Assignment Question
Reflect: Students are required to produce a policy memo in which they propose a solution to a domestic policy problem. In this memo, which should be five to six pages in length, students must make an argument to a relevant national political official about how best to solve this policy conundrum. Make sure to draw from the previous assignments in this course and include an analysis of how course material relates to your topic. An A paper will address four concepts in the course and analyze how they impact the outcome of the policy. For example, if discussing gun control, an A paper might discuss how public opinion, interest groups, federalism, polarization, the demographics of Congress, and/or the media impact the likelihood of passing gun control legislation. The solution will address how one can overcome the challenges posed by these groups/things, specifically drawing from lessons learned in the textbook.
Write: For this assignment prepare your final policy paper. The structure of the paper should be as follows. Provide an introduction that explains the domestic policy problem you are addressing in your policy memo and discusses why it is important. Explain at least two different potential solutions to the problem you are addressing in your policy memo and compare and contrast the pros and cons of the possible solutions. Advocate for the solution that you think is best. This is to say that you should consider the strengths and weakness of each approach, explaining why you think one is the better policy response. Provide a conclusion that restates the thesis and summaries the main points in the paper. The paper must include a bibliography that lists each source used in either APA or MLA format. The paper must draw upon a minimum of four academic/legitimate sources (e.g., The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The American Political Science Review, Journal of Politics, etc.) The paper must be 5 – 6 pages, double spaced and typed in 12 pt. Times New Roman font. Use one-inch margins and do not use four spaces between paragraphs.