American National Government Paper

The primary goal of your last assignment is to critically analyze the
primary features of the American national government. The results of
your analysis will indicate what you have learned over the last five
weeks. In order to accomplish this task, it is important to critically
evaluate the key facets of our American democracy.

You have been preparing for this final assignment each week by
constructing a detailed outline of the Final Paper’s main points through
the weekly Learning Activities. In addition, you have read the course
text and course readings, reviewed videos, and researched additional
material for each week’s assignments and for this paper. This week, you
will put all of those outlines, readings, reviews, and research together
into a one summative paper.

As we wrap up our course, reflect back on what you have learned about
the key structures, systems, roles, and processes that embody our
national government. Focus on the strengths and weaknesses, advantages
and disadvantages, and positive and negative impacts of these aspects of
our democracy. Use what you have learned so far to evaluate our
national government and recommend ways to enhance what works and repair
what is not working well. It is important to understand that this paper
is not simply a cut and paste of your four Learning Activities. While
the research you have completed can serve as a strong base it is
important that you implement any comments from the instructor, as well
as further expand on the material. Appropriate transitions and headings
are needed to ensure a cohesive paper.

Construct a six-page paper based on the detailed outlines that you created over the last four weeks. It is important to utilize APA headings (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. major sections of your paper in order to ensure that the paper is easy to follow. A model POL201 Final Paper Guide is provided for you to download and utilize when completing your Final Paper.

Scaffold your paper around the following outline:

• Title page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
• Introduction (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (half page)
  • Describe the paper’s overall thesis.
  • Provide an overview of main points.
• The Constitution (1 to 1.5 pages) (Week One)
  • Describe one strength and one weakness of the U.S. Constitution.
  • Recommend one option to maintain the strength and one to correct the weakness.
• Federalism (1 to 1.5 pages) (Week Two)
  • Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of a national policy
    that must be implemented by one agency of the federal bureaucracy.
  • Recommend one option to maintain the advantage and one to improve the disadvantage.
• Branches of Government (1 to 1.5 pages) (Week Three)
  • Describe one strength and one weakness of one branch of our government: Executive, Legislative, or Judiciary.
  • Recommend one option to maintain the strength and one to correct the weakness.
• Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Elections (1-1.5 pages) (Week 4)
  • Describe one positive impact and one negative impact of one of the
    following: political parties, interest groups, or federal elections.
  • Recommend one option to accentuate the positive impact and one to lessen the negative impact.
• Conclusion (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
  • Review your main points.
  • Review your overall thesis.
• References page (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

The America’s Democracy: Your Report Card paper

• Must be at least six double-spaced pages in length (not including
  title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as
  outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least eight scholarly sources in addition to the course
  text. A minimum of six of the resources must be from peer-reviewed
  scholarly sources from the Ashford University Library
  • The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
    table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you
    have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this
    assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the
    final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a
    particular assignment.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.