This document outlines the course requirements for POL 215 Entire Course. It includes assignments for each of the 5 weeks, such as worksheets, papers, presentations, and discussion questions that cover topics like the structure of US and state governments, interest groups, federalism, and intergovernmental relationships. Students must complete weekly assignments related to researching their state government and analyzing issues addressed by different levels of government.

1. POL 215 Entire Course
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POL 215 Week 1 Foundations of the U.S. Federal Government
Worksheet (2 Set)
POL 215 Week 2 Constitution and Systems of the State (2 Papers)
POL 215 Week 3 Interest Groups and State Government Presentation
(2 PPT)
POL 215 Week 3 Elections and Voter Turnout
POL 215 Week 4 Local Government Issues Presentation (2 PPT)
POL 215 Week 5 Multiple Governments and Intergovernmental
Relationships (2 Papers)
POL 215 Week 5 Government Comparisons Matrix
POL 215 State Research – Elements that Influence State Government
POL 215 Roles Within the State Matrix
POL 215 Week 1 DQ 1 and DQ 2
POL 215 Week 2 DQ 1 and DQ 2
POL 215 Week 4 DQ 1 and DQ 2
POL 215 Week 5 DQ 1 and DQ 2
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2. POL 215 Roles Within the State Matrix
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Roles Within the State Matrix Collaborate with your Learning Team
members to select a state and complete the University of Phoenix
Material: Roles Within the State Matrix. Note. Remember that the
state you choose will be used for upcoming assignments and should
not be changed
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POL 215 State Research – Elements that Influence State
Government
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State Government For this assignment, choose from the following
options:
Option 1: Interest Group News Piece

3. Option 2: Web Encyclopedia
Option 3: Legislative Aide Read the instructions in the University of
Phoenix Material: State Research – Elements that Influence State
Government located on the student website and select one option to
complete the assignment.
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POL 215 Week 1 DQ 1 and DQ 2
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POL 215 Week 1 DQs
Week 1 DQ 1
Identify all of your state’s delegates (senators and representatives) to
congress by name and party affiliation. Do you feel that the overall
party affiliation of your delegates reflects the feelings of people in
your state accurately? Why or why not?
Week 1 DQ 2
Federalism can be defined as the distribution of power between a
central government and constituent units—in the case of the United
States, between the federal government and the state governments. Do

4. you think the current balance of power between these entities is
appropriately balanced, or imbalanced in one way or the other?
Explain why you think so, and, if you think they are imbalanced, in
which direction you think they are imbalanced.
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POL 215 Week 1 DQ 1 and DQ 2
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POL 215 Week 1 DQs
Week 1 DQ 1
Identify all of your state’s delegates (senators and representatives) to
congress by name and party affiliation. Do you feel that the overall
party affiliation of your delegates reflects the feelings of people in
your state accurately? Why or why not?
Week 1 DQ 2
Federalism can be defined as the distribution of power between a
central government and constituent units—in the case of the United
States, between the federal government and the state governments. Do
you think the current balance of power between these entities is

5. appropriately balanced, or imbalanced in one way or the other?
Explain why you think so, and, if you think they are imbalanced, in
which direction you think they are imbalanced.
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POL 215 Week 1 Foundations of the U.S. Federal
Government Worksheet (2 Set)
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This Tutorial contains 2 Worksheet
POL 215 Week 1 Foundations of the U.S. Federal Government
Worksheet
Complete the Foundations of the U.S. Federal Government
Worksheet.
Submit your worksheet to the Assignment Files tab.
Foundations of the U.S. Federal Government Worksheet
Part A: Complete the following chart by identifying the three
branches of government and their entities.
Part B – Short Answer
Respond to each question in 75 to 100 words.

6. What are some of the historical events that shaped the formation of
the U.S. federal government? Select one event you think had a major
effect on the federal government. How does this event affect U.S.
citizens today?
Who were some of the early philosophical contributors to U.S.
government? How did their ideas help shape the current government
of the United States?
What is the main function of the legislative branch? What role does
the executive branch play in the formation of laws? Summarize how
these two branches work together.
What is the role of the judicial branch? Who elects members of this
branch? Briefly describe the judicial process.
Define federalism. How does federalism affect your day-to-day life?
Consider these areas: transportation, education, technology, or the
environment, for example.
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POL 215 Week 2 Constitution and Systems of the State (2
Papers)
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This Tutorial contains 2 Papers
POL 215 Week 2 Constitution and Systems of the State
Locate your state’s constitution and examine the major elements and
articles of the constitution.
Review its contents and functions. Search for information about the
branches of government and the funding sources for your state
government.
Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper that addresses the following:
How are the main components of government set up by your state’s
constitution?
Which branch of your state government seems the most powerful, on
paper? What evidence do you use for your choice?
Does the state constitution contain a Bill of Rights? If so, what
appears to be the most important feature?
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
Submit your assignment to the Assignment Files tab.
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POL 215 Week 2 DQ 1 and DQ 2
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POL 215 Week 2 DQs
Week 2 DQ 1
Briefly describe the structure of the judicial system and court system
of your state or another state of your choosing. With which, if any, of
the levels of the state’s judicial system do you have experience? Are
you satisfied that they are mostly just? Why do you think so?
WEEK 2 DQ 2
If there were a conflict between some state’s constitution and the U.S.
Constitution, should the U.S. Constitution always take precedence?
Why or why not?
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POL 215 Week 3 Interest Groups and State Government
Presentation (2 PPT)
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This Tutorial contains 2 Presentations

9. Consider this scenario: You are working as an aide for a
representative in your state legislature, and he or she has asked you
for a summary of information on a particular interest group.
Use the following instructions to prepare your 10- to 15-slide
Microsoft® PowerPoint® or Prezi presentation to the representative:
Identify and provide a description of one interest group.
Discuss its connection or relationship to each of the two major
political parties in your state.
Analyze the interest group’s relationship with the two major political
parties by addressing these questions:
How does the group influence the state government?
What techniques does the group use?
How important is the interest group to your representative?
Summarize the information you found regarding this interest group
and provide a recommendation to the representative for responding to
the issue with which the interest group is most concerned.
Include speaker notes.
For Local Campus, deliver a 10- to 15-minute oral presentation
accompanied by your slides or multimedia.
For Online Campus, provide detailed speaker notes in the presentation
file or in a separate document.
Submit your assignment to the Assignment Files tab.
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POL 215 Week 4 DQ 1 and DQ 2

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POL 215 Week 4 DQs
Week 4 DQ 1
National events often affect state and local governments, especially in
budgeting. How have national events affected your local government?
Have your local officials handled these challenges well or poorly?
Why do you think so?
Week 4 DQ 2
How has the candidacy of Michelle Bachman who I believe is from
your state impacted Minnesota on a state and local basis if at all?
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POL 215 Week 4 Local Government Issues Presentation (2
PPT)
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11. This Tutorial contains 2 Presentations
Review the Rural, Suburban, and Urban Issues Worksheet completed
in Week 2. Note. If you did not complete this worksheet in Week 2,
complete it now to help you organize your thoughts.
Select a local government within your state to analyze. You may
select either an urban, suburban, or rural government to review.
Prepare a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation
addressing the following:
Describe which area you chose: urban, suburban, or rural. Briefly
describe the area’s demographics and characteristics.
Describe the local form of government and identify the major elected
officials of your selected area.
Identify the major public policy issues, current events, and challenges
this government faces and analyze one in depth.
Discuss how the state government is addressing the issue you
selected.
Provide at least two potential, realistic solutions to the public policy
issues, current events, and challenges this government faces.
Include speaker notes to provide more in-depth information.
Format your presentation consistent with APA guidelines.
For Local Campus students, these are 10- to 15-minute oral
presentations accompanied by Microsoft® PowerPoint®
presentations.

12. For Online and Directed Study students, these are Microsoft®
PowerPoint® presentations with notes.
Submit your assignment to the Assignment Files tab.
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POL 215 Week 5 DQ 1 and DQ 2
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POL 215 Week 5 DQs
Week 5 DQ 1
Using Hurricane Katrina as an example of intergovernmental
relations, what are some advantages and disadvantages of local, state,
and federal governments working together? How efficiently did the
various levels of government work during Hurricane Katrina? What
could have been done differently?
WEEK 5 DQ 2
Select a current issue in your local community in which the local,
state, and federal governments are involved. What are some benefits
of this collaboration? What are some drawbacks?

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POL 215 Week 5 Government Comparisons Matrix
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Government Comparisons Matrix Complete the University of Phoenix
Material: Government Comparisons Matrix located on the student
website. Format your responses consistent with APA guidelines.
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POL 215 Week 5 Multiple Governments and
Intergovernmental Relationships (2 Papers)
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This Tutorial contains 2 Papers

14. POL 215 Week 5 Multiple Governments and Intergovernmental
Relationships
Read the “Hydrofracking” article on this week’s Electronic Reserve
Readings page.
Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper based on the Hydrofracking
article. Include the following points in your paper:
Describe the ways in which different levels of government interrelate.
What solution are the different governments trying to achieve?
Identify the advantages and disadvantages in the ways that the
governments involved work together.
Provide a possible solution to the current way of hydrofracking that
would be better by having different levels of government work
together. Include ways in which communication between the
governments might be improved.
Identify a way for local and state governments to both stimulate their
economies while being respectful of the environment.
Provide an example of a current issue near your home that involves
multiple governments and the ways in which they do or do not work
together effectively. Examples could include environmental,
educational, or technological issues.
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
Submit your paper to the Assignment Files tab.