This guide is a revised and adapted version of a previous monograph, "A New Public Perspective on Representative Democracy: A Guide for Legislative Interns." The guide focuses on civic perspective: how citizens view the political institutions, processes, and people that are fundamental to representative democracy in the United States. It describes the core features of representative democracy in the U.S. Congress and the state legislatures and provides exercises that enable people to make judgments about the U.S. political system. On-line resource materials augment the guide. The following chapters comprise the bulk of the guide: (1) "What Makes Legislators Tick?"; (2) "How Legislators Are Linked to Constituents"; (3) "Where People Stand"; (4) "How Special Are Interests?"; (5)"Why the Process Is Contentious"; and (6) "What Makes the System Accountable?" Contains 4 figures, 8 tables, and a resource list of books, magazines, and Web sites. (BT)