Develop your ability to think critically and independently about issues affecting state and local government.

Objectives:
• Become knowledgeable about issues affecting Texas government.
• Develop your ability to think critically and independently about issues affecting state and
local government.
• Develop your ability to research and write at the college level, documenting sources intext and on a reference page.
• Compose a well-organized, clear and concise research paper to expand your knowledge
and encourage participation in our representative democracy.
Instructions:
My hope is to make this a paper that you enjoy researching and writing because it involves
someone and something important to you.
PERSON AND ISSUE
For this paper, identify a PERSON involved in state or local government (I will allow a Texas
member of the United States Congress or the United States Senate) who has garnered your
interest. This person must have been ELECTED by the voters. They do not have to presently
hold office. They can be deceased. I want you to introduce me to this person with facts about
their life. I want to know who they are by reading your paper. Basically, I need to know their
biography and the route they took to their ultimate governmental destination.

Secondly, identify the ISSUE that draws you to choose this person. What cause did they
champion? How has this affected you personally? Perhaps, how does it affect all of us? (To
make it simpler, this section of the paper tells me WHY you chose this person!)
This paper should be 3 to 4 pages (double-spaced) of substantive material. This means the title
page and bibliography do not count towards the minimum length of three pages. All facts used
in the paper must be from valid (citable) sources and not assumptions or your own personal
beliefs. These facts should be clearly identified as to the source both in-text with proper citation
and at the end of the paper in a properly formatted bibliography. Again, the bibliography will
not count towards the three-page minimum. In addition, no more than 20 % of the paper may be
quoted material.
The paper should adequately cover the topic, be a minimum of three double-spaced typed pages
(not including references or title page) with 1″ margins, page numbers, and be concise and not
wordy.
You are welcome to ask questions regarding issues, outlining material, sources, etc. at any time
during the semester regarding this paper. I actually encourage this but do not require it. I will
give you any help you need while you are writing this paper. I also encourage you to use
resources such as the library or English and Composition faculty.

Your paper must:
• Be 3-4 pages in length, excluding title pages, references, and appendices
• Be double-spaced, typed in 12-point Times New Roman Font, and have 1-inch
margins
• Utilize a minimum of four scholarly sources. (Not Twitter and Wikipedia,
please…)
• Utilize MLA format and referencing.
• A good paper will have:
• A concise thesis statement
• A clear organizational strategy
• Appropriate transition throughout the paper
• No errors that interfere with readability or professional presentation
REMINDER: Your research paper must be an original work, created and submitted
exclusively for this course. Submitting a paper identical to or substantially similar to a
paper submitted for any other course will be considered an act of academic dishonesty.

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