Contemporary Politics and Issues
Analysis Memo Assignment: Words of Advice to the New/Returning President
As one of the requirements for this class, you will need to write a 1500-2000 word approximately 5-7, double-spaced pages) analysis memo that asks you to apply concepts and materials reviewed over several weeks of class in combination with a modest amount of outside research using the website Real Clear Politics. While the paper is due Monday, November 12, you are highly encouraged to at least do the research for the essay prior to the election on November 6. As noted in the syllabus, your grade on this essay will make up 15 percent of your final course grade.
The essay prompt and instructions:
Your memo should be in the form of analytic paper that systematically advances a logical and evidence-supported argument offering advice to the next president of the United States (here, choose to direct your advice at the candidate that you want to win, rather than worrying about who you think will win as you are doing your research). In addition to demonstrating that you have watched The Choice and read numerous articles linked to Real Clear Politics, your memo should use ideas, concepts, and evidence from the numerous readings and themes covered so far in the class. What challenges and opportunities will the president who takes office in January 2013 face as he attempts to tackle the major priorities on which he campaigned in the final weeks of the 2012 campaign? What have political scientists discovered in their research that will be especially useful for the president as he tries to lead America through this difficult moment in our history?
In advance to starting your essay, you will need to carefully review three types of research materials:
· You should view with close attention at least one of the three presidential debates (either live or on YouTube)
· You will view the PBS documentary The Choice - 2012 on YouTube
· The week before the election, you should select and carefully read at least 10 short articles of your choice from the website RealClearPolitics (www.realclearpolitics.com). Archived editions of this site’s links can be accessed for any date of interest, for example: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/10/27/
You should plan print out and keep your research articles as you initially read them during our class—this is part of your reading assignment for the week before the elections—because some of articles will be accessible at no cost for only a short period after they are first published. Please make an effort to read materials that reflect a broad range of views.
A handout with detailed information on the criteria that will be used to grade your essay is available through a link that you can access from our course’s webpage. The content portion of your essay grade will reflect your engagement of ideas and examples the research noted above and applicable course materials. You may use MLA, APA, APSA, or Chicago guidelines to format your citations and bibliography properly.