Final Paper Assignment

The primary goal of your final assignment is to critically analyze the specific topic you have chosen regarding American national government.

You have been preparing for this final assignment each week by constructing an Annotated Bibliography (Week 2) and a detailed outline of the Final Paper’s main points (Week 3) in which you focused on the following:

• Historical and constitutional basis for the American Government’s structure
• The system of checks and balances
• The various roles (e., public opinion, media, special interest groups, etc.) concerning public policy and elections
• The voting system and election process.

In addition, you have read the course text and course readings, reviewed videos, and researched additional material for each week’s assignments and this paper. This week, you will put all of those outlines, readings, reviews, and research together to evaluate policymaking and government program administration into one Final Paper.

As we wrap up our course, reflect on what you have learned about the key structures, systems, roles, and processes that embody our national government. Think about the strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages, and positive and negative impacts of these aspects of our democracy. Use what you have learned so far to evaluate a specific policy of our national government and recommend ways to enhance what works and repair what is not working well. It is important that your Final Paper utilizes your previous research and assignments, including the feedback that you received from the Ashford Writing Center in Week 4. The assignment should also showcase what you have learned in the course. While your previous assignments will serve as a strong base for this assignment, it is very important that you implement feedback from your instructor and the Ashford Writing Center, as well as further expand on the material. Appropriate transitions and headings are needed to ensure a cohesive Final Paper.

The Final Paper should utilize the POL201 Final Paper template and be at least six pages in length (not including title page and references) and based on your previously submitted assignments. It is important to utilize APA Style ElementsLinks to an external site. headings for major sections of your paper in order to ensure that the paper is easy to follow.

Scaffold your paper around the following outline:

• Title page (see Introduction to APALinks to an external site.)
• Introduction (half page) (see Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site.)
• Describe the paper’s overall thesis.
• Provide an overview of main points.
• First Main Point (one to one and a half pages) describes the historical and Constitutional basis of American government’s structure and how this relates to the policy.
• Describe the main point.
• Support the main point with research.
• Second Main Point (one to one and a half pages) explains how the policy is involved within the process of checks and balances.
• Describe the main point.
• Support the main point with research.
• Third Main Point (one to one and a half pages) describes how the policy relates to public policy and elections and how the policy is portrayed by the media.
• Describe the main point.
• Support the main point with research.
• Fourth Main Point (one to one and a half pages) explains how the policy impacts voting and the election process.
• Describe the main point.
• Support the main point with research.
• Conclusion (see Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site.)
• Review your main points.
• Review your overall thesis.
• References page (see Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site.)

The Final Paper Assignment

• Must be at least six double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Ashford Writing CenterLinks to an external site..
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least eight scholarly sources in addition to the course text. A minimum of five of the resources must be from peer-reviewed scholarly sources from the Ashford University Library.
  • The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.