Michael S. Lynch

POLS 1101: Introduction to American Politics
Fall 2018

2:00PM - 2:50PM Tuesdays and Thursdays Course

Class Meeting: Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-2:50 PM, Instructional Plaza S306
Office Hours: Tuesday 9:30-11:30 AM or by appointment, Baldwin Hall 409

  • Course Syllabus.
  • Discussion Sections (section TAs, numbers, times, and locations).


    3:30PM - 4:20PM Tuesdays and Thursdays Course

    Class Meeting: Tuesday and Thursday 3:30-4:20 PM, Miller Learning Center 102
    Office Hours: Tuesday 9:30-11:30 AM or by appointment, Baldwin Hall 409

  • Course Syllabus.
  • Discussion Sections (section TAs, numbers, times, and locations).


    Study Aids

  • A great deal of your grade (90%) will be determined by your performance on three midterm exams and a final exam. These short answer and multiple choice exams will cover materials from both lectures and the textbook. To be successful on the exams, I recommend that you both attend class and regularly read the textbook. Because of the great amount of material covered in lectures and the textbook, we want to give you some additional resources to facilitate your success on course exams.
  • I am including a link to the Civics Questions from the Naturalization Exam administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The first 57 questions on this exam cover key concepts of American Government. Some of these questions are likely to appear on exams.
  • Most importantly, we will provide you with a detailed study guide for each chapter of the book. These guides will outline the most important materials from both course lectures and the textbook. Be familiar with all the terms on these study guides should be very helpful for the exams.

    Chapter Study Guides

  • Introduction (updated 9/6)
  • Constitution and the Founding (updated 9/6)
  • Federalism (updated 9/6)
  • Civil Liberties (updated 9/6)
  • Civil Rights (updated 10/4)
  • Public Opinion (updated 10/4)
  • Political Parties (updated 10/4)
  • Elections (updated 10/4)
  • Interest Groups (updated 11/2)
  • Congress (updated 11/2)
  • The Presidency (updated 11/2)
  • The Bureaucracy (updated 11/2)
  • The Courts (updated 11/2)
  • Economic,Social, and Foreign Policy (updated 11/29)

    Additional Resources

  • This semester we will have a tech-free section of class. There seems to be quite a bit of research that shows students learn less when they use tablets or laptops during class. If you are interested in learning more about that research I recommend this article. If you would like to avoid distraction, sit on the right section of class - no technology should be used during class in that section. If this is popular, we might expand the tech-free section throughout the semester.
  • The Concord Coalition's Penny Game presents basic information on the federal budget (income and spending). We covered this during the week on the bureaucracy.
  • Students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to work through the Disability Resource Center to address any concerns. Section leaders will work closely with students and the DRC to provide any academic or support services needed for the course.