Length: Your paper must be at least 5 pages (to the bottom of the 5th page), double spaced, with 12 point font and traditional margins. If it is short of that, 25 points will be taken off for every page it is short. That being said, I want 4 pages of important research and analytical content and not 5 pages of meaningless fluff. Purpose: I would never create an assignment just to waste your time. There are numerous purposes to this assignment. First, this assignment gives you the opportunity to explore a question in much greater depth than you normally would in the class. Being a 15 week class with lots of material to cover, we barely scratch the surface of most issues. Because we spend so little time on each topic, you are able to develop a general understanding of most issues, but you are never able to become an expert on any of them. This research paper gives you the opportunity to become an expert on something. It is expected that, by the time your paper is complete, you will be an expert on whatever topic you have written about and will be able to speak fluently on the subject, answering most questions someone could ask you. Secondly, this paper gives you the opportunity to work on your reading and writing skills, which are essential, not only to an effective career, but to any kind of communication or development you would like to accomplish in your life. Thirdly, this paper gives you practice in finding information. We are surrounded by information, yet it is often hard to find relevant information. This paper forces you to do that. Finally, this paper forces you to use your analytical skills to seek out ideas and arguments, evaluate them for bias and error, and make conclusions based upon them. If you do this assignment well, the lessons learned from it will prove invaluable, so I expect that you will put your heart and soul into it. Description: For this paper, you will pick a problem that you would like to solve using a governmental solution. Your problem should be narrow enough that you can adequately answer it within 5-10 pages without being too broad. It should also be a problem you are interested in. Your paper should have several sections. You are welcome to put a heading on each section, as is done in this guide. Defining your Problem: In the first few paragraphs of your paper, you should define your problem. In other words, state your problem, be specific, and make sure it is clear what you are talking about. For example, instead of writing about the amount of pollution, write about the amount of benzene leaked from oil refineries in the Pasadena area. That is a very specific problem that is well defined. In doing this, also discuss what is causing your problem. For example, benzene leaks at refineries might be due to neglect of infrastructure, negligence, lack of code enforcement, etc. Extent of the Problem: Once you have specifically defined your problem, now you should talk about the extent to which your problem is an issue. Address how many people it affects, what demographics it affects, what geographical areas if affects, etc. Then describe in what way the problem harms people. How is being affected by this problem worse than being affected by other problems? What will happen if this problem is not solved within the next few years? Be sure to include all of this information and back it up with data to prove that you are not just making it up. Literature Review: Once you have discussed the problem, you must begin looking at possible solutions to the problem. Search through academic journals (which can be found on the San Jac Library website), policy papers, governmental reports, and newspapers to find information on how other people have proposed to fix this problem or similar problems. Cite their studies as sources, explain their theories, and evaluate their evidence. Explain what is good about their solutions, as well as why their solutions fall short. Present Your Solution: Finally, present your solution to fix this problem. To fix this problem should the government Regulate, Subsidize, Ration, Tax, Spend, Contract Out, Privatize, Charge fees, Educate, Create Public Trusts, Conduct Research, etc? Develop a well thought out solution the problem. Argue for your solution: Once you have presented your solution, explain why your solution is better than the other solutions that have been proposed. To do this, present research one how your solution has been used in other places to fix similar problems, or use some other scientific or logical method to prove that your solution is efficient, effective, equitable, and ethical. Grading: Grammar: Since this is a semester long paper, your grammar, spelling, and sentence structure is expected to be flawless. 25 points will be used to grade grammar. I will count off about 3 points for every grammatical error I find, up to 25 points. Sources: You should cite your sources within your paper and on a work cited page, using either MLA or Chicago style citations. You are to use reputable sources, including academic sources, government documents, or major news sources. 25 points will be based upon your use of sources. Fact Based research: You are expected to use facts to present your case. It is unacceptable to make a claim without facts or evidence to back it up. These facts should come from the sources you cited. 25 points will be based upon whether your evidence was based upon facts and not based upon merely opinions or unbacked assertions. Instructions: You are expected to follow all of the instructions listed above. Failure to do so will result in 25 (or more) points being taken off of your paper.