Attachment: Instructions on Essay Preparation



Political Science 101 Introduction to Politics and Government

ABOUT THE ESSAY PREPARATION

Assigned topic: discussing and assessing the definition of politics as seen in the last slide of the lecture notes for Week 1 (posted on the Blackboard); this is the definition by Rand Dyck, one of the editors of our textbook, that appeared in the 4th edition of the book, but not in the 5th edition—the edition we are using for this term. For information about how to cite the source of this definition, see below. Your discussions and assessments of the definition should be combined with discussions of the recent politics regarding the Trans-mountain (Kinder Morgan) Pipeline.

Assigned material:

Chapter 1 of the text (the 5th edition, the one we are using for this fall term). Key points to be aware: many perspectives on what politics is or definition of politics. Dyck’s definition in the last slide of the Week 1 lecture notes is one of the many perspectives on what politics is. In the term essay, it is your job to illustrate and analyze the perspectives taken by Dyck’s definition, and assess the merits and problems of the definition in comparison to one or more other perspectives or definitions on politics as discussed in Chapter 1.

Though not assigned for the term essay, you may refer to the lecture and text information assigned for other weeks that may be relevant and helpful to the discussions in your term essay.

Research:

Your own research: A minimum of three research sources are required (the assigned materials/information listed above, i.e., the text materials and the lecture information, should not be seen as part of these research materials). At least one of these research materials should be academic (an academic book or a chapter from an academic book, or an article from an academic journal). The rest of the research materials can be of quality publications on the internet (such as those available on the CBC website), reputable magazines or newspapers (such as the Globe and Mail, the MacLean’s, or the Edmonton Journal).

What to be in the Essay:

• Provide an introduction, including quotation of Dyck’s definition of politics in the last slide of the Week 1 lecture notes.

• Using your own words paraphrasing the key words of Dyck’s definition in a concise and general way (this part of discussion should not be too long).

• Using the politics regarding the expansion of Trans-mountain Pipeline to illustrate the meanings of Dyck’s definition (as seen in its key words), including your discussions on how the politics of the pipeline expansion illustrate the definition.

• Provide your own assessments of this definition: Its merits and its drawbacks with reference to your discussions on the politics of the pipeline expansion. Adequately and convincingly explain in what ways this definition of politics has merits, and in what ways it becomes inadequate or problematic.

• Propose and explain your own ideas on what politics should be to address the drawbacks in Dyck’s definition discussed above.

The essay should have clear and sufficient discussions that reflect your sound understanding of the assigned definition of politics and the relevance of the politics of the pipeline expansion to this definition.

The essay should be free of conceptual, factual, grammatical, and spelling error.

Both the assigned text chapter (Chapter 1) and the research materials must be integrated in your essay. This requirement means:

1. The discussion in your essay must have explicit references to the relevant information in the assigned chapter of the text and the research materials with the sources including the text clearly and properly cited.

2. Your discussion should avoid merely repeating the assigned information and the information in the research materials. It should be in your own words as much as possible (this does not preclude short quotations from your sources if necessary, or as required in terms of the assigned definition. Long quotations should be avoided in such a short essay).

How to cite the source of Dyck’s (the assigned) definition:

Either of the two ways is fine:

1). Dyck, Rand, Studying Politics, Toronto, Nelson Education, 4th edition, 2012.

2). Dyck, Rand, quoted in POLS 101 Lecture Notes, Winter 2020.

You may have to adapt the samples above to make the citation consistent with the convention required by your chosen style of citation (e.g. APA or another convention).

Attention Points about Citation, Notes, and List of References:

Citation and notes should be treated seriously. You can lose a large amount of marks for problems in this regard. If anything is not clear contact the instructor for clarification.

There are three main styles of documentation: the Chicago Documentation Style, the MLA Documentation Style, and the APA Documentation Style. Use one of the styles for the citation and notes in your essay (one style only throughout the essay). Your citation and notes must conform to the rules and conventions of the documentation style you choose to use.

A list of references (or bibliography) should be attached to the end of your essay. The format of the list should conform to the requirements of the documentation style chosen by you (Chicago, MLA, or APA).

Citations of the lecture notes (if their information is used in your essay) should be: Sen Lin, Lecture Notes for Political Science 101, Winter 2020 (this is according to the Chicago Documentation Style), or a variation of this according to the convention of the documentation style chosen by you if it is MLA or APA.

If anything about citation and documentation is not clear you may refer to the very useful information about the conventions and rules of Chicago, MLA, and APA documentation styles as posted on the website of the library. You can access the library information by clicking on the link Library Resources on the Blackboard. Then look for the box Research How-To’s, and click on the link Writing and Citation in the box.

If there is a conflict between any of the requirements listed in this handout (including those listed below) and any of those listed in the documentation conventions (Chicago, MLA, APA) the requirement in this handout should be followed.

The Writing and Learning Services of the University provides very useful information and personal help (appointment may be needed regarding how to prepare term essay successfully. Click this link to find out more including the information on how to contact the staff at the Services:

Length and Format

The essay should be about 2,000 words in length. The word count must be clearly indicated on the coversheet of your essay (Word Count: 2,025, for example). Essays that are too short or too long may get marks reduction. It must be typed in double space (using size 12 font with 1- inch margin on all sides; avoiding large space between paragraphs, and very long paragraphs). It should have page numbers. Handwritten essays will not be accepted except for the cases approved by the instructor. The essay should have a body, a list of references (including the text and the lecture notes—if you choose to cite--and the research sources), and a coversheet—a page separate from the first page of your paper--with the title of your essay, your name, your student ID, the course number, the name of the instructor, and the submission date. This coversheet should not be counted as a page of the paper. The list of references and the coversheet should not be considered as part of the required length of your essay. Neither should the endnote page if there is any

Due Date & Penalty for Late Essay

The essay is due on December 4. Every effort should be made to email me your competed essay by midnight on the due date.

Early essays are acceptable. They should be emailed to the instructor.

Any essay that is handed in later than the midnight on the due date will be subject to late penalty. Late essays will be penalized with 10% deduction of your essay marks for the first day being late and 5% each workday after that. However, essays that are late for more than five workdays may not be accepted. Last minute excuses, such as problems with printer and computer, loss of computer files, and too busy at work, will not be accepted as legitimate reasons for late essays. The instructor will not accept electronic files of the essay unless there is a special circumstance approved by the instructor. If there is serious illness or family emergency that may delay the essay, contact the instructor as early as possible for approval of late essays.

Late essays should be emailed to instructor.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure his or her essay to be received by the instructor before the deadline and to get back his or her marked essay (essays will be marked and returned to students approximately 10 workdays—two weeks—after the instructor receives them). Keep the computer file or an extra hard copy of your essay until the marked essay is returned to you.

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