PSC 202 750
Summer 2009
APPLICATION PAPER
Watch the documentary The Fog of War – more than once if necessary – identify each the eleven lessons
proposed by Robert McNamara as either realist or liberal, and provide evidence from the material studied to
support your argument.
In grading your paper, I will look for your ability to correctly identify each lesson as either liberal or realist
and to support your arguments with terms and concepts studied. I will also take into consideration the
completeness, parsimony (brevity,) and organization of your paper.
The paper is worth maximum 200 points and the suggested length is 7 typed, double-spaced pages.
You must cite your sources (textbook and articles) using the Turabian (University of Chicago) citation
format. No other citation formats are acceptable.
To facilitate your work, use the verbatim transcript available.
All papers will be run through plagiarism detection software. It is your responsibility to be aware of what
constitutes plagiarism.
Suggested Outline:
In writing you paper, you must adhere to the standard college essay format containing an introduction, body,
and conclusion.
Introduction: Briefly introduce the documentary and show its importance. Then, clearly present your thesis,
your argument. Suggested length: one page (10% of the grade)
Body: Systematically summarize each lesson presented in the documentary and correctly identify it as either
liberal or realist. Then, provide evidence from the material studied so far (textbook chapters and
articles,) to support your argument. The emphasis here is on the quality of your analysis, and your
ability to integrate into it relevant terms and concepts studied. Suggested length: five pages (70% of
the grade)
Conclusion: Finally, restate your thesis, summarize your findings, and briefly show how these finding
could help guide US foreign policy, in particular with regard to states such as Iran and North
Korea. Suggested length: one page (20% of the grade)
The paper is due back in hard copy format on Monday, July 13 at the beginning of the class.
No email or fax copies are allowed except with prior instructor approval.
Late papers will be penalized 10% per calendar day, and will not be accepted after the next class!
Late papers must be brought to room 2817 during regular hours, to have the date recorded.
There will be no exceptions to the above rules!
Good Luck!
