Submission 3

March 4, 2013

Opportunities to discuss course content

• Today 10-2

• Tuesday 11-2

On Wednesday, you will select dates for your first oral

presentation

CLEARLY STATED LEARNING OUTCOMES

Submission II Outcomes

• Define an appropriate and current problem that is being actively discussed by real decision makers at a specific level of government.

• Identify the stakeholders or major players in the controversy;

• Identify the opposing positions held by these parties regarding how to solve the problem

• Identify the issues associated with the controversy, the arguments made by stakeholders, and the plans each side is making to ensure their position is the one enacted

Submission 3 Outcomes• Identify the issues associated with the controversy, the arguments made

by stakeholders, and the plans each side is making to ensure their position is the one enacted;

• Evaluate the argumentation of each position, including an analysis of logic and evidence;

• Evaluate each position from the perspective of moral reasoning, including an analysis of values, obligations, consequences, and normative principles;

SUBMISSION 2What it Entails

THREE SECTIONS

1. Introduction to social problem

2. Background/history/ current policy

3. In-depth presentation of the sides

INTRODUCTION(approximately 3-4 pages)

• Introduction• Social problem

– Significance– Statistics– Targets

• Definitions (as needed)• Brief overview of the controversy• Conclude with normative question

Your introduction should scare the reader by convincing him/her that the fate of the world depends on

solving this problem

BACKGROUND/HISTORY(Approximately 5 pages)

• Goal: historical context to understand current controversy

• Starting place: it should be far back enough to describe the modern dilemma

• Ending point: Most recent events

Who are the Stakeholders?• Identify the General Stakeholders

• Identify the Specific Stakeholders– Tell me why the group matters– Tell me what they value

• Conclude by identifying their major arguments on the solution

Section 3:What it Contains (4-5 Pages for Each Side)

• Stakeholders

• Arguments

• Issues

• Plans

MECHANICS

• Approximately 14-16 pages long (Minimum of 12)

• Works Cited• Correct MLA form throughout• Style

– In accordance with Capstone guidelines– Polished, proofed

• DUE: In Class 3/8/2013 and on Blackboard by Midnight on 3/8/2013

Turnitin.Com

This paper must also be submitted to turnitin.com

About Turnitin.com

• It Checks your paper for plagiarism

– Against the web

– Against the other papers in the turnitin archive

• Failure to use this results in a 10 point deduction from your paper

Accessing Turnitin

• Log into Blackboard

• Go to the CAPS 4360 Page

• DO NOT GO TO TURNITIN.COM

Click on Assignments

Click on Assignments

Click on View/Complete

Click on View/Complete

Step 1 in Submitting the Paper

• Fill out all the parts

• You must have a title for your paper

• Browse for your file

• Choose Upload

Step 2 In Submitting the Paper

• Preview the Paper

• Make sure everything is ok

• Choose Submit

Step 3 in Submitting the Paper

• If you do it right, you will get the following message

SUBMISSION THREE

ANALYSIS OF RESEARCHTENTATIVE CONCLUSION

THREE SECTIONS

• Critical Thinking

• Moral Reasoning

• Tentative solution

Part I: CRITICAL THINKING:Analysis of argumentation and Evidence

• Evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of each side’s body of argumentation– Each argument and related evidence– Evaluate the arguments presented in paper 2, not your

own!

• Think of each major argument as a question needed to answer– Will Keystone XL pipeline reduce the price of oil?– Will the Dream act reduce illegal immigration?

How to identify a weak argument

• It is not supported by any legitimate decision maker

• It is supported with weak or old data

• Is it deceptive or fallacious

Decide Who wins the argument

• You may have between 3 and 6 arguments

• Which side’s argument is more substantial and complete

On Determining the “Winner”

• Make certain you review EACH MAJOR ARGUMENT you discussed in Submission 2– Do not create new arguments, or leave important

arguments on the table.

• Take a stand on who wins each argument and who has the overall stronger side

Example

Regarding the issue of oil prices, the proponents argue…, while the opponents argue…. The proponents’ strength in terms of their argumentation is…Their weaknesses are… The opponents’ strengths are…Their weaknesses are…In summary, the (winning side) have stronger arguments regarding the issue of the price of oil.

MORAL REASONINGPart II

MORAL REASONING

• Value-laden, i.e., ethical, perspective

• Based on Ruggiero method

Real Policymaking does not examine the moral reasoning model, but your Capstone Paper Must!

Moral reasoning requirements• Obligations (of each side)

• Values (held by each side)

• Consequences (potentially coming from position)

• Foundational normative principles (supporting case)– Other normative principles (supporting case)

Moral Reasoning

• You did this in American Dilemmas

• Make certain you hit all the points

• The Handbook is good on this section

TENTATIVE SOLUTIONPART III

TENTATIVE CONCLUSION

• Your answer to the thesis question

• You must take a stand, i.e., answer the question– Note reservations, if you have any

• Support your position

Support for your conclusion

• Critical Thinking perspective– Refer back to “strengths and weaknesses” analysis– Develop your own argumentation

• Moral reasoning perspective– Refer back to moral reasoning analysis – Develop your own moral reasoning

• Obligations, values, consequences• Normative principles that support your conclusion

Creating your own solution

• I strongly advise against this

• With limited policy and political expertise, you are setting yourself up for failure

• Use something real.

TENTATIVE SOLUTION• How you would solve the social problems identified in the

beginning of the paper

• Options– Content will vary depending on your solution

• Accept the option in the thesis sentence• Reject the option in the thesis sentence• Or something else (that will never work, as it would be proposed if it did

and be a real solution)

• Justifying your practical plan– Economic– Social– Political

The Tentative Solution will become your final solution for your final

paper

Mechanics

• 6-8 pages long (estimate only)• Critical thinking = 3 pages• Moral reasoning = 3 pages• solution = 1 pages

• Full Works Cited (at least 25 total sources)

• Writing = as perfect as you can make it

• MLA format = as perfect as possible

THE GOOD NEWS

• Due April 10th

• Course is downhill from there!