During the next two months, in addition to the regular assignments, students will also research aspects of American National Government in general from the perspective of an assigned National Security Council character and write a minimum 1550 word Critical Analysis #4 (due Monday, November 19 at the beginning of class). You will be focusing on negotiating a particular crisis: Dispute in the East China Seas.
You may use varied sources for your paper but a primary source must be the information on the Council on Foreign Relations website that you will receive via Model Diplomacy email link sent to the email you have listed on the official roster.The beginning of your paper/analysis is a 310 word maximum brief addressed to the President suggesting what your character is recommending the President do to handle the crisis. The remainder of the paper elaborates on the brief.Keep in mind that one of the purposes of this course is to develop empathy for differences. One of the goals of this assignment is to help all of you become more empathetic. After researching your character, you are to write a critical/analysis (paper) portraying your character. You are to describe your character’s view of human nature and assumptions of human behavior, his or her politically relevant beliefs, from where the character would obtain his or her beliefs, how the character might relate to other characters, et cetera. You are encouraged to integrate your opinion, and you can use concepts from other classes which you feel might be helpful (with proper attribution). I want you to analyze the character. The approach you take is totally up to you, although the most successful usually includes the style suggested below.Here are some suggested analytic questions. You do not have to use these, and these alone will not be sufficient basis for your paper.Ask yourself questions like: You should not have any problem finding material on the character upon which to base your paper. The character has many relevant aspects to be analyzed.The format is: 1550 (MINIMUM) words, typed, double-spaced. The word count includes only the actual text of the paper (title page, foot or endnotes or scientific notation citations, bibliography, quotations, headings, graphs and figures, and so forth will not be counted)! The critical analysis is a significant portion of your evaluation, and you are expected to do an outstanding job of analyzing and writing.Evaluation will be based not only on the content (methodology, factual content) but also according to how well the paper is written. Be sure to use proper notation if you make references to the website, book, or any outside sources. The use of a writing manual is the best way to insure proper notation is being used.The analysis must be at least 1550 words. Papers that are shorter will be penalized ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE OF SHORTNESS (for example, 15% short will have 15 points deducted).Any papers not delivered to me in class at the beginning of class will be severely penalized (10 points per 24 hour period). Absence or tardiness is not an excuse! You are not supposed to be late, and you are not supposed to be absent from class! And if you are, it is your responsibility to get the paper to me prior to the beginning of class. Each additional day the paper is turned in late will increase the severity of the penalty. Each day is measured by 24 hours, so a paper delivered on Tuesday, November 20 at the beginning of class time is technically 24 hours late. I am adhering to these regulations strictly. Do not just leave the paper under my door because I will not know what time you turned it in. If you turn the paper in late or early and I am not around ask a colleague (or some other official) to put the date and time on the paper and sign it. It is also a good idea to submit to VeriCite on Canvas the Final version ASAP because that will lock in the time of submission. Your paper will not be graded until you also provide the exact same version of your e-submitted paper in hardcopy.Remember that this paper is to be as perfect as possible. It is an example of your finest writing. Misspelled words, grammar, sentence structure, et cetera, will all be graded so be sure to proofread the paper. If you have writing problems have others proofread your paper for you. Although the most important part of the paper is the analysis, a sloppily written paper will decrease your grade in all instances.Be sure that your paper has a strong methodological introduction. In a paragraph or two you should let the reader know your main argument or thesis. What is the purpose in writing this paper? What will you be arguing? How will the paper be organized in the pages that follow. This is what I mean by methodological introduction. It creates a more strongly organized paper. You are not writing a mystery novel. Social Science writing should be clear and direct. You want the reader to follow your argument as the paper develops, not wait until the end to figure out the main thesis. In a strong, concluding section you should then complete your analysis. Ideally, it should bring together your main arguments.Do not procrastinate! Give yourself time to write and type the paper. Please make sure your paper is the proper length and uses proper notation style.Warning: All papers will be run through an anti-plagiarism software program!Critical Analysis: Guidelines and SuggestionsBrief: Approximately 310 words (maximum) of this analysis is a brief attached at the beginning of the paper.Introduction: Writing a critical analysis is a skill which is very important, not only to the student but also to people in a wide variety of occupational settings. Many people find the process of analyzing, selecting information, and writing it all down to be a complex and sometimes difficult task. The instructions and suggestions that follow should provide help in the completion of the writing assignment.I. The Methodology.One of the most perplexing tasks faced by students in the conduct of writing is the development of an appropriate analytical question or questions (methodology). Ideally, the question or questions to be answered by the analysis will have some broader significance and move well beyond simple description.A. The Introduction. The introduction should be concise and comprehensive. In it you briefly state the analytical questions and describe the approach that you are taking. The introduction describes the progression that the discussion will take in the body of the paper. It should also inform the reader about what conclusions you expect to reach. Thus the introduction really serves as a summary of what the reader should expect.B. The Main Body. In this, which forms the bulk of the paper, you develop your argument logically, present the information in detail, and complete your discussion, including conclusions at which you have arrived.C. Conclusion. The conclusion is often the hardest part of the paper to write because it is there that you have to convince the reader that what s/he has read is worth the effort. Previous conclusions are reviewed briefly but then the final evaluation must be done. In this, you must state how well what you have presented supports the argument or position which you followed. If there are weaknesses they must be pointed out (which can avoid a lot of red ink!) and weighed against the strengths to come up with a final evaluation of your own work as well as the topic you have dealt with.II. Technical Points.A. Writing in general. Sentences should be your own. If you paraphrase you must give credit to the original writer. (See below under references.) Sentences should be short and direct. They should be correctly written! A new paragraph should be used when a new idea is to be discussed in the paragraph. The concluding sentence should provide a transition to the next idea.B. Presentation. Papers should always be typed. Long quotes (more than three sentences) should be indented and single-spaced.C. Footnotes and References. This is probably the greatest problem for students. A quote must be directly referenced. When information is used from one or several sources, even if it is in your own words, general reference to sources must be made. When you are presenting your own ideas or conclusions no references are necessary.There are two basic footnoting and reference styles used in academic papers. The first, for the sake of convenience, can be called the traditional style. The second is known as scientific style. You may use either style in a paper (be consistent, use one or the either but not both), but the scientific style is easier if you have several references to books or articles. Other styles may also be used (they vary from place to place and from journal to journal), outlined in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990).D. Works Cited (Bibliography). At the end of your paper you should list the works cited alphabetically by author’s last name. E. Writing Suggestions. 1. Do not use contractions in formal writing. 2. When writing a series of three or more words, phrases, or clauses (like this) insert a comma between each of the elements and before a conjunction separating the last two:The American flag is red, white, and blue.
New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles were the cities mentioned.3. The past tense of the verb “to lead” is “led” and not “lead.” The latter is an element or substance which you will find in the periodic chart.4. “It’s” is not a possessive but the contraction for “it is.” The possessive is “its.”
