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Office Hours: 2:00 - 4:00PM Wednesdays

Grader: Craig Burnett, cburnett@ucsd.edu, Room SSB 349, Office Hours: 4:00-5:00PM Tuesdays or by Appointment

The following texts will be used in this course:

• Dodd, Lawrence C. and Bruce I. Oppenheimer (2005). Congress Reconsidered
  
• Poole, Keith T. and Howard Rosenthal (2007). Ideology and Congress
  
• Stewart, Charles III. (2000). Analyzing Congress
  

Requirements

Grades will be determined by two examinations -- one midsemester exam and a final exam. The exams will consist of essay and short answer questions. The midterm will be worth 1/3 and the final 2/3 of the course grade.

The Midterm will be a take home exam handed out at the end of class on Wednesday, July 16. The exam will be due back at the beginning of class on Monday, July 21.

The Final Exam is scheduled for Friday, August 1^st from 7:00PM to 9:59PM. (The exam will be 2 hours during this block).

All exams are closed-book closed-note -- no computers, PDAs, or cell phones allowed.

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Course Outline

1. The Historical Origins of the U.S. Congress
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Chapters 1, 2 and 3, Analyzing Congress
  
• The U.S. Constitution, Appendix B of Analyzing Congress
  
  Agenda For Topic 1
  
  
2. The Current Organization of Congress
   
   Assignment:
   
   
Agenda For Topic 2


Current Congressional Leaders
How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Congressional Committee System


3. Congress and the Political System: 1879 - 2008
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Preface, Prologue, and Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 7, Congress Reconsidered
  
  Agenda For Topic 3
  
  
  Handout for Topic 3 (Part 1)
  Handout for Topic 3 (Part 2)
  Handout for Topic 3 (Part 3)
  
  
Midterm


4. Ideology, Party, and Polarization in Congress
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Chapter 7, Analyzing Congress
  
• Chapters 8, 9, and 10, Congress Reconsidered
  
• Chapters 1 - 4, and 6, Ideology and Congress
  
  Agenda For Topic 4
  
  
  Handout for Topic 4 (Part 1)
  Handout for Topic 4 (Part 2)
  Handout for Topic 4 (Part 3)
  Handout for Topic 4 (Part 4)
  
  
5. Congressional Elections
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Chapters 4, 5, and 6, Analyzing Congress
  
• Chapters 4, 5, and 6, Congress Reconsidered
  
• Chapter 5, Ideology and Congress
  
  Agenda For Topic 5
  
  
  Handout for Topic 5 (Part 1)
  Handout for Topic 5 (Part 2)
  Handout for Topic 5 (Part 3)
  Handout for Topic 5 (Part 4)
  
  
Study Questions for Final Exam


6. The Internal Organization of Congress
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Chapters 8 and 9, Analyzing Congress
  
• Chapters 11, 12, and 13, Congress Reconsidered
  
• Chapter 9, Ideology and Congress
  
  Agenda For Topic 6
  
  
  Handout for Topic 6
  
  
7. Congress, the Economy, and the Growth of Government
   
   Assignment:
   
   
• Chapters 14, 15, and 16, Congress Reconsidered
  
• Chapter 12, Ideology and Congress
  
  

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Site Links

NOMINATE Data, Roll Call Data, and Software
Course Web Pages: UC San Diego (2004 - )
University of San Diego Law School (2005)
Course Web Pages: University of Houston (2000 - 2005)
Course Web Pages: Carnegie-Mellon University (1997 - 2000)
Spatial Models of Parliamentary Voting
Recent Working Papers
Analyses of Recent Politics
About This Website
K7MOA Log Books: 1960 - 2008
Bio of Keith T. Poole
Related Links

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