Interest Group Options and
Assignment

READ Miroff et.al., CHAPTER 9. From list below select Interest Group and Issue

Public Interest Group /
WWW Address
California Public Interest Research Group
/
Campaign for America’s Future**** /
Center for Public Integrity *** /
Center for Responsive Politics**** /
Citizen Works /
Common Cause /
Corporate Accountability Project /
Corp Watch**** /
Democracy Rising /
Friends of the Earth /
Global Exchange /
Natural Resources Defense Council /
PensionRightsCenter /
Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy /
Public Campaign /
Public Citizen /
Sierra Club /
Social Investment Forum /
Stakeholder Alliance /
United for a Fair Economy /
United Students Against Sweatshops /
Working Assets /

FAQ : PAPER AND PRESENTATION

What are the steps for completing the paper and what does the paper include?
Steps:

1.Find an interest group and interest of importance to you.
Find a classmate interested in the same and/or similar area. Projects will be done in 2 person teams. Each team member will evaluate the contribution of the other, so select someone you can work with because you share similar study and work habits. All papers are due in WEEK 10 on TUESDAY at 1:00 p.m. No exceptions. Papers including citations should be about 5-8 pages long and CLEARLY indicate the students responses to items ‘a’ to ‘e’ noted below.

2.Develop a paper that addresses the following:

  1. What is the issue the group is concerned with? If the interest group is interested in a number of issues select ONE. What evidence does theinterest group provide to indicate that the problem or situation exists? Do not copy this off the web page but summarize-- in your own words-- what the issue is and what their citedevidence means.
  2. What information independent of the interest group can you find that refutes or substantiates their claims? For independent information go to:

    Select resources from “W” Wilson Web. Use either scholarly or professional journal resources—not popular journals. You may also use Pro Quest which is an on-line newspaper service. Newspaper articles from reputable papers are acceptable (Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun, etc.) but not op-ed articles or editorial pieces. You are looking for facts --not opinion. Also available is Lexis Nexus.
  1. Describe the political sectorsactions. Identify specific legislation, executive orders, bureaucratic rulings, court cases that have influenced this issue. Who has supported and who opposed? What empirical evidence do you have of reasons?
  2. Describe the economic issues. For example what has happened to competitors in the market place, consumer choice, price, quality, service, long term investments, etc.? Be specific.
  3. Summarize the role that politics plays on the economic situation of interest to this group. Draw conclusions and make recommendations as to what ought to be done and by whom. Be sure to incorporate information from course, texts, lectures and on-line resources as it is relevant to your topic.
  4. References. Correctly cite sources. See examples below.

What should be included in the presentation and how long a presentation is required?

3.Presentation

  1. Prepare a 5 minute PowerPoint presentation or video that shares your interest group issue and analysis. A jointly prepared, clear message is valued at 15 points toward the final grade. All presentations will be given in WEEK 10.

How should teams operate and share the responsibility for the final paper?

Team Protocol

  1. Two person teams need to meet regularly during the course of the quarter either in person, by email and/or by phone.
  1. Team members may submit a joint paper where the names of the team are noted on the cover sheet of the report. Each team member receives the same grade for the paper but may receive different grades for the presentation. The presentation is assessed on a person by person basis.
    However, team members may submit a paper where each team member takes responsibility for specific sections. This needs to be divided equally and only sections ‘a’to ‘d’ may be divided. Section e must be a joint developed and authored by the team and references must be correctly cited.
  1. If there are problems with team members – they need to be addressed by week 6 at the latest. Team members that are non responsive, uncooperative, late, etc. fall under the civility rules for the class and will be handled accordingly. Team 5X8 card update and meeting with Dr. Emerson is in WEEK 6.

What are citations and how are they prepared and presented in a paper?

  1. The paper should address the issue in a clear concise manner using on-line, scholarly journals, newspapers and class texts. Materials must be cited as follows. Do not cite materials you do not use. All citations should be listed in alphabetical order at the end of the paper.
  1. Book citation:
    Author name, date, title, publishing location and publisher.

Korey, John L. 2002. California Government, 4th edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

  1. Article citation:
    Author name, date, “title”, journal, volume (issue), page numbers.
    Gass, Samuel I. 2005. “Model World: The Great Debate”. Interfaces 35 (4), 308-312.
  1. Newspaper Article:

Author. year.“title of article”, newspaper. date, page.
Morgan, Thomas. 1990. “Welfare Agency Faulted in Closing Cases”,The New York Times. September 20, 1, 20-21.

  1. Web page

Title of document database. author, date on page, sponsoring organization, date accessed and network address in full (If some information is missing, cite what is available.)
Victorian Women Writers Project. Ed. Perry Willett. June 1999. IndianaU. 26 June 1999.

  1. Other materials and an expanded description of citation please see CPP Library Web site at:
  1. Identifying information in the text of the paper should include

(Author’s last name year, page)
…the long term placement in a hotel or shelter done not guarantee that a family gets nutritious food or a safe place to stay for the night. (Morgan 1990, 12)

STUDENT PRESENTATION EVALUATION

STUDENT ______

Title of Interest Group:______Date:___/___/___

  • Area of interest:
  • Politics of issue
  • Economics of issue

Conclusions and recommendations
PRESENTATION / RANGE (circle ONE value for each item below)
Statement of issue- clear, coherent & understandable.
/ POOR______EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Presentation of information. - Well prepared. Discussion flows into coherent whole. No reading.
/ POOR ------EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Findings and conclusion –drawn from analysis of scholarly and reputable journals and newspapers.
/ POOR ------EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
VISUALS - Clear, well-integrated, and use of graphics as needed. LESS than 25 words on a slide. / POOR ------EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
OVERALL EVALUATION: / POOR ------EXCELLENT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
COMMENTS: (use back of sheet if needed)

Evaluators NAME: (please print and sign your name.)

______

Bring copy with your name filled out at the top on Tuesday of WEEK 10 when your paper is submitted. Thank you.

Evaluation of Team Member

ON a 5X8 card, indicate at the top the LAST 4 digits of your BRONCO ID NUMBER
Below print the full name of your team member.
Assign your team member a grade from A to F.
For grades below “C” briefly, comment on your grade.

Example:

0007
Jane Doe, B+
Comment:

Bring filled out 5X8 card on TUESDAY of WEEK 10.