Syllabus

Study Guide covering Lecture Notes For Final Exam

(Below are concepts discussed in lecture for the final exam. Remember we started off this third unit lecturing about Political Participation, Public Opinion and the Media. Those three lecture topics will appear on the final exam (however, you will not have to reread the textbook chapters for those three subjects for the final).

As for all the outside readings (Lowi/Ginsberg textbook, supplemental reader by Patterson, and online Texas textbook), you will have to create your own study guide for the textbook readings. The chapters and readings for these are outlined in my syllabus for the third unit of our course. Refer to the syllabus to get the required chapters/readings, if you have not already done so.

WARNING!!! – Use of Study Guide may give you a headache, please use caution. This is only a guide. Please be advised that this study guide is NOT sufficient for exam preparation. You still need to review all lecture notes and read all assigned readings.

If you are studying for the make-up exam, you will need to look over all three of your study guides from this semester and all relevant chapters from the Lowi/Ginsberg textbook, as the make-up exam is cumulative.

I. Voter Participation

Theory on the Probability of Voting – Prob. of Voting = (P*B) – C + D

P=the probability of your vote (vote deciding the election)

B=the benefit of electing one preferred candidate

C=cost of voting

Forms of Participation (besides voting)

Factors that Correlate with turnout

Internal-you feel like you understand politics, Socio-economic status-educated compared to money$, External-you feel like your vote will make a difference, Age, Race, and Gender (women vote more than men)

II. Media

History of Media and its professionalization

Political Bias (Cable News Shows)

Professional Bias

Media in other countries

III. Public Opinion

Political Attitudes – where do they come from? (i.e....