Professor Chester
IAFS 4500
Final Policy Paper Guidelines

In 15-20 pages, offer a policy-oriented analysis (that is, a report making policy recommendations) based on your research on a current issue in South Asian affairs.  You must explore a different topic than you examined in your first paper.  Submit the hard copy to me at the beginning of class.  Upload the file to Turnitin.com by 11:59pm on Wednesday, April 29.

You must state your argument—the specific policy you recommend—clearly in the first paragraph.  Keep in mind the dictum that in Washington, D.C., decision-makers are too busy to flip to the second page; you need to convey your message up front.  Your research must draw on at least ten scholarly (i.e. peer-reviewed) sources, in addition to any practitioner (e.g. reports from the Council on Foreign Relations) or journalistic (e.g. Economist articles) material you wish to use.  Do not use Wikipedia.  You must use proper citation (either footnotes or parenthetic citation) and provide a bibliography.  Top-notch papers will also consider potential objections to your proposal.

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A paper with these characteristics . . .                                  . . . will fall into this range
 
Clear, thoughtful, non-obvious argument                                            A
Explanation of significance
Acknowledgement and analysis of alternative arguments
Excellent analysis
Excellent grammar and style
Complete, properly formatted citations
 
Clear argument                                                                                     B
Adequate analysis; may be leaning towards description
Good grammar and style
Minor problems with citations
 
Lack of clear argument                                                                        C
Lack of adequate analysis
Problems with grammar and style
Significant problems with citations
Problems with sources
 
No argument                                                                                        D
Major problems with grammar and style
Major problems with sources
 
Lack of any identifiable organization                                                  F