M15 Assignment: Foreign Policy Reaction Paper

M15 Assignment: Foreign Policy Reaction Paper

Type of document       Research Paper

4 Pages Double Spaced

Subject area    Political Science

Academic Level           High School

Style    MLA

References      4

Order description:

POLS 105 Foreign Policy

Reaction Paper Guidelines

This paper is an important part of your overall course grade. You should use this assignment as an opportunity to take some time and think critically of the world around you. Additionally, it is also an occasion for you to apply some of the knowledge that you have acquired in this course. To accomplish this, you must write a short reaction paper based upon a newspaper article. The paper has to meet the following basic requirements:

 

  1. Typed
  2. Double Spaced
  3. Careful attention to spelling and grammar.
  4. Indicate knowledge of the subject
  5. Demonstrate critical thinking and evaluation skills.
  6. At least 3 pages in length
  7. Accompanied by a link to, or copy of, the article being used.

 

The purpose of this paper is to allow you to link our class readings and topics with “real world” issues of government and politics. This paper is not intended to be an intense research project. It is designed to be a forum for you to critically evaluate political issues from your own perspective and viewpoint. Ultimately, I am interested in hearing what you think. The topic for this paper must be taken from any of the four following national newspapers – New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, or Christian Science Monitor. The article must be dated after the start of this term. All are available online. If you have questions about whether or not an article or topic is appropriate, feel free to discuss the matter with me.

 

To help you write the paper, I have provided a list of some the common questions that get asked along with some general answers. I hope that this will help you as you start to write your papers.

 

  1. What topic should I pick?

 

  1. Pick a topic that interests you. Almost any foreign policy topic is fair game, so long as it is a current issue. (In other words, the newspaper article you select must not be older than the start of this term.) Be certain that you are picking a foreign policy topic that is directly related to the United States. If you are unsure about your topic or how to connect it to the class material, send me a note. Picking a topic that you find interesting will make it much easier for you to write the paper.

 

  1. Do I have to do any research for this paper?

 

  1. No. I do not require that you produce a bibliography, or that you cite additional sources of information. However, you do need to get the facts correct. If there are sections of your article or topic that you do not fully understand, or are confused by, then you will have to do some basic research to find these answers before you can offer up an opinion on the subject. I want a well-developed and analytical reaction paper. Authors of papers who are ignorant of the basic facts and knowledge surrounding their topics will suffer the consequences at grading time. For example, if you were to choose to write a reaction paper about the American actions in Syria you need to have an understanding of the situation and what the history of the conflict revolves around. Your book should be able to shed a great deal of light on the nuts and bolts of politics in America, but recent political developments and news events may require that you turn to other sources of information for clarification.

 

  1. How can I possibly write three pages?

 

  1. The best way to approach this paper is not to focus on the length, but on the content. What are you going to say? Your task will be made much easier if you pick a topic that you find interesting. Start your paper off with a very brief summary of the article. (This should not be more than a page in length.) Follow this up by attempting to answer some of the following questions. What was the point of the article? Do you agree with the perspective put forth by the story? What points do you agree with? Disagree? One of the best ways to write your paper is to read the article that you have chosen. Set it aside and start writing what comes to mind. Did the article make you mad? Are there issues that the article failed to address? If you were to write an editorial on the same topic, what would you say?

 

I will be glad to provide some assistance with your papers. Remember, this is an excellent way to boost your overall course grade, but I do expect that you put some time and energy into it.