Handout for PS 350 second paper Paper topic: When is political power legitimate? Parameters: Write and submit a 1500 word page paper, double-spaced in 12 pt. font. Suggestions: Use your paper to make an argument for when political power is legitimate. It will be easiest if you defend one of the conceptions of justice from the first unit of the course. Defend this conception against alternatives. You are being graded on the quality of your argument, not which conception you defend. Think of this paper as similar to making an argument in a courtroom: you want to present arguments and evidence (much of you evidence will come from the text). Any time you draw from a particular text, cite it. It is better to overcite than undercite. If you think you are citing too much, you are probably about right. I do not care about citation style or format Writing tips: Make sure that youre making a clear argument (e.g. Political power is legitimate when is derives from the consent of the governed, not, Different thinkers have different ideas about when political power is legitimate.) Always rewrite your introduction last. As you write your paper, what you want to say will change, which moves away from the introduction you start with. Always, always, always rewrite your introduction to introduce the paper you actually wrote, rather than the paper you thought you would write. Use your weekly summaries as your notes.