Final
Essay Prompts
D
You will write a 4-5 page term paper on one (1)
of the following prompts:
1. Compare
and contrast the US Constitution with two (2) other national or state
constitutions throughout the world. Focus on 3 main components of your selected
constitutions, e.g. federalism, religion, states’ rights, civil liberties/civil
rights, etc. to base your analysis on. Is there anything from the other two
constitutions that should be included in the US Constitution? Anything from the
US Constitution that should be included in any of theirs?
2. Should
the US reform, abolish, or maintain prisons/jails at the federal, state and
local level? If reform or abolition, what would that look like and how would it
be accomplished? If maintaining, why should they be kept the way they are?
3. Should
the US abolish the Electoral College in electing our Presidents? Discuss the
functions of the Electoral College, its original purpose, as discussed by the
Founders, (Cf. Federalist Papers), and, if it should be
abolished, detail how Presidents should be elected instead, and what the
implications of this could be (if it should not be abolished, consider one
alternative to replace it and why it is not preferable to the Electoral
College).
Requirements:
Your
paper must be: 4-5 pages (text of essay itself must reach
bottom of 4th page at least), 12pt. Times New Roman font,
double spaced, Word Document or PDF format only, with a Bibliography/Works
Cited. You can use any citation style you like, e.g. MLA,
APA, Chicago, etc. but it must be consistently used throughout your paper.
If you are unsure of how to use citations or styles, please email me or
drop by office hours.
You
must use between 5-10 outside sources, such as news articles, books,
journal articles, op-eds, class discussions, etc. in your paper. (Though,
you may use more, but you must use at least 5).
For
your essay include an introductory paragraph in which you
introduce the topic, articulate the question you are answering, and
conclude it with your thesis statement. Following your introductory
paragraph will be your body paragraphs, which articulate your
arguments and possible counterarguments, and your conclusion,
which summarizes your question and arguments, and may include other
possible smaller considerations and questions that way on your arguments.
Finally, include a bibliography, or works cited, citing
the sources you use.
Adhere
to the Rubric on the Assignment posting.
