Political Science 499

Senior Seminar

 

The senior seminar paper is designed as a capstone of your learning experience at Saint Martin's College.  We have been studying the authoritative allocation of values.  Now is the time to apply that learning to demonstrate your understanding of political science.  Each student will select an issue of contemporary importance and prepare a careful analysis of the issue, which demonstrates the depth, and breadth of your understanding of political science.  The paper is completed on an independent study basis which may or may not involve the student in a seminar with other senior students.  Three preliminary assignments will be completed and reviewed with the instructor, but the completed paper itself is the objective.

 

Instructor:   William Lee Jackson    

                    Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 10:30 - 12:30

                    SMC FTL 253.964.4688

                    Emial:  wjackson@stmartin.edu

 

Assignments:  You will complete three preliminary assignments.  The instructor will meet individually with each student as requested to review and discuss these assignments.  The final paper is due on or before May 10, 2008.  If you wish to have your paper “marked up” and returned, you must give me a copy for that purpose.

  

                Topic statement due March 23, 2008.

                Introduction due March 30, 2008.

                Outline due April 13, 2008.

                Final paper due May 10, 2008.      

 

Grades:  The grade will be based primarily upon the quality of your finished paper.  Consideration will be given to the understanding of political science your have demonstrated during the completion and discussion of your preliminary assignments.  Good luck and enjoy the learning.

 

Assignments:  Working at the extension creates two problems for you.  One is that the terms are shorter than normal.  That means you must work hard for your regular classes.  But when it comes to research, hard work does not always make up for time.  You simply do not have time to wait around to get rare materials on interlibrary loan.  Nor do you have a lot of time to go back and gather up material you forgot or to investigate questions you missed the first time around.  The second problem is that available research materials are much less that ideal.  We try to compensate for both problems with careful planning.

 

The topic statement is a brief exploration of the topic to determine whether it is doable within the confines of this class.  It is not included in the final paper.  It is a simple first step but an important one.  You must make sure the topic you have chosen is appropriate to the class and that you can find the material needed to do it before you get too far down the road on your research.  The topic statement should answer two questions.  1.  What broad topic do you wish to investigate?  Decided on a topic about which you wish to learn and begin a literature search.  2.  Is there enough background information available for your research?  Others have contributed to your field historically, philosophically, or experimentally.  Prepare a bibliography, which lists the material, which is abatable to you.  It is important that you have access to the material now or are sure that you can lay your hands on it when you need it.  List only those sources, which are really at, hand at this point.  If there is not enough you should quickly find a new topic.

 

The introduction sets the topic of the paper in the context of the times by explaining why the topic is important and showing which unanswered aspect of the topic you will explore.  Now that you know you have enough information for your paper, it is time to focus your research.  Review the material you have gathered.  After reviewing the literature, prepare a draft of your introduction that should basically answer two questions.  Why is this question of significance?  Why is it an appropriate subject for this paper at this time?

 

The outline helps a writer achieve a firm grasp of organization.  A good outline, reworked and reorganized repeatedly as the paper progresses, resembles an architect’s preliminary sketches rather than his finished blueprints.  An outline helps the writer visualize and strengthen tentative connections.  It serves as a guide in cutting sentences and paragraphs that turn out to be irrelevant.  It also provides a vehicle for the class and the instructor to help you in the preparation of your research and paper.

 

The paper must be written to conform to some style handbook.  Among the acceptable choices are those by Kate Turabian and the Modern Language Association (MLA).  Strunk and White’s Elements of Style is a brief classic of good writing and is strongly recommended.

 

While the organization of the paper is a product of both style and subject, each should contain the following elements:

 

          Introduction - which explains the issue you have decided

                   to investigate and briefly explains the importance

                   of the issue.

 

          Background -  which provides a brief history of the attempts

                   which have been made to cope with the problem by the

                   US political system, evaluates the success of the policy

                   solutions    which have been attempted and explains the

                   current status of public policy on the issue.

 

          Policy Analysis -  which explains the flaws in our current

                   public policy position, discusses the process by which

                   the issue has once again moved onto the political agenda,

                   presents the alternatives under discussion in the

                   contemporary debate.  It also presents and defends

                   the best policy solution to the issue.

 

          Prediction - which analyzes the political forces at work in the

                   contemporary debate, explains their interplay, predicts

                   and defends the most likely course for dealing with the

                   issue.

 

          Sources Consulted - which lists the material you have consulted

                   for general or specific information during the course of

                   your research.

 

Since this is an academic paper of the highest quality, you must pay particular attention to sourcing.  You must give credit to those from whom you have borrowed ideas, concepts, and data.  You must because other scholars may need to verify your work at some time in the future and you must because presenting the work of others as your own is the highest form of academic dishonesty and is subject to the highest form of academic discipline when discovered.  You must adopt a consistent pattern of citation for giving credit to the sources of your facts and ideas.  I prefer  “parenthetical citations and works consulted.”