course writing assignment

Instructions

• Course Writing Assignment

  The purpose of the project is to provide students an opportunity to discuss a key political science concept and to show a basic understanding of academic research and reporting skills. The project consists of producing an essay of at least 750 words on one of the provided topics (see below), as well as a works cited page with at least three sources containing information used in the essay (note: there must be a parenthetical citation at the end of each sentence that contains information from a source). The assignment is to be formatted according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style. Students should research this style in order to properly format the assignment (see the Purdue Online Writing Lab).

  It is important to think critically about your chosen topic and clearly express your thoughts about it in writing. Where appropriate, make sure to include specific evidence and/or examples (along with appropriate citations).  When writing your analysis, consider the eight standards for critical thinking (Paul and Elder, 2013): clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, and fairness.  Ask yourself questions, such as

  1. How can I validate the accuracy of my statement?
  2. How is this information relevant?
  3. How does my conclusion address the complexities of the issue?
  4. What is another interpretation or viewpoint of the issue?
  5. Does my conclusion follow from the data and/or statements I have provided?

  Students should use 12 point as the paper’s font size, double space the text, and create one inch margins on all four sides of the page. In addition, the writing assignment does not need to have a separate title page.

  All writing assignment submissions will be processed through the SafeAssign program. Do not cut and paste from online sources or use information word for word from the textbook. The assignment needs to be your own work and if it is not, the submission will receive a failing grade or a zero. Students may not submit a writing assignment for this class that has been previously submitted for another course.

  Please choose ONE of the following topics for your writing assignment:

   
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  Topics for Course Writing Assignment

  • The U.S. Constitution creates a federal system of government whereby powers are distributed between a national government and fifty state governments. There are times when the federal government and state governments clash over state laws that may violate federal law or federal mandates. What methods does the federal government use to get states to comply with federal mandates? What are the ways that states can resist federal mandates? Find an example of a policy conflict (such as marijuana legalization, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, civil rights, immigration, same-sex marriage, etc.) between a state (or states) and the federal government. What were the arguments made by the federal government and states about the issue?  How were their differences resolved (if it is an issue that hasn’t been resolved, what steps have been taken by each side to advance their position)?

  • The number of people represented by each member of the U.S. House of Representatives has more than tripled since the size of the House grew to 435 members in the early 20th Century. Should the number of congressional representatives be increased in the House right now? Would representation be improved if more representatives were added?  Is there a limit to the size the House can reach before it cannot operate effectively and efficiently as a legislative body?