Course : American Government
(Writing Assignment )
: Each student will write a “point/counter-point” essay that explores two opposing sides of a “current” issue in American government and politics. The assignment must be 8-pages in length (no more, no less), typed, double-spaced, and have standard margins and consecutively numbered pages. Students also must include a reference page that shall list no fewer than 10 sources. (Note: A cover sheet and/or reference page will not count towards the allotted number of pages.) Please do not use a font smaller than Times New Roman 12. The paper must be formatted using the APSA Style. (You can find a quick reference guides to the APSA style here and here.)
Roughly 6-pages of the assignment should be devoted to each side the issue (e.g., the case for the Voter ID; the case against Voter ID). In the final section, the student must articulate her, his, or their own perspective concerning the issue. The argument must be persuasive, substantiated by relevant research, and well written. You might start the project by exploring sites such as Opposing Viewpoints in Context, Jstor, and Google Scholar.
Note that the following sources are inappropriate for the assignment: Wikipedia, About.com, Infoplease.com, Spark Notes or other dubious online sources not vetted by an editor or peer reviewed (blogs, personal websites, and the like are examples), encyclopedias, and textbooks.
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