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Mobley, Government 2302, Fall 2010 - Instructions for the writing enhanced segment of this course. Two Pages:
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The paper will be due Thursday, November 2. You must have your topic approved by medo not skip this step… there will only be one paper/writer per topic . Be wary of choosing a topic that might be too large for the space allotted. Think of this writing segment as a two part exam!
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Papers will only be accepted at the beginning of class on the due date---BE ON TIME OR ELSE! Once I call for them—your paper will be late. Don’t forget to bring them to class! This means, have them printed and stapled with the cover sheet, when you arrive.
If you do not, then your paper will immediately be considered as one day late and will be lowered one letter grade, and will drop another letter grade for the following day (not class period) . Papers turned in later than the following day will be given a zero.
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The paper will be worth 100 points. This will meet the writing requirements for the course, and will be averaged as one-third of your total grade. Take your time and consider your work. Think of this as a “written exam”
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You are required and must ALWAYS cite any information used within your paper (aka: parenthetical citations within the paper) and gathered from another source than yourself. In other words, this means copying your writing from any source is “just grounds” for a failing grade. Don’t do it—use your own words and even if you are quoting…cite your work, period. I also require you to give me a Works Cited Page with the full citation for ease of checking your sources.
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Use the MLA format. If you are unsure, look it up-and then double check. This is college writing and your work will be considered thusly. Check your sentences structure, grammar, and spelling. Proof read and consider your work critically – do not just spell-check. Once again, this is a research paper, with citations – not a term paper. Follow my instructions or your grade will suffer significantly.
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Give me facts in a concise manner from both sides of the topic. You are required to use serious justifiable sources.
Sources that are obviously biased and not based in honest fact and journalism will not be considered a valid and legitimate source. (this includes Wikipedia and those college websites that compare the argument for you!) I want at least eight (8) different, credible sources.
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The final segment of your writing will be the writer’s opinion . NOT first person, and the opinion must be based on facts presented (No more than 2 sentences should be required for the writer’s opinion). Give me enough to make up my own mind---again, I do not want your opinion or any work that is not fact based and cited.
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I will grade your writing based on form, content and your presentation of the facts – from BOTH sides of the argument, as well as your literary citation work. The first two pages will one side of an argument; the second two pages will contain the opposite side of the argument.
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Pick your topic as we discussed in class. Your topic must come from a “political current event” or a “current
Supreme Court case”. Because we are studying US government, I am looking for a national topic. Be creative and find something provocative. Try to use something besides obvious overworked issues – try to locate something important, but that “the people” are not paying attention to. Think of yourself as trying to inform and impact public opinion (both sides of course) on a topic that perhaps isn’t on the radar, yet.
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The point of this assignment is to help understand that we are using skills necessary to develop concise research and writing; and to mirror the difficulty in the formulation of policy/legislation for consideration by Congress.

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TOPICS NOT ALLOWED FOR PAPER: DO NOT pick a topic that will include any issue of religion – remember we are maintaining the wall of separation of church and state. Specifically--Abortion/Roe v Wade or the Death Penalty (or any aspect of these two topics…) CHOOSE SOMETHING ELSE OR YOU WILL
RECEIVE AN “F” – NO EXCEPTIONS
Set-up your paper as follows:
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You must have a cover sheet with your name, class level and period, date; and then the topic of your writing. Follow this with your paper, the works cited and an initialed paper of the approved topic from me. Simply staple your finished paper together.
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Your margins should be 1” at both the left and the right—.5” at both the top and the bottom. Use Times Roman, 12 font, double spaced . Your work cited page will be set up as any other – do not DS the citations.
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The paper should be no less than three and one-half pages long and no more than four pages in length. Ignoring these parameters will lower your grade.
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Your cover sheet will tell me who you are and which class as well as the topic – you do not need to repeat yourself within the paper – use your space to give me the facts. Not doing so, will also lower your grade.