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Politics/Government – Course Writing Assignment

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).
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 specfic 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?

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

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 conict (such as marijuana legalization, the Aordable 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 dierences 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 eectively and eciently as a
    legislative body?
  • Two of the last three presidents have been elected to oce without winning the popular
    vote. There have been subsequent discussions about eliminating the Electoral College. What is
    the Electoral College and why was it originally created? What are the arguments for keeping the
    Electoral College? What are the arguments for using the popular vote instead of the Electoral
    College to elect presidents? Does it impact a president’s legitimacy when they are not elected
    by a majority of the population?
  • 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 conrmation 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 specic proposal (bill) in your discussion will help
    strengthen your essay.)
  • Find three polls on the same issue (for example, the death penalty, marijuana legalization,
    same-sex marriage, or any other policy topic) from three dierent time periods (such as the
    1990s, the 2000s and the 2010s). Compare the polls by type (internet, phone), sample size, and
    the wording of question. Have the attitudes reected in the polls changed or stayed relatively
    the same? If the polls show that attitudes have changed, what are some of the reasons for that
    change?
  • 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 specic 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 exfelons. Voting restrictions on ex-felons vary from state to state. What are some of the dierent
    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 specic examples from two dierent states. Do you agree
    with restoring voting rights to ex-felons? Why or why not?
  • Current event paper (topic chosen by student and approved by instructor): The purpose of this
    assignment is for students to provide their perspective on a domestic or foregin policy issue
    (for example, trade, cost of prescriptions drugs, etc.). Students will prepare a summary and
    analysis of a current policy issue in American government. The issue must be reported in a
    news story during the term of the course (this news story is one of the sources you will use for
    the paper). A deeper understanding of the issue can be developed by reading additional articles
    or information on the topic. You must cite your reference (news story), as well as any other
    sources from which you use information in the writing assignment. The selected topic must
    be submitted to the instructor to ensure that it is appropriate for your analysis.

ANSWER:

The Electoral College is a body in which the US president is elected to the office. The Electoral College of the United States is made up of 538 electors. Each of the states is allotted several electors equivalent to the number of senators plus the State’s number of congressional house representatives. For instance, a state like Alabama has seven representatives and two senators making up a total of nine electors, and the number of electors from State to State varies. For example, California has the highest number of electors, making them fifty-five.  The states of Delaware, Alaska, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Vermont are very small hence they only have one congressperson.  The District of Columbia has three electors (Gregg 37). Nonstate territories and States like…. To continue reading, click on the button below.

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