Political Science Lehman College

Political News Presentation

POL 166 Pichon

The aim of this assignment is to get you thinking about how current events impact your lives and how they relate to the wider political system. There is a significant amount of room for your own interests and analysis in this presentation, and students are encouraged to engage in their topic of choice beyond one article. Instructions: Each student will give one powerpoint presentation this semester on a current events issue of his/her choosing. Briefly summarize a relevant political and social news topic on your assigned week and provide clear connections to the political process and our class discussions. Plan on presenting for 5 minutes. This assignment is not only to inform the class about an issue of your choice, but also involves your own analysis of why the issue is significant and how it relates to wider concepts. Some questions you should consider in formulating your presentation: Why is this topic of interest to you? What are the issues/debates surrounding the topic? This is central to this project. How does your topic tie into the role of government or to the political process in the United States and/or abroad? You may use any articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or Times Magazine but it must be an entire story (no one-paragraphed articles!!). The Week in Review section of the Sunday New York Times is a great place to find editorials and analysis on pertinent current events. Other sources of news are Sunday mornings Meet the Press (on NBC at 10:30-11:30am) and Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace (on FNC at 2-3pm) both can be found online. If there are other sources you would like to use, they must be reputable and cleared with me first. Along with a bibliography of sources, each student will send me his/her powerpoint slides by 8pm on the Saturday before the presentation week. This comprises 20% of the grade. I will offer you feedback and you should revise accordingly. All students are encouraged to see me during my office hours with any questions regarding this (or any other) assignment. Remember to be thorough, but this is not your dissertation: you will be speaking for 5 minutes only and there is a 6 slide limit! Once you have signed up for a time slot, no date changes are permitted without a doctors note. If you neglect to come to class on your day, there are no make -ups. This assignment will comprise 10% of your final grade.