HSE 330 Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric
You will submit a short paper after choosing a human services issue that you think needs more advocacy (either from your researched information or a new issue). Make sure you define the issue and discuss how you would begin to advocate for the issue. Be certain to discuss the importance of the issue and include background history.
You will identify a new advocacy issue that defines and discusses the importance of the issue, while including pertinent historical background. Explore how this issue may positively impact your community or society as a whole, and explain how the issue might negatively be interpreted if education and proper communication is not conveyed in a timely manner. Identify communication strategies that could mitigate negative consequences.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
• Has this new advocacy issue been identified before? If so, why was it unsuccessful? If not identified before, provide an analysis of why this new advocacy issue should be recommended for legislative action. What common factors might interfere with implementation of a new legislative policy? Describe the challenges of enacting policy that might impede the desired social change. How might social and political factors impact the newly identified legislation? What economic matters need to be considered before submitting this advocacy issue for legislation? Provide examples to support your assertions.
• What legal or ethical issues might impact this newly identified legislation? How might beneficiaries be affected by the implementation of this legislation?
Explain your answer and provide examples.
• What communication strategies might be effective in educating beneficiaries who are impacted by the legislation? What political challenges might you experience when utilizing these communication strategies?
Guidelines for Submission: Your short paper must be submitted as a one- to two-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New
Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least three sources cited in APA format.
Critical
Elements
Exemplary (100%)
Proficient (85%)
Needs Improvement (55%)
Not Evident (0%)
Value
Desired Social
Change
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
supports explanation with clear and relevant examples using scholarly research when appropriate
Describes challenges that might
impede desired social change after identifying a new advocacy issue and supports claims with evidence
Describes challenges that might
impede desired social change after identifying a new advocacy issue, but challenges are not connected to the issue or are not supported with evidence
Does not describe challenges
related to identified advocacy issue and desired social change
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