GOVT 322 American Legislative System

A basic knowledge of the American legislative system is essential in order to equip the student with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in conducting the business of government, politics, policy making, public administration, public safety, and military service. This course offers knowledge of the U.S. Congress, its relationship to state legislatures, their powers and organization, the legislative and policy making processes, and how liberal and conservative forces exert influence through lobbying and elections.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be a minimum of 250 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. Each thread must cite at least 2 sources from the course materials in current APA format. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be a minimum of 150 words and engage with course-related knowledge. Each reply must also cite 1 source from the course materials in current APA format.

Congressional Profile Assignment

The student will write a 3–5-page description of a local congressman and his/her relationship with his/her district. The paper must be formatted in current APA format. A title page and bibliography page are required, but they do not count toward the required length of the assignment. A total of 6–10 citations is required.

Book Review Assignment

The student will write a 3–5-page Book Review in current APA format on Bring Back the Bureaucrats: Why More Federal Workers Will Lead to Better (and Smaller!) Government. The review must include the following sections: introduction, summary, personal response, and conclusion. The student must quote from the book in the summary while laying a foundation for the subsequent sections. A minimum of 2 additional scholarly sources must be cited in current APA format. A title page and bibliography page are required, but they do not count toward the required length of the assignment.

Reflection Essay Assignment

The student will write a 3–5-page research-based paper in current APA format that focuses on creating and defending a framework for evaluating good representation and oversight. The paper must include at least 2 scholarly references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. A title page and bibliography page are required, but they do not count toward the required length of the assignment.

Quizzes (3)

Each quiz will cover the Learn items for the assigned Module: Week. Each quiz will: be open-book/open-notes; contain 50 multiple-choice, true/false, and/or multiple-answer questions as well as 1 essay question; and have a 2-hour time limit.