Assignment:
Instructions
Students will create a national-level, single-issue interest group that is focused on one specific area of either domestic or foreign policy.
The project will be presented in PowerPoint, and the presentation should include the information below.
Discuss the issue, and outline goals of the group.
o Provide a clear statement of the group's foreign policy or domestic policy issue.
o Include a detailed description of the group's goal(s). You must include at least one goal but no more than three.
Discuss the organization of the group.
o Your group must be structured as a single-issue group (i.e., a group that focuses on one primary issue).
o Provide a brief description of the group's major leadership positions and their functions.
o Include a description of the group's general membership, including an approximate size and general demographic of membership (e.g., high income/lower income; urban/rural).
Outline the group's strategies and tactics for success.
o Describe one to three strategies that your group will use. A strategy is a general plan that will move your group toward success, such as using direct lobbying of policy makers or using the court system.
o Describe two to three tactics that your group will use. A tactic is a specific action that works to make a strategy successful. See the table below to better understand how strategies and tactics relate.
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Strategy
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Tactics (associated with specific strategy)
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Direct lobbying of policy makers
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One-on-one meetings with policy makers
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Testifying before Congressional Committee
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Judicial system
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Using the federal court system to advance group objectives (e.g., filing court cases, filing amicus curiae briefs, petitioning the courts for injunctions)
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Media
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Publishing information about your issue in media outlets
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Encouraging the media to conduct and publicize poll results about your group's issue
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Grassroots lobbying
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Hosting mass protests in public spaces, such as the Mall in Washington, D.C., to call attention to your issue
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Conducting an email and text campaign in which your group's members email and text policy makers about your issue
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Make certain that your content slides meet the requirements listed below.
o You should have a minimum of 10 slides, not counting the title slide, the references slide, or any slide only consisting of one or more photographs with no substantive text.
o Include at least five photos in the presentation, but the photo(s) cannot be the only item(s) on a slide.
o Include at least two charts or graphics.
o Graphics and photos must be clear and cited.
Make certain to follow the recommendations for designing your presentation.
o It is strongly recommended that the presentation be separated into clear sections.
o Select a simple, uncluttered PowerPoint design theme.
o Your work should be the focus of the presentation-not the slide theme.
o Use contrasting background and text for ease of reading (i.e., if using a dark background, use a light color text and vice versa).
o Minimize the use of slide and transition animation as these can become distracting.