Writing a Research Paper
Brian M Conley
Title:
I. Introduction
Topic:
Question:
Introductory Literature Review: (Introduce Schools of Thought)
Thesis: (Argument):
Hypothesis:
Roadmap:
II. Literature Review
Review Schools of Thought
III. Research Design
IV. Argument/Analysis
V. Conclusion
Assignment One:
Title: Trashy Language: Assessing the Impact of Lobbyist-Proposed Legislative
Language on State E-Waste Policy
Introduction
Topic:
The Impact of Lobbyist-Proposed Legislative Language on State Electronic
Waste Policy
Question:
What role does lobbyist-proposed legislative language have on the ability of a
lobbying interest to influence legislative outcomes, and thus win in competition
with other interest groups?
Statement of Sources
Assignment Two: Literature Review
Write a critical review of the academic literature that relates to your research topic.
The review should address at least three scholarly works that touch upon your
topic. It should be a minimum of three pages in length, and not more than eight.
Assignment Three: Outline
There are three parts to this assignment:
1) Revise your research question (Assignment One) to include you a brief review of
your literature and your thesis statement.
2) Write an outline of your paper;
3) Provide a bibliography of all the sources you have gathered thus far.
Title: Trashy Language: Assessing the Impact of Lobbyist-Proposed Legislative
Language on State E-Waste Policy
Introduction
Topic:
The Impact of Lobbyist-Proposed Legislative Language on State Electronic
Waste Policy
Question:
What role does lobbyist-proposed legislative language have on the ability of a
lobbying interest to influence legislative outcomes, and thus win in competition
with other interest groups?
Introductory Literature Review: (Introduce Schools of Thought)
Exchange Theory: Lobbying influences legislative action either through an
exchange of contributions, financial or otherwise for votes.
Persuasion Theory: Lobbying influences legislative action by way of informationbased strategic persuasion.
Limitations: The role of lobbyist-proposed legislative language, as a form of
persuasion has not been systematically analyzed.
Writing a Research Paper
Thesis: (Argument):
The use of specific legislative language by lobbyists does have a significant
influence on legislative outcomes.
Hypothesis:
It is my contention that lobbyists who provide legislators with language that a
lawmaker see as “constructive,” or more or less trustworthy and intended
to further rather than destroy filed legislation are more likely to influence
legislators and thus win in competition with other interest groups.
Roadmap:
Outline Paper: Review Different Schools of Thought (Exchange and
Persuasion)
Writing a Research Paper
II. Literature Review
School of Thought One: Exchange Theory
Scholars: (Denzau and Munger 1986; Synder 1992; Hall and Deardorff 2006)
Summary:
According to exchange theories of interest group advocacy, lobbying involves
a form of barter or trade between lobbyists and legislators.
Critique: There are clear limits to exchange theories of lobbying, including
questions relating to how implied contracts are enforced, and the
frequency with lobbyists focus their attention on sympathetic rather than
undecided legislators.
.
Writing a Research Paper
II. Literature Review (continued)
School of Thought Two: Persuasion Theory
Scholars: (Hansen 1991; Austen-Smith and Wright 1994; Evans 1989)
Summary:
In persuasion models, lobbyists provide informational signaling in order to
gain access to legislators and persuade them of the benefits of a particular
policy course.
Critique: (Optional)
Support:
Persuasion arguments have helped account for not only how, but why
influence does or does not occur.
Transitional Paragraph:
Writing a Research Paper
III: Argument/Analysis
Research Design: Panel Study
To measure the comparative impact of a language-based strategy, I conducted
a pre and post-test/panel study of filed and finalized, passed and
amended e-waste legislation in each of the states (19 in total) that have
passed such laws that include TVs since 2003.
Scoring:
To measure the before and after effects of a language strategy in each state, I
scored the favorability of all e-waste legislation on a five point scale based
on both its similarity to market share requirements, and the stated
preferences of legacy TV lobby.
(Best: Success)
Market share Placeholder Bills Flat Fees
1
2
3
(Worst: Failure)
Weight of Product Return Share
4
5
Writing a Research Paper
IV: Conclusion: Review/Restate Overall Argument
Citation Guide
Prof. Brian Conley
Suffolk University
Citation Guide
Books:
Structure:
Last name, first name (each author). Date. Publication title. City: Publisher.
Example:
Cosgrove, Kenneth. 2007. Branded Conservatives. New York: Peter Lang.
Edited Book.
Structure:
Last name, first name. eds. Date. Publication title. City: Publisher.
Example:
Goodman, Jeffrey and James Jasper. eds. 2009. The Social Movement
Reader. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Citation Guide
Articles:
Structure:
Last name, first name (each author). Date. “Article title.” Journal title.
Volume number: Page range.
Example:
Aldrich, John. 1980. “A Dynamic Model of Presidential Nomination
Campaigns.” American Political Science Review 74: 651-69.
Article in Edited Book:
Structure:
Last name, first name. Date. “Article title.” In Publication title, ed. Editors.
City: Publisher.
Example:
Tilly, Charles. 2009. “Defining Social Movements.” In The Social Movement
Reader, ed. Jeffrey Goodman and James Jasper. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Citation Guide
Electronic Sources: Books:
Structure:
Last name, first name (each author). Date. Publication title. City: Publisher.
Database (date accessed).
Example:
Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline B. Brettell, eds. 2008.
Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban
America. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/trinity/Doc?id=10224519 (August 11, 2009).
Citation Guide
Electronic Sources: Articles:
Structure:
Last name, first name. Date. “Article title.” Journal title. Volume number:
Page range. Database (date accessed).
Example:
Brzoska, Michael. 2003. “From Dumb to Smart? Recent Reforms of U.N.
Sanctions.” Global Governance 9 (October-December): 519-535.
Academic Search Premier (September 27, 2005).
Citation Guide
Electronic Sources: Newspaper Articles:
Structure:
Last name, first name. Date. “Article title.” Newspaper title. date: URL. (date
accessed).
Example:
Balz, Dan. 2007. ”Mixed Reviews for Clinton in Iowa.” Washington Post,
January 29. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2007/01/28/AR2007012801321.html (January 29,
2007).
Citations: In-Text
Example: No Quoted material: Author, Name Date
Tony Blair’s leadership, first within the party, and then as Prime Minister was also
shaped by an ongoing effort to rebrand the Labour Party in the early 1990s (Gould
1998; Lilleker 2005; White and de Chernatony 2002).
Example: Author Name, no Quoted material: Date
As Cosgrove (2007) notes, the branding of the Republican Party was initially promoted
by party conservatives, and the brand’s institutonalization within the party in many
ways parallels the rise of the Republican right in the 1980s and 1990s.
Example: Author name, Quoted Material: Date, Page number
“In the Democratic Party power flows upward,” Freeman explains, while “in the
Republican Party power flows downward” (1986, 328).
Citations: In-Text
Example: Author Name, no Quoted material: Date
As Cosgrove (2007) notes, the branding of the Republican Party was initially promoted
by party conservatives, and the brand’s institutonalization within the party in many
ways parallels the rise of the Republican right in the 1980s and 1990s.
Example: Author name, Quoted Material: Date, Page number
“In the Democratic Party power flows upward,” Freeman explains, while “in the
Republican Party power flows downward” (1986, 328).