Research Assignment

Pick one:

• If you are taking part in the legislative simulation, analyze your experience. Consider your senator's place in the party system.  Is that senator a party loyalist or maverick, a leader, loner, or follower?In this light, how well did your positions and goals match those of your real-life counterpart? What methods did you use? In the circumstance that you dealt with, would your counterpart have done the same? How did the simulation both resemble and differ from the real world?  
• The Connelly book came out in 2010.  Write an postscript.  Explain how events since then have either confirmed or disconfirmed the book's major arguments.  You may also consider whether the past four years have raised relevant questions that the book did not consider.
• Appraise President Obama's performance as leader of the Democratic Party.  What were his goals for the party?  In light of political and institutional constraints, how well did he perform?
• Write a memo to Mitch McConnell or Harry Reid.  Explain what he can do during the coming months to maximize his party's chances in the 2014 midterm election.
• Write on another topic of your choice, subject to my approval.

The specifications:

• Essays should be typed (12-point), double-spaced, and no more than six pages long. I will not read past the sixth page. 
• Cite your sources. Please use endnotes in the format of Chicago Manual of Style. Endnotes do not count against the page limit. Please do not use footnotes, which take up too much page space. 
• Watch your spelling, grammar, diction, and punctuation. Errors will count against you. Return essays (in Word format) to the Sakai dropbox for this class by 5 PM, Friday, April 11. Papers will drop one gradepoint for one day’s lateness, a full letter grade after that.