In your final paper for EUR 303 I would like you to analyse a current EU policy problem, a
policy debate or policy approach undertaken by the EU or EU member states. I do not want
to specify the topic, which means that you are free to select the topic and the approach you
would like to pursue.
At the same time, please note that unlike our class assignments for EUR 303, which are
more of a practical nature, this one is an academic piece. Even though the task might seem
daunting, it is good to practice final paper writing as they are often required as final
assignments in graduate study programs.
Structure and assessment criteria
I imagine that your final paper will consist of an introduction that briefly states the topic/
question addressed in the paper, summarizes your main point/ argument and introduces
the reader to the structure of the paper.
The contents of the paper’s body will depend on the topic in question. Different subsections
here may – and I emphasize may, as the structure and contents really depends on the issue
you would like to address – look as follows:
1) define an institution/ phenomenon/ concept,
2) show how it is presented / addressed in the academic literature, policy analysis or
practitioners’ debate; are there controversies/ competing views on the issue etc.
3) show and interpret statistical/ survey data on the phenomenon under study (if available
and if you decide that it is something worth presenting / reflecting on)
4) provide your assessment of the literature / policy contents / scholarly or expert
discussions/ statistical data – whichever you included earlier
5) possibly include policy recommendations or suggestions for further research.
You might also provide a brief conclusion section – or just finish with the discussion /
recommendation section.
Please break your paper into easily identifiable parts / sections – it is already a longer
writing piece and the reader finds it easier to navigate through a well-organized text. It also
helps you organize your thoughts and arguments. Finally, writing a paper ‘chopped’ into
sections seems somewhat less daunting 😉 !
Grading criteria
When grading the final paper I will assess:
– the structure of your paper
– the clarity (not the contents!) of your arguments and discussion
– the quality of your academic and non-academic sources (such as reports and analyses of
EU institutions, national governments and NGOs; press reports…)
– your writing style.
