Political Science

In your essay writing for this course, use at least two of the following “tools” to analyze the piece. In your introductory paragraph (or second paragraph in some instances) mention which two tools you are using. This is the backbone of your thesis and should help with the structure and organization of your paper.

Feel free to employ your artistic freedom in your piece, and I do not grade based on my personal beliefs and values. I grade the essay based on the quality of the analysis, the supporting evidence/examples, grammar, structure, organization, and clarity. Length is not a factor, as an essay is only as long as it needs to be. That being said, an essay is not done until it has completed its purpose; in this case using two types of analyses to develop further understanding.

Below you will find some tools of analysis and some websites. Feel free to branch out as long as your essays are collegial, credible, professional, and analytical.

Tools of Analysis

• Compare and contrast (two or three sections of a piece)
• Compare and contrast (with outside information/experts such as academic experts, politicians, textbooks, and other professional sources)
• Apply to something you know (pop culture, other text, experience, historical examples, other material)
• Reinterpret (put the author’s ideas into your own words, communicate their point in a new way)
• Relevance (does the author’s ideas apply to something going on today?)
• Argue for (provide several examples why the author is correct)
• Argue against (provide at least one example why the author is incorrect)
• Proscribe (criticize the author or the piece)
• Prescribe a solution to a problem the author raises, or propose a better solution than the author gives
• Identify if author has a bias and explain with examples

Possible Sources

Experts/AnalystsInformationDoes it have an app or Twitter?1https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ Foreign Policy. CentristUse webhttp://www.heritage.org/ Foreign, Domestic, Theory. Right biasUse webhttps://www.cato.org/ Foreign, Domestic, Theory. Libertarian biasUse webhttps://www.brookings.edu/ Foreign, Domestic, Theory. Left biasUse webhttps://www.rand.org/

Analyze and critique the theory and practice of the politics and governments of the United States and California.

Use two tools of analysis for better understanding of the Constitution. Choose a Clause or Amendment and analyze.

Examples:

Fully Introduce background/history/ important events regarding the clause or amendment

Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the amendment with an example or two. Then describe how the amendment is relevant (or irrelevant) today. Include an opening sentence that grabs attention.

Thesis might look like: This essay identifies the important amendment ______. The amendment is relevant today because of ______________. An example of this is _____________. When looking at the amendment’s relevance today, I feel ____________ about the amendment, because __________.