RESEARCH ESSAY Instructions

POL3146

Winter 2007

Professor Paris

 

 

Write a research essay (maximum 3,000 words) analyzing one key foreign policy decision made by the Government of Canada.  Essays are due in class on April 4.  This is an individual assignment—do not collaborate with other students.

 

 

Step 1:  Choose one foreign policy decision from the list below (or get the professor’s permission to choose a different policy decision):

 

1.      Canada’s decision not to contribute forces to the US invasion of Iraq (2003)

2.      Canada’s decision to support the creation of an International Criminal Court (1997-98)

3.      Canada’s decision to participate in creating the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (2005)

4.      Canada’s decision to accept a negotiated settlement to the softwood lumber dispute (2006)

5.      Canada’s decision to promote the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine at the UN World Summit (2005)

6.      Canada’s decision to deploy a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kandahar, Afghanistan (2005)

7.      Canada’s decision not to participate in a North American anti-ballistic missile defence system (2005)

8.      Canada’s decisions to participate in peacebuilding efforts in Haiti (1993-present)

9.      Canada’s decision to suspend aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government (2006)

 

 

Step 2:  Research and analyze different explanations for the policy decision.

 

Do some initial reading:  Find 2-3 writings on the topic of the policy decision.

 

Based on your initial reading, identify three possible explanations for the policy decision.  At least one of these explanations must be a “domestic determinant” of the policy decision and at least one must be an “international determinant” (see the readings for January 17 for ideas).  You are welcome to explore more than three explanations, if you wish, within the length limits of the essay.

 

Research the policy decision in depth:  Why was the decision taken?  What were the circumstances?  Focus on finding information that will allow you to evaluate the three possible explanations that you have already identified.  Which is (or are) the most convincing, which is (or are) the least convincing, and why?

 

Based on this research, outline an essay that follows the structure in Step 3 below.  Be sure to make an outline before you start writing.

 

 

Step 3:  Write the essay

 

Write your essay with the following structure:

 

I. Introduction (one paragraph only):

·         Briefly introduce the policy decision

·         Clearly state your thesis (what explains the decision?)

 

II. Setting the Scene (maximum 2 double-spaced pages)

·         Briefly describe the circumstances surrounding the decision, the key actors, and the decision taken

·         Identify the three explanations that you will evaluate in the next section

 

III. Explanation 1: ____

·         Briefly restate the first explanation

·         Present the evidence for this explanation

·         Present the evidence against this explanation

·         Based on the above, briefly analyze the strength of the explanation

 

IV. Explanation 2: ____

·         Briefly restate the second explanation

·         Present the evidence for this explanation

·         Present the evidence against this explanation

·         Based on the above, briefly analyze the strength of the explanation

 

V. Explanation 3: ____

·         Briefly restate the third explanation

·         Present the evidence for this explanation

·         Present the evidence against this explanation

·         Based on the above, briefly analyze the strength of the explanation

 

VI. Conclusion (maximum 2-3 double-spaced pages)

·         Analyze the strength/persuasiveness of each the three explanations relative to each other.

Research Sources:

 

·         The policy decision you are examining may be very recent and there may not be much academic literature on the subject.  So, for basic information relating to the case, you will likely need to rely on newspaper, popular periodicals and government publications.

 

·         However, you should spend some time to determine whether scholars have used any or all of your three explanations in previous studies of specific foreign policy decisions or as general explanations of Canadian foreign policy.  If you find that other writers have used these explanations in the past, you should reference these works in your paper.  (You may also find that previous studies give you ideas of possible explanations that might apply to the decision that you are analyzing.)

 

·         Search the University library for relevant books and articles.  Use the library catalogue to search for books.  Use databases to search for relevant articles.  Several databases are available:  http://www.biblio.uottawa.ca/bas-subs-e.php?spec=37.  If in doubt, ask the reference librarians in Morisset Library for advice and help (that’s what they’re there for!).

 

·         Search Google Scholar:  http://scholar.google.com

 

·         Be sure to reference all your sources in footnotes, and provide a bibliography of all the sources you consulted.  (See the note on plagiarism below.)

 

·         Although not required, you may also wish to arrange interviews with knowledgeable officials in the Canadian government or outside of government.

 

Additional guidelines:

 

·         Print the essay single-sided, double-spaced, with normal-sized fonts and margins, and with numbered pages.  Print the word count on the first page.

 

·         Avoid lengthy quotations.  Paraphrase long quotations instead (and don’t forget to footnote the source).

 

Writing Help

 

·         Good writing is clear, well-organized writing.  Don’t hesitate to use the free services of the Writing Centre:  http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/


Lateness Policy

 

·         Essays are due in class on April 4.

 

·         Your essay will be reduced one grade (e.g., B+ to B) for each day of lateness, including weekends.  Essays submitted more than 7 days after the due date will receive a zero or F grade.

 

·         Essays must be submitted in paper directly to the professor, or to the Political Studies office and date-stamped.

 

Plagiarism and Fraud

 

·         This is an individual assignment – do not collaborate with other students.  Collaboration constitutes cheating in this assignment.  Penalties for academic fraud will be applied in such cases.

 

·         Avoid plagiarism (failing to credit the words and/or ideas of other people).  If you have any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, please read this: http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/plagiarism.pdf

 

 

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