RESEARCH PAPER ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
In the area of federalism and intergovernmental relations, the Christian statesman should conduct
research with an aim of addressing policy-relevant questions and evaluating findings within the
framework of a Christian worldview. Toward that end, the purpose of the Research Paper
Assignment is to develop the skills related to conducting scholarly research in a federalism-
related topic. The tasks of this Assignment are to choose a topic within the framework of
federalism scholarship, craft a research question from that topic, and conduct an inquiry of that
question with the goal of providing findings and answers for it. This research question must be
such that a Christian stateman can respond to it from a biblical worldview and contrast it against
a secular worldview.
INSTRUCTIONS
Write a research paper that addresses and answers a well-defined research question related to
American federalism, a question that warrants a response from the Christian statesman. Follow
requirements listed below with respect to the content and structure of the Research Paper (for
other requirements, review the Research Paper Assignment Rubric):
Title: Place the title on the title page and at the top of the first page, centered and bolded.
The title or subtitle of the Research Paper is the research question.
Length: Paper should be between 15–20 pages, double spaced. This includes the title
page, the body of the paper, and the alphabetized list of references. Page numbering does
not include other items such as an abstract, table of contents, or appendix.
Format: Turabian Author-Date style (no footnotes/endnotes; in-text citations only),
double-spaced, Times New Roman (12 pt.) with margins at 1” on all sides. Place page
numbers in the upper right-hand corner.
Content: Include title page, body of the paper, and an alphabetized list of references.
Include the following headings in the body of the paper: Introduction, Research Topic
and Question, Literature Review, Analysis of the Question, Biblical Response, and
Conclusion (which includes answers to the research question).
Research: Paper must cite and reference at least ten peer-reviewed scholarly articles that
explicitly relate to the research question.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Below are questions that you can apply to your area of policy study. Fill in the blank with your
chosen policy. Your policy choice must be one where there is a substantial national/state
relationship. Make sure that as you narrow your area of research, your question is one that
warrants a response from the Christian statesman:
Does policy align with the Founder’s view of federalism?
Would further decentralization help the federal relationship in policy?
Is the Roberts Court altering the federal relationship in policy?
Is more federal preemption needed in the area of policy?