Review for Final Exam

The final exam in this class will take place on Thursday, May 1, in our regular classroom, between 7 pm and 9 pm.  The exam will be comprehensive, though it will also focus more directly on material covered since the last exam (Olson's Rise and Decline of Nations).  The exam will consist of three questions, all of which will be mandatory:

1.  There will be a 20 point question that asks you to discuss your term paper and those of other students (be sure to read the last blog assignment's comments).
2.  There will be a 30 point question asking you to summarize and evaluate the Olson book using evidence from the book, lectures, class discussions, and the blog assignment on that book (be sure to read your colleagues' excellent analysis in the blog comments!).
3.  There will be a 50 point question related to the theme of the class:  the relationship between interest groups and democracy.  This will ask you to use the course materials (readings, blog assignments, lectures, class discussions, and other exercises) to answer a basic question.  You will be expected to use material from multiple sections of the course, but you will not be required to use any single particular item.

For those who want to discuss the material and ask questions, in addition to the review in class on Monday, April 21, you will have the following opportunities:
1.  I will have my regular office hours on Wednesday, April 23.
2.  I will have extra office hours on Friday, April 25, from 12:00 to 12:45, and on Monday, April 28, from 12:30 to 2:30.
3.  You may email questions until 10 am on the day of the exam.
4.  You may post questions in the comments section of this post until 10 am on the day of the exam.  Don't forget to check back on exam day to read the answers to your colleagues' questions.

Note again that there will be no class on Wednesday, April 23.  Instead, I will be administering makeup exams during class time (in our regular room) to those who had excused absences from one of the earlier exams.

Good luck!