Order Description
Bibliography does not count as page 1 or 6, it has to be the seventh page. No cover page!
You should start your research with your textbooks (check the index), Britannica Online (or another trustworthy encyclopedia), and the Opposing Viewpoints database. Then, after you have a better understanding of your issue, you can move on to other specific sources such as newspaper and journal articles, newsmagazines such as Newsweek and Time, websites for political parties and other sources.
You will need to use at least 8 different sources for your paper other than your course textbooks. At least three of your sources must be something other than websites (i.e articles, books, etc). If you can find a source in print, but you choose to get it online (like a newspaper article from LATimes.com), it does not count as a website source. All sources must be cited in the paper and listed in a separate bibliography (citation format described below).
The paper must be double-spaced, with size 12 Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and your name, class, and date in the header (not in the body of the paper – click View–>Header&Footer). Do not use any cover pages or folders – only a staple in the upper left corner. Your paper must be in essay format (no outlines). Do not include an introduction or conclusion. Points will be deducted for spelling and grammatical errors, and for deviations from the format described below.
Section 1: Describe how contemporary American liberals approach this issue. You will need to provide an objective, unbiased description, so that most liberals would agree with what you have written. Specifically,
a) Describe their beliefs about this issue – are they in favor, opposed? More importantly, what arguments do they give to support their position?
b) Describe the specific changes they propose to address this issue. You will need to research and describe several policies or ideas for reform, including recent laws (state and federal) and/or court decisions that reflect their position; AND policies or ideas that have not yet been put into law (i.e. they’ve only been proposed).
c) Explain why they hold these beliefs and recommend these policies. That is, what core values and characteristics of liberals explain their position on this issue? Use your notes about the spectrum of ideology (for example: beliefs about change, government, property, traditions, etc.). Points will be deducted if you fail to logically apply all the characteristics and core values we discussed in class, which are relevant to your issue.
In this section, do not just copy a description of liberal beliefs from the text or your notes. Each time you mention a core belief or characteristic, you need to relate it directly to your issue. For example, don’t write “Liberals are for same-sex marriage because of egalitarianism.” INSTEAD, you should write: “The liberal drive to legalize same-sex marriage reflects their egalitarian desire to treat homosexuals equally under the law, just like any other human beings. In addition, the liberal policy of ___________ stems from their belief that ____________ .” Do not copy this setup verbatim – vary your word choice and sentence structure.
Section 2: Describe how contemporary American conservatives approach this issue. You will need to provide an objective, unbiased description, so that most conservatives would agree with what you have written. Specifically,
a) Describe their beliefs about this issue – are they in favor, opposed? More importantly, what arguments do they give to support their position?
b) Describe the specific changes they propose to address this issue. You will need to research and describe several policies or ideas for reform, including recent laws (state and federal) and/or court decisions that reflect their position; AND policies or ideas that have not yet been put into law (i.e. they’ve only been proposed).
c) Explain why they hold these beliefs and recommend these policies. That is, what core values and characteristics of conservatives explain their position on this issue? Use your notes about the spectrum of ideology (for example: beliefs about change, government, property, traditions, etc.). Points will be deducted if you fail to logically apply all the characteristics and core values we discussed in class, which are relevant to your issue.
In this section, do not just copy a description of conservative beliefs from the text or your notes. Each time you mention a core belief or characteristic, you need to relate it directly to your issue. For example, don’t write “Conservatives oppose same-sex marriage because of faith and nationalism.” INSTEAD, you should write: “The conservative desire to define marriage as between one man and one woman reflects the influence of major religious leaders, which consider homosexuality a sin, and their related adherence to America’s tradition of heterosexual marriage. In addition, conservatives’ desire to ___________ stems from their belief that ____________.” Do not copy this setup verbatim – vary your word choice and sentence structure.
Section 3: Describe how contemporary American moderates approach this issue. You will need to provide an objective, unbiased description, so that most moderates would agree with what you have written. Specifically,
a) Describe their beliefs about this issue. What arguments do they give to support their position?
b) Describe the specific changes they propose to address this issue. You will need to research and describe several policies or ideas for reform, including recent laws (state and federal) and/or court decisions that reflect their position; AND policies or ideas that have not yet been put into law (i.e. they’ve only been proposed).
Section 4: Briefly critique at least one argument or policy for each of the three positions described above – what is wrong with these arguments and policies when it comes to your assigned issue? Finally, describe your beliefs AND proposed policies for this issue.
