The following indicate the average grades assigned for each Writing Assignment or Quiz in the class.  The purpose of this is to allow students to compare their individual grades with the class average.
 

Points to be considered by all students in order to improve their grades on the Writing Assignments.

1. Go to the Writing Lab!  Consult the assistants there about general features of the papers you have written or need to write, as well as discuss specific writing styles and indicated problems.  If you are referred to the Lab, go.  Take your written paper and discuss it.  Remember if you don't have a copy of the assignment with you, you can always get it from the web page!
2. Go to the Writing Lab again!!!!  Whether you have been referred to the Lab or not, go, and return.  Just because you have discussed one problem or question with the assistants does not mean your writing would not benefit from repeated consultations.
3. Look at the assignments the moment the are announced in class and/or posted on the web.  Make sure you have some sense of what is asked of you immediately.  Then if you have questions, you will have time to get clarification from the Instructor or the TA.
4. It is amazing how many students lose points, significant numbers of points, because of mechanical mistakes.  There is no excuse for these.  They can be easily corrected and eliminated.  Proofread your papers, and check the web sites for citation and form questions.
5. Plagiarism is a very significant violation of University Regulations and it will be "prosecuted."  If you have any questions about matters of this kind, CHECK the brochure attached to the hard copy of the syllabus distributed at the beginning of the semester.  CHECK the web page as well.  That page discusses plagiarism.  ASK the TA or the Instructor for help if you have read these materials and still  have questions.  Ignorance of practices relating to plagiarism is NO EXCUSE!

 As noted in the syllabus, the purpose of quizzes is to assess how well students are mastering materials that has just been assigned to them, and presumably they have just learned.  Students are supposed to attend class every day, prepared to answer the relevant study questions drawn from the syllabus.  Furthermore, students should be able to answer questions about textbook definitions -- check the text glossaries if you do not know a word used in class or appearing in the lectures.

Why was federalism important at the time of the framing of the Constitution?  What different reasons are there now for having a federal system than there was originally?

A strong answer to this quiz question contained a clear and explicit statement about the need for the Framers to recognize the power of states and to balance that diverse power with the need for stronger and more concentrated powers in a central government.  Then the answer should address the fact that Federalism currently allows for diversity of policy preferences as well as diverse populations, ethnicity, wealth, and the like in modern-day America.

Compare and Contrast Federalism with the Separation of Powers.

A sound answer to this quiz would define federalism as a governmental structure in which at least two sovereign  governments act directly on the people with concurrent and exclusive powers. A definition of the Separation of Powers as the division of  power at one level of governmental among the different branches of government, with checks and balance should  be presented.  Lastly a sentence or two that compares or contrasts these two structural concepts would finish off the answer to the quiz.
• The misspelling of "separation" is considered a fundamental error since it was spelled correctly on the quiz itself.  Sloppiness will not be rewarded.

What roles or functions do the Mass Media play in American Politics today?

A good answer to this quiz question would involve itemizing or listing the four functions that were conveyed in lecture before the quiz, and then adding a sentence of explanation or amplification for each of the functions listed.
1. Signaling or Agenda Setting
2. Common carrier
3. Watchdogging
4. Representing the public
The fact that all students did not successfully complete this quiz indicates that class attendance is a waste of time for those who do not take notes or think about the materials they are presented in class .
 

What agents are involved in political socialization in this country?  Rank order the effectiveness of these agents in socialization.  Briefly explain your ranking.

•  The answer to this quiz is founded on the definition of Political Socialization.  Without that knowledge, it is difficult to complete the quiz successfully.  (Students did not have to define Political Socialization on this quiz, but not knowing the meaning prevented a good grade.)  "Agents" are actors not variables.  The answer should list Family, School, and various Peers, even the Mass Media, as agents that socialize people in connection with political beliefs and attitudes.  The ranking of these should be a clear numbering, with explicit recognition that the Family is the most effective and important socializing agent.  Among the other agents, there are reasons why any of them might be ranked as you rank them.
• Both the textbooks contain explanations and definitions of these matters, including Glossary entries.

What impact does Public Opinion in America have on ONE of the following?

• Candidates for Public Office
• The Operation of Political Institutions
• The Formation of Public Policy

What kind of strategy is a challenger most like to use in a campaign for elective office?  How does this differ from that most likely chosen by an incumbent?

A good answer to this question involved indicating the differences between being an incumbent who had a record on which to run and the challenger who does not have such a track record.  This answer should  NOT focus on retrospective and prospective VOTING.  (This focuses on voter choices, not on campaign strategies or tactics.)  The Challenger generally has to choose to campaign negatively against the incumbent's record.  The Incumbent, on the other hand, can choose either to run on his/her prior record, OR on the future they will be able to secure for constituents.  To get full credit on this quiz the paragraph answer had to be clearly and well written.

• Misspelling the word "incumbent" did not strengthen the quality of one's answer.

What functions do elections perform in the American political system?

A good answer to this question involved identifying (i.e., listing) the functions that elections can perform in a democracy, specifically the United States.  These include:

• Elections involve the selection of public officials who can authoritatively make public policy.
• Elections allow voters to hold public officials responsible for their actions and policy choices while in office.
• Elections allow the public to choose  among the policy preferences of candidates.
• Elections insure some level of democratic (popular) control over governmental power and policies.

How do Political Parties differ from Interest Groups?

A sound answer to this question could be developed by providing a coherent paragraph in which the definitions of Parties and of Interest Groups are provided OR a paragraph in which the functions of these two intermediary institutions are outlined.  A very good answer involved a tightly and clearly (well) written paragraph, rather than just the definition or functions of Parties and Interest Groups.

Indicate one public policy issue on which each of the following pairs of interest groups might work for the same objective and indicate that objective.
 

1.  Voter Registration or political mobilization and participation.  Both groups would work (or collaborate) to increase this activity.
2. Reform of the welfare system.  Both groups would seek to increase local independence, flexibility, and autonomy in the administration if welfare programs.
3. NA.  However these two groups might well collaborate on increasing nutrition labeling or education or food quality.
4. Both of these groups would be interested is health care policy.  They might both work for increased freedom of choice or selection in health care providers by beneficiaries.
5. Both these groups would be interested in legal compensation for consumer product injuries.  They might both support expansion of legal remedies or sizes of awards.  They might oppose any policies that would restrict liability for such injuries.

What is voting alignment, realignment, and dealignment?
 
This question is straightforward and definitional.  It is related to Party voting, rather than individual voting behavior, but it is connected to such behavioral considerations.  A good answer provided coherent and accurate (correct) definitions of these three categories of elections or voting.

It is apparent from the general performance on this quiz question that most students have not studied the assigned material, they have not understood the course materials on this subject, OR they have completely forgotten what they learned about this subject.  This level of performance here indicates very inadequate preparation on the part of a significant portion of the class.  Some students were prepared and did well but they are very few in number.
 
 
 

Identify and explain the most important feature of the relationship between the Presidency and the Congress in the American Political System.

This quiz required a clear indication of what feature the student considered most important and then a developed paragraph clearly explaining WHY this was the most important feature.  Some students never articulated a feature.  Others could not explain why their chosen feature was so important.  Other students did a good job of outlining both the feature and the explanation.

This quiz required students to outline several changes in the role of the Vice President.  These include the emergence of policy making duties, advising, party and campaign functions, and even some administrative work, depending on the individual relationships and personalities of the President and the Vice President.
 

This quiz asks for a clear indication of limits on the President's control of the Bureaucracy.  These would include the following:

• The Iron Triangle concept may tightly preclude the President' intervention.
• Congress may have isolated the bureaucracy from the President by making the agency politically "Independent."
• Agency Standard Operating Procedures prevent the President from overrule agency decisions.
• Technical agency expertise is not open to Presidential persuasion or intervention.
• Career civil servants are isolated from political pressure from the President.

This quiz question asks students to explain how courts make policy making and what power they possess to carry out thing kind of policy making.  Some attention to the courts' power to interpret both the constitution and primarily statutes is required to address this question.  In addition,  the answer should contain some treatment of how interpretation of both these elements of law contribute to policy making.
    A premium was placed on well written and coherent answers to this question.