AmericanFederalGovernmentFinal

Assignment 5: Final Team Project (Com- plete by Sunday, Dec. 4)

Due No Due Date Points 150

This assignment will be due in this module.

This assignment aligns with Learning Outcomes 1–5

Directions

For this project you will work in a collaborative team to identify a political issue. Your team will

then research, analyze, develop, and defend a position within that issue. The end product will be

a paper that describes the issue and supports your team’s position. Remember, your goal is to

select an issue, take a position, and develop a paper to support that position.

Political issues could include discussions on healthcare, immigration reform, American’s

marijuana debate, tax reform, religious freedom act, LGBTQ rights, and, etc. If you are unsure of

what constitutes a valid political issue, please check with the instructor for guidance in this area.

In 2–3 pages, the outline should minimally contain the following sections below and be drafted

in APA 6th edition style and format. See the sample APA outline here

1. Brief introduction and thesis statement

a. Introduce the topic to your reader in a brief sentence or two.

b. Include a thesis statement that identifies at least one challenge/problem associated

with your chosen topic and also identify a policy you are recommending that will

effectively and efficiently address this challenge/issue.

2. Overview of the issue (research including at least 5 references)

Briefly address the origins of the contentions surrounding your selected political issue. For

instance, if you have opted to take on the marijuana debate, you might begin with the

federal government’s designation of marijuana as Schedule I drug under the Controlled

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Substance Act. Here, you would describe the rationale for such designation and the political

discourse this policy has created.

3. Here, your team should take a position on your selected topic. Pointing back to the

marijuana debate, you may side with the federal government’s stance on criminalizing

marijuana or you might side with the states’ rights position (federalism) on the substance,

that is, allow states to administer their own policy in this regard.

4. Rationale for your position (research including at least 5 references)

In this regard, you are to justify your stance on your selected topic. For instance, if in favor

of the decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level, you should provide, relevant

scholarly data to refute the federal government’s belief that marijuana provides no

accepted medical use here in the U.S. Further, take note that you are not beholden to

addressing the medical use of marijuana, alone. There are, as know, other honorable

mentions as to why marijuana should be decriminalized. Effective research, here, as well as

it with any of the other topics you have to choose from, will be key in garnering a solid

response in this area.

5. Summary, conclusions and recommendations

a. Reiterate your selected political issue, as well as your team’s position on such.

b. Conclude by including a policy recommendation that will effectively and efficiently

address this political issue. For example, one might propose that the federal

government remove marijuana from Schedule I status on the Controlled Substance

Act, or one might propose, in terms of immigration reform, that immigration policy be

reformed to allow illegal immigrants, brought to the U.S. as children., to receive U.S.

citizenship.

Citations that document your research are a critical part of this project. Be sure to identify all the

references you use. These should be cited in the text as well as the References list. See the Tools

and Resources page for more information and resources about APA format, to include

information on a sample outline.

By now, your teams and topics should be well-established. While completing this assignment,

remember that your team project should focus on an issue that addresses a current problem at

the national level. Further, remember to decide on the scope of the issue. It should be small

enough to research thoroughly, but not so narrow that it becomes a "special interest" issue.

Perhaps the biggest challenge will be sorting out any bias in various sources of reporting. Also,

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Final Team Project Rubric

Criteria Ratings Pts

30 pts

prior to submission, never hesitate to ask your professor for help, and/or search out other experts

on the topic. 

Submission

A designated team member will be the one who submit this assignment. This assignment

requires a file upload submission. After you have reviewed the assignment instructions and

rubric, as applicable, complete your submission by selecting the Submit Assignment button next

to the assignment title. Browse for your file and remember to select the Submit Assignment

button below the file to complete your submission. Review the confirmation annotation that

presents after submission.

Grading

This assignment is worth 150 points toward your final grade and will be graded using the Final

Team Project Rubric. Please use it as a guide toward successful completion of this assignment.

Organization 30 to >26.0 pts

Exemplary

The paper is

logically

organized with a

well-written

introduction,

thesis statement

and conclusion.

26 to >23.0 pts

Meets

Expectations

The paper is

logically

organized with a

well-written

introduction,

thesis statement

and conclusion.

One of these

requires

improvement.

23 to >18.0 pts

Developing

The paper is

logically

organized with a

well-written

introduction,

thesis statement

and conclusion.

One or more of

the introduction,

thesis statement,

and/or conclusion

require

improvement.

18 to >0 pts

Beginning

The paper is

loosely

organized with

an introduction,

thesis

statement, and

conclusion. The

introduction,

thesis

statement,

and/or

conclusion

require much

improvement.

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30 pts

30 pts

Topic Overview 30 to >26.0 pts

Exemplary

Provides an

overview that

comprehensively

describes the

selected political

issue. The

description is

clearly supported

with the number

of scholarly

sources noted.

26 to >23.0 pts

Meets

Expectations

Provides an

overview that

comprehensively

describes the

selected political

issue. The

description is

clearly supported

with fewer than

the number of

scholarly sources

noted and is

slightly

underdeveloped.

23 to >18.0 pts

Developing

Provides an

overview that

comprehensively

describes the

selected political

issue. The

description is

somewhat

supported with

at least one

scholarly source

and is

underdeveloped.

18 to >0 pts

Beginning

Few sources

cited can be

considered

appropriate and

from accepted

sources.

Attempts to

provides an

overview of the

selected political

issue. However,

the description

is not supported

with scholarly

sources and is

significantly

underdeveloped.

Position on Selected

Topic 30 to >26.0 pts

Exemplary

Takes a definitive

position on

selected topic

and provides

effective

rationale for

noted line of

thought. The

rationale,

including

subsequent

policy

recommendation,

is clearly

supported with

the number of

scholarly sources

noted.

26 to >23.0 pts

Meets

Expectations

Takes a

definitive

position on

selected topic

and provides

effective

rationale for

noted line of

thought. The

rationale,

including

subsequent

policy

recommendation,

is clearly

supported with

fewer than the

number of

scholarly sources

noted.

23 to >18.0 pts

Developing

Takes a

definitive

position on

selected topic

and provides

effective

rationale for

noted line of

thought. The

rationale,

including

subsequent

policy

recommendation,

is somewhat

supported with

at least one

scholarly source

and is

underdeveloped.

18 to >0 pts

Beginning

Attempt to take

a definitive

position on

selected topic.

However, the

rationale,

including

subsequent

policy

recommendation

is not supported

with scholarly

sources and is

significantly

underdeveloped.

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Total Points: 150

30 pts

30 pts

Quality of Work 30 to >26.0 pts

Exemplary

Quality of writing

is exceptional

with no spelling,

grammar, or

mechanical

errors. Writing is

organized and

well developed.

26 to >23.0 pts

Meets

Expectations

Quality of writing

is good with

minor spelling,

grammar, or

mechanical

errors that do

not interfere with

comprehension.

23 to >18.0 pts

Developing

Quality of writing

is acceptable

with minor

spelling,

grammar, or

mechanical

errors that

usually do not

interfere with

comprehension.

18 to >0 pts

Beginning

Quality of writing

is unacceptable

with many

spelling,

grammar, or

mechanical

errors that

significantly

interfere with

comprehension.

APA

and<br>Documentation 30 to >26.0 pts

Exemplary

Citations are

formatted

correctly in the

document.

26 to >23.0 pts

Meets

Expectations

There are a few

formatting errors

in the

document’s

citations.

23 to >18.0 pts

Developing

There are some

formatting errors

in the

document’s

citations.

18 to >0 pts

Beginning

There are many

and/or frequent

formatting errors

in the

document’s

citations.

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