Federal Government 2305

Course Writing AssignmentOL-Federal Government-03/22/21 GOVT2305.20210322.617938

Course Writing Assignment

Course Writing Assignment

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?

Do not make your paper chatty. Do not use �rst or second person (I, we, you). Edit your work. Then edit it again. Then again. Use spellcheck. Do not turn in a rough draft -- it will make a very low grade.

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 and not longer than 1200 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 speci�c 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

**Not more than 15% of the paper can be quotations or paraphrases. That is 15% for both quotations and paraphrases, combined. Make sure that any quotations you use are concise and relevant.**

While this is not a paper for Freshman English, you are expected to maintain formal, academic standards:

Freshman English was not a hoop to jump through and be done with; Freshman English was to teach you skills needed for the rest of your academic career and for professional writing. Use the skills learned in Freshman English. It is expected, and failure to do so will a�ect your grade.

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It is not necessary to copy the prompt. Copying the prompt does not count toward the required word count. Works Cited entries do not count toward the required word count.

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:

Topics to choose from for the Course Writing Assignment are listed directly below.

 

Topics for Course Writing Assignment

The U.S. Constitution creates a federal system of government whereby powers are distributed between a national government and �fty 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 con�ict (such as marijuana legalization, the A�ordable 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 di�erences resolved (if it is an issue that hasn’t been resolved, what steps have been taken by each side to advance their position)? If you select this topic, make very certain that the focus of your paper is on the ongoing tug-of-war between federal and state power. Do not put the focus of the paper on the issue itself (for example, the legalization of marijuana) or you will end up redoing the paper. In the past, some students have used this topic to write a paper on a topic of their choice not on this list -- they received no credit for the paper. When one student found himself redoing this assignment because I wouldn't accept his paper on the legalization of marijuana, he simply put a token paragraph or two about federal vs. states at the beginning. The second attempt also did not receive credit, and then the course was over. Don't be that student.

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 e�ectively and e�ciently as a legislative body?

 

The founders wanted the courts to be protected from politics. In what ways was the judiciary designed to limit the role of politics? Are the courts completely immune from politics? What role does politics play in Supreme Court con�rmation proceedings? Should there be term limits for federal judges, including Supreme Court justices?  Why or why not?   

Legislation has been introduced in recent years to enact lobbying bans of varying lengths on former members of Congress. What are the current lobbying restrictions on former members of Congress? What are the arguments for and against preventing former members of the House and Senate from lobbying Congress? Should former members of the House and Senate be banned permanently from lobbying Congress? If not, should there be a short-term ban or no ban at all?  Note:  Including at least one speci�c proposal (bill) in your discussion will help strengthen your essay.)

According to Figure 8.2 in AmGov: Long Story Short, the United States ranks 26th in voter turnout when compared to other developed democracies.  According to your textbook, what are some of the causes of low voter turnout in the United States?  Do you think it is important to have high voter turnout? Discuss at least two ways to increase voter turnout. You should discuss speci�c proposals that are either being used in some states (or other countries) or have been proposed by outside election observers seeking to increase turnout in the United States. Would these proposals actually increase turnout around the U.S. or would people resist the proposals you have discussed?  Why or why not?

There are some groups that remain restricted from voting in some or all parts of the U.S. (for example, legal aliens and people under 18). One group that has been in the news lately is ex-felons. Voting restrictions on ex-felons vary from state to state. What are some of the di�erent voting restrictions placed on ex- felons by states? In the past few years, there has been a push in some states to restore voting rights to ex-felons. What are the arguments for and against restoring voting rights to ex-felons?  Discuss the various methods being used to restore voting rights (for example, executive action by the governor, referendum passed by the public, actions in state legislatures, etc.) and include speci�c examples from two di�erent states. Do you agree with restoring voting rights to ex-felons?  Why or why not?

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