The goal of the research paper is to introduce you to the process of writing a research paper and for you to think critically about the American political system, (i.e. the laws, government, participation rates). There are no assigned topics for your paper so that you can choose something that interests you. The possible topics can be voting, elections, public opinion, or even current events. You will need to use at least 5 academic sources that you can find in your library database and write at least 5 pages plus a works cited page.
This is not a position paper where you explain the positions for and against a political issue and it is also not a historical paper. A research paper starts with a research question and a thesis which is an argument that answers your research question. The academic sources you use will support your thesis. You can include other sources like news reports to give context to your topic but they do not count as one of 5 academic sources.
For this assignment propose the topic you would like to write your research paper on and why it is important for political science. Also, include a potential thesis statement which is the argument that you are planning to support in the paper with your sources.
