For this News Briefing Quest task (15 points), pick and analyze a U.S. political news article from RealClearPolitics. Each task is minimum 250/maximum 350 words, and should follow this outline:

1st Paragraph: Summarize the article in your own words to avoid TurnItIn from detecting plagiarism (see Academic Honesty policy in the syllabus). For information on how to summarize appropriately, visit Purdue OWL: Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing.

2nd Paragraph: Relate the article to the topic and readings of the level you are currently completing.

3rd Paragraph: Present your own opinion about the political issue, and include the link to the article you selected.

Instructions:

1. Go to RealClearPolitics.
2. Pick a news article on a U.S. politics issue not older than seven days from the day you complete this assignment.
3. Include the weblink at the end of your assignment. This is required.
4. Structure your 3 paragraphs according to the outline above.
5. Do not write about the same U.S. politics issue twice in this class.

Write a four (4) page paper in which you:

1. Analyze at least two (2) laws or two (2) court decisions that have implications to the agency’s personnel management. (Title this section “Laws Affecting the Agency”)
2. Evaluate the agency’s approach to LGBTQ issues, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses. (Title this section “Personnel Recruitment and Hiring Practices”)
3. Evaluate the agency’s approach to ethics and diversity training programs provided for new and existing employees, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses. (Title this section “Ethics and Diversity Training”)
4. Recommend at least two (2) actions the agency could take to improve in the areas of recruiting and training a diversified workforce. (Title this section “Recommendations for Recruiting and Training a Diversified Workforce”)
5. Appropriately incorporate at least four (4) quality sources. A quality source can be either popular, such as a news article, or scholarly, such as peer reviewed works. In the case of public administration, government websites are appropriate quality resources. Note: Wikipedia, SparkNotes, and similar websites do not qualify as academic resources. Visit the Strayer University Library at http://research.strayer.edu to conduct research.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA.
  

  PAD 530 – Assignments and Rubrics

   

  Scenario for Assignments 1, 2, 3, and 4

  For Assignments 1, 2, 3, and 4 you will take on the role of a consultant for a government agency. Your consulting firm has been asked by the agency to conduct background research, interview agency representatives, compile a report, and provide recommendations for improvement of their personnel management system. The first role of the consultant is to become familiar with the agency, its departments, and key actors. You will develop the assignment in four (4) parts, submitting each to your supervisor (your professor) who will review and grade your efforts.

   

  Select one federal, state, or local government organization, and then select a department within that agency. Usually, you can find contact information on their website. Please note, each assignment builds upon the previous assignment. The agency you select in Assignment 1 must be used for all remaining assignments.

   

  · Review website link: https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/a

  · Select a federal or state public agency.

  · Review the directions for Assignments 1, 2, 3, and 4 before selecting your agency. This will ensure that the agency you select will be able to address the requirements of each assignment.

   

  Assignment 1: Rationale and Analysis for Agency Selected, Part 1 (Due Week 3)

  Assignment 2: Evaluation of Agency’s Public Personnel Administration, Part 2 (Due Week 5)

  Assignment 3: Agency’s Law and Ethics of Hiring a Diverse Workforce, Part 3 (Due Week 7)

  Assignment 4: Analysis of the Agency’s Policies, Procedures, and Plans – Unions, Privatization, Pensions, and Productivity, Part 4 (Due Week 10)

   

  After selecting an agency and department, you are expected to:

  1. Research the literature regarding issues that involve the selected agency and public administration in general.

  2. Interview one (1) representative of the agency’s department for the different sections of the paper. (Interviews can be conducted in person, by phone, or by an electronic method such as email.)

   

  (Note: Guidelines for Interview Assignments at Strayer University [see Appendix]):

  (1)  Before students engage in an interview assignment, they must adhere to these Guidelines for Interview Assignments at Strayer University:

  (a)   The purpose of the assignment is to train students in interview/research methods, not to develop or contribute to research that can be applied to situations beyond that studied or that is created to share with others outside of the local academic setting.

  (b)   No publication of projects containing the results of or information from the interviews is allowed, including publication in social media, blogs, or the Internet generally. The interview findings may only be shared in the class.

  (2)   When presenting the results of their interviews to their instructor and / or classmates, students may not disclose personally identifiable information about an interviewee, unless they have received written permission from the interviewee as verified by their instructor.

  (3)   All interviewees must be at least 18 years old.

   

  © 2018 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.

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