Political Science Essay

1. Pick a topic important to you. It could be one of the issues addressed in the course (such as fracking, water quality, rapid transit, Opioids, etc.) Or it could be another topic of interest–such as Access to Health Care, border security and immigration, etc. The topic should be broad enough that you can find substantive research available. The issue should have a governmental agency that has jurisdiction over it.

2. Come to class with the following: a) a possible topic; b) why it is important; c) the agency or agencies that have jurisdiction over it.

3. Submit you work plan by 10/9. If it is different than you first thought, that is fine. But, get started.

4. Meet with me to refine your project and class presentations, which will consist of of you presenting both sides and deciding which side or sides you will support and why.

5. For your presentation and research paper: You will need to do substantive research beyond news articles or web pages. Find key documents, such as reports by governmental agencies on the issue. Perhaps interview a decision-maker and see if you can obtain documents from that agency. Focus on a critical problem and an actual agency or agencies that have addressed the problem. What have they done? What have they not done? Who made the decisions? What was the role of interest groups and their arguments pro and con or for various options. Why did the decision maker make her or his selection as to options? What have been the consequences if any?