Political Science 311
Legislative Process
Dr. Sellers
October 7, 2009

Paper #1

Consider the simulated election campaign that we recently completed. Write a one-page essay in which you apply the collective action concepts from the first week of class to explain the election campaign and outcome. How do those concepts help us understand and explain why people inside and outside the class acted in certain ways and made certain choices? Focus your essay on applying the collective action concepts (instead of merely recounting the election campaign). Try to address both the campaign process and the election outcome, and make sure that you apply multiple collective action concepts.

The first page of your paper should contain only identifying information (i.e., your name, etc.); this information should not appear on other pages of your paper. The second page of your paper should contain the text of your essay. The paper should contain appropriate in-text citations for any sources used; the detailed bibliographic information for these citations should appear on the third page. If tables or figures help support your argument in the text, you can include these tables or figures on additional pages (with clear references in the text of your essay).

Your paper should be typed, with 1-inch margins and a font no smaller than 10 point.  The paper can be either single- or double-spaced.  The maximum length for the text of your essay is one page; when grading, I will not read any material past the first page (except tables or figures and citation details).  The paper is due at the start of class on October 16.  Papers turned in 10 minutes after the start of class will be considered late.  Paper grades are lowered by ten points (out of 100 total points) for each 24-hour period (after the start of class) that they are late.  Finally, the Honor Code covers this assignment; make sure that you pledge your work.