Description
This writing assignment is designed to give you an opportunity to apply the critical thinking skills developed in this course to analyze public sector policy issues.
Step 1: Locate a recent article in a newsmagazine which deals in some depth with policy issues (economic, labor, public health, social justice, race relations, criminal justice and etc). By “recent” I mean that the article must have appeared no later than (FA’2019). An example of an “in depth” article would be a detailed analysis or editorial concerning some recent issue of unemployment, police reform, and other policy issues. The article you select must involve some key themes discussed in our class (POLS-360). For example, your article might deal with one or several key concepts in the course: public policy, leadership, intergovernmental relations, and social issues.
Good sources of appropriate articles include The Atlantic, The New Republic, The New Yorker, The Nation, and other newsmagazines (see Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe).
The article you select is crucial. Finding the most suitable article may take you more time than writing the paper itself. Consider selecting at least three possible articles, highlighting the passages you would analyze for each one, and brainstorming the key points you would make.
You do not have to get my approval for the article you select, but you may run it by me for a “green light” if you are not sure whether or not it is appropriate for this assignment.
Step 2: You should then write a three page paper (typewritten and double-spaced, with standard fonts and margins) in which you apply the critical thinking skills of the course to interpret some key point or points made in the article. Please keep the following advice and requirements in mind:
Consider including appropriate diagrams along with your text. Diagrams do not count as part of the 3 page limit (about 750 words).
Consider your audience to be your classmates.
Make your paper hang together well as a free-standing piece of writing. A reader should be able to read and understand your analysis without referring back to the article itself.
Incorporate specific information from the article in your paper, but be careful to avoid simply summarizing the article. I am particularly interested in seeing that you can apply the tools of the course to what you read in the news, so analysis of the article you choose is crucial.
Turn in a copy of your article along with your paper.
Your paper will be graded on the quality of your analysis and the effectiveness with which you interpret and communicate your thoughts and ideas. Include a cover page and DO NOT use a separate bibliography page.
• Turn in a copy of the article with the document.
• All work must be typewritten, double-spaced, spell and grammar-checked.
