This assignment asks you to establish and defend a proposition of policy relevant to a significant social and/or political issue. As covered in lectures and discussion, propositions of policy are the defining moment of public advocacy, the culmination of a public argument that answers the question: “What is to be done?” Propositions of policy are driven by “ought” claims: “What should we do, how should we believe, and/or behave in the future as a consequence of our agreement on particular value judgments concerning factual matters. As the culminating moment of such advocacy, propositions of policy are the most complex and difficult arguments to make, for they build upon propositions of fact and value, and thus require mastery and demonstration of all the skills of argumentation we have been working on this semester. Plus, they require sophistication in understanding how to locate and stylize your argument in the most effective manner. Remember, just because we might agree on a certain set of facts does not mean that we will necessarily agree at the policy level.
1. Choose a topic that interests you because you will be stuck with this topic for upcoming assignments as well (op-ed, presentation, dialogue). All topics must be approved by the instructor.
2. The essay will be 5-7 double-spaced, with one inch margins (left/right, top/bottom), not including the title page or the reference page. The title page should include the proposition of policy that you are defending, your name, and the title of the course. Staple your paper together. Do not use folders.
3. You must provide, at minimum, seven (7) sources. The use of reference materials, in text, and in the reference page must use the conventions of the current APA style guide.
4. The essay will be a defense of a proposition of policy, but it will draw where appropriate from fact and value arguments. The proposition will need to identify the specific agent of action and the particular policy that you want enacted. You must be very specific. Do not assume that the reader “understands” or “gets” what you mean.
5. The policy you propose needs to be (a) clearly articulated, (b) consistent with the rule of “minimum change,” (c) sensitive to the horizontal and vertical structures of power in the United States, and (d) inherent, workable, and desirable, i.e., you need to demonstrate that it could actually accomplish the goals you set out for it and that it will not lead to greater problems that it solves.
6. The essay must be carefully and clearly structured according to the standard parts of a formal essay (or speech): introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should establish the significance of your topic for your audience, establish your thesis statement, and offer an initial summary of how you intend to develop your argument. The body should be a clear series of proofs, all related tightly and immediately to the proposition of policy. This will include establishing that a problem exists (a combination of fact and value propositions), laying out a specific solution, and demonstrating that the solution is desirable. The conclusion should summarize your argument and seek to actuate your reader by reminding them why the topic is significant and important.
7. You will be evaluated on the degree to which the value you prove warrants the policy you advocate, and conversely the policy you advocate has the capacity to culminate and/or implement the negative/positive values you prove.
8. You will be evaluated on how well the evidence you use supports your arguments, and how well you follow the directions/parameters of the assignment.
9. You will be evaluated on good writing mechanics. Proofread your paper extensively and be sure you are using APA style for in text citations and the reference page.
Very Good Work Satisfactory Work Below Expectations Score
Logic, Critical Thinking, and Complexity of Ideas
(30%) Sophisticated handling of complex ideas and clearly demonstrated critical thinking.
(15-10) Sound logic; awareness of the complexity of the issues; audience awareness.
(9-5) Gaps in logic; inaccurate or incomplete information; unexamined bias; simplistic perspective; did not consider audience appropriately.
(4-0)
Thesis and Organization
(20%) Strong thesis; clear and appropriate transitions; smooth flow from beginning to end.
(10-7) Clear thesis; unified and coherent paragraphs; clear beginning, middle, and end to the essay.
(6-3) Unclear thesis or introduction; unclear essay and paragraph organization; lack of coherence.
(2-0)
Paragraph Development and Significant Detail
(20%) Paragraphs fully developed with significant, well-chosen facts and examples. Good use of supporting evidence.
(10-7) Paragraph developed with some detail; occasional vagueness.
(6-3) Paragraphs insufficiently developed or poor choice of detail; lack of supporting evidence.
(2-0)
Use of Sources and Documentation Form
(16%) Fully integrated quotations, paraphrases, and summaries: few to no errors in documentation.
(8-6) Source material integrated; only minor errors in documentation.
(5-3) Source material not integrated; documentation absent, unclear, incomplete, or incorrect.
(2-0)
Punctuation, Grammar, and Manuscript Form
(14%) Few to no errors, less than 3%.
(7-5) Some errors, mostly minor, less than 10%.
(6-3) Numerous serious errors.
(2-0)
/50
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