. —My chosen policy: Every Student Succeeds Act
This week, you will determine a policy for your Final Paper and begin your research regarding the policy of your choosing. It is important to remember that your paper should focus on a specific policy and that your paper will need to address the following components:
· Historical and constitutional basis for the American government’s structure
· The system of checks and balances
· The various roles (e.g., public opinion, media, special interest groups, etc.) concerning public policy and elections
· The voting system and election process
Please watch this video that walks through the steps of the paper development and expands on the four required sections of the paper.
Prepare: Since this is the first step in developing your Final Paper, it is recommended that you review
POL201 Assignment Guide
Download POL201 Assignment Guide
before beginning this assignment. A model
POL201 Final Paper template
Download POL201 Final Paper template
and the
POL201 Research Guide
are both provided for you within the online classroom to utilize when completing your Final Paper. You should also review the Week 2 Policy and Your Life discussion and the list of some possible policies found in the
Week 2 DQ and Final Paper Policy Examples
Download Week 2 DQ and Final Paper Policy Examples
in your online classroom, before completing this assignment.
The first step to researching your Final Paper is selecting a specific policy for your paper, which was part of the Week 2 Policy and Your Life discussion. Your paper must focus on a specific policy that focuses on an aspect of the United States government and ideally, that relates to your major and future career. You should be able to find research that will allow you to support your ideas. If you have questions or would like your instructor to approve your policy, please email them directly and/or discuss with your instructor and colleagues in the Week 2 Policy and Your Life discussion forum.
Reflect: Once you have found a topic that interests you, you will begin the research for your Final Paper this week. In addition to establishing your topic and the thesis for your paper, you will also provide an
Annotated Bibliography (Links to an external site.)
for four of the sources you intend to utilize to support your Final Paper. Each annotation should be a minimum of one full paragraph (five sentences) in length and should explain what the source discusses and how this links to your Final Paper topic. While your textbook can be utilized as a source, it does not count towards your four sources for this assignment. As your paper progresses, it is expected that you will find more sources to support your ideas for a minimum of eight sources are required for the final, with a minimum of five of those sources from the University of Arizona Global Campus Library databases. This research is necessary to develop a strong Final Paper. The following resources will help you to use the library effectively to find sources for your paper:
For guidance on using library databases to locate scholarly, peer-reviewed articles click on
Help! Need Article (Links to an external site.)
and then click the “How Do I Search for Articles” button from the Main Menu.
For guidance on identifying the types of sources you can use for academic research, watch this interactive tutorial on
Evaluating Sources (Links to an external site.)
.
The
Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.)
table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. Additionally, the POL201 Research Guide, located within the online classroom, is designed to help you find sources for your paper. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Be sure that the sources you are utilizing to support your ideas are valid, reliable, and not overly bias. For information on identifying information bias, watch this interactive tutorial on
Subjective and Objective Statements (Links to an external site.)
.
Write: To complete the assignment, download the
Week 2 Annotated Bibliography Worksheet
Download Week 2 Annotated Bibliography Worksheet
from the online classroom to your computer, fill it out, and submit it via Waypoint. Within the worksheet, you will address your policy, find four scholarly sources to support your policy, and explain the significance of each of your four sources. Please be sure that each section is at least a full paragraph (minimum of five sentences) in length and fully addresses the questions presented. All references should be listed in full APA format and cited appropriately.
Running head: PAPER TITLE HERE 1
PAPER TITLE HERE 2
Paper Title Here
Your Name
POL 201 – American National Government
University of Arizona Global Campus
Instructor’s Name
Month Day, Year
Paper Title Here
This is where the introduction for your paper should begin. You should indent the first paragraph and include a hook to draw your reader in and make the topic interesting. Your introduction should also include an overview of the main points you will discuss in your paper and conclude with a concise thesis statement of 25 words or less that clearly summarizes what your paper is about. Please be sure to not refer to the paper in your paper. For example, “In this paper, I will discuss…” is not appropriate for formal writing. Also, your paper should not use words such as I, we, or you. For more suggestions, please read about thesis statements on our Writing Center website:
Thesis Statements
. Your introduction should be at least ½ a page in length.
Historical and Constitutional Background
Your paper should include the four main headings as outlined in this template. It is vital, in order to fully meet the expectations for this paper, that you support your arguments utilizing scholarly sources. Be sure to summarize, paraphrase, and include
in-text citation
s. You must properly cite all additional resources with in-text APA formatted citations and an APA reference list in order to avoid plagiarism. No more than 10% of your paper should be direct quotations. Each heading/topic should be a a minimum of 1 to 1.5 pages in length. It is important to include transitions and more deeply reflect and expand on the material from each week. Be sure to review the WayPoint feedback provided by your instructor from your Week 2 and Week 3 Assignments and the feedback from the Writing Center from your Week 4 assignment. Integrate the feedback into your revisions as you expand your analysis of each section for your final paper.
Checks and Balances
Your second section should focus on the checks and balances that are involved within the policy you have selected.
Public Policy, Elections, and Media
The third section of your final paper should focus on how the policy relates to public policy, elections, and is portrayed by the media. Each paragraph of your assignment should be clear and easy to follow. The University of Arizona Global Campus has several valuable resources to help you write a strong paragraph, such as
How to Write a Good Paragraph
page and the
Integrating Research
tutorial.
Voting and the Election Process
The fourth section of your paper should focus on how the policy is impacted by voting and the election process. In addition to being well-written, each paragraph should include an in-text citation for all information
summarized, paraphrased, or quoted
from outside sources. The Writing Center provides many resources to help you follow correct citation style (primarily APA) and gives lessons and examples of how to paraphrase and cite sources. The
Introduction to APA
page is a good place to start.
Conclusion
Your paper should conclude with a review of your main points and a review of your thesis. The conclusion should not introduce any points that have not already been addressed in the main body of the paper. This is an opportunity to solidify your ideas for the reader and leave a lasting impression.
Remember to start your references on a new page. Space down until
References
is as the top of the final page of your paper. References
References
Your paper must utilize at least eight scholarly resources in addition to the textbook. A minimum of six of the resources must be peer-reviewed scholarly sources from the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. The following are commonly used references. Please fill in the required information, and if you need more help, see the
Formatting Your References List
page. References are listed in alphabetical order.
Textbook (Online edition): *
Author, A. (Year published). Title of book: Subtitle of book (edition, if other than the first) [Electronic version]. Retrieved from from URL
Example:
Witt, G. A., & Mossler, R. A. (2010). Adult development and life assessment [Electronic version]. Bridepoint Education.
Online Journal Article (such as from the University of Arizona Global Campus Library):**
Author, A. (Year Published). Article title. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), page range. doi:# or Retrieved from journal’s homepage URL
**When including a URL for an online journal, you must search for the journal’s home page and include this in your reference entry. You may not include the URL found through your university library as readers will not have access to this library.
Examples:
Churchill, S. D., & Mruk, C. J. (2014). Practicing what we preach in humanistic and positive psychology. American Psychologist, 69(1), 90-92. doi:10.1037/a0034868
Santovec, M. (2008). Easing the transition improves grad retention at Trinity U. Women in Higher Education, 17(10), 32. Retrieved from http://www.trinitydc.edu/education/files/2010/09/Women_in_higher_
Ed_Trinity_Transistions_10_08
Online Magazine:*
Author, A. (Year, Month Date Published). Article title. Magazine Title. Retrieved from URL
Example:
Walk, V. (2013, April 29). Can this woman fix Europe? Time. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,213969.html
YouTube Video:*
Author, A. [Screen name]. (Year, Month, Day). Title of video [Video file]. Retrieved from URL
Example:
Apsolon, M. [markapsolon]. (2011, September 9). Real ghost girl caught on video tape 14
[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nyGCbxD848
Web Page:*
Author, A. (Year, Month, Date Published). Article title. Retrieved from URL
Example—Corporate web page:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008). Police and detectives. Retrieved from http://bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos160
Example—Article or section within web page with no author:
Presentation tools. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://web2014.discoveryeducation.com/web20tools-presentation.cfm
*Please delete the notes in this document before submitting your assignment.
Week Two Annotated Bibliography Worksheet
Reminders: Each of the four sources here, will need to be peer-reviewed scholarly sources obtained through the AU Library Databases. Before you begin, be sure you have critically read ALL of the instructions and that you have watched the video tutorial for creating an
APA formatted Annotated Bibliography
and reviewed the
Model APA formatted Annotated Bibliography
example .
A. Topic: Enter the overall topic and/or policy of your Week 5 Final Research Paper Here
1. In a minimum of 5 sentences, write a paragraph here that explains the topic and/or policy you will focus on in the final research paper, AND directly address why it is important. Be sure to utilize the Week 2 Discussion Question and Final Paper Policy Examples.
B. Annotated Bibliography Sources (Title of Source 1 goes here):
1. Source 1 Related to the Historical and Constitutional Basis of the American Government’s Structure (enter full APA citation here).
2. In a minimum of 5 sentences, write a paragraph that explains what the source is about AND detail how and why this source is important and how it will be used to support the argument you are making for this first main point of the final research paper.
C. Annotated Bibliography Sources (Title of Source 2 goes here):
1. Source 2 Related to how Checks and Balances will directly come into play in relation to your overall topic and/or policy (enter full APA citation here).
2. In a minimum of 5 sentences, write a paragraph that explains what the source is about AND detail how and why this source is important and how it will be used to support the argument you are making for this first main point of the final research paper.
D. Annotated Bibliography Sources (Title of Source 3 goes here):
1. Source 3 Related to how public policy, elections AND the media impact your overall topic and/or policy (enter full APA citation here).
2. In a minimum of 5 sentences, write a paragraph that explains what the source is about AND detail how and why this source is important and how it will be used to support the argument you are making for this first main point of the final research paper.
E. Annotated Bibliography Sources (Title of Source 4 goes here):
1. Source 4 Related to how voting and the election process impacts your overall topic and/or policy (enter full APA citation here).
2. In a minimum of 5 sentences, write a paragraph that explains what the source is about AND detail how and why this source is important and how it will be used to support the argument you are making for this first main point of the final research paper.
Annotated Bibliography Example: This is an example of how your annotations should look on the Week 2 Annotated Bibliography Worksheet once completed. Please note this is an actual source, but NOT one applicable for your final research paper.
Source:
Brown, K., Royer, S., Waterhouse, J., & Ridge, S. (2005). Virtual workforces and the shifting frontier of control. The Journal of Industrial Relations, 47(3), 310-325. Retrieved from EbscoHost database.
Paragraph:
The political process has a significant impact on virtual workforces. Brown, Royer, Waterhouse, and Ridge (2005) studied how organizations innovate and create new technology to allow remote employees to communicate virtually. This has changed a great deal since 2005, but the important aspect of rethinking how employees and managers do business and manage assignments within the virtual workplace is discussed. As online education continues to evolve, more changes will be necessary within online colleges and universities to keep up with the changing technology and to restructure their workforce to meet the needs of students. These changes can result in new organizational structures that lead to the need for less hierarchy within an organization (Brown, Royer, Waterhouse, & Ridge, 2005).
