POLITICAL ACTION PROJECT

The purpose of this project is to participate in politics and then analyze your actions. Political action can take many different forms, and it is up to you to choose your cause and method of involvement. As well as actually taking action, you will write about and discuss the institutions you interact with, the aims and results of your actions, and the ideology behind them.

Examples of political action:

- writing a letter to your MP, MNA, or city councilor - writing a letter to the editor - joining and/or volunteering for a political party - organizing/attending a protest/rally - organizing a petition - organizing/attending a political workshop or discussion - voting in an election - running for political office - participating in a city council meeting - participating in a student government meeting - joining a community group

Your project will unfold in two parts.

Important:

- If you change your political action after you submit your proposal, you MUST get approval from me. - You may coordinate with classmates who wish to undertake a collective action with you, but you MUST submit separate assignments.

PART 1: PROPOSAL

Format: Proposals must be written in APA or MLA format. Proposals must be double-spaced and stapled; otherwise they will not be accepted. No electronic submissions will be accepted. You may use "I" statements and other personal pronouns in this assignment.

*Please staple the marking grid (the last page of this package) to the back of your assignment.* Marks will be deducted if this is not done.

Content: Your proposal will consist of two paragraphs plus an annotated bibliography. Paragraph 1. Briefly describe your cause. - What issue are you choosing to engage with? - Why is this issue important? - What position will you take on the issue, and why is this correct position? - What ideology does your position reflect?

Paragraph 2. Describe your plan of action: - what are you going to do? - When and where are you going to act? - Why have you chosen this particular form of action? What do you hope to accomplish with your action? - Which political institutions or processes are relevant to your proposed project?

Annotated bibliography - Identify the sections in your textbook that are important to understanding your project. - Find at least three other sources relevant to your project. They may NOT include dictionary or encyclopedia entries. At least one of your sources should provide information on the institutions or systems (for example, the Quebec National Assembly) you are planning on influencing, and at least one should provide information on the tactic or process you have chosen (for example, the historical effectiveness of political rallies). - Give APA or MLA references for each of these sources (including the textbook). - In 50-100 words, summarize each source. Identify the main idea of the text and how the text is relevant to your project. For help in writing in APA or MLA format and to create the necessary references, consult handouts in the Academic Skills Centre (2nd floor of the library) or on their website (through Student Services on the Dawson College website). The staff there can help you with this.

The following page represents an example of the format of this assignment if completed in MLA. Note that the font should be Times New Roman 12.
[Your name]

Teacher Name

Introduction to Politics

[Paragraph 1 - your cause - double-spaced, first line indented]

[Paragraph 2 - your action - double-spaced, first line indented]

Annotated Bibliography

[Note: this should begin on a new page]

[You will have at least four sources here, including the textbook - these should be arranged alphabetically by the first item of the bibliography entry] [Below is just one example - take note of the indentation (the first line is at the margin while the others are indented)]

Jones, Ralph H. "Poe's Neurotic Characters." American Literary Journal 56.3 (2002): 76-81. Pro Quest Literary Bookshelf. Web. 10 Oct. 2009. This article focuses on major characters in six of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, analyzing their mental and emotional problems.

Jones argues that abnormal psychology is central to Poe's most successful works of fiction, and he supports his views by describing the strange actions and delusions of various characters. This source will be useful in supporting my view that the horror in Poe's work is based on the mental problems of his characters, not on supernatural forces.