POLI 200E – Introduction to World Politics
Fall 2024
Research Essay Guidelines (15% of final grade)
Introduction
Some essays have two parts i.e., for or against an issue. Students are at liberty to write their essays to support either perspective.
Read the guidelines and instructions carefully. Any student who deviates from these guidelines will be penalized accordingly.
Any student who prefers an alternative topic MUST SEEK PRIOR APPROVAL (in writing) from the instructor.
• These alternative topics MUST be on a weekly theme discussed in class or on the course outline.
• To do so, send an email with the draft topic and outline and an explanation of why you seek to write on the selected topic.
Tentative Essay Topics (Choose one of the topics below)
1. Human Behavioral Changes: A Necessity for Climate Change Mitigation.
2. Assessing the role of International Economic Institutions on the development of the Global South.
3. Globalization and Its Discontents – Assessing the Challenges to the post-World War II International Order.
4. Have we made any progress in reducing human rights violations? If yes, how so, if not, what has inhibited progress? Discuss
5. Are human rights only a problem in non-democratic countries? Discuss
6. Are Human Rights truly universal or they can come into conflicts with social or cultural values? Discuss
7. A re-emerging China – prospects and implications for global order.
8. Interests, Interactions, and Institutions – Understanding the Russo – Ukraine War (or the Israel – Hamas War).
Instructions and Guidelines
Take Note: Essays flagged as AI generated, or previously submitted to another institution/ course and or flagged as plagiarized will be awarded a mark of zero (0) and an academic alert.
Also, essays that appear to be written by someone else, including being purchased from a ‘paper mill’, will result in the student being required to defend the contents of the paper prior to a determination of the final grade.
• Essay Length: 1200 – 1500 words, excluding footnotes/endnotes and or bibliography.
• All cited works must be properly referenced. This includes the course textbook, if consulted. Wikipedia, Dictionary.com and Britannica.com ARE NOT academic sources.
• Lecture slides are based on the required texts for each week, as such, any reference to materials found on slides can be traced to the source i.e., the reading text. DO NOT CITE LECTURE SLIDES! If you pick any ideas from the slides, you must cite the course textbook, NOT the lecture slides. Students who cite slides will be penalized.
• A minimum of five (5) academic sources must be cited.
• APA, MLA, or Chicago citation manuals is accepted.
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 – point font and double spaced.
• One-inch margins at every side of the page
• Make sure that the essay title is indicated on the cover page.
• Take note- a cover page must be inserted with relevant information (student name, course code and Student number). All pages must be numbered.
• There will be a 5% (per day) penalty on late submissions.
Submission Deadline: November 28, 2024 (11: 59pm) via canvas
Find the Grading Rubric Below
Grading Rubric
Criteria Comments Points
Argument/ thesis, discussion of key themes and
structure of the Essay What is the argument being made? Is there a clear thesis? Is the thesis supported sufficiently? Are the arguments rooted in key texts (primary text/ weekly discussions in class), are the themes and concepts adequately discussed? Are the nuances within a concept discernible within the argument presented?
Are the arguments coherent? Is the essay well structured (an introduction -with a clear thesis; a body – discussion of key themes & rooted in required text; a discernible conclusion); intra paragraph coherence (are the sentences within each paragraph building upon each other? Is there a flow of argument?); inter paragraph coherence (are paragraphs well structured? Do they build on each other? Is there a logical flow of arguments? Are paragraphs interlinked?
Page numbering, title page with relevant information
9
Use of Sources Did the essay engage the primary text? Did the student consult external ACADEMIC sources? Are the citations well done? Is there a reference list/ bibliography at the end of the essay? Take note- A minimum of five (5) academic sources must be consulted in developing your arguments. 3
Grammar, spelling and Punctuation Is the essay littered with spelling errors? Are there any significant grammatical errors, are sentences well structured (take note of incoherent arguments, awkward sentences); punctuation (use of commas to enhance fluidity of essay, periods at the end of sentences, caps at the beginning of sentences) 3
Total 15
Additional Info
Late submission Penalized 5% per day (unless proof of documented illness, and other extenuating circumstances). Instructor’s discretion will be applied to each case, and students MUST contact instructor before deadline of assignment. -5% per day
Exceeding word limit Any excess beyond 10% of the required word count will be penalized. 1 – 2 points deduction
Plagiarism and AI Alexander College’s Policies on plagiarism will be applied