This course will focus on the explanation of congressional structure, behavior, and performance, not on descriptive aspects of its operation. The course will include two 90 minute sessions a week. Most of the time will be devoted to lecture. However, students are encouraged to ask questions and time will be set aside each week for discussion.
Regular attendance is critical to mastering the topics the course addresses.
Lectures will present and analyze topics covered in the course in a manner separate and distinct from the readings and will provide a framework for integrating the materials in the readings with the primary concerns of the course. In addition to a required final exam, students are required to take an hour exam and may if they choose write a paper of 8-10 pages. Paper topics will be distributed and discussed during the early weeks of the term. The hour exam will be given on March 9 and the paper will be due on April 30 by 5pm. All students who miss the mid-term will be required to write a paper of at least 15 pages on a topic approved by the instructor.