There are TWO OPTIONS for how you complete your paper assignment. First, you can do a more traditional research and thought paper. Second, you can put your effort and thought into preparing a Opinion Editorial and submitting it for publication (note: proof of submission will be required).
If you choose the FIRST option your paper is expected to be about 12 pages long, typed double-spaced (attachments such as diagrams, etc. may be extra). It should be neat, proof-read, and reflective of your grasp of the course topic. Be sure to use footnotes, end notes, or other means of citing particular written materials, talks, or discussions.
In this paper you should develop your own recommendations for intergenerational equity related to the deficit, debt and entitlement reform. Imagine that your are preparing written recommendations for the President as he considers how or whether to deal in fundamental ways with the issues of the deficit and debt, and thus implicitly with intergenerational conflict. Or imagine that you are preparing a briefing paper on such a topic for CCCA to alert them and thereby (hopefully!) the CC student body to the importance of the topic. Alternative types of formats are equally acceptable as long as they fulfill the objective of demonstrating your comprehensive understanding of the course topic, readings, and issues. You are encouraged to talk with the course instructor about how you plan to structure and write your paper early in the block. Be sure to sign the Honor Code before turning in your paper.
The SECOND option is to prepare an
editorial, focused as above on some aspect(s) of intergenerational equity.
If you choose to do an OpEd piece, you are to follow the length and style
guidelines that will be presented in class. Further, you are to prepare
background notes and information (IN WRITING, to be turned in ) that form
the foundation of your opinion piece. It is essential that your editorial
be based upon documented facts and data, some of which are to be integrated
into your written piece. Before you write, identify several newspapers
as candidates to receive your submission; for each look at examples of
what they have published in the past, and include these as background material
submitted with your paper.
The paper (in either form) will be due no later than noon on Wednesday October 21st in Palmer Hall Room 108. It will be turned in as part of your Course Notebook in the appropriate section. Please note that you must turn in your paper both in hard copy and on computer disk (with the disk labeled with your name, the type computer used - IBM compatible or Mac - and the name and version of the word processing package or Web authoring software used). Failure to follow these directions will lower your grade significantly.