PSCI 110-01 Intro to US National Politics (Fall 2021)
Paper #1: Critical Response Paper In this paper, you must critically engage with one or more of the readings assigned on representation – the chapter from Hanna Pitkin’s The Concept of Representation (1967), or Mansbridge’s article on descriptive representation (1999).
The main goal of this paper is for you to forward your original thoughts inspired by the reading(s), rather than simply summarizing the reading(s). Successful papers should integrate information presented in the reading(s), lectures, and discussions into an original synthesis.
Some potential ways you can structure the paper include:
1. Identify shortcomings of theory or research design and make some suggestion(s) for how it could be improved.
2. Develop a counter-argument to a non-trivial theoretical claim made in the reading(s).
3. Identify tension(s) between the week’s readings, and analyze how those tensions influence discussions about representation.
The majority of your paper should include significant analysis and critical engagement with the substance of the reading(s). Think of this as you making an argument and articulating a defense of it, rather than explaining and summarizing the reading(s).
The technical requirements for this paper are: – 2-3 pages, double-spaced – Written in a standard 12pt font, e.g. Times New Roman, Garamond, Calibri – Any references to course readings and other publications should be properly cited using both in-text parenthetical citations and a works cited page (this does not count toward the required page count)
