POL 201 Extra Credit assignments

you may earn up to 15 points of "regular" extra credit (there may be "bonus" extra credit options available)

each assignment is worth 5 points

Other opportunities may arise throughout the semester

 Why do extra credit?

There are two reasons why every student should do extra credit.

First, sometimes there are questions on the quizzes that you find confusing (as hard as I try to write clear questions, I don't always succeed) and this allows you to help "make up" some of those missed points.

Second, everyone has a "bad" day now and then and these points allow you to make up for one or two bad quizzes.

What is each assignment worth?

Each assignment is worth a maximum of 5 points; you may earn up to 20 points total.

How do I submit the extra credit? 

Submit all extra credit using Canvas (either upload it into the related assignment or copy & paste it into a Canvas email).  Any assignments due by the Final Exam must be submitted in Canvas BEFORE the beginning of the exam.

Extra Credit Options -- more details in Canvas

1. On-Campus Event (varies by semester)

you can attend up to two events from each for extra credit (events will be listed in Canvas)

Attend one of the following on-campus events/lectures (outside of regular class-time) & write a short summary of the discussion; discuss one or two things that you learned or found interesting in the presentation (1/2 - 1 typed page);

• Attend ANY of the following Democracy Days Events (schedule will be posted late)
• write a short summary & one or two things you found interesting or learned from it

• Attend one of the following International Education Week (events will be updated later)

2. Get to know you forum

Due by the deadline for the first quiz

3. Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) --due by Midterm

View Roesler's discussion of the Affordable Care Act on my homepage and list (based on the discussion) the following:

•   one reason why supporters wanted health care reform
• one thing that is NOT in the bill
• explain the 2012 Supreme Court ruling regarding either the Medicaid expansion or the Mandate
• one thing that happened in 2010
• one thing that happened in 2014 and
• one tool used to pay for the plan

4. The Case Against the West -- due by the midterm

Read this article : the case against the west by Kishore Mahbubani (go here for a version in Word).  Explain the author's premise & discuss two areas (give examples) from where the West has made things worse.

5. Read ONE (1) of the following articles and write a 1/2- 1 page discussion of it by the related due dates on Canvas

Students should explain how the article relates to this class.  Be sure to give examples from the article and explain the bias/perspective of the author.  Students must submit the assignment BEFORE the due date for the quiz. Each student may only submit one (1) of these for up to 5 points.

• Due with Trade and International Institutions unit (ch 8); Choose 1
•  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/opinion/sunday/who-can-bring-the-eu-to-its-senses.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
• http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/business/global/top-court-in-india-rejects-novartis-drug-patent.html?emc=eta1&_r=0   

• Due by the environment unit (ch 12):
• http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/30/world/asia/cost-of-environmental-degradation-in-china- is-growing.html?emc=eta1

6. Carbon -- Due by the Final Exam:

Watch this NPR/PBS series on Carbon (especially parts three, Four & five).  How does breaking Carbon lead to civilization? Give an example of how breaking Carbon bonds are used to supply energy. How does this process lead to more CO2?  What "naturally" reduces CO2 (also called "carbon sinks")?   Discuss other options for reducing CO2, such as Carbon Sequestration & Carbon Scrubbing.

NEW events:

• Health Insurance 101

• Thursday, Nov 5th at 7pm in the SSB Auditorium
• ACA Navigator Hana Hartman will explain the ins and out of health insurance, including how the Obamacare Exchanges work
• Attend the lecture and explain 1 or 2 things that you learned or thought were helpful; if you knew everything, then explain 2 of the healthcare terms she discussed (1/2 page)

• Free Trade & TPP Debate (part of International Education Week)
  

• Wed 10/18 at 10am in the SSB auditorium
• Professors Paul Roesler, Steve Randoll and Richard Venn will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of trade in general and the Trans Pacific Partnership in particular
• Attend the lecture and explain 1 or 2 things that you learned or thought was interesting (1/ page)

• "También la lluvia," Film (part of International Ed Week)

• November 17th; 6:30 pm in SSB Auditorium
• attend the film, explain the plot and what you liked/didn't like about the film (1/2 page)

Other opportunities may come up throughout the semester, which I will post as they occur.