TERM PAPER: Each student is required to do an 8-10 page term paper. The term paper should examine the importance of politics in solving or dealing with a problem/issue of local, state, national or global importance. The problem or issue should be of such significance that it affects the lives of most people directly or indirectly. For example, the issue of Homelessness could be a topic of study.

You are to submit your topic to the professor by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th. You must do so by submitting a type-written two-page overview which includes a clear thesis statement, a brief argument and a proposed bibliography. Before submitting this overview to me, you are to have it reviewed by the Writing Center.

Your final paper must have a firm thesis or research question with an argument, evidence and analysis in support of your thesis. Be sure to use a variety of sources for your paper, i.e., scholarly books, journals, articles, book chapters, magazines and newspaper, etc. Do not use online resources.

There will be an automatic reduction of 20 points for late submissions. No two students may write on the same issue/topic. You should therefore discuss your topic with the professor as soon as possible. Once the topic/title is approved by the professor, the student is to place the topic/title and date approved on the Discussion Board of Blackboard.

There will be an ORAL POWER POINT PRESENTATION of each term paper.

A hard copy of all Term Papers is due in class on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st. A copy is also to be placed on Blackboard. There will be a ten (20) point deduction for each day the paper is late.

Additionally, the paper should be turned in electronically under Safe Assign on Blackboard by no later than MONDAY, OCTOBER 31st.

Students are to prepare a Power Point Presentation for their Oral Presentation. The Power Point Presentation is to be placed on Blackboard by no later than Monday, OCTOBER 31st. Late postings will be counted as zero.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS begin on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st.

CONTENTS OF THE PAPER:
The following form and questions may assist you in writing your paper.

The Problem: What is the local, state, national or global issue involved? Why is it a problem, i.e., what is your hypothesis?

Role of Politics: What does the Literature say? How is politics involved in the issue? What is the role of government in solving or otherwise dealing with the problem? What action has government taken? If government has not acted yet, what are the alternative policy options? What can citizen activism accomplish? What is your methodology?

What do you think should be done: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the policy options discussed above? What course of action should be taken? Why?

Conclusion and Recommendation.

Did you use references/work cited?