For this course, you will be asked to write a 5-7 page paper (typed, double-spaced, with a bibliography of cited
sources) on one of the following topic (Question C):
C) In one particular country (please identify the country), examine a particular poltitical party in which you discuss:
1) What does the group or organization look like and how is it structured (including the leadership)? What are its goals?
Primary issue area(s)? What kind of resources (ex. money) does it possess?
2) Who makes up its membership and/or target audience or constituency (group it serves)?
3) What is the history of its involvement in domestic politics? How influential do you think it is either domestically,
regionally, or globally? What kind of potential does it have for involvement and influence in domestic or regional politics
in the future? Please focus on a group that has domestic or regional influence only, NOT any group which is
influential internationally
Paper Requirements
* 5 to 7 page length (you are allowed to go a page or two over 7 pages but you will be penalized if your paper is less
than 5 pages). The page count only includes pages of text. Any cover pages or works cited/bibliography pages do
not count as pages of text.
* The paper should be written with a size 12 Times New Roman Font. The margins should be one inch all around.
Please insert page numbers somewhere on the pages.
* A cover page is not required. However, you are free to include one if you wish. Either on the cover page or top
right of the first page of text, you should have the following information:
Your Name
Date
Political Science 130
Question C
You should have a title either in the middle of a cover page or in the middle above the beginning of the paper’s text.
Try to catch the reader’s interest with your title. Don’t just call your paper “Political Science 130 Paper.”
Sources
You must cite AT LEAST 4 different sources in your paper. AT LEAST 2 of these sources should be from
“academic” type sources (explained below). These sources include a number of online resources, books, and
academic journals. Check with the instructor if you are unsure about the acceptability of your sources.
Unacceptable sources include encyclopedias (both written and online) and websites not approved by the
instructor (i.e. Ron’s Politics Site). Do not lift material in large amounts from Wikipedia. I will investigate
Wikipedia to make sure you have not taken large amounts of your information from that website. If you have
any questions about whether a website is a legitimate source, simply e-mail it to the instructor. Official and
academic websites are the most reliable and don’t need to be confirmed by the instructor. Try to use sources outside of popular magazines (i.e. Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report) and newspapers. These sources are often good for background information but don’t provide as much substance as books, academic journals, or online
research resources.
An academic journal article:
Is written by a professor or researcher in an academic discipline
Reports on research or provides a scholarly analysis of a topic
Is published in a refereed journal-a journal which uses a panel of academic referees to select articles for
publication
Documents its sources in footnotes or a bibliography
Academic sources can also include official websites of organizations and websites hosted through a
university (ending in .edu). Some academic sites will end in .org (ask instructor if a website is an academic
source)
