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NSL Foreign Policy Pathfinder

AGOPP Research Model
Information Literacy Skills Outcomes:
  • Students will be able to locate resources to meet an identified need.
  • Students will be able to gather relevant information from appropriate resources.
  • Students will be able to communicate findings by producing materials in an appropriate format.
AGOPP Research Process Directions
Gather Information
Organize Information
Prepare
Present


Ask Questions
Topic #1: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Photo courtesy of ABC-CLIO
 
Select any one of these countries: North Korea, Iran, Iraq, or Pakistan.
 
Research your selected country by completing the focus questions below. Note: The focus question will be part you of your oral presentation.
  1. What are wespons of mass destruction in your country??
  2. What is the U.S. foreign policy objective relating to weapons of mass destruction in your country?
  3. What foreign policy choices/actions has the U.S. made relating to weapons of mass destruction in your country?
  4. How have international organizations dealt with weapons of mass destruction in your country? Consider the organizations you completed in Part I of this project.
Research Question (ECR):Is the U.S. meeting its U.S. foreign policy objectives relating to weapons of mass destruction in your assigned country? Why or why not--refer to policy choices/actions in this answer.

Keyword options:
u.s. policy AND "weapons of mass destruction"
u.s. policy AND "chemical weapons"
u.s policy AND "biological weapons"
u.s. policy AND Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, or North Korea

TOPIC #2: Terrorism

Photo courtesy of Educational Videos
Select any one of these subtopics/countries: New York City, Afghanistan, Kenya, or Tanzania.
 
Research your selected country by completing the focus questions below. Note: The focus question will be part you of your oral presentation.
  1. What is terrorism and how has terrorism had an impact on your assigned country?
  2. What is the U.S. foreign policy objective relating to terrorism in general and in your country?
  3. What foreign policy choices/actions have the U.S. made relating to terrorism in your country?
  4. How have international organizations dealt with terrorism in your country? Consider the organizations you completed in Part I of this project.
Research Question (ECR):Is the U.S. meeting its U.S. foreign policy objectives relating to terrorism in your assigned country? Why or why not--refer to policy choices/actions in this answer.

Photo courtesy of Educational Videos

Keyword options:
terrorism AND "u.s. policy"
u.s. policy AND terrorism
"foreign relations"
"anti-terrorism" AND "u.s. policy"

TOPIC #3: Trade

Photo courtesy of Library of Congress
Select any one of these countries: China, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, or South Korea.
 
Research your selected country by completing the focus questions below. Note: The focus question will be part you of your oral presentation.
  1. Does the u.S. have normal trade relations with your country (most favored nation--MFN status)?
  2. What is the U.S. foreign policy objective as it relates to U.S. trade policy with your country?
  3. What foreign policy choices/actions has the U.S. with your country? Describe.
  4. What have international organizations done with respect to trade in your country?
  5. Consider the organizations you completed in Part I of this project.
Research Question (ECR):Is the U.S. meeting its U.S. foreign policy objectives relating to terrorism in your assigned country? Why or why not--refer to policy choices/actions in this answer.

Keyword options
"china trade"
"u.s. foreign policy" AND china
"u.s foreign relations" AND china

TOPIC #4: Foreign Aid

Photo courtesy of ABC-CLIO
Select any one of these countries: Ethiopia, Mexico, or Sudan
 
Research your selected country by completing the focus questions below. Note: The focus question will be part you of your oral presentation.
  1. How does the U.S. assist developin gnations in general and your country specifically?
  2. What is the U.S. foreign policy objective relating to foreign aid generally and in your country?
  3. What foreign policy choices/actions has the U.S. made relating to foreign aid in your country?
  4. How have international organizations dealt with foreign aid in your country? Consider the organizations you completed in Part I of this project.
Research Question (ECR):Is the U.S. meeting its U.S. foreign policy objectives relating to foreign aid in your assigned country? Why or why not--refer to policy choices/actions in this answer.

Keywords:
u.s. and "foreign aid"
u.s. and "financial aid"
Ask Questions
Organize Information
Prepare
Present

  • Write down key words from questions
  • Decide what is the best resource--book, periodical, journal, electronic, etc.
  • Record notes and bibliographic information from all sources consulted
  • Sites to help with note-taking when researching

Print

300 Social Sciences

303.6 Social Processes
327 International Relations
341.23 International Law (United Nations)
355 Military Science (National security)
358 Specialized Forces and Services
363.3 Social Problems

900 Geography and History 973.931 General History of North America United States
956 General History of Asia Middle East

Subscription Databases--NOT FREE

Username and passwords available in media center and on EDLINE

ABC-CLIO 8 history databases Username=mcps Password=trials

Gale Power Search Check out the Literature Seach in the Student Resource Center Gold. Username and password availabe on EDLINE and in the Media Center.
Columbia International Affairs Online This subscription database has articles on foreign policy

General Encyclopedia
Facts.Com. Good news source on all topics of interest. Issues and Controversies is found here. Username and password availabe on EDLINE and in the Media Center.

 Use ProQuest Platinum and Historical Newspaper NY Times. Articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers. Use Full-Text Search.
General Encyclopedia
SIRS Knowledge Source. Current events, U.S. government resources, arts and humanities, e-books, primary sources, and relevant Internet links.Username and password availabe on EDLINE and in the Media Center.

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Web Resources--FREE

 

Wikipedia Great site for overviews of topics. DO NOT CITE.

U.S. Department of State Great site for checking countries and how the U.S. interacts with them.

U.S. Department of State Excellent overview article on Diplomacy goals, etc.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

U.S. Department of State "The U.S. Position on the Biological Weapons Convention: Combating the BW Threat"

U.S. Foreign Policy Agenda There are several documents at this link, which will be helpful. Use CTRL-F to search for your keywords.

North Korea

Korean Embassy North Korea Korea Update covers foreign relations, diplomacy, and politics of North Korea

CIA World Fact Book-Korea

Global Policy Forum Search this site for information on North Korean policy

Country Studies Library Congress site on North Korea

Foreign Affairs Search this site for information on North Korea

Nation Master Detailed information on North Korea

Terrorism

CIA Central Intelligence Agency

FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation

The National Security Archive

Frontline: Hunting Bin Laden

State Department Archives

Terrorism, the Future, and U.S. Foreign Policy This 19 page 2003 Congressional Research Service document outlines the background of U.S. foreign policy, U.S. response, and an analysis to terrorism

US Department of State--Foreign Relations
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/--excellent SHORT list of U.S. Policy on terrorism from the STATE Department(check out the links on the left)***

US Information "The Bush National Security Strategy"
http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itps/1202/ijpe/pj7-4lieber.htm

White House--Financial actions
http://www.whitehouse.gov/response/financialresponse.html

White House--Military actions
http://www.whitehouse.gov/response/militaryresponse.html

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Foreign Trade

CIA World Fact Book

International Monetary Fund

Foreign Affairs Online

NationMaster This site allows you to generate graphs comparing countries

US Department of State--Foreign Relations
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/(background information on a whole list of countries)
http://usinfo.state.gov/usinfo/site_index.htmlState department information on international programs and policies

US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
http://foreign.senate.gov/

Foreign Aid

United Nations

Why the United Nations matters to U.S. Foreign Policy

World Bank

NATO report on National Public Radio

NATO

International Committee of the Red Cross

What is the IMF (International Monetary Fund)?

NAFTA Facts

Congressional Budget Office "The Role of Foreign Aid in Development"

Council on Foreign Relations "Foreign Aid: Heal Thyself"

US Angecy for International Development (USAID) Use keywords to search this site for materials.
USAID "The Full Measure of Foreign Aid"

US Department of State International Information Programs Congressional Research Service report entitled "Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programs and Policy"

US Department of State International Information Programs "United States, International Organizations Aid Sudanese Refugees"

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Search Engines


Google--everyone's favorite search engine

  • Tips for using Google efficiently
    • use Advanced Search and limit your domain to .edu, .gov, or .org
    • search within your initial results by clicking the "search within results" link at the bottom of the Google search page
  • Within a particular document or site, use CTRL-F to find your key words


Google Scholar searches scholarly works at educational institutions


Kartoo is a visual search engine which searches a lot of results from various search engines (metasearch) and presents the results in an interactive style


Vivisimo is a clustering search engine, which organizes the results in categories

  • Revise your first draft (use teachers or friends to help go over the text)Revise again if necessaryPrepare your final productPresent the product to your audience
  • Evaluate your process and product

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