Assignment
Answer all ten questions. The purpose of this assignment is to show that you know how to use political science information sources. In addition to any other information I ask you for, you must cite your source after each question. Whenever you use material from someone else on any assignment, including the use of handouts and textbook, you must formally cite it. Use MLA or APA format, and always use a form that explicitly connects a particular item in your paper with a particular source - it's not enough to simply list sources at the end. The assignment is due no later than December 5. Do not use textbook or handouts or Wikipedia as sources. On a cover sheet, put your name, the course number, the class time, the title of the assignment, and the due date for the assignment.
Use the Source Handout or sources I've suggested within the assignment. Cite sources even if I've told you to use a particular source. Answer numbered question by numbered question. (Not an essay).
1. What are the number, purpose, and sponsor of a bill that has been introduced in the current or previous session of Congress relating to the Internet or to civil asset forfeiture (use congress.gov)?
2. What are the topic, date, and audience for a speech by the current President given while serving as president (use as a source the Weekly Compilation from the Source Handout, or the President's web site, accessed through usa.gov)?
3. Where does a U.S. national political party stand on one issue? Get your information from the party's official web site (get the internet address from the Source Handout)
4. What is the topic, number, and date of a Presidential executive order issued by the current president?
5. Using usa.gov, describe in some detail one way in which you can do business (buy, sell, apply for a job, etc.) with the federal government online
6. Choose a federal agency (not a department unless it is the Department of the Army, Navy, or Air Force). What does the agency do? What are two useful items of information you can get from that federal agency's web site?
7. Choose a topic in civil rights or civil liberties. Find a U.S. Supreme Court case (since 2000) on that topic. Copy the case name and two lines from the opinion of the Court.
Find unofficial Supreme Court opinions at http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/
8. Get your information from Congress.gov. Who is a current member from Texas on the U.S. House Appropriations committee? What is the member's party, district number, and home district address (that is, in Texas)? This is about Congress, not the Texas Legislature. You have to know the difference.
9. Choose a proposed rule from the Federal Register. What agency is proposing it? What is the topic? Where would you send comments?
10. Choose an interest group. What does it do? Specifically, How would you contact it?