Description
Arizona College
PSC 101
American Politics Project: Personal
Essay and Presentation
Project Overview
Throughout this course, you will be completing activities during each module that will contribute
to your final American Politics Project. The project will conclude with a final paper and final
presentation. In each module, you will work individually to research and write about your topic
through the lens of the concepts within that module.
Using the concepts from each module, you will find two articles that represent the media’s
presentation of your topic. One article will represent your topic and module concept from a
liberal viewpoint and the other article from the conservative viewpoint. As you go through this
exercise in each module, you will compile your findings in your journal response. At the end of
the project, you will collect your findings to complete a final paper that answers this question:
What did I learn, change, or confirm about my understanding of this topic during this course?
You will also develop an informational PowerPoint presentation that you will record and share
with your classmates.
The project will require journal responses in each module. Your final paper is due in Module 7
and your presentation is due in Module 8. Your final paper is worth 200 points and your final
presentation is worth 100 points. Journal responses are graded per module with points indicated
for each. Do not fall behind on this project. Be sure to complete the assignments in each module
to stay on track.
●
●
The project will be spread out into small chunks during Modules 1–6, with your final
assignments due in Modules 7 and 8.
Below are the assignments and focus for each module.
○ Module 1 – American Government: Journal Response #1
○ Module 2 – Congress and the Presidency: Topic Review + Journal Response #2
○ Module 3 – The Bureaucracy and the Judiciary: Journal Response #3
○ Module 4 – Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: Paper Summary + Journal Response
#4
○ Module 5 – Politics: Journal Response #5
○ Module 6 – Public Opinion, Interest Groups, and the Media: Journal Response
#6
○ Module 7 – Final Paper Due
○ Module 8 – Your Presentation is Due
Examples of ideas/suggestions for articles that could be linked to the module
focus for each topic.
●
Health and Human Services rollout of the Covid vaccine
○ Find articles regarding the CDC’s involvement, NIH’s involvement in non-locked down
or lesser restricted states, and how the media viewed/reported the states, the lock
downs, and the roll out of the vaccine. For example, compare California’s rollout to
Florida, or New York state’s rollout to Florida or Arizona.
●
The Environment
○ Examine climate change, including reviewing what is the science and what are the
politics of climate change. Explain the United States’ stance on the Kyoto Protocol,
the Montreal Protocol, and the Paris Climate Accords, and find current articles from
multiple perspectives.
●
The Budget Deficit
○ Explore how continually incurring debt affects your future and your health, and how
the United States has dealt with debt since its inception. How do you think the deficit
can be paid off? Has the United States ever been debt free? If it has, how did that
occur, and who and what were responsible, and when and why? Additionally, why is
the U.S. in debt again?
■ Module 1: Articles of Confederation and the start of debt economical
equality
■ Module 2: Congressional budgets and presidential budget proposal
■ Module 3: Civil Liberties and debt, including passing debt on to our children
and determining if there is a debt ceiling, and is that a violation of their future
civil liberties?
■ Module 4: Update and/or add additional article links
■ Module 5: Judiciary/public opinion
■ Module 6: Bureaucracy/Special Interests/Iron Triangle
■ Module 7: Bring it all together
Assignments Per Module
Module 1: American Politics Project Assignment: American
Government
Overview
This is your first journal response assignment for your American Politics Project. For all of your
journal responses, you will review two articles about the same topic written from two different
viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will add your responses to your journal document
and submit.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 1.
Step 1: Select your topic
Your first step is to select one of these three topics to use for your project. The topic you choose
will be used for all of your journal responses, your final paper, and your final presentation.
As you decide which of the three topics you would like to use for your project, remember that
you will be using this topic as a guide as you select your articles that relate to the concepts
within each module. So, select the one that you are most interested in. For example, if you
select “The Environment” as your topic, for this journal assignment, you will find two articles that
discuss the role the American Government has on the environment.
Approved topics:
●
●
●
Health and Human Services rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine
The Environment
The Budget Deficit
Step 2: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of the American Government on the topic you
selected.
Step 3: Find two articles from an approved source
Once you have selected your topic and understand the focus of the module, find one article
from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the module focus.
You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a conservative
learning source. Ideally, these articles will discuss similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
Daily Caller
Step 4: Construct your assignment
● Create a document that you will use for each journal response assignment. You will keep
adding to this document and upload the newest version as your assignment for that
module.
●
Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of the American Government on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Step 5: Submit assignment
Module 2: American Politics Project Assignment: Congress and the
Presidency
Overview
Remember, for all of your journal responses, you will be reviewing two articles about the same
topic written from two different viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will be adding your
responses to your journal document and submitting.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 2.
Step 1: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of the Congress and the Presidency on the topic you
selected.
Step 2: Find two articles from an approved source
Find one article from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the
module focus. You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a
conservative learning source. Ideally, these articles will be discussing similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
Daily Caller
Step 3: Construct your assignment
● Add Part 1 and Part 2 to the document you have used for your journal response and
upload the newest version as your assignment for this module.
Part 1: Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of the Congress and the Presidency on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Part 2: Write a 250-word topic review that includes:
○
Reasons why you chose that particular topic.
○
Are there healthcare ties to the subject?
○
What are you already familiar with regarding the topic?
○
What are you hoping to learn about the topic throughout the process of
completing this assignment?
Step 4: Submit assignment
Module 3: American Politics Project Assignment: The Bureaucracy
and the Judiciary
Overview
Remember, for all of your journal responses, you will be reviewing two articles about the same
topic written from two different viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will be adding your
responses to your journal document and submitting.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 3.
Step 1: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of the Bureaucracy and the Judiciary on the topic
you selected
Step 2: Find two articles from an approved source
Find one article from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the
module focus. You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a
conservative learning source. Ideally, these articles will be discussing similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
Daily Caller
Step 3: Construct your assignment
● Add to the document you have been using for each journal response and upload the
newest version as your assignment for this module.
●
Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of the Bureaucracy and the Judiciary on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Step 4: Submit assignment
Module 4: American Politics Project Assignment: Civil Liberties and
Civil Rights
Overview
Remember, for all of your journal responses, you will be reviewing two articles about the same
topic written from two different viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will be adding your
responses to your journal document and submitting.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 4.
Step 1: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights on the topic you
selected.
Step 2: Find two articles from an approved source
Find one article from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the
module focus. You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a
conservative learning source. Ideally, these articles will be discussing similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
Daily Caller
Step 3: Construct your assignment
● Add Part 1 and Part 2 to the document you have been using for each journal response
and upload the newest version as your assignment for this module.
Part 1: Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Part 2: Final Paper Summary:
○
Provide a 500 word summary overview of what you have discovered reading
your eight (total from Modules 1–4) chosen articles
■
Describe the overall viewpoint of your topic from the liberal media’s
perspective.
■
Describe the overall viewpoint of your topic from the conservative media’s
perspective.
○
Has your perspective on this topic changed? If yes, how? If not, why not?
Step 4: Submit assignment
Module 5: American Politics Project Assignment: Politics
Overview
Remember, for all of your journal responses, you will be reviewing two articles about the same
topic written from two different viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will be adding your
responses to your journal document and submitting.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 5.
Step 1: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of Politics on the topic you selected.
Step 2: Find two articles from an approved source
Find one article from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the
module focus. You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a
conservative learning source. Ideally, these articles will be discussing similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
The New York Times
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
Daily Caller
Step 3: Construct your assignment
● Add to the document you have been using for each journal response and upload the
newest version as your assignment for this module.
●
Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of Politics on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Step 4: Submit assignment
Module 6: American Politics Project Assignment: Public Opinion,
Interest Groups and the Media
Overview
Remember, for all of your journal responses, you will be reviewing two articles about the same
topic written from two different viewpoints. As you review the articles, you will be adding your
responses to your journal document and submitting.
Instructions
Follow the steps to complete your journal response assignment for Module 6.
Step 1: Review the module focus
●
Module Focus: Consider the role of Public Opinion, Interest Groups and the Media on
the topic you selected
Step 2: Find two articles from an approved source
Find one article from each of the approved columns of sources that discuss your topic and the
module focus. You will want one article from a liberal learning source and another article from a
conservative learning source. Ideally, these articles will be discussing similar topics.
Approved Liberal Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
ABC
CNN
NBC
NPR
Politico
The Washington Post
Approved Conservative Leaning Sources
●
●
●
●
●
●
The Wall Street Journal
Fox News
The Washington Times
New York Post
The Federalist
News Max
●
●
The New York Times
Daily Caller
Step 3: Construct your assignment
●
Add to the document you have been using for each journal response and upload the
newest version as your assignment for this module.
●
Journal Response Assignment:
○
Provide the name of each article that relates to the module focus: Consider the
role of Politics on the topic you selected.
○
Include a citation for each article.
○
In a 250 – 300 word summary, address the following:
■
How does each article relate to the module focus?
●
■
Provide a word summary of the key points.
Compare and contrast the liberal media viewpoint vs. the conservative
media viewpoint.
■
What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?
Step 4: Submit assignment
Module 7: American Politics Project Assignment: Final Paper
Overview
Throughout this course, you have been compiling information each week that links course
content to your chosen topic. You have looked at your topic from multiple media perspectives.
Now, you will write your final paper using all of those findings. Your paper needs to fulfill the
requirements listed below.
As you prepare to write your paper, consider the following questions.
●
●
When you started this course, what was your knowledge of the topic that you chose in
Module 1?
What did you learn through your research throughout the course?
Instructions
●
Your final paper needs to include:
○
Part 1:
■
○
Explain your topic and which course concepts you found to be most
relevant for your topic
Part 2:
■ Media Coverage Analysis (4-5 paragraphs)
● Provide analysis of the liberal standpoint of your topic
○ Include evidence to support your findings (quotations, hard
evidence, explanation).
● Provide analysis of the conservative standpoint of your topic
○ Include evidence to support your findings (quotations, hard
evidence, explanation)
● Reflect on both standpoints and express your opinion on the
validity of the media coverage your examined
■
Reflection (2–3 paragraphs)
● Reflection of your viewpoint on this topic at the beginning of this
course and how your viewpoint has changed or stayed the same
throughout
○ How do you feel the media coverage impacted your
understanding?
○ Media opinion and how I am impacted by that: What did I
learn, change, and/or confirm?
■ Include evidence to support your findings
(quotations, hard evidence, explanation)
Specifications
●
●
●
●
3–5 pages
In-text citations for evidence
APA format
Reference page
Module 8: American Politics Project Assignment: Presentation
Overview
You will create a presentation by following the instructions. Remember, this assignment will be
done in two phases.
Phase 1: Complete a rough draft of your presentation to share with your peers in the American
Politics Discussion Board by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.
Phase 2: During the discussion, you will receive feedback from your peers. For the
assignment, take that feedback, along with whatever else you learned during the discussion,
and apply it to your presentation.
Instructions
Step 1: Create a PowerPoint presentation that highlights the main points and insights from your
American Politics Final Paper. You should record audio to accompany your slides. The goal of
the presentation is to share your main takeaways from your final paper.
Slide Guidelines:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
A minimum of 10 content slides, not including a title slide and reference slidepage.
Highlight the most important parts of your paper.
Explain the sources you used for the project.
Include images, charts, or graphs on each slide to engage the audience and enhance
your content.
Use bullets for text when appropriate.
Use a cohesive theme, layout, and background.
Answer the question: How has this course better prepared you for your future career as
a healthcare professional?
Include a title slide and reference slide using APA style citations.
Specifications
●
●
●
●
The presentation should be between 9–10 minutes.
Use a loud, clear voice.
Avoid using filler words (“um,” “uh,” “you know,” etc.).
Use variation in your speaking speed and tone to ensure audience engagement.
American Politics Project Deliverables
Deliverable
Assignment: American
Module Due
Grading
1
10 points
2
60 points
3
10 points
Government
Assignment: Congress and the
Presidency
Assignment: The Bureaucracy
and The Judiciary
4
100 points
Assignment: Politics
5
10 points
Assignment: Public Opinion,
6
10 points
Final Paper
7
200 points
Presentation
8
100 points
Assignment: Civil Liberties and
Civil Rights
Interest Groups and the Media
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