GESS 101
Fall, 1996
Professors Nichols, Pedersen, Watts, and Zomalt
Library Assignment
Your task in this assignment is to investigate two “campaign finance reform” initiatives, Propositions 208 and 212, to be decided by California voters in the upcoming general election. Your investigation will involve library research, and must draw upon material from three different types of sources:
1.) the Internet (there are official Web pages for both propositions);
2.) print news sources (daily and/or weekly newspapers); and
3.) scholarly books or journals.
Using information from all of these sources, you are to write a paper in which you do the following:
A.) Briefly summarizing the campaign finance problem that both ballot propositions seek to rectify. As part of your analysis of the problem, discuss how the issue of campaign finance relates to political participation. Books or journal articles might be the best source for this type of background information.
B.) Compare and contrast the proposed solutions to this problem offered by Propositions 208 and 212. What, specifically, does each propose to do? How are they alike? How do they differ? The Web pages would be helpful in completing this section of your analysis.
C.) Reach -- and defend -- a conclusion as to which of the two measures (if either) presents the best solution to the campaign finance problem. Does the election outcome confirm your judgment?
Note that among the possible conclusions are “neither” and “there is no problem that needs to be solved.” Newspaper articles -- especially editorials and opinion columns -- will be good sources for arguments in this regard.
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IMPORTANT NOTES:
This assignment involves considerable research, and the finished product should be something in the range of 3-5 pages (typed, double-spaced, with normal margins). You must include a reference page listing sources for all information used in the paper; see pages 150-60 of the Hult text for examples of how to cite sources in the body of the paper and in the reference page.
This must be a well-organized and well-written paper, and for this reason you are required to visit the Writing Center for help after you have written what you consider to be a good first draft of the paper. Please call the Writing Center (750-4168) to set up an appointment. We will not accept this assignment if you do not complete this step.
This paper must be typed, and is due in class on Wednesday, November 13.