Assignment: R_e_a_d_ _A_c_h_a_r_y_a_’s_ _End of American World Order. Write a review essay of the book that answers the following question: A_r_e_ _y_o_u_ _p_e_r_s_u_a_d_e_d_ _b_y_ _A_m_i_t_a_v_ _A_c_h_a_r_y_a_’s_ _a_r_g_u_m_e_n_t_ _i_n_ _The End of American World Order? Explain your opinion with reference to the book and the course material. As a book review essay, you must discuss the texts and offer your own commentary. This means that you must do two things: (a) summarize and critique the argument made The End of American World Order; and (b) provide your own analysis of world politics by answering the question above. The best papers will give approximately equal time to both components within the allotted word limit. The paper must be between 1500 -2000 words, not including title page and bibliography (longer or shorter papers will not be accepted). You must with, and make reference to, the arguments outlined in The End of American World Order. Your book review must refer to at least five additional academic sources. An academic source is a book, or portion of a book written by a professor, a journal article in a peer reviewed journal, or a respected policy journal. In general, academic sources are held to a higher editorial standard of evidence and logic. Non-academic sources are acceptable and include newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other random stuff you find online. Non-academic sources can be reliable, especially traditional media sources, but generally have lower editorial standards. This syllabus contains worthwhile academic sources but you are welcome to go beyond what is listed here. RUBRIC: The following gives an approximation of what we expect to see in papers of differing quality. Other factors may come into consideration beyond what is articulated here. Range of 80-100% (24+ out of 30) –
Answers the questions with logical and creative arguments that are persuasive, concise, clear, and appropriate. – Provides answers that are supported and defended with convincing and sophisticated arguments that draw upon, and respond to, course material in interesting ways. – Demonstrates strong comprehension of both books and is able to reconstruct the core argument of each in brief. – Devotes at least half of the paper to answering the analytical question directly. – Maintains a professional tone throughout. Every word and every sentence serves a purpose. – Contains absolutely no errors of spelling, grammar, or citation, and is within the word length requirement for the assignment. Range of 70-79% (21-23.5 out of 30) – Answers the questions with clear and strong arguments with some originality. Some gaps in the logic are evident and some evidence may be weak. – Provides answers that are supported and defended with solid arguments that draw upon, and respond to, course material. – Demonstrates a reasonable understanding of the arguments of both books, and devotes at least half of the paper to answering the question. – Maintains a professional tone throughout. – Errors of spelling, grammar, or citation, are typos only or are otherwise incidental. – The paper is within the word length requirement for the assignment. – Language choice is clear, purposeful and avoids colloquialism. Range of 60-69% (18-20.5 out of 30) – Answers the question fairly clearly but lacks a sophisticated voice. – Provides answers that are supported and defended with arguments that, while not always strong, still draw upon, and respond to, course material to some extent. – Demonstrates an understanding of the arguments of both books, but gaps in comprehension are evident. – Spends insufficient time answering the analytical question – Maintains an appropriate, though not always professional tone throughout. Too much use of colloquial phrases and casual terminology. – Errors of spelling, grammar, or citation compromise the ability to understand the paper. Range of 50-59% (15-17.5 out of 30) – A paper may fall within this range if it contains one or more of the following weaknesses: –
Provides answers to the analytical question that us less than adequate and/or unclear and/or inappropriate. – Defends its answers with arguments that are weak and/or do not draw upon course material. – Demonstrates a weak understanding of the arguments of the books, and/or devotes less two-thirds of the paper to answering the question. – Contains errors of spelling, grammar, or style that make the paper difficult to follow. – Contains errors of sourcing or citation, although not to the point of constituting plagiarism. Below 50% (-15 out of 30) – Does not adhere to the guidelines of the assignment. – The paper does not engage with the arguments of one or both of the books, and/or does not answer the analytical question – The paper’s length does not fall within the word length requirement for the assignment. – Contains spelling, grammar or style errors that make it very difficult or impossible to follow the argument. – Contains serious errors of sourcing or citation.
