Political
Science
Honors
Project
overview:
The purpose of this project is to challenge the student to research a topic intensively for the nine weeks prior to the spring break. With weekly feedback from the instructor, the student will research an agreed upon topic from a variety of sources in order to answer the two questions in the box below in a blue book written in class.
Each student’s topic will be different. Students will be prepared to provide a one-minute oral update on the topic during any class hour beginning Wednesday, February 19.
what facts and concepts in the gitelson text help explain the political dimensions of the topic?
In what way does the
topic illustrate facts and concepts found in the gitelson text?
Grade and points:
Your grade depends entirely
on fulfilling the requirements of the course outline. this project
is worth no points, but provides honors credit for your grade.
1. Due Wednesday, February 12,
11:30 a.m.
a. List of LAHC internet
passwords to access L.A.
Times archives
obtained from the LAHC librarian.
b. Your free registration with Los Angeles Times--http://www.latimes.com/services/site/registration/show-createprofile.register
c. Two small blue books
obtained in LAHC Bookstore for $.35.
d. Choice of the topic with agreement from the instructor and other
honors students, so that each student’s topic is different
2.
Due Wednesday, February 19 through Wednesday April 2
One or two paragraph research
journal entry written in a blue book
during each class hour (or
during any other class hour or office hour of
the instructor). Students should include at least one
question they hope
their research will answer during the
following weeks.
3. Due week of Monday, April 7
Small bluebook written in class without notes
following the guidelines to be provided.
TOPICS:
Headstart reform and/or (L.A. Times,
2-1-03, section A)
Will proposals by President Bush gain sufficient Republican
support in Congress to become law?
Will Federal plans to prevent harm from bioterrorism succeed?
C. U.S. and Al Qaeda or
U.S. and Afghanistan or
U.S. and Iraq or
U.S. and Iran o
U.S. and North Korea or
U.S. and Vietnam or
U.S. and Colombia or
U.S. and Mexico or
U.S. and your country
or
What lessons useful for the
future are to be learned from the past and present?
D. Congresswoman Jane Harman (D)/House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence/terrorism or
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
(R)/House Science and Technology Committee/Columbia disaster or
Mike Lansing (D)/Los Angeles Unified
School District Board of Education/March 4 election or
…..Warren Furutani (D)/Los Angeles Community College
District Board of Trustees/ March 4 election or
Congresswomen Juanita Millender-MacDonald (D) or the Sanchez sisters (D) or
Assemblymembers Oropeza (D) or Nakano (D) or Lowenthal (D) or
State Senators Bowen (D) or Karnette (D) or Lowenthal (D)
Will their decisions justify their reelection ?
E. Tuesday, March 4
elections for city council, school board member,
community college trustee, issues or
other positions CHOOSE ONE RACE
(See Los Angeles, Carson, Gardena, Palos
Verdes Estates, Redondo
Beach, Manhattan Beach, Maywood, South
Gate [salary reduction])
Will your prediction of the results (due Monday, March 3)
and your analysis of the results (due Wednesday, March 5) be accurate and complete?
Are supporting or opposing arguments stronger or weaker?
E. Homelessness: is the criminalization of street encampments
the solution?
(L.A. Times, 2-2-03, Section B)
Are supporting or opposing arguments stronger or weaker?
Colin Powell: his service as Secretary of State (L.A.
Times, 2-2-03, Section M)
Arundhati Roy: her views about U.S. foreign policy (“Come
September” speech, 9/29/02)