Description
Each student will have the opportunity to select a public administration topic covered in the
course that fits her/his research interests. An in-depth analysis of the topic will result in a topic
paper. To perform the analysis, the weekly reading will serve as a point of departure. This paper
should not be a summary of the reading. Rather, the student should find a theme or important
question in the readings as a basis for the paper and utilize at least three additional sources to
construct an argument about a particular topic of your choosing. Students are required to have
their topic and the direction of their paper approved by the instructor in advance. If you do not
obtain approval, not only will points be deducted, but if the instructor finds your theme or
question inadequate you will receive a low grade on the paper. For example, if you are
interested in managing human resources and select Chapter 3 as the basis for your topic paper,
you would read Chapter 3 in advance, brainstorm topics, and obtain feedback from the instructor
prior to writing and submitting your paper.
The paper should address the following aspects of your topic:
- A brief summary of the issue you are targeting: what is the issue and how did this
become a public administration “puzzle” (no more than one page). - An explanation of why you think this issue is significant in public administration today:
who are the key stakeholders, what are the competing interests at work, what challenges
do you see in solving this public administration “puzzle.” - A recommendation based on the your research, experience, and perspective that you
developed in assessing this “puzzle;” what, ultimately, should be done in practice to help
solve this puzzle.
Sample Solution
