Political Science 1: Introduction to Government (ONLINE), Fall 2015

College of the Desert, Professor Butler

Directions for Journals
*Sub-topics not found in the text must be pre-approved by the instructor.
Journal 1 (Due 9/13): Choose a sub-topic from Chapters 1 or 2. Journal 2 (Due 10/18): Choose
a sub-topic from Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. Journal 3 (Due 11/22): Choose a sub-topic from
Chapters 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14. (You can also choose any sub-topic from Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6
of California Politics.)
*Journals must be typed and uploaded to Blackboard on time. Use Times New Roman font,
either font size 11 or 12. Make sure to double-space your paper so I can insert comments where
necessary.
In 500-750 words (not counting any header/reference/supplemental information), reflect on
(explain a personal connection to) one chapter sub-topic. A helpful hint on choosing a sub-topic:
review the brief stories at the beginning of each chapter, which are often about current events
that are relevant to many students today. Make sure that your topic is narrowavoid writing on
broad topics like the executive branch. Instead, consider writing about a specific executive order
that impacts you/your community, like the Presidents recent executive order on immigration.
The idea is to find a sub-topic that you can personally relate and connect to.
Tip: Think carefully about the sub-topic you pick. Some sub-topics lend themselves more to
personal than other sub-topics. If you need help picking a sub-topic, check the weekly
announcements for tips on specific sub-topics.
Steps to follow if you want to produce a good Journal
1) Use the textbook to briefly summarize the sub-topic. Here is where you must reference the
text using APA formatting. 2) Then, reflect on whether or not the mechanism, process, issue,
etc. works or does not work, based on your personal experiences. While I want you to
connect your life to the material, be careful to avoid a pure opinion piece. Use your
experiences to inform an educated, scholarly analysis on your chosen topic. Demonstrate
that you understand the role/significance of specific political issues/processes/mechanisms.
You must provide citations in APA. APA Guide, Purdue OWL,
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/, Accessed August 20, 2015. For Journals,
only in-text citations/Reference Page are required in APA (you do not have to do an abstract,
cover page, etc. for these Journals, as they are more informal than your research paper at the end
of the semester).

Course Objectives that you will meet upon successful completion of this Journal
1. Articulate and explain the rights and obligations of citizenship
2. Critically evaluate the role of government in promoting the general welfare