You are required to write a critical thinking research paper on one of the topics below.
NOTE: The paper is worth a total of 140 points or 14% of your final grade.
Email SPC Writing Tutor if you need help with writing assignments.
Use Research Paper Grading Rubric for POS 2041.pdf for guidance.
The paper is due April 30, 2023.
For additional guidance, see this Sample American Government Research Paper. (Click on the hyperlink to access the sample paper.)
Select ONE of the following five topics. (Not following this requirement will result in a 30% penalty.)
Write a paper in which you discuss the role interest groups play in the American political system and how they attempt to shape public policy. After that, select one specific national piece of legislation during the Obama Administration or the Trump administration (i.e. The Affordable Health Care Act of 2010, The CARES Act of 2020, etc.) and identify two groups in favor of the legislation and two groups opposed to the legislation. Explain with concrete examples how the groups attempted to influence the passage or defeat of the bill throughout the legislative process.
Write a paper in which you discuss in details the role of the president as chief legislator (signing bills into law and issuing executive orders). Why is there conflict between Congress and the president while the president is performing the role of chief legislator? Select a specific instance of public policy conflict between Congress and President Obama or President Trump and explain the reasons for the conflict.
In the United States, we use the winner-take-all electoral system in electoral districts for Congress. Write a paper in which you discuss in details the winner-take-all system and the proportional system of representation. For the proportional system, you should select a country that use the proportional system and briefly explain how it works in that country. Should the American winner-take-all system be abolished and replaced with a proportional system of representation? If yes, why? If no, why not? Do not discuss the presidential election process. Do not discuss the Electoral College. Focus on congressional (U.S. House of Representatives) districts.
Over the years the balance of power between the nation and the states has shifted. Write a paper in which you discuss (in one or two paragraphs) how the Framers of the Constitution arranged government power between that nation and the states. After that, discuss in details two periods in American history that impacted on the balance of power between the national government and the states. Within those two periods, specify what lead to the shift in power. Explain how power shifted between the national government and the states and identify the level of government that gained the power. Identify the power that was gained. Do not discuss the period of transition from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. Discuss periods after ratification of the 1787 Constitution.
Compare and contrast the roles of the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches with regard to one of the following current issues: 1) Immigration; OR Abortion; OR Same-sex Marriage; OR Gun Control; OR Climate Change; OR 3) Digital Privacy. Be very specific in your analysis to include actions taken by each branch of government, the principles of separation of powers, and of the check-and-balance system.
Critical Thinking Research Paper Requirements
The paper is required to be written in the APA Writing format, 6th edition.
Click HERE for the basics of APA formatting. See also the sample paper below.
Click HERE for a sample research paper in the APA writing format.
Click HERE for additional help with APA (6th ed.) in-text citations and references (SPC Online Library).
As part of the APA writing format, your paper is required to include a title page, abstract page, analysis, and reference page(s).
Penalties for not complying with this requirement will range from 10% to 40%.
Your research paper analysis is required to be in at least 1000 words.
The title page, abstract page, and reference page(s) don’t count toward the length requirement.
Penalties for not complying with this requirement will range from 10% to 60%.
Your analysis of the topic should be comprehensive and supported by extensive research.
Your analysis should include also related legislation and legislative process, court decisions, and other political and legal implications.
Your analysis should be supported by at least ten (10) sources of information.
At least five of the sources are required to be academic.
The textbook isn’t allowed to be used as a source of information.
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