Preferred Policy Statement
Objective:
Students are expected to describe and defend a single potential policy option, of their preference, to their senator/congress-person. These papers will be no more than five pages in length plus a literature-cited page.
This assignment permits the student(s) to express their opinion as to which potential policy they prefer and why they feel it is best suited to solving the problems associated with the case study. Essentially, students are writing their senator's official policy. The argument for this policy is expected to be compelling and accurate. Students should thoroughly describe the reasons that make this the policy superior to the rest. Additionally, students must devote approximately one-page to the possible "broad-sides" their senator may expect from the opposition. These counter-arguments will likely come from the supporters of the alternative policies. Students are expected to thoroughly describe, and when possible refute, these allegations.
The paper should exhibit a logical flow of information. The opening paragraph should establish a clearly focused controlling idea, indicating the intended direction of the paper. Every paragraph should begin with a sentence that either suggests the topic of the paragraph or provides a smooth transition. Please note: The "problem" and the range of alternative policy "options", as developed in your earlier 1 and 2-page papers, should be summarized in no more than about one paragraph each. Meanderings and unnecessary repetitions should be eliminated.
As you develop your argument, your sources of facts and supporting evidence must be properly referenced. Information you include from textbooks, newspapers, secondary journals (e.g., Scientific American, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, U.S. News & World Report, etc.), lecture notes, and reputable websites must be referenced both in the text and with a complete citation included in the Literature Cited section of the paper. A minimum of five (5) references are required.
When quoting information verbatim, quotation marks must accompany the quotation. As a reminder, your audience is not a scientist, but still demands accurate and understandable information. Whenever possible, express information in your own words using appropriate referencing. This helps establish your knowledge and understanding of the background science.
The papers will be graded on the following criteria:
Content (50%):
- Excellent: Addresses the assignment thoughtfully and with clear focus, displays awareness of and purpose in communicating to audience, completely describes problems/opportunities in a compelling way, details the history, current situation, and consequences, appropriate use of terms (45–50%).
- Strong: Addresses the assignment clearly and analytically, addresses audience needs and expectations, completely describes the problems/opportunities, details current situation and history, appropriate use of terms (39–44%).
- Adequate: Addresses the assignment with some analysis, addresses most audience needs, describes most aspects of problems/opportunities, covers current situation and history, uses appropriate terms (33–38%).
- Flawed: Addresses the assignment inadequately, shows insufficient audience awareness, lacks reasonable explanation of the problems/opportunities, does not develop current situation or history, incorrectly uses technical terms (26–32%).
- Deficient: Fails to address the assignment, demonstrates lack of audience awareness, focuses on inappropriate problems/opportunities, lacks current status or history, disregard for appropriate jargon or incorrect use of terms (0–25%).
Organization (30%):
- Excellent: Demonstrates sophisticated organization, first paragraph establishes a clearly focused controlling theme, makes effective connections between paragraphs, message is concise (28–30%).
- Strong: Demonstrates clear and coherent organization, first paragraph establishes a clearly focused controlling idea, flow exists between paragraphs, no unnecessary repetitions (23–27%).
- Adequate: Demonstrates adequate organization, first paragraph establishes a theme, paragraphs function together, minimal meandering (19–22%).
- Flawed: Displays random or confusing organization, strays from controlling idea or lacks clear direction, paragraphs lack relation, meandering or repetition present (13–18%).
- Deficient: Lacks organization or organizes illogically, lacks a controlling idea, no paragraphs or paragraphs unrelated, includes excessive repetition or meandering (0–12%).
Surface Correctness/Physical Layout (10%):
- Excellent: Displays superior, consistent syntax, sentence variety, word choice (3 or less grammatical mistakes), physical layout (font, spacing, margins) is clean and easy to read (10%).
- Strong: Displays coherent syntax, sentence variety, word choice (fewer than 6 grammatical mistakes), physical layout is clean and easy to read (8–9%).
- Adequate: Displays adequate syntax, sentence variety, word choice (fewer than 7 grammatical mistakes), paper readable but physical layout is unacceptable (6–7%).
- Flawed: Displays inadequate syntax, sentence variety, word choice (more than 8 grammatical mistakes), errors or physical layout impede understanding, inadequate proof-reading (4–5%).
- Deficient: Lacks syntax, sentence variety, inappropriate word choice, excessive grammatical errors rendering paper essentially unreadable, lack of proof-reading (0–3%).
Task (10%):
- Excellent: Paper is on topic, 1 page in length, focuses on objectives (10%).
- Strong: Paper is on topic, 1 page in length or slightly longer, stays focused (8–9%).
- Adequate: Paper is on topic, roughly one page in length, maintains focus (6–7%).
- Flawed: Paper is on topic, length or focus may be inappropriate (4–5%).
- Deficient: Paper misses the topic, length or focus unacceptable (0–3%).
