Overview
The major writing assignment for this class is a seven-page research paper that describes an event in world politics and applies one level of analysis to that event. Your goal in this paper is to use the level that you feel best explains your event/action and explain why. This is not a history of the event; it is an analysis of the reasons why the event occurred.
You must use scholarly sources and proper citations and include a bibliography. Grammar and spelling do count, so please spell check, and seek assistance with your writing if necessary.
Choice of World Event & Level of Analysis: the Soviet War in Afghanistan.
Paper Requirements:
Introduction and Thematic Outline( 5-paragraph Outline)
Please provide one full and complete paragraph (5-6 sentences) per section listed below. You are welcome to go over this minimum, but the expectation is that you have at minimum five paragraphs for this outline. There should also be at minimum one in-text citation per paragraph. This is designed to help students learn how to use in-text citations when writing.
Thematic Analysis Writing
Thematic analysis is the process of identifying patterns or themes within data, research, and literature. First, thematic analysis is a method rather than a methodology. It is not tied to a particular epistemological or theoretical perspective, which makes it a very flexible method. Second, it involves extensive reading of the literature to get a feel for understanding the event. This helps to build up the student's knowledge base. Third, it helps students in developing their analytical skills. There is a transition from merely identifying useful information to more abstract interpretation by creating themes. Students will identify three themes from the literature for their chosen world event and their level of analysis framework.
- An overview of the world event & level of analysis – In one paragraph please introduce the world event that was approved in the discussion (the Soviet War in Afghanistan) and a brief explanation of why your chosen level of analysis is the best framework from which to analyze that event.
- Brief background of the world event - In one paragraph briefly provide a background of the world event. This paragraph should form the basis for a more developed 2-3 paragraph background for the full seven-page analysis
- Thematic Analysis #1 – After researching your world event, please provide a paragraph on the first theme from your thematic review.
- Thematic Analysis #2 – Please provide a paragraph on the second theme from your thematic review.
- Thematic Analysis #3 – Please provide a paragraph on the third theme from your thematic review.
Advice for writing the five-paragraph Outline:
- When writing your paragraphs, write them using the third person. Avoid using personal pronouns, such as “I think”, or “As we all know”, or “You need to be aware”. Social science writing requires that we write objectively.
- Avoid all direct quotations in your paragraphs. Instead, you should paraphrase the author(s). There are two reasons. First, and foremost, direct quotations show up as plagiarism, something every student should strive to avoid. Second, an essay with many direct quotations sends a signal to the reader that the writer lacks the ability to write in their own words. Or it can signal that the writer was hurried in their writing, or simply did not care enough about the topic to write in their own words.
- No need to include the titles of articles/journals in the body of the paragraphs. Many students include the titles or backgrounds of the authors they cite in their sentences. This is what in-text citations are for. In addition, the included titles of articles/journals show up as plagiarism, just like the direct quotations.
Seven-Page Final Draft:
Note: The title page and any works cited page do NOT count as a substantive page. Substantive pages are written pages. In addition, a complete page means that the entire page has been used.
Note: If you fail to complete the minimum required substantive & complete pages you will be penalized. Students will lose 10% for every substantive page that student fail to complete.
You need to be sure that you have an opening paragraph and a thesis statement. I need to know your topic choice and level of analysis from the outset.
8. Although there will be a portion of the paper describing the event, your focus should be on how your chosen level explains that event. Your focus should be on explanation, not history.
9. Spelling and grammar do count, so please PROOFREAD and SPELL CHECK!
10. You must properly cite your sources using APA citation style. If you are unfamiliar with the APA citation system, visit
Purdue's University Online Writing Lab (OWL)Links to an external site. This website does a great job of walking students through the formatting and style expectations
11. Documentation: Avoid long direct quotations. Instead, you should paraphrase the author(s). When paraphrasing the author(s) from the text, make it clear “who” is speaking, and follow with a page reference.
It is important that you use legitimate, scholarly sources. Do not write your paper using all articles from newspapers, news magazines, or web pages. If you need to use these sources for factual information, that is fine, but your paper needs to be based on scholarly analysis of your topic. Thus, you need to use articles from scholarly journals and/or books. You should have at least ten (10) scholarly sources. Please do not wait until the last minute to look for resources because you may need to use interlibrary loan and it takes time.
Sources: At least three references per page in APA style, coming from at least ten (10) different scholarly sources.
Remember that most web pages are not scholarly in nature. You can access scholarly sources from the web (via the library), but be very careful what websites you use. Do not, under any circumstances, use Wikipedia.
4. Please include a title page. The title page should have the following information: YOUR NAME, PSCI 350, TITLE, INSTRUCTOR NAME.
15. Please be sure to number the pages of your paper.
16. The paper needs to be double-spaced, with normal margins in Word. Please only use 12pt Times New Roman font.
trying to analyze the entire war in depth will be quite the task. I recommend that you either look at the start of the war, or the conclusion of the war. This will help sharpen your analysis. Second, please specify your level of analysis. Is it at the international level?