Students will write a final research paper. Two options are available. Students may select a topic of interest to them from the readings and explore it more in-depth in a research paper, using in-text citations from at least four sources including the text and one peer-reviewed scholarly journal. The paper will be in APA format and contain an introduction, the body of the research, and a conclusion. The student may instead interview a locally elected official (sheriff, town council, state delegate or senator, school board member, etc.). The interview should discuss an issue that was of importance to the official during their campaign, and what they’ve done in office concerning that issue. It should also discuss their election campaign, day to day functions of their elected office, and how they work with other elected officials whether locally, state, or federal. Whichever option the student chooses, the final paper should be 5 to 7 pages long (not including the cover page and bibliography).
College level essay writing is expected, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence, and paragraph structure. The guidelines of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association should be followed for the Project Paper.