POLS 285-2 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Mr. Scott LaDeur
Office: DuSable 476
Mailbox: Zulauf 415
Email: sladeur@niu.edu
Class Hours: MWF 11:00-11:50am
Classroom: DuSable 461
Office Hours: To be announced in class
Recommended Text: Mingst, Karen. 2004. Essentials of International Relations. 3rd Edition. Norton: New York. This book is available at the University Bookstore and at Varsity Commons Bookstore. I have made this text recommended because while I believe that this textbook is helpful I do not believe that it is essential to success in this class. If you like to read textbooks and feel that they help you to understand themes from class—by all means purchase a copy. All copies should be used so they will be quite affordable. That being said, I believe that by regularly attending class and taking good notes you can do well without buying this book.
COURSE
OBJECTIVES
Welcome to the dynamic world of international politics! Our world has never been more interconnected and interrelated than at the current moment. Events in far-away lands have significant impact on our everyday lives. From the price of gasoline, world economic problems and our safety in the United States, global events and politics affect our daily lives. In order to better understand our world and make sense of the events, leaders, organizations and issues which affect our lives in ways we may not even realize, it is important to have a good working knowledge of international relations theory and its application to these important issues. Therefore this class has three main objectives:
First, to convey in an interesting and meaningful way the main theories of international relations. These theories highlight important features of the international system and then describe how those features work to create the world we inhabit. We will examine two main theories of international relations, realism and liberalism, and then use other ideas (constructivism, feminist thought, Global South views) to highlight areas of opacity and question their key assumptions.
Second, this course seeks to apply these theories to a series of significant international issues, organizations and concepts. I have chosen a few of the most significant: the United Nations, terrorism, and globalization. As the semester goes on, we will have a chance to work together as a class to select another few topics which are of interest to the class. Each of these smaller units will feature two days of background, highlighting the current debate over these issues/organizations. The last day of each unit will be centered on an outside case study which the class will read and debate in class.
Lastly, this course seeks to develop your critical thinking and writing skills. The ability to separate, analyze, interpret and organize information and your own thoughts and then clearly and concisely write them down on paper is a key skill in the 21st century. As such, this class will feature a mid-term and a final exam which will have an essay component. Additionally, students will be required to complete a 4-6 page paper which will be detailed later in the syllabus.
CLASS
FORMAT
Many of you may have little knowledge of international politics and the theories which seek to explain it. DON’T WORRY! The class is structured to give you a solid foundation in the main theories of international relations no matter what level of knowledge you have regarding international relations.
This will be accomplished by a variety of instructional techniques. Some classes will feature the traditional lecture format. In most cases there will be significant interaction during lectures. Case study days are used to encourage student participation, both individually and within assigned student groups. Furthermore, throughout the semester, students will be asked to search newspapers for news stories which show examples of various international relations theories which are discussed in class.
GRADED
REQUIREMENTS
Students are expected to complete four graded requirements. The first two are examinations; one given on February 27th and the other during the University determined final examination period on May 6th. The mid-term and final exam will feature an identification section where students will be expected to define concepts/vocabulary words and then detail how they relate to various theories of international relations. The second section will be composed of an essay question where students will be required to organize their knowledge and present it in a clear and grammatically correct fashion. Review sheets containing potential terms and essay questions will be handed out prior to each exam. The mid-term will count for 25% of the final course grade and the final exam will count for 30%. Both examinations must be completed in order to achieve a passing grade in this class.
The third requirement will be a 4-6 page paper in which the student takes a single newspaper article and analyzes it with the use of one of the major theories of international relations discussed in class. These short papers should not be a simple summarization of the article, but rather a thoughtful dissection of the article using the concepts, key assumptions, core values and beliefs of the major theories discussed in class. Students will be well advised to speak with the instructor before selecting their article, although this is not required. Students should use articles from either the New York Times (www.nytimes.com) or the Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com). Students are eligible for an extra 2% if they go to the NIU Writing Center prior to turning in the paper. All papers must be typed and submitted as a hard copy with the original article attached. I will not accept papers via e-mail. You will also be required to submit your paper through SafeAssign on our Blackboard site. Procedures for SafeAssign will be discussed in class prior to the due date. This paper is worth 20% of your final grade. This paper is due on or before March 27th. Please refer to the section of the syllabus called “Guidelines for Analytical Paper” for more information and instructor’s expectations.
The fourth
graded requirement is a current events journal containing ten newspaper
articles and a short analysis of each article.
Please do not summarize the article.
Make sure your analysis is well constructed
and includes independent thinking (rather than merely a restatement of the
article). All journal entries should be
typed and representative of the entire semester rather than simply the last
weeks of the semester. The final journal can be assembled any way the student
chooses as long as the guidelines are followed.
All papers must be submitted as a hard copy. I will not accept papers via e-mail. You will also be required to submit your
journal entries through SafeAssign on our Blackboard
website. The journal is due on or before
April 29th. This journal is
worth 20% of the final class grade.
Please refer to the section of the syllabus called “Guidelines for
Current Events Journal” for more information and the instructor’s expectations.
The last 5% of
your grade is divided between two components:
class attendance and participation in Blackboard discussion group. Each of you will be responsible for posting
at least one thread during the course of the semester on our Blackboard
discussion page and be an active discussant on your fellow student’s
posts. As to class attendance, I hereby
award you four excused absences. Use
them at your own discretion. I would
hold onto them in case you need them for an unexpected reason. At the end of the semester, I will total the
number of class meetings, subtract four and divide the number of classes you
attended into it for your percentage.
GRADE
BREAKDOWN
Mid Term Exam 25%
Term Paper 20%
Current Events Journal 20%
Blackboard Discussion 2.5%
Attendance 2.5%
Final Exam 30%
The grading scale in this class is as follows:
A= 100-90%
B= 89-80%
C= 79-70%
D= 69-60%
F= 59% and below
IMPORTANT
DATES
Mid-Term Exam February 27th
Term Paper March 27th
Current Events Journal April 29th
Final Exam May 6th
CLASS POLICIES AND OTHER LOOSE ENDS
Makeup Exams: Makeup
exams will only be given in extraordinary circumstances. If such circumstances arise, please contact
the instructor as soon as possible and before
the scheduled exam. To keep the process fair for everyone in the course,
students may be asked to support requests for makeup exams with documentation.
A missed examination without prior notification and a documented excuse will
result in a zero and a course grade of “F” as opposed to an incomplete.
Students with Disabilities: Under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making
reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Those
students with disabilities that may have some impact on their coursework for
which they may require accommodations should notify the University's Center for
Access-Ability Resources (CAAR). CAAR will assist students in making
appropriate accommodations with course instructors. It is important that CAAR
and instructors be informed of any disability-related needs during the first
two weeks of the semester.
Late Assignments: For every
day an assignment is late, you lose ten points.
Please turn assignments in on time.
Submitting Written Work: There are
three ways in which you can submit your work:
during class, during my office hours and to the departmental secretary
in Zulauf 415.
If you choose to submit your work to the secretary, please ask her to
timestamp your work so I know when it was submitted. I will not accept written work in any other
form (under my office door, via e-mail, through the mail, etc.) except in extraordinary
circumstances.
Handouts/Notes: Handouts and notes are for people who attend
class. Just because you are registered
for the class does not mean that you are entitled to notes or handouts. If you miss class, please get the notes from
your classmates. You may have to wash
their car, but it is worth it! All
PowerPoint lecture slides will be posted to our Blackboard website prior to
class. Please print out a copy and bring
it with to take notes with.
Attendance: I will
take attendance at every class session and it will count towards your final
grade. I will give everyone four excused
absences—please use these judiciously.
Once they are gone, that is it.
If you plan on missing many classes please let me know. If you
absolutely have to miss class—fine. Get
the notes from your classmates and see me if you have any questions. You are all adults now and are responsible
for getting to class. However, if you
are not doing well and you tell me you don’t understand why, the first thing I
will do is go over your attendance record.
Classroom Etiquette: Students are to arrive at class on time. Students are to remain for the entire session
unless excused by the instructor beforehand or confronted with a serious
personal emergency. For instance, it is not acceptable for students to walk in
and out of class to answer cell phones, take casual bathroom and smoking
breaks, or attend to other personal matters. Cell phones, pagers, or any
electronic devices that make noise must be turned
off during class unless the instructor has been notified beforehand of a
special circumstance (e.g., sick family member, pregnant wife, special
childcare situation, etc.). It is not acceptable to use an iPod, read a
newspaper, send text messages, use a laptop for anything other than taking
class notes, or engage in other behavior that distracts one from the class
proceedings once the session has begun. No one should talk while someone else
is talking; this includes comments meant for a classmate rather than the entire
group. What may seem like a whisper or a harmless remark to one person can be a
distraction to someone else. Overall, classroom dialogue and behavior should
always be courteous, respectful of others, and consistent with the expectations
set forth by the university.
Incomplete Requests: Such petitions will be granted only in
extraordinary circumstances. The instructor reserves the right to ask for
documentation to verify the problem preventing completion of the course by the
normal deadlines. If the student does not present documentation from a
university office or official, the matter will be left to the instructor’s
discretion.
Academic Dishonesty: Regarding plagiarism, the NIU Undergraduate
Catalog states: “students are guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they
copy material from books, magazines, or other sources without identifying and
acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or assisting
others in, either cheating or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or examination
may receive a grade of F for the course involved and may be suspended or
dismissed from the university.” The above statement encompasses the purchase or
use of papers that were written by others.
If you cheat, I will catch you. In
short, students are advised to do their own work and learn the rules for proper
quoting, paraphrasing, and footnoting. A
good source for this is the NIU English Department’s Online Tutorial regarding
Academic Integrity at:
http://www.ai.niu.edu/ai/
Class Participation: I recognize class discussion comes more easily
for some people than for others. By temperament or habit, some individuals are
“talkers” while others are “listeners.” Learning to be both is an important
subsidiary goal of this course. Comments
that are not relevant to the ongoing discussion and off the point will not be
rewarded. Remarks that are disruptive to the discussion, insensitive to others,
or attempt to dominate the discussion will not be tolerated. I strongly prefer
students to participate on a voluntary basis. If you are particularly
apprehensive about talking in class, or feel closed out of the discussion for
another reason, please speak with me. There are some things I can suggest that
may be helpful. Remember: communication skills and self-confidence are
extremely important assets in the professional world. Thus it is better to
develop these things in the collegial environment of this class rather than
under more difficult circumstances later in life.
Unannounced Quizzes: The instructor reserves the right to conduct pop
quizzes (in addition to the case study quizzes), if it becomes grossly apparent
through class discussions that students are not completing the assigned
readings on a regular basis. If such
quizzes are administered, they will be averaged and used to raise or lower a
student’s final course grade by a half a letter grade. Whether a particular
student’s grade is adjusted positively or negatively will be dependent on a
class average. It will not be done capriciously.
Undergraduate Writing Awards: The Department of Political Science will
recognize, on an annual basis, outstanding undergraduate papers written in
conjunction with 300-400 level political science courses or directed studies.
Authors do not have to be political science majors or have a particular class
standing. Winners are expected to attend the Department’s spring graduation
ceremony where they will receive a certificate and $50.00. Papers, which can be
submitted by students or faculty, must be supplied in triplicate to a
department secretary by February 28. All copies should have two cover pages –
one with the student’s name and one without the student’s name. Only papers
written in the previous calendar can
be considered for the award. However, papers completed in the current spring
semester are eligible for the following year’s competition even if the student
has graduated.
Department of Political Science Web Site: Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, tracking department events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To reach the site, go to: http://www.niu.edu/polisci/
Department of Political Science Web Site: Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political Science web site on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, tracking department events, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To reach the site, go to: http://www.niu.edu/polisci/
Blackboard: Many reading materials, links, copies of the syllabus and updates throughout the semester are available on this course’s Blackboard page. If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, please see the instructor for information. In order to login to Blackboard, you will need your NIU Z-ID number and password. Blackboard is available at: https://webcourses.niu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp
Extra Credit: There is only one opportunity for extra credit in this class. Students are eligible for an additional 2% on the term paper if they go to the NIU Writing Center prior to turning the paper in. More about the Writing Center can be found at http://uwc.niu.edu/. There will be no other opportunities for extra credit.
CLASS SCHEDULE
I will do my best to follow this schedule but I reserve the right to alter the schedule with proper notice.
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND THEORY
January 12- Introduction, syllabus, class policies, expectations and course goals
Assignment: Log onto Blackboard and view our class’s page
January 14— “Frames of Reference, Theory and Core Values”
Class Exercise: What America Means to Me
January 16-- Competing Frames of Reference
Reading
Assignment: Read the Melian Dialouge at: http://www.nku.edu/~weirk/ir/melian.html
January 19-- NO CLASS—MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
January 21-- “Levels of Analysis in International Relations”
Recommended reading assignment: Mingst p. 59-61
PART TWO: THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
January 23-- “Principles of Realism”
Recommended reading assignment: Mingst p. 65-71, 101-103, 106
January 26-- “Classical and Structural Realism”
January 28-- Finish “Classical and Structural Realism”
Begin “A Realist Playbook: Balance of Power”
January 30-- Continue “A Realist Playbook: Balance of Power”
Assignment: Bring a newspaper article that is a good example of realism. We will discuss these articles at the beginning of class
February 2-- Conclude “A Realist Playbook: Balance of Power”
February 4-- Case Study Day: China’s Rise
Reading Assignment: “Is China’s Rise Threatening the U.S.?” This reading can be accessed on Blackboard
February 6-- “Principles of Liberalism”
Assignment: President Wilson’s Speech to Congress
(1917) available at http://net.lib.byu.edu/~rdh7/wwi/1917/wilswarm.html
Declaration
of Independence. Available at http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/
February 9-- Finish
“Principles of Liberalism”
Begin
“Collective Security: A Liberal
Playbook”
February 11-- Continue
“Collective Security: A Liberal
Playbook”
Assignment:
Find a newspaper article which is a good example of liberalism
February 13-- Finish
“Collective Security: A Liberal
Playbook”
February 16-- Liberalism Case
Study: “Can Humanitarian Intervention be
justified?”
Reading Assignment: Read
the above mentioned case study—can be found on Blackboard website
February 18— “The Global South
Viewpoint”
Recommended reading assignment: Mingst 71-74
February 20-- “Feminism and
IR”
Mid
Term Examination Review Sheet distributed
February 23-- “Constructivism”
February 25-- Mid-Term Examination
Review Session
February 27-- Mid-Term
Examination
PART THREE: INTERNATIONAL ACTORS, ISSUES AND CONCEPTS
March 1-- “The United Nations”
March 3-- “The UN Security Council”
March 5-- Case Study on the UN
Reading Assignment: The UN in Yugoslavia
March 9-- NO
CLASS SPRING BREAK
March 11-- NO CLASS SPRING BREAK
March 13-- NO CLASS SPRING BREAK
March 16-- “The Liberal International Economic Order”
March 18-- “The World Trade Organization”
March 20-- Case Study: “Beer Brawls”
March 23-- “Global Terrorism”
March 25-- “State Sponsorship of Terrorism”
March 27-- Case Study: “The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism”
TERM PAPER DUE
March 30-- Globalization I
April 1-- Globalization II
]
April 3-- Case Study: “France, U.S., Yahoo and the Nazis”
April 6-- Decision Making Models
April 8-- Decision Making Models
April 10-- Case Study: “Policy Preferences and Bureaucratic Positions: The Iran Hostage Crisis”
April 13-- Issue/Actor TBA
April 15-- Issue/Actor TBA
April 17-- Issue/Actor TBA
April 20-- Issue Actor TBA
April 22-- Issue/Actor TBA
April 24-- Issue/Actor TBA
Final Exam Review Sheet distributed
April 27-- Issue/Actor TBA
April 29-- Final Examination Review Session
CURRENT EVENTS JOURNAL DUE
May 1-- SPRING READING DAY NO CLASS
Wednesday May 6th at 10 AM—FINAL EXAMINATION
GUIDELINES
FOR ANALYTICAL PAPER
POLS
285
GOAL OF THE PAPER: The purpose of this assignment is to write an analytical essay where a world view, major theory, or concept from the course is used to explain a contemporary event or issue related to international relations. In this way, the frames of reference or worldviews that we have studied become tools or conceptual lens for understanding and interpreting an aspect of “reality” (current events and issues). You may use realism, liberalism, constructivism, feminism or Global South views in order to analyze your topic.
The aim is not to describe the event or issue. Rather, the objective is to explain or make sense of it through the core values, concepts, and key assumptions of a worldview or theory we have studied. Therefore, this is a creative enterprise involving the integration of “theory” with “the real world” with the hope of better understanding a piece of the latter.
Obviously, no one will be able to include all the assumptions and concepts associated with a particular theory in their paper. Each paper, however, should incorporate a substantial amount. The theory’s core values should be identified and included within the analysis.
Please note this is not a research paper. Rather it is an analytical “think piece.” Of course, outside sources can be included to strengthen one’s argument, but these materials are not required. The entire project can be completed with the lecture notes, the textbook, and a newspaper article from the New York Times or Washington Post.
Where can on find acceptable events and issues to analyze? Students should select an event or issue to analyze based on a news article from the New York Times or Washington Post. (Access to these newspapers was discussed earlier in this syllabus). The chosen article must be attached to the final paper. The use of newspaper editorials is unacceptable. The purpose of the article is simply to provide a description of a world event or issue, while the student’s job is to explain and make sense of that context.
Selecting a Topic: There is a wide-range of currents events and issues that might serve as interesting paper topics. Select an event or an issue before deciding on a theory or analytical tool. That is, do not simply select a theory and then impose it on some phenomenon. Rather, after finding an interesting event or issue, ask how can I make sense of it? What theory will allow me to explain and better understand this event or issue? Please feel free to discuss topics (theories and article selections) with the instructor.
STRUCTURE OF THE PAPER: Papers should be four to six full word-processed pages. The pages should use 12 pt. font, be doubled spaced, and contain one-inch margins. The paper should be accompanied by a title page, which details the analytical essay’s title, the student’s name, the course number, and the date. Staple the pages together in the left-hand corner. The pages should be numbered.
When writing this paper, please make sure to include the following things: (1) A short summary of the newspaper article, this is not to exceed two paragraphs; (2) an explanation of why the issue that you are analyzing is important—why are you choosing to cover this issue; (3) an explanation of which theory you are using to analyze this event; (4) an explication of this theory, its core values, key actors and assumptions; (5) apply this theory (core values, key actors and assumptions) to this event—be sure to be clear and offer a logical explanations in your analysis; (6) take some time to explain why the theory you chose to analyze this event with is the best (why is another theory/theories not as good?); (7) provide a solid conclusion summing up your main points. Organization, spelling, grammar and coherence of your argument will also be included in the assessment of your paper.
TURNING IN THE PAPER: As stated in the syllabus, this paper is due on or before March 27th. This paper may be turned in to me during class on or before March 27th or turned into the Department of Political Science office (Zulauf 415) before 4:30pm on March 27th. Late papers will be accepted but will be penalized ten points per day. NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL.
EXTRA CREDIT: As stated in the syllabus, this is the only opportunity for extra credit in this class. If you go to the Writing Center with a rough draft prior to turning in your paper you will receive an extra 2%. Details will be announced in class regarding what paperwork you must submit in order to receive your extra credit.
SOME FREE ADVICE: In this paper, I want to see that you understand your article and the theory that you are using the analyze it. Please connect the theory to specific parts of the paper. Start a paragraph by noting that “X” is a part of theory “Y” and then refer back to the article to support your point. The more I can see that you understand both your article and your theory the better off you will be.
STYLE OF ARGUMENT: The following is taken from Dr. Chris Jones’s POLS 285 syllabus—it is a good primer for how to make a reasoned and logical argument. I expect reasoned and logical arguments in your paper. Please stay away from simple assertions.
Use Reasoned
Arguments. Avoid Assertion of Opinion: An assertion is a statement that is
not supported by logic or evidence. It is simply presented in the form of a
declaration: “X is true.” Examples of assertions would be statements such as
the following: “
How does a reasoned argument differ from an assertion of opinion? It provides logic and evidence that we can use to evaluate a particular statement that we can present to others in order to try and persuade them that our evaluation of the statement is valid. More specifically, a reasoned argument does two things that an assertion does not do:
A reasoned argument explains the
logic behind the statement, the reasons why such a statement could be true.
Such logical reasons come from theories. (Theories are logically related sets
of propositions that help us to describe and explain our world.” In the first
example above, a radical theory of international relations, such as Marxism
would suggest that capitalist countries tend to produce more goods than their
exploited workers are able to buy. (They call this phenomenon an economic
crisis of “over-production”). Therefore, such countries must expand overseas in
order to dominate foreign markets in which they can sell their surplus goods.
This domination is what they refer to as “imperialism”). Since the
A reasoned argument presents
evidence to suggest that the statement is in fact true. Examples are a basic
kind of evidence. If X is true, there should be examples of X we can point to
as we try to convince others that X is in fact true. In attempting to convince
someone that
So after reviewing the logic and evidence in support of a particular statement, we might (or might not) say “There are logical reasons to believe X could be true” or “There is evidence to suggest that X is in fact true.” The strongest kind of argument would combine logic and evidence so that we could say, “There are logical reasons to believe X is true, AND the evidence suggests that X is in fact true.” This is infinitely more persuasive than simply asserting, “I believe X is true,” which neither logic nor evidence to support it.
Of course, even if someone is able to support a position with logic and evidence, this does not guarantee that they are correct or ensure that others will accept their reasoned argument as persuasive one. They may very well have logical reasons for believing otherwise, and evidence to support their own position. By insisting on reasoned argumentation, however, it is possible to evaluate different positions in terms of logic and evidence instead of falling into the vicious circle of assertion and counter-assertion such as, “Is so!” and “Is not!”
GUIDELINES FOR CURRENT EVENTS
JOURNALS
The syllabus states that the current events journal should consist of 10 articles from either the Washington Post or the New York Times. Please do not use editorials or opinion pieces—stick to news stories! Please print out copies of the articles and include them in your journal.
Where to turn it in: I will accept your journals in class on or before April 29, 2009. You may also turn it into the Political Science Department Office (Zulauf 415) before 4:30pm. Please make sure that the office personnel timestamps your submission so I know when it was turned in. For each day late, I will deduct ten percent. I will not accept journals over email.
Journal Form: You may submit the journal in any form you like as long as it is a hard copy. Please make sure to have your name on all of your type written journal submissions. Include hard copies of the articles which you analyzed.
Analysis: The syllabus notes that you may make a variety of observations on each article. I would suggest that you ensure a level of diversity in your comments. Please do not analyze ten articles using the same theory. As far as opinions, I would urge you to focus on using a theory/concept to analyze the article and include an opinion if you want. Please do not offer opinions on ten articles. Here is a little advice (hint, hint!)
DO: Use at least three theoretical/conceptual approaches such as realism, liberalism, global South views, feminism, constructivism, decision making models, globalization, terrorism, UN or Liberal International Economic Order (WTO, etc.) I do not want to see ten articles which are examples of realism!
In each article, pick out three things that support your chosen theory/concept (you should be able to cover this in about 2 paragraphs). These should be examples of key actors/core values or main assumptions. For non-theory approaches, please refer to examples of concepts that we covered in class. Check the Power Point slides for main concepts.
Provide some evidence from the article to support your observations. Please do not simply assert that, “The United States is a unitary actor.” Tell me why, pointing to a place in the article, this is true!
Do make sure that your spelling, grammar and word choice is appropriate for formal written work
Put your name on each journal entry
Type your journals
Print out your articles and include them in your submission
Include your personal opinion (if you want but it is not required) as PART of a larger theoretical/conceptual analysis
Clearly identify which theory/concept you are using
Make it clear, in the title of each journal entry, which article you are analyzing
Use articles which relate to foreign policy or international relations.
DON’T: Rely
purely on your opinion
Use multiple theories/concepts in a single journal entry—pick one!
Lay out or define all of the main actors/core values/key assumptions of the theory or concept you are using in each journal entry. I assume you know what they are—just refer to the ones you are using in your journal entry
Be careless about your spelling, grammar or word choice
Use 10 articles from April of 2009
Summarize the article—move right into your analysis
Quote from the article—when you refer to the article put it in your own words.
Use articles which do not touch on foreign policy or international relations
Use articles which only focus on domestic politics in another country.
Use opinion pieces or editorials