Political Science homework help

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Paper Workshop
Guidelines for Essays (Textual Analysis)
-Your paper is supposed to be an interpretation of some aspect of the work(s): in other words, an argument concerning some aspect of the work based on analysis of relevant textual evidence.
-Frame your paper as an investigation of why and how the author makes the argument he or she does rather than simply saying what is said.  Turn your topic into an argument.
-Your paper is not supposed to be a summary of the work, a statement of your opinion about the work, or a discussion of its historical significance or relevance.
-Give a clear statement of your argument at the beginning of your paper (thesis statement)
-Every time you state that the author states or argues something you should have evidence to support your statement, either in the form of a quotation or a specific textual reference.
-Only quote what you need for your purposes.  Try to look at your quotations as something more than mere evidence, and instead as material that you can analyze (break down into its parts in order to interpret it) in order to make your argument.
-A good online resource for writing: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
Criteria for Assessing Your Work

  1. Do you have a clear statement of your argument?
  2. Do you provide relevant evidence?
  3. Are your reasoning and writing clear and effective?
  4. Do you demonstrate understanding of the work(s) you are analyzing?
  5. To what degree do you address the most important questions and problems posed by the work(s) you are interpreting?

Thesis Statements
-Check out these websites for help on improving your paper, especially thesis statements.
http://facweb.furman.edu/~moakes/Powerwrite/sharpenthesis.htm
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-englishcomp1v2/chapter/effective-thesis-statements/
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/