. Explain the current threats to national security
3. Explain how trade has changed and how views on trade differ between parties