Domestic Policy = the plans or actions of government affecting a country’s internal affairs
Topics: www.cato.org/research/domestic/index.html
 Agriculture
 Drug War
 Education and Child Policy
 Immigration
o Accountability for businesses that use illegal aliens
o Requiring “responsibilities” from illegal aliens
 Labor Law and Regulation
 NASA and Space
 National Service
 The Nanny State
 Politics and Political Parties
 Population, Urban Sprawl, and Sustainable Development
 Social Security
 Term Limits
 Terrorism and Homeland Security
 Tobacco
 Transportation
 Urban and Regional Growth
 Welfare
Foreign Policy = the diplomatic/political goals of a country in its interactions with other
nations
Topics: www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy
 Atrocities Prevention Board
 Strategy to fight transnational organized crime
 National Strategy for Counterterrorism
 U.S. Military presence in Iraq
 Cuba
 U.S. response to natural disasters in other countries
 Guantanamo Bay
o Detention and interrogation policy
o Use of torture
 Strategy for Pakistan and Afghanistan
 Strategy for international nuclear threat
 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia
 U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue
 International strategy for cyberspace issues
 Immigration
o Border security
o Legal immigration system that reflects our values and diverse needs
1.) Choose a topic in either domestic or foreign policy.
 Example: Foreign Policy on Immigration
2.) Choose a subtopic to narrow your focus.
 Example: Border security
3.) State the position you plan to support.
 Example: In order to provide maximum border security for its citizens, the United States
government must construct security walls along its borders with Mexico and Canada.
4.) Get your position statement approved, PRIOR TO starting your research.
5.) Write a 1-2 page paper to support your position statement. You MUST follow MLA format,
NO EXCEPTIONS. Your paper will be returned to you if you do not and you will only be
eligible for half credit.
Grading Rubric
Categories
3
4
Heading
Heading is
missing more
than two items
Heading is
missing two
items
Heading is
missing one
item
Heading has all
required items,
but is formatted
incorrectly
Spelling
Spelling
obscures
meaning
Punctuation is
used
incorrectly
more than three
times
Capitalization
is used
incorrectly
more than three
times
Unintelligible
or nonexistent
structure
Excessive
errors
Frequent errors
Incidental
spelling errors
Heading has all
required items
and is
formatted
correctly
No spelling
errors
Punctuation is
used
incorrectly
three times
Punctuation is
used
incorrectly two
times
Punctuation is
used
incorrectly one
time
Punctuation is
used correctly
Capitalization
is used
incorrectly
three times
Capitalization
is used
incorrectly two
times
Capitalization
is used
incorrectly one
time
Capitalization
is used
correctly
Sentences are
incomplete or
do not describe
an idea or give
information
Sentences are
incomplete and
disrupt
readability
Sentences are
complete, with
minor errors
and reduction
in readability
More than three
grammatical
errors
Content is not
related to topic
Three
grammatical
errors
Content
marginally
addresses topic
Primary
Sources
Sites less than
three sources
Sites three
sources
Works Sited
and MLA
Format
No Works
Sited page or
more than three
format errors
Paper is untidy
and illegible
Works Sited
page and three
format errors
Two
grammatical
errors
Content
addresses topic,
but strays
significantly
Sites one
primary source
with supporting
data
Works Sited
page and two
format errors
One
grammatical
error
Content
addresses topic,
but is
incomplete
Sites two
primary
sources with
supporting data
Works Sited
page and one
format error
Sentences are
complete,
concise and
show a high
level of
understanding
No
grammatical
errors
Topic is
addressed fully
and cogently
Paper is untidy
and printing is
often difficult
to read
Paper is untidy
or printing is
often difficult
to read
Printing is
difficult to read
at times
Punctuation
Capitalization
Sentence
Structure and
Completion
Grammar and
Usage
Content
Neatness
Topic
Approval
0
Topic was not
approved prior
to starting
research
1
2
Sites three or
more primary
sources with
supporting data
Works Sited
page and no
format errors
Printing is clear
Topic was
approved prior
to starting
research
TOTAL
POINTS
Value