Lesson Report:
Title
Field Reflection Paper Workshop, Midterm Logistics, and Question-Design Practice
This session clarified the Field Reflection Paper requirements, modeled how to choose focused, course-aligned topics, and trained students to craft effective, answerable questions for guest speakers. The class also finalized midterm exam logistics and began targeted exam preparation via a diagnostic self-check on core concepts. Housekeeping updates established stricter in-lecture attendance protocols and reinforced the importance of in-class note-taking.
Attendance
– Number of students mentioned absent: 3
– Notes: Torsonai (pre-reported absence), Donniyor (no response), Aizhamal/I. Jamal (called multiple times; no response). One student (Akim Khan) arrived after attendance began (marked tardy).
Topics Covered (chronological)
1) Opening and Housekeeping
– Health note and time management: Instructor acknowledged many are under the weather and emphasized staying on schedule.
– Today’s plan overview:
– Briefing and workshop on Field Reflection Paper (topic selection and question design)
– Midterm exam logistics and study focus
– New unit preview: regimes (deferred for next session due to time)
– In-lecture movement policy (new directive based on observer feedback):
– During Tuesday lectures, students may not leave the room; leaving will be marked absent unless there is a documented medical emergency.
– For today only, policy not strictly enforced; enforcement begins next Tuesday. Students should handle water/restroom needs before lecture.
– Note-taking reminder:
– The midterm is notes-permitted, but only handwritten notes taken in this class may be used. Laptops/phones/printed notes not allowed.
– Students were urged to begin systematic note-taking immediately.
2) Attendance Roll-Call
– Full-name roll conducted verbally.
– Notable outcomes: Two confirmed absences (Torsonai, Donniyor) and one likely absence (Aizhamal/I. Jamal) after multiple calls; one tardy to follow up after class.
3) Field Reflection Paper: Assignment Briefing and Walkthrough (using the syllabus)
– Purpose:
– Integrate political science concepts from class with practitioners’ perspectives by attending an ICP ambassador talk/public lecture and asking targeted questions.
– Due date:
– Initially stated as Nov 15; later a student cited “Fri, Nov 13,â€� and the instructor said “It has to be in by that time.â€� (See Actionable Items to resolve this discrepancy.)
– Core requirements:
– Attend at least one department ambassador talk or public lecture (held roughly every two weeks).
– Prepare at least 2–3 specific, substantive questions in advance; ask at least one.
– Write a 2–3 page argumentative reflection (more than 2.5 pages acceptable).
– Incorporate: (a) the speaker’s answers, (b) course readings (at least one reading from eCourse is required), and (c) course discussions/terms to answer your guiding question.
– If you cannot attend a department event: you may interview a relevant practitioner (e.g., NGO head, local/international politician, IO rep) only with prior instructor approval (identify whom you will ask, proposed questions).
– Penalty: Submitting a paper without any field reflection (no practitioner Q&A) triggers an automatic 30-point deduction (maximum possible becomes 70/100).
– Outside sources: Internet sources allowed only as support; paper must still be anchored in class content and field responses.
– Topic selection guidance (how to pick a tractable, course-aligned topic):
– Must connect to concepts discussed in class so far (so you can tie the field answers back to class content).
– Avoid topics that are too broad (e.g., “Globalizationâ€�) or too narrow (e.g., “What the UK ambassador thinks about the 2018 UK–China trade dealâ€�).
– Example of a workable scope: “How does an effective state affect trade policy?â€� (connects a core concept to a policy domain).
– Question design guidance (how to craft askable, useful questions for speakers):
– Begin with a one-sentence “primingâ€� context so the speaker understands what the question will be about (e.g., “I want to ask about UK immigration policy…â€�).
– Connect to a relevant course concept but do not rely on insider jargon the speaker may not recall (e.g., instead of “Is the UK an ‘effective state’?â€� ask about components of state effectiveness such as rule of law, tax capacity, or service delivery).
– Avoid yes/no questions, obvious questions (“Is democracy good?â€�), and provocative/off-topic framing that could put the speaker on the defensive.
– Use specificity plus relevance: Narrow to a context the speaker can address (e.g., environmental law tradeoffs in the UK; sovereignty vs. international obligations in migration policy).
– Decompose big concepts: For “effective state,â€� students listed practical components to target in questions: rule of law, tax collection, service quality, state control/sovereignty, public order, general wellbeing.
– Illustrative “goodâ€� questions discussed:
– “I want to ask about UK immigration policy. How does the UK balance sovereignty and its obligations under international law to protect refugees?â€�
– “I want to ask about Brexit and trust in government. How has public trust in the UK government changed since Brexit?â€�
– “I want to ask about environmental regulation and the tension between the common good and individual rights. How does the UK government navigate these tensions when planning environmental laws (e.g., limits on high-emission vehicles)?â€�
– “I want to ask about sovereignty and international organizations. How does the UK balance state sovereignty with obligations to international bodies?â€�
– Workshop (partners):
– Students paired up and drafted one question each for a hypothetical UK ambassador talk, following the model above.
– Instructor circulated, giving feedback to strengthen the priming sentence, concept specificity, and alignment with course content.
4) Midterm Exam Logistics and Study Focus
– Date correction:
– Originally posted as Oct 19 (a Sunday); corrected to Tuesday, Oct 28. Students gained ~10 extra days to prepare.
– Format and allowed materials:
– In-class essay. One prompt will be written on the board on exam day (same question for all students).
– Length: about two notebook pages (roughly five paragraphs).
– Allowed: pen/pencil, water, and your class notebook with notes taken in this course.
– Not allowed: laptops, phones, earbuds, printed notes, or any electronics. If an electronic device is used/visible, the student will be asked to leave and will fail the exam.
– How to prepare:
– Take thorough, organized class notes—they are your only reference.
– Expect to connect definitions, frameworks, and examples from class to the prompt to build an argument.
– The instructor may run a practice prompt before fall break (not the actual exam question).
– Grading criteria (as per syllabus):
– Clarity of expression (can the reader follow your argument?).
– Thoroughness of analysis (depth beyond surface-level definitions).
– Incorporation of key terms, examples, and frameworks from this course.
– Academic integrity: Same question for everyone, but answers must be individually authored. Identical answers will be treated as copying.
– Content checklist (students should be able to define/explain these in their own words):
– Politics; power; authority; legitimacy; de jure vs. de facto
– Ideology; left vs. right
– The state (five traits)
– State capacity types: effective, weak, failed
– Territorial organization: unitary vs. federal systems
5) Diagnostic Activity (Week 6)
– eCourse “Week 6 Diagnosticâ€� assigned to pairs at the end of class:
– Task: Define/explain the core terms above in your own words (not graded).
– Purpose: Identify class-wide weak spots and help students self-assess study priorities for the midterm.
– Instructions: No Google/ChatGPT; simulate exam conditions. One submission per pair. Students could leave after submitting.
Actionable Items
Urgent (before next Tuesday)
– Confirm and announce the exact due date for the Field Reflection Paper (Nov 15 stated early vs. student-cited Fri, Nov 13). Update the syllabus/eCourse to remove the discrepancy.
– Publicly post and reinforce the no-leaving-during-lecture policy (effective next Tuesday), including the medical exception process (documentation required).
– Post the schedule of upcoming ambassador talks/public lectures so students can plan attendance and prepare questions early.
High Priority (next 1–2 weeks)
– Share a one-page Question Design Guide (with examples of priming sentences and course-concept tie-ins) to support field question drafting.
– Open an approval channel for alternative interviewees (NGO/politician/IO), with a quick form: contact name, affiliation, and 2–3 proposed questions.
– Review results of the Week 6 Diagnostic to identify concepts needing reinforcement (e.g., legitimacy vs. authority, de jure vs. de facto, state traits). Plan a short recap session or targeted practice.
Medium Priority (before Oct 28 midterm)
– Provide a practice exam prompt and 10–15 minute in-class writing drill to model outlining, integrating terms, and using notes efficiently.
– Reiterate midterm materials policy in writing (notes-only, no electronics or printed materials) and remind students to organize notebooks.
Low Priority / Ongoing
– Encourage students to come to office hours for help selecting Field Reflection topics and refining questions.
– Track attendance and follow up with absent students noted today (Torsonai, Donniyor, and Aizhamal/I. Jamal) to confirm status and ensure they receive key updates.
– Queue next session’s content on “regimes,â€� since it was introduced but not covered today.
Homework Instructions:
ASSIGNMENT #1: Field Reflection Paper
You will connect a real-world practitioner’s perspective to key concepts we’ve studied (e.g., state effectiveness, sovereignty, legitimacy, left vs. right) by attending an ambassador talk or public lecture, asking well-crafted questions, and writing a concise, argument-driven reflection that synthesizes the speaker’s answers with our course materials.
Instructions:
1) Select a focused, course-aligned topic
– Choose a concept we have already covered in class (e.g., effective vs. weak state, rule of law, sovereignty, legitimacy, left vs. right), not something we haven’t covered yet (for example, “globalizationâ€� was explicitly flagged as not yet covered).
– Avoid topics that are too broad (e.g., “globalizationâ€�) or too narrow (e.g., “What the UK ambassador thinks about the UK–China trade deal of 2018â€�). Aim for a scope that lets you write a clear 2–3 page analysis.
– Aim for a question-focused topic such as: “How does state effectiveness shape trade policy?â€� or “How does sovereignty interact with obligations under international law in migration policy?â€�
2) Formulate your guiding question
– Phrase your overall paper prompt as a question you will answer in your essay.
– Connect a course concept to a specific, relevant policy area or case (e.g., “effective stateâ€� to trade policy; “legitimacyâ€� to post-Brexit public trust; “sovereignty vs. international obligationsâ€� to refugee policy).
– Avoid yes/no and overly generic questions (e.g., “Is democracy good?â€� “Is the UK an effective state?â€�).
– When speaking with practitioners, avoid classroom jargon they may not recall (e.g., don’t ask “Is the UK an effective state?â€�). Instead, ask about components (rule of law, tax capacity, service delivery, order, etc.).
3) Choose your field reflection source
– Attend at least one ambassador talk or public lecture (these occur roughly every two weeks).
– Alternative option (requires prior approval): interview a qualified practitioner (e.g., head of an NGO/IO or a politician). If you choose this route, get approval first by telling the instructor who you’ll speak with and what you plan to ask.
4) Prepare your questions for the speaker
– Bring at least two well-constructed questions (prepare two to three so you have a backup if one is addressed during the talk).
– Begin each spoken question with a brief orienting sentence so the speaker knows the context (e.g., “I’d like to ask about UK environmental policy and the tension between the common good and individual rights…â€�).
– Keep questions focused, respectful, and relevant to the speaker’s expertise. Avoid provocative/off-topic questions.
5) Attend and ask
– Ask your question(s) during Q&A, keeping them concise.
– Take careful notes on the speaker’s responses, capturing specific phrases, examples, and reasoning.
– Record event details you’ll cite (event title, date, speaker name/role).
6) Draft your argumentative reflection (2–3 pages)
– Purpose: answer your guiding question by integrating (a) the speaker’s responses and (b) our course content.
– Structure (suggested):
1. Introduction: present your guiding question and your thesis (your answer).
2. Body paragraphs: develop your argument using the speaker’s insights as primary evidence; connect explicitly to course concepts and at least one assigned course reading; analyze—don’t just define terms.
3. Conclusion: synthesize what you learned and its implications for the concept/policy area.
– Evidence requirements:
– Incorporate the practitioner’s answers (your “field reflectionâ€�).
– Use at least one assigned course reading. You may add reputable internet sources, but these do not replace the required course content and field reflection.
– Length/format:
– 2–3 full pages; more than 2.5 pages is acceptable. No word count target.
– Use standard academic formatting (readable font, reasonable margins and spacing).
7) Quality and alignment check before submitting
– Topic is drawn from material we have covered (or from assigned texts, if relevant to the speaker).
– Questions were non–yes/no, context-set, and tailored to the speaker.
– Paper is thesis-driven, clear, and analytical (not just definitions).
– You explicitly connect the speaker’s answers to course concepts and readings.
– You include the field component. Important: omitting the field reflection triggers an automatic −30 point deduction.
8) Submission and deadline
– Due date stated in class: Friday, November 13. Note: November 15 was mentioned earlier; follow the date posted in the syllabus/announcements if an update is issued.
– Submit your paper by the due date using the usual submission method specified in the syllabus.
9) Start early and plan your event
– Within the next 1–2 weeks, finalize your topic and draft your questions so you can select and attend a suitable event.
– Use office hours if you want feedback on your topic or questions before you attend.