Fall 2007 Internship Assignment
Political Science 497/498
Part of the experience of completing an internship is to gain work experience that prepares you for your chosen profession. Likewise, bridging this practical experience with an "educational" component is where your readings and papers come in.
Instructor: Kathleen E Searles, Internship Coordinator
The Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service
401 Johnson Tower, P.O. Box 644840, Pullman, WA 99164-4840
Tel: (509) 335-4264 Fax: (509) 335-2096
E-mail: ksearles@wsu.edu http://libarts.wsu.edu/foleyinst/
Paper, journal, proper contact information, and registration for credit.
NOTE: At this time Distance Degree Program Students (DDP) are not eligible for political science and criminal justice internships. DDP students can not take an internship for credit through the Foley Institute (please DO NOT enroll in POL S 497 or CRM J 490, you will be automatically dropped from the class).
Deadlines
Paper, journal, and employer evaluation Due Date: Monday, December 07, by 4:00 p.m. to the Foley Institute, Johnson Tower 401.
Grading
P/F course
For 40-hours/p. week for at least 12 weeks you will receive 12cr. and is required to complete 25 pages paper and 5-10 pages journal;
For 30-hours/p. week for at least 12 weeks you will receive 9 credits and is required to complete 20 pages paper and 5-10 pages journal;
For 20-hours/p. week for at least 12 weeks you will receive 6 credits and is required to complete 15 pages paper and 5-10 p. journals;
For 10-15 hours/p. weeks for at least 12 weeks you will receive 3 credits and is required to complete 10 pages paper and 5-10 pages journal.
This course is a pass/fail course. The student must successfully complete the practical portion of their internship (i.e. the actual working with an employer), as well as the academic component of the internship (i.e. paper, journal, evaluation turned in complete and on time) in order to receive a passing grade.
If for some reason a student is unable to complete the practical portion of their internship, or if they are fired or removed from their position as an intern, they will automatically receive a failing grade.
The academic and practical portions of the internship will be weighted equally in the decision to assign a passing or a failing grade. Students must demonstrate satisfactory completion of both the academic and practical components of an internship to receive a passing grade. If the student does not complete or turn in the academic portion of the internship on time and in full, then they will receive a failing grade. If a student is deemed to have completed unsatisfactory work for the agency they interning with, then they may be assigned a failing grade.
Please note: It is the policy of the Foley Institute internship program to NOT give incompletes for internship courses/credits. In taking this class for credit you have the same academic responsibilities as you would if you were taking a class at the university. All papers and information pertaining to your internship must be turned in by the due date listed above or the student will receive a failing grade.
Please make sure that you are registered for the right number of credits!
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ADD THIS COURSE AFTER THE THIRD WEEK OF CLASSES.
Required textbooks and readings for the course should be purchased on-line as soon as possible. Our office does not order them at WSU Bookstore.
Paper
You should select the topic that most closely matches your internship experience and with which you are familiar. Your paper must be typed, double-spaced and depending for how many credits you are registered from 10 pages (for a 3-credit course) to 25 pages (for a 12-credit course) in length, and have a minimum of 5 sources. Speak to me about the length of your paper. The length of the paper does not include the reference or title page.
Base your paper on the assigned readings and other professional or scholarly journals or newspapers. Proper citations are a must. Use APA format. You should make a copy of your paper and submit the original by mail. You can also submit an additional copy by electronic mail but make sure that it is in a format that is easily downloaded. I suggest rich text format. Documents that are gibberish or unreadable are classified as not submitted.
The paper must have at minimum five sources. Possible sources can include national journals or newspapers, such as: Congressional Quarterly, the Wall Street Journal, NY. Times, etc. Other journals are also acceptable - Commentary, National Review, New Republic - be careful though, these have an ideological slant. Government publications are also acceptable sources. You may also use Internet sources but care should be taken in citing and determining that they are legitimate and credible. I prefer government websites (Thomas.gov), "think-tank" sources (heritage.org etc.), and media outlets (cnn.com). Make sure you cite them correctly - I should be able to "pull them up" without a problem. If not, don't use them. Unfortunately personal interviews with key representatives, lobbyists, etc. are not acceptable because in many cases they require special permissions and can be tricky and time consuming.
Papers are graded primarily on the content, but style, grammar, and form will count. Carefully proof and edit your paper.
Papers must have:
- A title page.
- An introduction describing the topic and its importance (this should be accomplished in the first two paragraphs).
- A conclusion discussing what lessons your case study teaches about your topic.
- Bibliography.
- Papers should be typed; use Times New Roman font no larger than 12 pt.
You should list your sources completely in the bibliography and make references in the text in parentheses by author, year, and page numbers. For example, if you wanted to cite welfare reform in a textbook written by L. Sabato you would put the following (Sabato, 1999, pp.663). A full citing of books should be listed in the bibliography. Consult a style manual for the APA guidelines on citing. Do not assume you are doing it correctly.
Major ideas and quotes taken from the sources must be cited. Failure to do so is plagiarism and can result in a failure on the paper, class, and academic expulsion from the University.
Journal
In addition to your paper you must also write a short (5- to 10-page) journal about your internship experience. Papers should be typed; use Times New Roman font no larger than 12 pt.
This should include:
- A description of the daily tasks you performed and highlight significant learning experiences. You needn't recount a daily log of what you did - make it a narrative.
- Include your thoughts, perceptions, what you liked, didn't like, why you feel the way you do, and in general terms what you learned, and whether you believe the internship was a worthwhile experience.
- Include some thought on the setting you worked in and how you perceive it now that you have worked in the institution.
- Finally, what are you plans for the future? Do you believe the internship has helped you professionally toward your goal (if you have one), or somehow clarified your thinking on a profession?
Contact information
You must provide me with your address, telephone numbers (home/ work), and if possible and preferable your email address before you start your internship. Periodic "checking in" will be done. You are responsible for submitting other required forms as well. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION FORM to me as soon as possible.
If you will have any problems at your work place please notify me AND your supervisor (at the place of your internship) as soon as possible. Please act professionally and be respectful to your colleagues and supervisors.
Registering for Credit
It is the responsibility of each student to register for credit (POL SC 497/498). Failure to do so precludes one from gaining credit. This office will neither register students nor retroactively assign credits. If you have questions regarding this department policy please speak to the intern coordinator.
Topic one: Policy Analysis
1. The books you are responsible for reading are:
Agendas, Alternatives, and Policies, by John Kingdon. 2nd edition (1995)
Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making, by Debra Stone 2nd edition (1997)
Beyond Machiavelli: Policy Analysis Comes of Age, by Beryl Radin (2000)
(Supplement with at least 2 recent journal or newspaper articles)
2. Select a national public policy topic that is of personal interest, preferably one you worked on this legislative session and is being (or was) considered by the Congress and President. (Examples include but are not limited to Social Security reform, handgun purchase restrictions, patient's bill of rights, tax reform etc.). The topic is of your discretion (with my approval) but it must have been seriously considered in Congress and either adopted or not adopted. The paper should trace how the issue proceeded through the policy process and should include the following stages outlined below.
3. In your paper, consider the different stages of the policy process, and attempt to answer each of the following questions:
- The Policy Agenda: How did this problem become part of the government agenda? What role did linkage institutions such as public opinion, the media, political parties, elections, or interest groups play in putting this issue on the agenda?
- Policy Formation: How did the proposed policy address the public problem? In other words, what would this policy do or what was it supposed to do? How was it formulated and by whom? (For example, by the Governor, Legislature, the bureaucracy, interest groups, etc.)
- Policy Adoption: Describe the politics surrounding the consideration of this policy. Who were the key actors (legislators, interest groups, agency officials, the Governor, etc.) involved in determining whether the policy was adopted or was not adopted? What role did other factors such as public opinion and the political environment play in the outcome?
- Policy Implementation and impact: If the policy was adopted, how was it carried out, and what is its likely effect on society? If the policy was not adopted, what are some of the potential consequences of its failure on society?
4. You are encouraged to express your own opinions in the conclusion, but the assignment - your assessment of a policy -- is to be as objective as possible. Do not write an editorial or diatribe slamming the President, Congress, the Republicans, or Democrats. (I know this can be tempting and fun but resist it, if you must, do it in your journal.) Write the paper as a neutral social scientist trying to explain and analyze why a certain policy was/was not adopted and why politics and institutions shaped that particular solution to a problem.
Topic two: Congress, the President, and Divided Government
Many pundits and scholars decry divided government and advocate unified government. The "gridlock" and unworkable relations between the executive and legislative branches is the result, they argue of divided government. Write a paper on the relations between the Congress and the President. Use the following readings as the basis of your paper.
Divided Government, Morris Fiorina (1996)
The President and Congress: Combat and Collaboration in National Policymaking, Leloup and Shull (1998).
(Supplement with at least 3 recent journal or newspaper articles)
1. Select a policy topic i.e. Social Security reform, the budget, gun control, partial birth abortion or etc. Examine both the President's and Congress' policy proposals. Determine how they are similar / different, and the major points of contention - or sticking points. Explain why are these points so contentious?
2.
Explain the results of these differences. Was an agreement reached or not? From your research and perspective working in politics, what were the reasons for this outcome? If there is evidence that supports your conclusion provide it.
3.
Describe the political wrangling or various positions taken by the Congress and the President that you believe are important to the end result of passage or failure. Were the two sides irreconcilable from the beginning? Was there a transforming event that spurred on compromise? How did future elections influence the proposals and policy outcome?
4. From your understanding of the readings, what are the consequences of divided government in general and in the chosen policy area? How would the outcome be different under unified government? If the current trend toward divided government continues what are the likely consequences on American politics? (What do the readings say? And how are your thoughts different - if they are?)
Topic three: Elections
Congressional reelection rates are in the 90% range. Proposals to reform campaign financing have circled around Washington for several years but none have been adopted. It is likely that while incumbents dislike fundraising they are grateful for the advantages their office affords. Write a paper on campaigns (Senatorial or Congressional). Begin by reading the following books and examining the two web pages.
The Politics of Congressional Elections. Gary Jacobson (4thed) (1996)
The Money Chase, Congressional Campaign Finance Reform. Magleby and Nelson (1990)
Party Politics in America. Paul Allen Beck (8th ed) (1997)
(Supplement with at least 2 recent journal or newspaper articles)
Note: These two reference pages include financial disclosure and other information about candidates that is necessary for this paper. http://www.fec.gov/ and http://www.vote-smart.org/
Your paper should consider the questions below.
1. Outline the structure of your campaign office and candidate's politics, political vulnerabilities, and status (incumbent/challenger). Briefly describe the opponent in relation to your candidate.
2. What were the principal sources of income for your candidate i.e. private contributions, PAC's (what kind of PAC's?, their party, personal funds, in-kind contributions, and etc.(be specific in dollar amounts raised to date)? Where and at what time during the campaign was this money spent (i.e. TV, etc)?
3. Outline the strategy of the campaign. Where did the candidate focus energy and effort to court voters (i.e. rural, urban, suburban, ethnic voters, etc.? Specifically, what did the candidate do to attract voters? Gain the attention of the media? Did the campaign seek to garner support from the other political party or independents? Why and why not?
4. What was the theme of the campaign and how was it framed? (This varies for incumbents and challengers. Explain the strategy to frame the campaign theme.) Have the messages been positive or negative? If negative at what point in the campaign did "it" go negative and why? Be specific. Assess the effectiveness of this strategy - did it work? Yes or no, support your answer with poll numbers or other data.
5. What affect did the candidate's previous votes, positions, politics, vulnerabilities, national political mood, and status have on the organization of the campaign, fundraising, strategies, and etc.?
6. Finally, assess the time-spent fundraising, the impact this constraint places on talking about issues, and the consequences (intended and unintended) of fundraising to campaigns and our political system as a whole.
Topic four: Courts
(for student in law firms, district attorneys offices, etc.)
Plea-bargaining has become a routine facet of the American legal system. Some argue that its practice allows criminals to get away with more serious infractions of the law while others argue that it's unfair to the prosecuted because they are often coerced into accepting a plea. Write a paper on why plea-bargaining is so pervasive in American society. Begin by reading the following books.
American Courts: Process and Policy, by Lawrence Baum (1998)
Politics of plea bargaining: Victim's rights in California, by Candace McCoy (1993)
Plea bargaining and guilty pleas / by James E. Bond (1982)
Inside plea bargaining : the language of negotiation / Douglas W. Maynard (1984)
(Supplement with at least 2 recent journal or newspaper articles)
Your paper should include an examination of the following questions. Is plea-bargaining unfair and/or irrational? Why is it so pervasive in our society? Why have efforts at elimination of plea-bargaining been unsuccessful?
In writing this paper you must select a high profile case in order to focus your attention and argument.
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