Government 317: final paper

For the final paper you may write on any topic you choose, subject to my approval. The paper must illustrate, test or extend one or more of the theories about candidates, parties, voters, elected officials, contributors, etc., considered in the course readings or lectures. Your paper should in some way feature your original analysis of some kind of data. This may be anything from a statistical analysis to an informal case study based on personal interviews or archival research. I encourage you to talk to me either in person or via email to discuss ideas for the paper.

To get approval for a topic, you must submit a 1-3 page proposal for the paper. The proposal should summarize the argument you expect to make (e.g., what is the principal hypothesis), identify pertinent literature and list the data you think you will need to build evidence for your argument. The proposal should include references to at least four scholarly works (journal articles or books) that bear on your topic. This proposal is due in class on Thursday, October 28 (I'll also accept it earlier).

If I have not received your proposal on time and approved it, I will not accept your paper.

The paper itself should run about 15 pages (double-spaced) and is due at my office by 4:30pm Monday, December 6. Both the proposal and the paper should use normal scholarly apparatus for footnotes, citations, bibliography and any tables or figures.

Walter Mebane





Walter Mebane
Fri Oct 15 16:42:09 EDT 1999