Writing Assignments
There are two writing assignments worth 100 points each. The purpose of the essays is to provide students an opportunity to discuss a key concept or topic in American politics and to show a basic understanding of academic research and reporting skills. Students should offer evidence for their arguments. Thus, submissions that are more comprehensive and detailed will earn a higher point total. Each assignment should be a minimum of 750 words. Submissions MUST include a work cited page (Note: there must be a parenthetical citation at the end of each sentence that contains information from a source). The textbook can be one of the sources included on the works cited page (sources other than the textbook may/should be used as well).
You should use New Courier or Times New Roman, 12 point font, double-spacing, and one-inch margins on all four sides of the paper. The assignment is to be formatted according to the Modern Language Association (MLA) style which includes works cited page but does NOT include a title page. Students should research this style in order to properly format the assignment (see the Purdue Online Writing Lab).
All writing assignments will be analyzed using SafeAssign. Essays that contain plagiarized material will receive a significant reduction in points or a zero. Students may receive a failing grade in the course for submitting plagiarized material. Do not cut and paste information from an online source or copy information directly from the textbook without using quotations and citing the information.
Writing Assignment 1
Select ONE of the following topics to discuss in Writing Assignment 1. The writing assignment should be a minimum of 750 words. You should use information from the textbook and outside sources to complete the assignment in the textbook. You must include a Works Cited page and in-text citations. See the Writing Assignment Instructions for more information.
Watch a conversation with Jeffrey Rosen (the Director of the National Constitution Center) and read the essay by William Marshall (on the Interactive Constitution website) about the expansion of presidential power. Identify and discuss the five reasons for the expansion of presidential power? The video and essay were published towards the end of the Obama Administration. Discuss each reason with respect to the Trump Administration and the Biden Administration. Have these two presidents continued the expansion of presidential power? [Be sure to provide examples.] Do you think modern presidents are becoming too powerful or do you think the expansion of power has been necessary? Make sure to explain your reasoning.
The Founding Fathers wanted the courts to be protected from politics. In what ways was the judiciary designed to limit the role of politics? Are the courts completely immune from politics in their work? Why or why not? What role does politics play in Supreme Court confirmation proceedings? Should there be term limits for federal judges, including Supreme Court justices? Why or why not?
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|