Foreign Policy
Format MLA
Volume of 11 pages (3025 words)
Assignment type : Term paper
Description
The paper should analyze the foreign policy choices of a single international actor such as a country or
international organization regarding an international event or foreign policy issue involving more than one actor at
any time in the period since 1900. The paper should explain the nature of the issue, event or policy, and seek to
offer an explanation as to why the country or organization in question made the choices it did. The explanation
should be in terms of which international relations theories and levels of analysis you believe offer the most
complete understanding of the action or policy you are analyzing. Your explanation and identification of those
theories and levels of analysis is the central argument of the paper and should be reflected in your opening thesis
statement.
The paper may focus on a specific event, such as the Falklands War or Cuban Missile Crisis or it may seek to
explain a long-term policy such as Germany's policy towards the European Community or America’s policy of
containment. The policy or event chosen may involve countries or organizations from anywhere in the world
with the paper's perspective focusing on the decisions of a single actor. For example, a paper on the Berlin
Blockade would concentrate on the role or reaction of the United States or the Soviet Union or Britain or France,
but not on more than one of them. The event or policy in question must involve the interaction of a country or
organization with some other actor or actors in international politics. For example, a paper on Iran and causes of
the Iranian Revolution would not meet the assignment’s requirements because no other international actor outside
of Iran would be involved. A paper on the causes of Iran’s seizure of the United States’ embassy in Tehran would
meet the assignment’s requirements because it involves the interaction of two states.
Your paper will also be evaluated on the basis of the criteria described in the assignment rubric below.
It must have a clear, identifiable thesis statement stated at the start of the paper backed up by strong supporting
evidence. It must also have organizational clarity so that the thoughts presented flow in a clear, orderly manner.
The material presented should be relevant to the course, to the topic of the paper and to the point you are trying to
make. Papers often suffer by losing focus. The style of presentation, including neatness, correct grammar, good
spelling, etc., is an important component of the paper’s grade as well.
Papers should be at least 10-12 pages in length. Sources must be cited. Failure to provide citations will
result in a substantial penalty. The source of any quotation, fact or idea that you include in your paper must be
cited using the Chicago-Style Author-Date format. This link
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html) will take you to the Chicago-Style Citation
Quick Guide. The full guide is also available on the Library web site
(http://csus.libguides.com/chicagostyle). There must be no less than eight sources. For every Internet only
source cited there must be at least one non-Internet only source. An Internet only source is defined as a source
that can not be obtained anywhere, but on-line. For example, citing an on-line New York Times article would not
count as an Internet only source since such an article could be obtained without accessing the Internet. Texts for
the course are acceptable sources. In addition a copy of any material cited must be turned in along with the
paper. Failure to submit copies of cited material will lead to a deduction from the paper’s grade.
