Final Paper — Policy Brief Instructions
PLEASE READ the “Course Criteria for Good Writing” found below for guidance about my expectations.
Your paper should be 7 to10 pages long (not including charts or references.)
Your paper should include the following sections which should appear as HEADERS in the paper:
Introduction — in a paragraph or two briefly explain what your paper is about.
The Problem — In a few sentences describe your chosen issue as a problem and tell your reader why they should care about. You may want to cite data to make the case for your argument here. Your revised Constrained Choice model should be included at the end of this section. You may choose to include your narrative piece about the “character” from your model here or throughout your paper but you do not have to use it.
Background — this is where you put your evidence and discuss your issue at greater length. It is also where you might include graphs and charts to illustrate your issue and concerns. This part of your paper may be several pages long. Here you should cite evidence from articles you have read, course materials and web sources. You are backing up your statements and opinions here with the research and writing of the experts.
Stakeholders — Who is most interested in the issue and who is affected by it and/or by the response you suggest to it. Be sure to review Bardach for insight into how to create this list. You may describe your stakeholders in narrative paragraphs or in list form. In addition to naming the stakeholders you should briefly explain what their interest is in the issue. You should also include a brief introductory paragraph and summary paragraph in this section. You should give a sense of which stakeholders you are most concerned with. Remember that you are not likely to please everyone when you make policy recommendation. This section may be a couple of pages long.
Possible Policy Responses — You can suggest a single policy response or several. Do not do more than 3. This section should include Pros and Cons for each response you choose to write about. The Pros and Cons can be presented in a list format in a table or written out in narrative paragraphs. The work you did with the Bardach Exercise should be expanded in narrative form and incorporated into this part of your paper and those below. In this section think back to your constrained choice model. Explain how your policy options work to remove constraints or introduce new opportunities into your model that would lead to better outcomes?
Best Option and Next Steps — Choose a policy response and present your argument for why it is the best one, incorporate (but do not repeat) the important pros and cons from above section in your discussion. Suggest how this policy might be brought forward, what it would take to make it real. You will use your imagination, common sense and learning from the course to complete this section. This section should be several pages long.
Conclusion — Briefly summarize the main points of your paper. This section should be a page or less.
You are encouraged to include graphs, charts or illustrations that help illustrate your work but it is not required.
Be sure to properly cite all quotes, and any graphs, charts or illustrations.
Sources for your paper should include your textbooks from this course and any of the articles in the course materials, other articles, web material and/or reports from the New York Times, academic journals, government or nonprofit sources.
Wikipedia and other random websites are not acceptable sources.
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Course Criteria for Good Writing
Responsiveness: Your paper must respond appropriately to the assignment. It must show that you have understood that the assignment asks you to write both according to the topics assigned and a formal, argumentative essay, with a thesis statement, concrete example, quotes, analysis, and a thought-provoking conclusion.
Thesis: Does your paper have a clear conceptual argument, or thesis, to it, a claim which says clearly what your argument is? Is that thesis/claim specific and clear to your readers? Does it appear in the first paragraph of your paper? Is your thesis/claim complex enough so that it is not already self-evident? Will it make your audience care? Does your thesis/claim have authority behind it? Is it assertive and sure of itself?
Focus: Does the rest of your paper focus clearly on the argument you laid out in your thesis? Have you followed the logic required by your conceptual thesis, excluding what is irrelevant? Do you make clear what the different parts of your paper have to do with each other and with your thesis/claim? Does the paper made good organizational sense? A well-focused paper will follow clearly first from the thesis and then from one idea to the next, avoid unclear digressions, and its different parts will all be relevant to the thesis/claim you are making.
Fullness: First, have you established your argument fully in your introduction? Is that first paragraph a solid basis for the ideas you have on the argument you want to present? Throughout the paper, do you give your arguments enough time? Do you say enough, staying with each point long enough to convince your readers that you know what you are talking about? Do you develop your ideas logically so that your argument can be followed, and so that your readers will grant you authority for what you say? Do you follow up quotations from the text with analysis so that your readers will understand why that quotation was integral to your argument?
Specifics: First, do you make your argument in specific terms? Do you give examples and details so that your readers can actually see what you mean? Do you quote sufficiently from your text providing quotations as concrete evidence for your argument? Are the grounds you give and the text you quote relevant to the point you are trying to make? And second, are there enough road signs–transitions and connections–so your readers know where you are going?
Presentation: How well have you edited your paper? Are there spelling errors? Awkward sentences? Punctuation problems? Does your style fit your purpose? Is the voice clear? Is your diction (word choice) appropriate? Is your prose clear and smooth? Are your sentences varied in style and length? Is your reader going to be able to read your essay without being distracted by spelling errors, typos, and misplaced punctuation?
Grading Rubric for Papers
A
B
C
D
Thesis, Purpose, and Significance
Thesis is not only argumentative, but is also surprising or risky, responds to assignment clearly and reflects authors purpose.
Essays purpose is clear, shows originality or independent thought.
Significance of the problem addressed is given clearly and compellingly, with a high degree of originality.
Thesis is argumentative, responds to assignment clearly and reflects authors purpose.
Essays purpose is clear, but could use a little more originality and independent thought.
Author gives reader good sense of the significance of the problem addressed.
Thesis is argumentative, but could respond to assignment and reflect authors purpose more clearly.
Essays purpose is somewhat clear, but lacks originality and independent thought.
Author gives reader some sense of the significance of the problem addressed.
Thesis not argumentative and does not respond to assignment or reflect authors purpose clearly.
Essays purpose is unclear.
Significance of the problem addressed not given clearly.
Argumentation and Rhetorical Strategies
Claims and ideas are developed logically and thoroughly, and are supported through relevant evidence and sound, thorough reasoning.
Clear and effective use of key rhetorical strategies ethos, pathos, and logos.
Author acknowledges multiple viewpoints and anticipates objections effectively.
Claims and ideas are developed logically, and are supported with a good amount of evidence and sound reasoning.
Use of key rhetorical strategies ethos, pathos, and logos evident.
Author anticipates some objections to his/her own position effectively.
Claims and ideas are developed somewhat logically with some support/evidence/reasoning.
Use of key rhetorical strategies ethos, pathos, and logos evident, but somewhat unclear.
Author anticipates some objections, but somewhat unclearly and ineffectively.
Claims and ideas are underdeveloped and unsupported.
Very little use of key rhetorical strategies.
Author does not anticipate objections or acknowledge other viewpoints.
Text Analysis and Usage
Author accurately and thoroughly summarizes or paraphrases texts used.
Author demonstrates ability to read texts accurately and critically/analytically.
Texts are synthesized into conversation with one another and with ideas of the author thoroughly and effectively.
Author accurately summarizes or paraphrases texts used.
Authors reading of texts accurate and somewhat critical/analytical.
Texts are synthesized into conversation with one another and with the ideas of the author fairly well.
Author summarizes or paraphrases some, but not all, texts used.
Authors reading of texts fairly accurate, but could be more critical/analytical.
Texts are somewhat synthesized into conversation with one another and with the ideas of the author.
Authors summaries of texts inadequate or inaccurate.
Authors reading of texts inaccurate and uncritical.
Texts are not synthesized into conversation with one another and with the authors ideas.
Style and Voice
Style and voice are not only appropriate to the given audience, purpose, genre, and claims, but also show originality and creativity.
Word choice is specific, purposeful, dynamic, and varied throughout essay.
Sentences are clear, active (Subject Verb Object), and to the point.
Style and voice appropriate to the given audience, purpose, genre, and claims.
Word choice is specific and purposeful, and somewhat varied throughout essay.
Sentences are mostly clear, active (SVO), and to the point.
Style and voice somewhat appropriate to given audience, purpose, genre, and claims.
Word choice is often unspecific, generic, redundant, and clichd.
Sentences are somewhat unclear; excessive use of passive voice.
Style and voice inappropriate or do not address given audience, purpose, etc.
Word choice is excessively redundant, clichd, and unspecific.
Sentences are very unclear.
Presentation and Organization
Topic sentences identify paragraphs purposes, reflect their content and contribute to overall unity of essay.
Transitions indicate relationships between not only paragraphs, but ideas.
Overall organization of paragraphs is logical and purposeful.
The essay is free from grammatical or mechanical errors.
Conforms to rules for formatting and citation of sources perfectly.
Topic sentences reflect most paragraph content but may not contribute to overall unity of essay.
Transitions indicate relationships between paragraphs.
Overall organization of paragraphs is mostly logical and purposeful.
Grammatical or mechanical errors exist, but not enough to distract from reading.
Conforms to rules for formatting and citation of sources with minor exceptions.
Topic sentences do not consistently reflect paragraph content.
Transitions sometimes do not indicate relationships between paragraphs.
Organization of paragraphs is sometimes logical, but sometimes illogical and somewhat distracting.
Grammatical or mechanical errors distract somewhat from reading.
Conforms to rules for formatting and citation of sources with several, somewhat major, exceptions.
Topic sentences unclear or non-existent.
Transitions fail to indicate relationships between paragraphs.
Organization of paragraphs illogical and distracting.
Paper is full of grammatical and mechanical errors.
Often fails to conform to rules for formatting and citation of sources.
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