Choose a news article that illustrates some aspect of realism in international politics OR liberalism in international politics OR constructivism in international politics and write about it,
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paper_guidelines_f151.docxPOL 130, Introduction to International Relations, Fall 2015
Guidelines for Writing Assignment
Assignment: Choose a news article that illustrates some aspect of realism in international politics OR liberalism in international politics OR constructivism in international politics and write about it, using the guidelines below. The article should be from the current semester (dated September 1, 2015, or later). This writing assignment will be based on the news article you have chosen. The paper is due in class at the beginning of class on November 17, 2015.
Plan ahead for this assignment. Write and rewrite it to make sure you do a good job summarizing the points of the article and expressing your thoughts. Professor Clark and both of the teaching assistants, Sara, Jay, and Gyu, are very happy to talk with you as you are working on it. The on-line writing lab (OWL) -- <http://owl.english.purdue.edu/> -- is also a good source for help.
Instructions for the assignment: Please double-space your paper using 11- or 12-point font, and limit its length to 3-to-5 pages. Please put your name and account identifier (the first half of your Purdue email address) on the paper, but not your student id number (to protect your privacy), and give the paper a title.
We ask you to submit the paper BOTH as a paper hard copy AND on-line at the link that will be provided. Also, please attach a copy of the article you are using. [For the paper copy, there is no need for a “report cover” – it is more convenient for us if you do not use one.]
The paper should have the following parts:
(1) Heading (10% including any references in section 4): Put a full citation of your article right under the title of your paper. Do this carefully. If the article you are using came from a newspaper’s web site, you must include all of the standard bibliographic information: Author, Title, Date of the article, Periodical Title, date you accessed the article, and the URL (if applicable). Also attach a copy of the article, please.
(2) Introduction and Summary (40%):
In an introductory paragraph, introduce the topic of the article and give the reader a sketch of the argument you will make and why.
In a brief section after the introduction, summarize what the article says. What is the topic, the main point of the article, and its conclusions? Is there any background the reader will need to know in order to understand your reflections in the next section? If so, include it. Note: Summarizing well is a fine art, so pay as much attention to this part of the assignment as to the part below.
(3) Reflection (50%): In a well-written and thoughtful section, state whether you see this as an example of realism , liberalism, or constructivism, and discuss the reasons why. Define realism , liberalism, or constructivism. Then explain how the article illustrates realism , liberalism, or constructivism, and how it relates to themes of this class. In this section, be sure to refer to theories, illustrations, or discussions we have had so far in this course. Finally, in a concluding paragraph, summarize your overall points. What is your evaluation of the article’s content with regard to realism , liberalism, or constructivism?
(4) References: If you use any other sources besides the article cited in your heading, put them in a reference list at the end of the paper.
Sources to use:
Begin right away to look for an article you will choose.
1. You must use a newspaper source, but your article can be retrieved electronically. We recommend the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and Times (London). All are reputable newspapers known for reliable and in-depth international reporting. They all have web sites. You may use another newspaper (the Indianapolis Star, the Chicago Tribune, or the Lafayette Journal and Courier, for example), but we strongly encourage you to explore the other national-level newspapers. It’s part of being a well-informed student of politics!
Do not use Time or Newsweek or a news magazine or trade journal or video/radio media source. CNN, for example, or BBC, may be useful sources of international news but they do not qualify as newspaper sources.
Sometimes students ask about using AP (Associated Press) or other wire service stories. These are usually fairly brief stories and they are only rarely attributed to a single reporter as author. We want to steer you away from using wire service articles, because these are rarely as detailed and informative as newspaper articles that are attributed to an author. Look for an article with a by-line (author)!
3. Choose a descriptive news article that reports on an event, NOT an editorial or opinion piece or news analysis. This is because we want YOU to do the analysis. If you have questions about this, please don’t hesitate to check with Prof. Clark or one of the t.a.’s.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Never simply lift language off of a web site (or any source) or closely paraphrase it without citing the source. Cutting and pasting from web sources without proper use of quotes and citations is dishonest and a form of plagiarism—passing off others’ ideas as your own. Such papers will not receive a passing grade, and you could be further penalized. And, please, always make a printed copy of your own paper for yourself and a saved electronic copy before you turn it in, and keep it until your paper is returned.
Things we will look for when grading your paper: Even though this is a short assignment, it makes up a large part of your course grade (25%). The highest grades will be reserved for papers that are carefully written, have clarity of organization, and demonstrate thought and creative use of the important concepts of the course in an analytical or exceptionally perceptive fashion.
Citation: For full credit, all of the citation information must be there and the article must be from a newspaper source.
Summary and reflections: The best papers will demonstrate a genuine effort to grapple with the issues raised in the article in light of realism , liberalism, or constructivism. At the more basic level, the paper should clarify the issues in the article and demonstrate understanding of realism/idealism as presented in the course materials. Use the summary part of the paper to present information from the article that will be relevant in your analysis of realism and idealism.
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