Essay Topics- Fall Semester

AP Government and Politics
Tates Creek High School
Patti Palmer

 

At various times during the school year, you will be required to write a complete, well developed essay on one of the topics given below.  Due dates are included with topics.  This is a long range assignment and, as a result, late papers are not accepted.   Late is defined as being submitted after 3:15 on the announced due date.   You must upload these documents to www.turnitin.com   Class number is 2796316.  Course password is government.  Email them to me, patti.palmer@fayette.kyschools.us if you are not in class when the hard copy is to be given to me.  PLEASE make sure you follow the directions on uploading your document. 

Requirements
Ø  All papers must be type written.  No handwritten papers will be accepted.
Ø  Font must be “regular” font in ten or twelve point only. 
Ø  Left, right, top and bottom margins will be one inch. 
Ø  DO NOT INCLUDE THE PROMPT IN THE ESSAY.
Ø  Papers must be a minimum of three typed pages and have an introductory paragraph, support paragraphs and a concluding   paragraph.  Three pages and a paragraph is considered three pages.  Two pages and a paragraph is not.
Ø  All papers must have a title, student name and date typed, single spaced on the first page. 
Ø  All papers must be devoid of spelling and grammatical mistakes.
Ø  All papers must be turned in on the due date using www.turnitin.com.  NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED

   

All essays will be graded using the analytic scoring rubric you should be using in English.  The following grade equivalents will be used: 

 

Points Earned

Score

Grade

1-2

Novice-NP

55 and below

3

Novice

56-60

4

High Novice

61-65

5

Low Apprentice

66-75

6-7

Apprentice

76-82

8

High Apprentice

83-91

9-11

Proficient

92-97

12

Distinguished

98-100

 

No late papers for unexcused absences will be accepted.  I prefer that is you are absent on the due date, you remember to email the assignment to me or send it to school with another student.

 

Essay # 2 - - -Due  November 20, 2009

Pick one of the topics below and write a clear, well developed essay according to the essay    format you received in class.  Grading will be done according to the KY Writing Rubric.  Remember to cite your sources.   

1.  Why is it important for young voters to actually take part in the election process?  What can be done to increase the voter turn out among the 18-24 age group in non-presidential election years? 

2.  “Due to modern technology, candidates no longer rely on political parties as they did in the past.  In fact, we are witnessing the beginning of the end of political parties as a mainstay in American politics.”  Assess the validity of these perceptions using examples from current campaigns.

      3.  The Electoral College is the official election of the President of the United States. Democrats and republicans alike are opposed to the elimination of the Electoral College even though abolishing the Electoral College would increase voter participation in presidential elections.  Assess the validity of this statement using personal observations of past elections and past voting demographics. 

     4.  Analyze the results of the recent presidential and Congressional elections on both a national and state level.  Why did the president- elect win in Kentucky and in the United States?  What about Congress?  What do you think the impact of this new government will be on the nation?  Use statistics and demographic data when necessary and appropriate  

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