Midterm Assignment Instructions (Read Carefully)
In university courses, assignments (or assessments) are meant to give students the opportunity to demonstrate what they have been learning in the course and give instructors evidence that such learning is occurring within the classroom. Because of these objectives, it is imperative to incorporate the specifics of what youve been studying in the course into your writing assignments. You accomplish this by answering the Midterm question in the assessment via the course objectives and readings from the course. The midterm will cover the following objectives:
Describe the role of rapid globalization in changing perceptions of security
Identify key threats to human security (food security, personal security, environmental security)
Apply the concepts of human security
Compare and contrast traditional international relations approaches to security with the doctrine of human security.
Midterm Question
Is the movement towards human security a true paradigm shift? In answering this question make sure to consider which of the authors whom you have read in Weeks one to four of the course support your view and which do not. *The sole use of lesson and course readings from Weeks 1-4 is required for the midterm*
Formatting Instructions
To answer the Midterm question you will write an analytical essay. The analytical essay is a practical approach to solving a problem. So think of this essay question as you would an assignment from your boss: I need you to take a look at this problem and solve it for me using things from your IR toolkit (what you have learned, or know). Present a well-written, concise answer to me in four pages. I need it by tomorrow morning. This is how it happens in the real world, and this is what we want to prepare you to do. To achieve this structure of the essay please keep the following tips in mind:
Create an accurate list of all of the readings from the first four weeks of the course. Take notes on each reading, noting the author and date so that you can refer to them easily.
Think about the question in terms of the aforementioned objectives from Weeks 1-4.
Focus on supporting your arguments and not whether you are right or wrong.
Provide a voice to the other side of the argument.
Remember that the analytical essay is highly-structured. Each paragraph should look like the others in terms of style and substance. Writing to the limit of four pages is an art and something you need to learn to do. So, dont write fewer than four pages and dont write more. You may need to write over just a little and then edit away the extra parts of the essay to reach the concise four pages.
Follow this Format for the Essay:
Do not use a cover page. Instead, create a header with your name, assignment name, and date. To do this in Word, go to insert and then header. Do the same thing to insert a footer and include page numbers. If you need help, use the help function to learn more within Word.
Your submission should be four pages (no more, no less) and look like this:
Introduction: Introduce your topic & include a thesis. To help you set up your analytical essay include three reasons why you agree or disagree with the midterm questions. By doing so, you will set up the body of your paper. The introduction should be ½ page.
The Body: The body will focus on your three reasons that you either agree or disagree with the midterm question. Each reason should take up about 1 page and include support from the readings and lessons.
Conclusion: The conclusion will wrap up your paper, and re-state your three reasons. This should be about ½ page.
Reference List: Include a reference list in Turabian format. This list will not count towards the four pages.
Use Turabian in-text citation with a reference list. Do not include footnotes.
Submission Instructions
Review your submission and make sure that you have covered the requirements of the assignment using only material from the lessons and readings.
Make sure you have written your analytical essay in the third person format.
Make sure your submission is no more and no less than 4 pages. A five point deduction will be taken per page under/over.
Use this format to name your file: YourlastnameMidterm.docx.
Use standard word settings for the assignment. Double-space, 12 pt. font (Calibri, Helvetica or Arial as a last resort).
Upload the document to the correct folder in assignments.
Additional Reading & Resources allowed to be used to mid term:
Video: Human Security a New Response
http://www.hsrgroup.org/our-work/publications/miniatlas.aspx
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/hand
https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/04/25/the-new-geopo
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12poli
http://www.thelugarcenter.org/ourwork-Global-Food-
http://pulitzercenter.org/education/school-garden-
https://uctv.tv/shows/Mary-Robinson-Global-Food-Sy
