Home

You are to write a 5-7 pages  position paper on the topic of Student Freedom of Speech on American college campuses.  
We have had a great deal of turmoil in college campuses all over the United States about a very important and current foreign policy issue:  The war in Israel and Gaza ( Israel-Hamas war) and how specifically students are voicing their opinion about it.  People have different opinions on this war.  For this Final Paper, the position that you take is your own choice and in itself,  will not be graded.   You will be graded on on how you formulate and develop your position in a logical manner, using facts, history, data, as well as using  your own values and experiences to arrive to your position. This Final Paper is asking you to  form and formulate your own position about this current issue based of the U.S. Constitution, its history, judicial interpretations, the issues at stake in this war and the role of the U.S. government supporting one of the sides in this conflict.
Use my lectures on the Bill of Rights history, Civil Liberties, the First Amendment freedoms of speech and also about Civil Rights and how in this country, protests and demonstrations have put pressure on government and Americans to re-examine issues such as racial segregation practices in schools, lunch counters, voting rights, housing, police brutality and more. 
Also keep in mind that there is a balancing act between rights and responsibilities. All students enjoy these rights, not just one group, and all of them also have responsibilities to respect others, as well as college policies, directives and overall public safety.
Background: Current student demonstrations in college campuses and arrests in USA: 
According to CNN on May 10, 2024, “more than 2,600 people have been arrested on college and university campuses since April 18 as schools prepare for spring commencement ceremonies, according to CNN’s review.The University of Southern CaliforniaLinks to an external site., where nearly 100 protesters were arrested April 24, canceledLinks to an external site. its primary commencement event. Protesters have been arrested on more than 50 campuses across at least 25 states and the District of Columbia. Many other schools have experienced protests without arrests.
Protest demands varyLinks to an external site. from campus to campus, but a major focus is that universities divest from companies with financial ties to Israel amid its war with Hamas. There have also been counter-protests, resulting in clashes at UCLALinks to an external site..
CNN provides a “Map Where university protesters have been arrested across the United States”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/29/us/pro-palestinian-university-protests-arrests-dg/index.htmlLinks to an external site.
I suggest that you write about the USC and UCLA campus demonstrations since they are in Los Angeles.  However, you can choose  any other U.S. college(s) that you prefer to write about (ex: other UC campuses, Columbia University, NYU,  Yale and Brown University etc.  
What is a “Position Paper” ?
A position essay makes a claim about something and then proves it through arguments and evidence. Keeping the appropriate differences and proportions, a position paper It is akin to a lawyer’s concluding argument in a case. You  are essentially using logic, data and facts to support your position/ thesis/argument on the topic that you selected.
Use the APA  academic guide for position papers and for citations.
Follow my instructions closely.  I will grade your paper based on the correctness of your facts/data  with proper APA citations and the completeness of your responses  following these instructions. Answer every question that I ask in each one of the sections of your Final Paper in order to obtain full credit.
Your Position Paper components and format:
Your paper contains the following three main areas plus the format.  
Your paper will be graded with a 100 points total. The value of each section for the purpose of grading this paper will be as follows:
1) Introduction: Total: 20 points .
a.) The topic you selected with 2 reasons  for your selection.  (8 points). 
b. A well defined position (thesis) that will guide the direction of your paper (12 points). You must state clearly the following: “My position on this topic is…” : and proceed to state your position. 
2) Development of your position on the topic: Total 40 points.
a. Make your position clear, reasoned, insightful and persuasive. This section, shows critical thinking and analysis of the topic and your position. It demonstrates that you have done careful reading of 7 different reputable sources on the topic that are cited in your paper’s Reference page. (15 points).
b. Provide detailed, accurate, specific and convincing evidence on the topic that supports your position. Provide reliable evidence for and analysis of your position on the topic. (15 points)  Also explain which level of government (federal, state or local and which branch of government regulates your topic and/ or should address this  issue and why. (10 points).
I recommend that for your sources you use main media press and news such as the New York Times, The Los Angles Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Harpers, or PBS, CNN, BBC.  For a guide on what are credible sources go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.htmlLinks to an external site.
3) Conclusion: Total 20 points
a. Explain 2 things that you learned by writing this paper (8 points).
b. Based on your position on this topic, what in your opinion, should be the proper balancing of the  U. S. Constitutional provision about your civil liberties in the First Amendment and public order?  For example, should  every university/college adopt a written process to meet and mediate with students protesters, before calling law enforcement to arrest students and confront disciplinary actions by the college administration that impact their educational success?  Any other suggestions?  (6 points)
c. List the three (3)  biggest challenges you and other young people are confronting to achieve a college degree and improve their lives? Please explain in your own words, one of the 3 issues listed.  (6 points)
4)  Length,  Format & Organization: Total 20 points.
Your essay should be 5 to 7 pages long, 12 point font, typed, double spaced and with numbered pages (7 points) .
Format & Citations (13 points):
You must submit a  Title page and a complete Reference  page (with the full APA citations of minimum  the seven different (7) sources of your in-text citations) in a separate page. These two pages are NOT a part of the 5-7 paper’s page content. They are important part of the format.  
Your paper must include proper in- text citations of at least 7 different reliable sources and their complete  APA citation  in the Reference page. This is a critical part of your essay. I need to be able to check the sources that you are citing. I will check your sources, so please pay close attention to this section of your essay. User generated sources such as Wikipedia are not reliable sources.  To review what are reliable sources go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.htmlLinks to an external site.
Number your Paper’s  pages!
You may use graphics for up to one (1) page of your 5-7 pages Paper with proper APA citations. These graphics must be directly connected to your Paper’s position. Make sure to provide a brief explanation under your graphic page about how this graphic illustrates/supports your Paper’s position. You must write a short explanation of why you are using your selected images to support your position. This means that at minimum,  your Final Paper content should be 4 pages of writing and 1 page of graphics for a total minimum of 5 pages plus two (2) format pages the Title page and the Reference page (with the complete citations of the sources cited in the in-text citations.) 
You may also choose to write 5-7 pages with no graphics. Half a page or less is not counted as a page for the purpose of this Final Paper. 
In short, I expect to find a minimum of 5 pages of content for your Paper, plus 2 format pages:  the Title page and the Reference page with the complete APA citations of the sources cited in the in-text citations.
Here some resources for your Paper’s APA formatting:
If you are citing my lectures do the following:  (Shewfelt, 2024, Free Speech in College campuses) the Lecture’s title that you are citing)
Short 6 minute video with the basic APA formatting for students:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0e9DKDxUYULinks to an external site.
For a guide on what are credible sources go to:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/research_and_evidence.htmlLinks to an external site. 
Citations: Use the APA  academic guide for position papers. 
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_sample_paper.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Sample Student Paper:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/apa_sample_paper.htmlLinks to an external site.
For a guide to citations of electronic images (if you choose to include graphics in your paper. Go to: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_audiovisual_media.htmlLinks to an external site.
https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/image/#:~:text=An%20APA%20image%20citation%20includes,accessed%20or%20viewed%20the%20imageLinks to an external site..
APA Frequently asked questions:
https://apastyle.apa.org/learn/faqs/indexLinks to an external site.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html