ALL ASSIGNMENTS HAVE TO BE COMPLETED

ASSIGN 1

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Plain Language and Citing to Sources

Topic 1: Plain Language

Read the definition of plain language and about the history of the plain language movement within the U.S. government.

Source: (2012). Plain Language: Plain Language.gov.

Retrieved from http://www.plainlanguage.gov/whatisPL/index.cfm:

After your reading, consider this quote from William Butler Yeats:

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”

Can you think of any challenges the U.S. government might have when communicating in the language of the people? How might you address those challenges?

ASSIGN 2

Take a few minutes to view this short and amusing video, Dr. Comp 10: On Documentation and Citing Sources, on why citing to sources is important. After viewing the video, take a few moments to search on the internet and see if you can validate the facts stated in the video.

Source: (2011). Dr. Comp 10: On Documentation and Citing Sources [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83yH5xUGKU8

Tell your classmates what your experience was in trying to learn whether the facts were true. Where did you look? What did you find to substantiate the facts? Were you ultimately satisfied that you had verified the information?

Now that you have tried to validate un-cited material, can you think of any circumstances, either in an academic or professional setting, when you would not want to cite the reference material you used in a written work?

ASSIGN 3

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Opposing Viewpoints

In a famous 1954 television broadcast, Edward R. Murrow, a renowned journalist in the early days of television, criticized Senator Joseph McCarthy’s methods of investigating communist activities in the United States. Click on the following link to watch Murrow’s closing comments to that 1954 broadcast.

Source: (2009). Edward R. Murrow – See It Now (March 9, 1954) [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anNEJJYLU8M

Murrow gave Senator McCarthy the opportunity to refute the criticism against him.

Source: “Senator Joseph McCarthy Responds to Edward Murrow on CBS’s See It Now”. (2010): American Rhetoric: Movie Speeches.

Retrieved from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/-MovieSpeeches/moviespeechgoodnight-andgoodluckmcarthy.html

Now that you have heard the two different opinions, how would you characterize the approaches of Murrow and McCarthy (do they appear creditable)? What are you, as a viewer, assuming as you watch and listen to both speakers? Are there any similarities in the opinions they are delivering or in their method of delivery? And finally, what would you have done differently in promulgating either opinion?

ASSIGN 4

Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your reading.

Transparency In Government

Discussion 1: Government in the Sunshine Act

The following is a link to the text of the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 USC §552b), enacted in 1976 to ensure transparency in the operations of the federal government. States and local jurisdictions have their own versions of the Sunshine Act as well. Take a moment to review some of the provisions of the federal Sunshine Act.

Source: “Government in the Sunshine Act” (2012): Access Reports Freedom of Information.

Retrieved from http://accessreports.com/statutes/sunshine.htm

Now take a look at this clip from a film comedy called “Legally Blond 2: Red, White and Blonde” in which the lead character, Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon), attends her first public meeting on Capitol Hill.

Source: (2003). Trailer Addict website Legally Blond 2. [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.traileraddict.com/clip/legally-blonde-2/clip-4

There were some mistakes in procedure made by both the Committee Chairperson and Elle Woods. What should the Chairperson have done to ensure the requirements of the Sunshine Act were met?

Elle used a variety of tactics throughout the scene to garner interest for her policy petition. Which ones, if any, were successful? What would you do differently?

ASSIGN 5

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Addressing the Concerns of Policy Makers When Proposing Solutions

Discussion 1: Gandhi and the British Government in India

This link is to a clip from the 1982 biographical film “Gandhi” In this clip, Gandhi meets with the British Government in India.

Source: “Mohandas K. Gandhi Tells British Authorities To Leave India” (2010): American Rhetoric: Movie Speeches.

Retrieved from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/-MovieSpeeches/moviespeechgandhi3.html

As you saw depicted, Gandhi presented a single solution to the British Government which was to leave India. The British raise the issue of protecting a religious minority as one of their primary reasons for remaining in the country. Do you think Gandhi’s solution addressed the British Government’s concerns? What alternative solutions would you have suggested?

ASSIGN 6

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Indiana Jones

This unit has largely been about performing research and organizing that research so that you can easily access and utilize the information you have obtained.

In the 1989 film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the reknowned archaeologist Indiana Jones must use his father’s diary, which contains his lifelong study and research, to locate the Holy Grail before it falls into the wrong hands. Indiana rescues his father, relieved that he no longer needs to use the diary to find the grail. Click on the link below to see what Jones’ father (played by Sean Connery) says about his research.

Source (2009), Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade [Web video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMeesE4Nlhg

Considering the type of research you might perform in your future public sector career that could have tremendous consequences if unrecoverable, what types of measures would you undertake to ensure your research can be authenticated and duplicated? Can you think of any circumstances under which you would not want your research to be readily available for examination or authentication?

ASSIGN 7

Throughout this course, many discussion opportunities come up where you need to respond to other people’s opinions and comments. Then respond to your Discussion topic after you have completed your reading.

Giving Numbers Meaning

Discussion 1: A Beautiful Mind

In this unit, you will be working with interpretation of numerical data in a narrative format. In this film clip, John Forbes Nash, Nobel Prize winner and mathematician, (and the subject of the biographical film “A Beautiful Mind”), explains game theory and the Nash Equilibirum.

Source: (2007). John Nash, a Nobel laureate in Economics [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF_9wzIOoDE

In this clip from the film “A Beautiful Mind”, director Ron Howard illustrated the Nash Equilibirum in a scene.

Source: –(2011). Governing Dynamics: Ignore the Blond – A Beautiful Mind [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CemLiSI5ox8

Which of the explanations did you prefer? Why? Do you think the film illustration of a Nash Equilibrium is accurate or oversimplified? Under what circumstances do you think simplifying complex numerical data/statistics is advisable in the public sector?

ASSIGN 8

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Knowing the Background

In this film clip from the 1992 movie “My Cousin Vinny”, a novice attorney (played by Joe Pesci) calls his girlfriend to the stand to refute expert testimony that has been offered by the opposing counsel. Before opposing counsel will accept the testimony of the witness, he requests the opportunity to question (voir dire) the witness.

Source: (1992) My Cousin Vinny [Web video].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ug9pP7dftM

This clip illustrates not only the importance of knowing the history and multiple perspectives of an issue, not just the position you may be advocating. You not only have to be prepared to address questions from interested parties, but, in the event you are the inquisitor, be prepared to understand the responses. What would you have done differently if you had been in the opposing counsel’s position? Did you think opposing counsel’s questions were posed appropriately? While this is a fictional representation, can you recall actual occurrences when an individual has been questioned in such a manner in a public forum? What happened in those instances?

ASSIGN 9

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Argumentation and Discourse

Topic 1: The Beauty of Argument

Take a look at this clip from the 2005 film “Thank You for Smoking”. In this film, Nick Naylor, played by Aaron Eckhart, is a lobbyist for tobacco companies. His son has asked for assistance with his homework.

Source: (2009), Thank You for Smoking Best Scene [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY3V0JJqnqo

In this second clip from the same movie, Nick Naylor, tobacco lobbyist, teaches his son how to argue an issue.

Source: – (2007). Nick Naylor – Ice Cream [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/-watch?v=zLS-npemQYQ&feature=related

The Nick Naylor character advocates a number of strategies for making arguments. Do you think those arguments were effective? Under what circumstances would you utilize those strategies?

ASSIGN 10

Topic 2: Who Are You Trying to Persuade?

In the prior film clip, Naylor advocates trying to persuade “them” instead of his opponent. In this final scene from the film “Thank You for Smoking” tobacco lobbyists Nick Naylor testifies before a Senate investigative committee that has been called to determine whether cigarette packages should be labeled with a skull and cross bones.

Does the Nick Naylor character utilize the same forms of arguments he previously advocated? What about the Senate Committee? What strategies are they using to gain their points? Do you think there are any problems with the way the Senate Committee conducts the public discourse?

ASSIGN 11

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Footloose Policy Deliberation

In this film clip from the 1984 film “Footloose”, Ren McCormack (played by Kevin Bacon), has moved to a town in which the city council has banned dancing. One of the city council’s members is a reverend who initiated the policy against dancing. In an effort to change the law, McCormack addresses the city council.

Source: (2011), Footloose (4/7) Movie CLIP – Defending Dancing (1984) HD [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EdkUt4f5wg&feature=topics

What techniques did Kevin Bacon’s character use to address the concerns of the council? Were they effective? Why or why not?

The city council ultimately does not agree with McCormack that the law should be changed. What would you have done differently in order to vet the objections of the city council and gain a lifting of the prohibition against dancing?

ASSIGN 12

Discussion Boards are an important component of your coursework and will solidify your learning of the topics in each unit. Please refer to the Discussion Board Rubric at the end of the Syllabus for details on participation requirements and how grades will be determined. When posting on the Discussion Board:

• Communications must be professional and civil at all times. All posts must be done in an environment which is collaborative.
• The goal of discussion is a free exchange of ideas and viewpoints with the freedom to disagree with one another in a respectful and thoughtful way.
• Reread messages and posts before sending them to ensure that your contributions are positive and diplomatic in tone and content.

Reflect and Discuss

Now that you have completed this course, reflect on the outcomes as well as your personal goals for the course.

But before you discuss what you have learned with your classmates; take a moment to view these closing comments from a commencement speech.

Source: (2011). Daria’s Graduation Speech [Web video].

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdG9pBtP9D4

Discuss what you have learned with your classmates focusing on the following:

• What were the most important new ideas you encountered and how did they change your understanding of this class?
• What have you learned from your discussions and collaborations with your fellow students?
• How do you plan to use what you’ve learned in your professional and/or academic career?
• What areas of the subject would you like to continue to explore, and why?