Essay Question: Interest groups are a threat to democracy and the common good. Discuss.
Objective of the activity. For this individual writing activity, students will produce an original essay that discusses both sides of the statement “interest groups are a threat to democracy.” You are going to use credible and academic information to support the points that you make for and against the statement. Your paper will then conclude in a manner that supports your thesis statement.
What is expected. Students will work independently to answer the question and prepare their essay. All rules for academic integrity and independent work apply. You are expected to utilize your knowledge about topics covered in the lessons. For instance, you should be able to use some of the basic concepts like authority, legitimacy, common good, democracy, interest groups, social movements, lobbying, or protest (this list can go on and is based on the reading assignments covered in the classes up to the week before the paper is due). You are also expected to use the various resources that are included in the Essay Resources folder found on the POLS1502 Moodle page.
Preparing your essay. Your paper must be typed using Times New Roman size 12 font, double spaced, and organized according to the APA formatting and organization rules for line spacing, paragraphs, margins, etc. You must also follow all of the APA guidelines for sources that you use in your paper. Your paper should be between 1500 and 1600 words, no more and no less. Overall, your paper should focus on illustrating both sides of the argument and then taking a stand based on the evidence you have included in your paper. An excellent paper is one that takes a stand on the topic while showing you understand the following political concepts: interest groups, democracy, and the common good.
Avoiding plagiarism. Your paper must have between six and eight reference sources, no more and no less, in the Reference list; each body paragraph in your essay must have at least one in-text citation. You can watch this video to learn more about using in-text citations: