Topic: Choose a topic that has been newsworthy within the last few years that relates to any concept we have already stud

Length:AT LEAST 7 but NO MORE THAN 10 Pages (TITLE PAGE, ABSTRACT and REFERENCE PAGE(s) DO NOT COUNT Format: Use APA FormattingTopic: Choose a topic that has been newsworthy within the last few years that relates to any concept we have already studied or is covered in our textbook – prior topics include the following:Abortion Rights, Gun Control, The Upside to Pluralism, Gay Marriage, School Funding, The Construct of the Constitution, President Obama’s Faults, Affirmative Action and on and on – I am very open as to paper topics – a good rule of thumb is, if it is in our book and you remember seeing something about it in the news over the last few years, I am okay with it. If you are unsure as to what to write about, let me know and I’ll try to help you.Objective: To demonstrate to students that the topics covered in our class are relevant to their worlds and interests. Instructions: Discuss the topic and detail how the topic applies to the student as an individual or to our state or nation as a whole. Discuss why the topic is newsworthy. Give your opinions and discuss why you have those opinions. Make sure your opinions are disclosed as such and not implied to be facts.Sources: Use and cite to at least five different reputable sources (to include but not limited to newspaper publications, news magazines, court cases, newsworthy websites, or even, heaven forbid…books!). If you have questions about whether or not your source is reputable, email me at Lehmanr@phsc.edu and/or richie_lehman@yahoo.com or text me at 352-942-0872. Wikipedia is NOT reputable. Rough Drafts: Feel free to submit them if and when you wish and I’d be happy to give you my humble opinions Due Date: Bring a HARDCOPY with you on the last day of class when you turn in your final exam.What if your mother falls ill and you have to tend to her? You get arrested for excavating for arrowheads on state land without a permit (a 3rd degree felony, by the way) and you are sitting in jail because your parents refuse to bail you out to allow you to turn in your paper before the cut-off? While walking on the railing at the Clearwater Pier, with your laptop in your left hand and your puppy dog in your right, you slip and have to choose between dropping the puppy or your laptop into the Gulf of Mexico, you choose to drop your laptop into the Gulf, thereby destroying your only copy of your paper? After being invited to sing backup on Bruno Mars’ upcoming tour……………you get my point? While I will accept late papers, and deduct points for tardiness as I see fit, if I do not have your paper either in my hand before grades are due (the day following our last class meeting usually) I MUST fail you. No wiggle-room on this point – sorry
Plagiarism: I intend to report suspected plagiarism to the Dean’s Office (yeah, I’m a snitch. So what of it??) The dean shall take whatever action they feel is appropriate. A good rule of thumb is, if the idea didn’t originate in your head, credit where you got the idea from. Although, technically not plagiarism, if you turn in a recycled paper that you wrote for a different class, you will receive a zero. (And no, I do not care if you got an “A” on the paper the first time that you used it for a different class) Warning: a few semesters ago, a student turned in a paper with a really cool catch-phrase that didn’t seem to fit the rest of her paper – because she failed to cite a source for the sentence, I assumed it was her own thought – unfortunately for her, my curiosity got the better of me and I Googled her sentence. Up came the sentence…including about 8 other sentences that she obviously “borrowed” from a sample term paper being sold on a term-paper-sale website. To be fair, the rest of her paper appeared to be her own work, but still…. Officially I was instructed to give her an incomplete in my class – her other sanctions, which can include expulsion, are unknown to me and are between her and the school – play it safe: CITE EVERY SENTENCE THAT DID NOT ORIGINATE IN YOUR HEAD! Generally, most of your paragraphs will take this form: One or two fact sentences which are properly cited, followed by one or two sentences which are your own opinion and have no citations, followed by one or two fact sentences which back-up your opinions and our properly cited. Mind you, this isn’t a hard and fast formula, just one idea of how you can avoid giving the impression that the facts you find are actually your own thoughts.Another idea: Practically all official writing that I do contains a cite after every single sentence. Then at the end of my papers I will put a paragraph of my own opinions or give my thoughts as to what the cited materials mean to me. The employees who work at our school library know more about formatting than I will ever know. If I were in your shoes, I’d run all of my questions past them. Still have questions? Feel free to ask me in class, after class, email me or text me