U. S. Government - McCauley: Assignment - GOVT 2305

The topic for the 2nd assignment is:  "The Approval Process for Supreme Court Justices"

This is your Second Major Writing Assignment as part of the Core Curriculum requirements of the State of Texas and Tyler Junior College. Please read ALL of the instructions below before you begin your research. As always with writing, start with an outline, then build your argument from the information you have discovered in your research. Review again the comments I made on your First Writing Assignment to make sure you don't make the same errors this time. After reading the directions several times, if you have questions, please ask or email me.

TOPIC FOR THIS PAPER: As we have discussed in class, the Constitution is rather vague about the qualifications to become a federal judge, even for those who sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. It also gives the President the right to nominate or name a federal judge, but the Senate has "advise and consent" authority. Historically, politics hasn't played a major role in Senate confirmation of a President's Supreme Court nominee, but that began to change during the Reagan years and the process is certainly political today. Your White Paper is to make recommendations to the Senate for new rules (possibly an amendment?) for how you think this process could be improved. The specifications for this white paper are exactly the same as for the first writing assignment.

• WHAT IS A "WHITE PAPER?": The best definition is "a government or other authoritative report giving information or proposals on an issue." A White Paper provides solid information to someone to help them decide how to resolve a problem or the best choice between various options. It presents the issue with background information, the various solutions, and then a recommendation of which is the best solution and why. It explains how to implement that decision and how to convince others it is the best solution.
• HOW DO I WRITE A "WHITE PAPER?": There are lots of examples and directions available to help you:

In this assignment you will :

• Analyze a significant issue in American political history (in this case, the issue is the Supreme Court justice nomination and approval process),

• Identify/Explain the methods used by people involved to present their proposed solutions to that issue (How did the Founding Fathers plan for this to work? How or why did that process change? )
• Discuss/Describe how you would address and present your solution to the issue in the context of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (What recommendation do you propose?)
• Discuss/Describe how you would promote your recommended solution to the issue in the context of your rights and responsibilities as an American citizen. (How, working within the law and societal constraints, can you implement your solution?)
• Following the order of a White Paper, make your argument based on what you believe will bring about the best results for this issue.

Length & Typeface/font: I do not grade based on word count or number of pages, but it would be impossible to make a compelling argument in less than three pages of double typed, 12 pt type. (Use a serif type like Times New Roman for the body; that is easier to read. Your headings can be in any typeface, but no larger than 24 pt. type, bold faced.)

Your White Paper needs citations of any and all sources of information you use in your paper. Your paper should include at least four different sources from your research, but your textbook may count as one. Use APA Style to cite all the places in your paper where you use information from sources you find in your research. APA LINK Here

 In addition to your APA citations (author name, year published, page number inside parentheses) your White Paper needs a separate page entitled REFERENCES. On this page you will alphabetically list ALL your references with full citations. Again, see the Link above for how to write  a full citation on the Reference page. This page does NOT count in the minimum 3 pages/double spaced you should write for your paper. If you cite websites (which you probåbly will) be sure you give a complete and correct URL citation so I can look it up myself to check your sources.

Your White Paper does NOT need a table of contents, although these are often used in professional white papers (see samples through the link above.)

You can choose to include images and illustrations if you wish to, but they are not necessary. Graphs and other statistical support are helpful and add to the credibility of your argument. 

You may choose any position on this issue (supporting a change, or not supporting a change) as long as your position is supported by your research and facts. Your grade is based primarily on the following factors:

1. Did you make a compelling, factual argument for your position?

2. Do your references support your claims and does your paper indicate you did solid research?

3. Is your writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation appropriate for college level readers? If this is your weakness, go visit the Writing Lab in the TJC Library, 2nd floor. Nothing will turn off a reader faster than sentences that are difficult to follow, poor punctuation or poor paragraphing, and misspelled words.

4. Does your white paper show evidence of personal responsibility and social responsibility? This means does your writing indicate that you are making sound, responsible recommendations that indicate you have considered how this decision will affect others.