Business Question

Family Policy Research Paper (100 points)and Notes (see the last page) Summer 2024
By submitting this assignment, you are confirming you wrote this paper based on your own research of the
topic and policy, you are citing all sources that you used in writing the paper, you are using quotation marks
and proper citation when quoting, and you are not using AI or relying on another past or current student’s
work or paper.
Using the services of the Writing Center is allowed as the
Writing Center staff know how to help without writing your paper for you.
Description of Assignment
In this assignment you will analyze an explicit or implicit family policy and evaluate its implications for families. The
family policy can be at the state or national (United States) level. You will apply foundational family science concepts
(e.g., implicit/explicit family policy, functions of families, family impact lens, family impact principles); research and
evidence from credible sources; and critical, informed, and ethical thought.
The topic is a family issue, situation, and/or problem that calls for policy.
Consider the daily life of families and the functions of families.
The policy can be any of the following but it must have obvious implications for families:
A state or federal law or regulation enacted between 2020 and 2024
A current bill (2023 or 2024) in the State Legislature of any state (e.g., Michigan Senate or the Michigan
House of Representatives) or in the U.S. Congress (the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives).
Executive
Order either by the current President of the United States or the current Governor of a state.
An
Student Learning Outcomes
Identify current laws, public policies, and initiatives that affect families
• Identify and analyze a family policy and evaluate its implications for families as demonstrated through a family
policy research paper.
Apply ethical, critical, and informed thought within or across disciplines.
• Analyze issues or situations for their ethical dimensions;
• Critically analyze issues and situations related to family policy;
• Apply a disciplinary perspective to a family policy.
Review the criteria for critical and informed thought stated in the WMU Essential Studies Student Learning
Outcome for “applying ethical, critical and informed thought within or across disciplines.”
Be familiar with what is considered beginning, developing, proficient, and exemplary demonstration of
– critical and informed thought,
– ethical thought, and
– applying the family science disciplinary perspective.
2
Family Policy Research Paper: Content and Format
Length should be 2300 – 2900 words in the body of the paper, not including the cover sheet or references.
Submit as a word document.
Complete sentences, headings and sub-headings, and well-developed paragraphs are required.
GOAL: Demonstrate critical and ethical thought through the process of analyzing a specific topic and policy and
evaluating the implications for families.
COVER PAGE
Include your name, the course number and title, and the date.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PAPER (100-150 words)
–
Begin with a clear, specific statement that identifies the topic and the policy (law, bill, or resolution). (1 sentence)
–
Describe the topic briefly (typically 1-3 sentences)
–
Note the type of policy (one or two sentences)
o If a law, it must have been passed (been made law) between 2020 and 2024; state title and when it
was enacted (i.e., passed into law) and when it took or will take effect.
o If a regulation, it must have gone into effect between 2020 and 2024; state title and date.
o If a bill, state the number and title and year. It must be from the 118th Congress (the Congress that
began January 2023) or the current state legislature.
o If an executive order issued between 2020 and 2024 and is still in effect.
TOPIC (1000-1250 words)
–
Begin with an introductory paragraph (2-3 sentences) that introduces the topic and previews the points made in
this section. The rest of this section will be organized by sub-headings.
–
State and describe the issue, situation, and/or problem. Establish the need for a policy (or proposed policy).
o In this topic section you are including the key information (e.g., who, what, when, how, why).
o Define and describe the “what.” Be precise and include evidence throughout this section.
o Include data on its prevalence, its impact and on whom, when, and how.
o In this section you are justifying, through evidence, why we need to pay attention to this issue,
situation, and/or problem and why policy is needed at the state or federal level.
o You will need to do substantial research on the topic; otherwise, you cannot assess how well a law,
regulation, bill, or executive order is addressing the issue/situation/problem.
Be sure you are informed by evidence from credible sources. Support every assertion of fact, truth, opinion,
conclusion, argument with evidence and citations to credible sources
Establish the need for a policy by organizing the “topic” portion of the paper into two to four main points (each
point must have a sub-heading) and a final point (again with a sub-heading) that acknowledges the arguments
opposing the need for a policy.
o
Consider each point a reason or argument establishing the importance of the issue/situation/problem
separately (one or multiple paragraphs).
o
o
Provide evidence that supports each reason. Use and cite multiple credible sources.
In this section, clearly and specifically explain how families
o are affected by the issue
o contribute to the issue
o whether families’ involvement in the response to an issue would be beneficial
3
a.
The final point describes the arguments opposing the need for a policy
Arguments against a policy may fit in categories such as a problem does not exist or the problem is really a
different problem, a policy is not needed to respond to this problem, the policy would hurt more than it
would help, the issue does not need a policy solution, the proposed policy is too costly, another policy is
needed to address this topic, and/or other issues/situations/problems need our attention first.
POLICY (1000-1250 words)
1.
Type of policy and to whom it pertains: [Approximately 200-300 words]
If addressing a law, provide the number, title, month and year it went into effect, and if anyone who
represents your district/state at the time supported it.
o If addressing a regulation, provide the title and date it went into effect, and the regulatory agency
o If addressing a bill, indicate its number and title and current status
i. State bill: note if your State Representative or State Senator is a sponsor of the bill.
ii. Federal bill: note the sponsor and the number of co-sponsors. Note if your U.S. Representative or U.S.
Senators is/are a sponsor or cosponsor the bill.
iii. Note the status of the bill: Committee(s) the bill was sent to and if it passed out of the Committee(s), if it
was voted out of one Chamber (House or Senate) and sent to the other, or if passed in both chambers and
is waiting for a decision by the Governor (if a state bill) or the US President (if a federal bill).
o
o
If addressing an Executive Order (by a current Governor or President), note the number, title, and date.
o
Describe the agency/department/organization responsible for ensuring the policy is carried out.
2.
Thoroughly describe the law (or a specific portion of it), regulation, bill (or a portion of it), or executive order.
3.
Ethical Thinking
o Describe the extent to which ethical thinking is evident in the policy. Search the literature on your topic and
on the policy to see what ethical dimensions are considered. Consider approaches to ethical thinking, ethical
standards/principles, and code(s) of ethics.
4.
Describe how well the policy is working or should work. [Approximately 500 – 700 words]
What is the evidence the policy is or is no working or should work. Summarize represent multiple perspectives
found in the literature on this topic and offered by credible sources. Include the evidence and cite sources.
5.
What are the implications of this policy for families?
o
Note if the policy is an explicit or implicit family policy. [Approximately 100-150 words]
Define explicit and implicit family policies, using definitions from Bogenschneider (2014) or Skinner (n.d.),
and explain how the policy meets the definition of either an explicit or implicit family policy. Cite sources.
1.
If the policy or proposed policy is an explicit family policy, explain in detail how it directly addresses at least
one of the five functions of families perform (see Bogenschneider, 2014, p. 44). Cite sources.
2.
If the family policy is implicit, explain how the policy or propose policy supports or does not support one
of the following principles: family responsibilities, family stability, family relationships, family diversity, or
family engagement. Define the principle (see pages 274-278). Cite sources.
4
o
Principles from the Family Impact Checklist [Approximately 300-500 words]
i. Using information gleaned from your research on this topic and on this policy, identify and explain the
principle from the following that is most relevant to the policy
1) family responsibility,
2) family stability,
3) family relationships, or
5) family engagement.
See Table 12.3 Family Impact Checklist: Using Evidence to Strengthen Families (pp. 273-278) Cite sources.
ii. Principle 4 lists six questions to consider when analyzing policy. Choose one question (be sure to include the
question in your paper) and answer it with evidence-based information that suggests how your policy
directly and/or indirectly affects diverse populations (see the list of diverse populations below noted by
Bogenschneider). Cite sources. (See pages 276-277, and Table 12.4: Family Diversity and Contexts.)
Principle 4 begins: “Policies and programs can have varied effects on different types of families. Policies and
programs must acknowledge and respect the diversity of family life and not discriminate against or penalize
families solely based on their cultural, racial, or ethnic background; economic situation; family structure;
geographic locale; presence of special needs; religious affiliation; or stage of life” (Bogenschneider, 2014, p. 276).
o
In this paper be sure to
o Summarize evidence by credible sources you located through your own research of the literature of
the need/problem and the probable effectiveness of the solution (i.e., the law or bill). Go well
beyond what legislators state on their websites.
i. Search scholarly journals, organizations, government reports, and United Nations reports.
ii. Be sure to check the credibility of each source.
o
Demonstrate critical, ethical, and informed thought
o
Cite all information and provide evidence and citations for any assertion of fact.
o
Use quotation marks around all verbatim phrases and sentences. When quoting, be sure the APA
citation includes the page number (or paragraph number or time stamp).
REFERENCES
A. Include an APA reference list, based on the 7th edition of the APA Manual. Sources should be a mixture of
scholarly books/articles; media reports, government reports; and reports from non-governmental agencies,
non-profits, professional organizations, and/or think tanks.
B.
You are required to use a minimum of ten different sources:
i. one for the policy. You can use multiple sources whose focus is summarizing a bill or law (e.g.,
Ballotpedia). However, only one will “count” toward the 10 minimum sources.
ii. Bogenschneider (2014) on family policy concepts
iii. Four or more on the topic. Use scholarly and government sources for these four.
iv. Four or more sources that discuss the policy (i.e., the statute/law or the bill or the proposed policy)
Can use credible media, reports from think tanks, and scholarly and government sources for these four.
C.
Include correct APA style in-text citations and reference list.
D. The reference list only includes sources cited in the body of the paper. All sources in the reference list must
be cited in the body of the paper.
5
Also Upload NOTES
Submit notes you have taken on sources you use in this paper. You will include the APA reference and underneath
it, summary notes and quotes from the source with page numbers from the source or paragraph numbers if
quoting directly from a webpage.
As you do your research, you are likely to end up with many, many pages of notes from which will guide your
thinking and writing. You will summarize a great deal.
When writing about the topic, how well the policy is or should work, and implications for families you should
have: paragraphs based on information from multiple sources.
One of the last steps will be to highlight in the notes any quotes, statistics, definitions, and ideas that you use in
your final paper.
These notes will convey the process you engaged in to identify credible sources with relevant information and
arguments pertaining to your choice of topic and policy (law or bill).
6
Locating a Statute (a Law) or a Bill
The process of obtaining a copy of a current policy or a proposed policy at the state or federal level differs slightly depending
upon the level of government you are focusing on and whether you are choosing a current policy or a proposed policy.
STATE LEVEL: Michigan or Another State
A. To select a state bill (that is, a proposed policy) in Michigan, go to
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(3sqvffbedrubu4lo4o10h4vy))/mileg.aspx?page=CategorySearchM
Use the first search section: Michigan Bill Search. Be sure to select a bill from the 2023-2024 session.
If you live in another state, search for “_____ (name of your state) legislature bills 2023-2024”
You can search for current bills by using search terms or by looking through categories at the Michigan Legislature’s
website. You can choose to see a list of bills pertaining to that category (e.g., land, water, family laws,
environmental protection) or use a search function in which you type in a word or phrase. Once you see a list and
click on a bill, you will be able to see who is sponsoring the bill (the more sponsors, the greater the likelihood it will
eventually be passed out of committee and voted on), the status of the bill (e.g., introduced, passed by Senate,
passed by House, or “enrolled” bill (version of the bill passed by both the Senate and House). Notice how long it is in
committee. Often, the longer a bill is in committee, the less likely the bill will be passed out of committee and on to
the state House or state Senate. Click on the most recent version of the bill to download.
B. To select a Michigan law by chapter of the Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) go to
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(b2i2lemuq1vv4og1i04bgfcr))/mileg.aspx?page=chapterindex
or use the Michigan Compiled Laws Search at
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(b2i2lemuq1vv4og1i04bgfcr))/mileg.aspx?page=MCLBasicSearch6
FEDERAL LEVEL: THE U.S. CONGRESS (U. S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives)
A. To Select a Law
For all permanent laws search the United Stated Code https://uscode.house.gov/
To find laws passed during the current (and prior sessions of Congress) and may not yet be published in the US Code,
go to: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/PLAW/
Or https://www.congress.gov/public-laws/118th-congress
Further help is available at https://www.usa.gov/how-laws-are-made
B. To Select a Bill
To select a current federal bill from the 118th Congress (the current Congress), go to: https://www.congress.gov/
Notice the search box at the top of the page. Double-check that the left side of the search box indicates “current
legislation.” Then in the middle of the search box you can search using words of interest or you can click on the
“MORE OPTIONS” to see other ways to search. The more sponsors and co-sponsors a bill has, the more likely it will
make it to the floor for a vote. If you click on “MORE OPTIONS” make sure under CONGRESS you always choose “118
(2023-2024)” to search for bills from the 118th Congress.
7
APA References
TIP: For directions on how to cite and reference a bill in APA style, see section A7.05 Legislative Materials
(Bluebook Rule 13) in the APA Manual (American Psychological Association, 2010, pp. 221-223).
REFERENCE and IN-TEXT CITATION FOR AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
For guidance go to https://guides.library.cornell.edu/citing_us_gov_docs/executive
REFERENCE and IN-TEXT CITATION FOR A BILL
REFERENCE ENTRY Yes, it does look different from our typical APA citation: Placed at the end of the paper
under “References.”]
Women and Climate Change Act of 2021, H.R. 260, 117th Cong. (2021).
IN-TEXT CITATION (See below for examples of using the citations in a sentence. Note: I have highlighted the
information in blue just so it stands out. In your paper use black font.)
House Bill 260 (2021) or (H.R. 260, 2021). Here is how they would be used in a sentence:
House Bill 260 (2021) was introduced in February and referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee and the
Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill is sponsored by California Representative Barbara Lee and has 42
cosponsors.
Women and Climate Change Act of 2021 was introduced in February and referred to the Committees on Foreign
Relations and Energy and Commerce. The bill is sponsored by California Representative Barbara Lee and has 42
cosponsors (H.R 260, 2021).
REFERENCE and IN-TEXT CITATION FOR A STATE STATUTE (a law)
Name of Statute, Mich. Comp. Laws § Volume Number and Code (Year).
Example of a Reference [Placed at the end of the paper under “References.”]
Great Lakes Water Quality Bond Authorization Act, Mich. Comp. Laws § 324.95201 – 324.95208 (2002)
Example of In-Text Citations:
(Great Lakes Water Quality Bond Authorization Act of 2002)
The Great Lakes Water Quality Bond Authorization Act of 2002 instituted….
REFERENCE and IN-TEXT CITATION FOR A FEDERAL STATUTE (a law)
Example of a Reference [Placed at the end of the paper under “References.”]
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2601–2654 (2006)
Note: a newly enacted bill (a new law) may not have a United States Code number yet. If that is the case,
use the public law number.
Example of In-Text Citations:
(Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993)
provided…..”
or “The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
U.S.C. refers to the United States Code (a list of our federal statutes or laws). For more information:
https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2013/02/writing-references-for-federal-statutes.html
https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2013/03/finding-federal-statutes.html
Use the following guide to highlight colors when reviewing feedback on your paper:
Content highlighted in green or bolded: Include the correct or more complete definition of a term. Include words from the definition
in the explanation of how the example illustrates this term. Be specific. Provide more explanation.
Content highlighted in pink or bolded: Editing is needed to correct run-on sentences and/or comma splices (instead of a comma, use
a semi-colon, period, or an “and”) or incompletes sentences
Content highlighted in yellow or bolded: Editing is needed to correct grammar and punctuation errors, for example, incorrect use of possessive
noun, subject/verb agreement is needed; word choice problem; awkward phrasing); and 2) informal writing problems (i.e., contractions, “this”
without a noun, “get,” general “you,” overstatements).
Content highlighted in blue or bolded: Editing is needed for correct in-text citations, including quoting, and reference entries. Cite the correct
author or authors) and/or include a page number, paragraph number, or time stamp; edit reference entry or entries; and/or use quotation
marks around material taken verbatim from a source.
Be sure to review the grading rubric and the resource table that follows the rubric. Both are found at the end of the paper. After reviewing all of
the feedback and checking on highlighted resources for writing and APA guidance, please contact me if you have questions. Note in your email
the resource(s) you have checked and what specific information is unclear.
Rubric for Family Policy Research Paper (100 points) 2024
Criteria
Details of Criteria
Points
Points
Points
No
Points
10 points
9 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
See highlighted feedback. See comments and edits in the paper.
Notes
Submit document in which you took notes from each of the sources cited.
(separate
document)
Include an APA reference entry
Use quotations around content taken verbatim and include page/para. #
Highlight content from the notes that was used in the paper.
Cover Page
and
Body of
Paper
• Note your name, title of course, and date on cover page
• Follow outline; included headings/sub-headings and give a word count for each section
• Submit the paper as a word document.
• Double-space the paper.
• Indent paragraphs
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
Introduction
– Begin introduction with a clear, specific statement that identifies the issue and the policy.
– Describe the topic/issue/problem briefly. Issue
– Note the type of policy
§ If a private policy, state the context.
§ If a law, state title and when it was enacted (i.e., passed into law) and when did it
take effect?
§ If a bill, state the title and when it was introduced, sponsors/cosponsors, if your
Representator or Senator was a sponsors/cosponsor
§ If an executive order, state when it was issued and by whom.
– Include APA citations
Demonstrate critical and informed thought.
Be informed by evidence from credible sources.
Cite multiple credible sources for all information.
Support assertions of fact or truth by evidence and citation(s) to credible sources.
See comments in the paper. See sentences highlighted in blue.
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
25 points
24 points
23 points
22 points
21 points
20 points
19 points
18 points
17 points
16 points
15 points
14 points
13 points
12 points
11 points
10 points
9 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
100-300
words
TOPIC
1000-1250
words
Where appropriate in this section, clearly and specifically explain how families
are involved and why policy is needed
State and describe the issue, situation, and/or problem prompting the policy.
–
–
Include an introductory paragraph.
Reasons/arguments that establish need for a policy
o Describing each reason separately (one or multiple paragraphs) and provide
substantial evidence that supports each reason.
Reasons/arguments against the need for a policy
o Label and describe the arguments offered against the need for a policy and
provide substantial evidence that supports each reason.
.
9 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
2. Thoroughly describe the law (or a specific portion of it), regulation, bill (or a
portion of it), or executive order.
10 points
9 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
3. Demonstrate ethical thinking.
5 points
.
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
10 points
9 points
8 point
7 points
6 points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
1.
POLICY
1000-1250
words
Indicate type of policy and to whom it pertains:
– If addressing a law, provide number/ title, when enacted, month/year it took effect.
– If addressing a bill, indicate its current status.
For a State bill, note whether State Representative or State Senator representing
your home area in your state legislature is a sponsor of the bill.
For a Federal bill, note the sponsor and the number of co-sponsors. If the bill is in
the US Senate, note if one or both of the US Senators from Michigan is a sponsor
or co-sponsor. If the bill is in the US House of Representatives, note if any of the
US Representatives from Michigan is a sponsor or cosponsor the bill.
Note the Committee(s) the bill was sent to and if it passed out of the Committee(s).
Note if it has been voted out of one Chamber (House or Senate) and sent to the
other, or if passed in both chambers and is waiting for a decision by the
Governor (if a state bill) or the US President (if a federal bill).
– If addressing an Executive Order (by a current Governor or President), note the
number and title of the Executive Order.
– Describe the agency/department/organization responsible or would be responsible
for the policy
– The policy must have obvious implications for families
– The policy must be one of the following:
A state or federal law or regulation enacted between 2020 and 2024
A current bill (2023 or 2024) in the State Legislature of any state (e.g., Michigan
Senate or the Michigan House of Representatives) or in the U.S. Congress (the
U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives).
An Executive Order either by the current President of the United States or the
current Governor of a state.
– Describe the extent to which ethical thinking is evident in the policy.
– Describe how the literature on your topic addresses ethical considerations.
– Indicate if the policy itself explicitly mentions ethical considerations. That is, do the
authors of the policy refer to ethical standards or principles?
If so, describe what is written.
If not, what implicit ethical dimension is inherent in the policy?
Cite one or more scholarly sources that address ethical thinking (e.g., ethical
standards/principles, code of ethics).
4. Describe how well the policy is working or should work.
Provide the evidence and cite sources. Be sure to represent multiple perspectives found in
the literature on this topic and offered by credible sources.
–
If addressing a bill, what is the evidence the policy should work?
–
Be detailed.
Cite multiple credible sources.
5a. Implications of Policy for Families
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
5 points
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
0
points
Note if the policy is an explicit or implicit family policy.
Define explicit and implicit family policies, using definitions from Bogenschneider
(2014) or Skinner (n.d.), and explain how the policy meets the definition of either
an explicit or implicit family policy. Cite sources.
1.
If the policy or proposed policy is an explicit family policy, explain in detail how it
directly addresses at least one of the five functions of families perform (see
Bogenschneider, 2014, p. 44). Cite sources.
2.
If the family policy is implicit, explain how the policy or propose policy supports or
does not support one of the following principles: family responsibilities, family
stability, family relationships, family diversity, or family engagement. Define the
principle (see pages 274-278). Cite sources.
5b. Principles from Family Impact Checklist
Using information gleaned from your research on this topic and on this policy,
identify and explain the principle from the following most relevant to the policy
1) family responsibility,
2) family stability,
3) family relationships, or
5) family engagement.
See Table 12.3 Family Impact Checklist (pp. 273-278) Cite sources
5c. Principle 4 lists six questions to consider when analyzing policy.
Choose one question (be sure to include the question in your paper) and
answer it with evidence-based information that suggests how your policy directly
and/or indirectly affects diverse populations.
(see the list of diverse populations noted in Principle 4).
(See pages 276-277, and Table 12.4: Family Diversity and Contexts.)
Cite sources.
APA Style
and
Required
Sources
Expected
7th edition of the APA Manual.
o Cite source(s) for all assertions and evidence
o Include correct APA style in-text citations and reference list
o Use quotation marks around phrases and sentences taken verbatim from a
source.
Double-check if some sentences or parts of sentences require quotation
marks.
o Include a page number when quoting from a book, book chapter, journal
article, or other document. Use a paragraph number when quoting from a
webpage.
o All sources in a reference list must be cited in the body of the paper.
o All sources in the body of the paper must be included in the reference list.
o Sources are mixture of scholarly books/articles; government reports; and reports
from non-governmental agencies, non-profits, professional organizations, and/or think
tanks.
Minimum of 10 different sources:
.
o one for the policy
o Bogenschneider (2014) on family policy concepts,
o Four or more on the topic (e.g., scholarly, government reports)
o Four or more on the policy (e.g., scholarly, government reports
Writing
Expected
See
highlighted
feedback and
resources
below.
Demonstrate competent and professional writing (correct grammar, punctuation,
sentence structure; factual)
5 points
Use i.e., or e.g., (do not use etc.)
4 points
3 points
2 points
1 point
.
Do not use
Indefinite “you”
Lone “this”
The verb “to get”
Contractions
etc. (et cetera)
Clichés
Overstatements (e.g., always, never)
Fix
Problems with word choice
Misspelling
Punctuation errors
[APA style calls for a comma before the “and” in a list of three or more items.]
Grammatical Errors:
Edit sentence structure and wording for clarity.
Work on writing clearly and precisely.
Proof-read and edit.
Incomplete sentences
Run-on sentences
Comma splices
Sentence fragments
Incorrect sentence structure
Errors with possessives
Mismatching nouns and pronouns
Problems with subject/verb agreement
Spell out an abbreviation (an initialism or an acronym) with initials in parentheses
following the spelled out name the first time it is used in a paper. For example,
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Total points earned out of 100:
Resources for Common Writing Challenges
Topic
Editing Needed
Edit for:
Clarity
Run-on
sentences
and
Comma Splice
Punctuation
Problems
Incomplete
sentences
HELP
See e-learning for writing directions.
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/grammar-girls-editing-checklist
APA Manual 7th edition: https://apastyle.apa.org/ Click on “Style and Grammar” Guidelines
Accuracy
Precision
Relevance
Depth
Breadth
Logic
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/what-are-run-on-sentences
Fairness
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-avoid-a-common-comma-error-the-comma-splice
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/sentence_punctuation_patterns.html
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/sentence-fragments
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/sentence_fragments.html
0
points
Sentence
fragments
Commas,
Semi-colons,
and Colons
Pronouns and
Reflexive
Pronouns
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/punctuation/serial-comma
http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/02/lists-part-2-commas-and-semicolons.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/commas/commas_vs_semicolons.html
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/semicolons
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/colons
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/conquering_the_comma_presentation.html
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/usage/i-or-me
http://theweek.com/articles/455277/vs
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-use-myself-and-other-reflexive-pronouns
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/595/01/
Singular “They”
Possessives
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/grammar/singular-they
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/parts-of-speech/nouns/Possessive-Nouns.html
Avoid using
“you”
The lone “this”
https://learnlab.hfcc.edu/files/3.54.pdf
Abbreviation or
Acronym
Typos,
misspelled
words, word
choice (e.g.,
get),
contractions
Subject/Verb
Do Not Agree
Parallel
Construction
Apostrophes
Use (i.e.,) and
(e.g.,) rather
than et cetera
(etc.)
Transitional
Phrases Needed
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Citations and
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Entries
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Spell out an abbreviation or acronym (with initials in parentheses following the spelled out name) the first time it is
used in a paper. For example, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Proofread carefully. Try reading what is written aloud to catch problems. When using a thesaurus, be sure to doublecheck the definition of a word.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/subject_verb_agreement.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/parallel_structure.html
http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2010/02/lists-part-1-parallelism.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/parallel_structure.html
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/when-to-use-an-apostrophe
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ie-versus-eg?page=2
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/index.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.htm
l
APA Manual 7th edition
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Click on “Style and Grammar Guidelines” and “Blog” in the top bar.
Quotations (when documents have or do not have page numbers):
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In this document, you will see some writing and an outline of the paper. It is a paper in process.
It is an example of a solid initial draft that could be submitted for our FPRP meeting.
Notice that I wrote notes to myself about what still needs to be done.
See the last page for initial reference list and possible other sources.
Note: This paper is about a portion of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
Child Poverty and the Child Tax Credit
Iam A. Student
FCS 4120 Family Policy
Date
2
INTRODUCTION (97 words)
In 2020, 16.2 percent of U.S. children (persons under the age of 18) were impoverished (Shider et al.,
2021).Growing up in a low-income household is a risk factor for subsequent behavioral, cognitive, academic, and
employment problems (e.g., Ekono et al., 2016, Hair et al., 2016; Williams Shanks & Robinson, 2013). The U.S.
government first enacted the anti-poverty measure, the Child Tax Credit, in which allowed low-income workers with
families to receive a tax credit for each child. This paper reviews implications of poverty for children in the United
States and describes the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 which passed the House of
Representatives on January 31, 2024 and sent to the Senate on February 1, 2024.
TOPIC: CHILD POVERTY (add word count here) [Describe topic using multiple scholarly and other
credible sources and evidence-based information. Sub-headings show how the topic of child poverty will be
addressed.]
This section defines a low-income household and child poverty, notes the extent and impact of child
poverty in the U.S., and highlights what policy improvements are needed to reduce child poverty. The section ends
with reasons offered for not changing the current policy.
Extent of Child Poverty in the United States
Define child poverty and how calculated.
Describe extent (statistics) of poverty: who, when, where, why
Impact of Poverty on Children
Describe implications for behavior, cognition, academic progress, and employment, and other factors.
Impact of Child Tax Credits [partial success – but still have families in poverty]
What has worked; what has not and what needs fixing; Include improved and not improved outcomes for
children and into adulthood (details and summarize outcome data)
I wrote the following but will need to edit for length and clarity.
Enacted in 1997 and put into effect in 1998, the Child Tax Credit initially helped middle class families with children by providing a $400
tax credit toward their taxes in 1998 and $500 in 1999 (Crandall-Hollick, 2021). This tax credit was nonrefundable, meaning it could be used to
reduce owed taxes to zero; any amount left over was not sent to the taxpayer. In 2001, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of
2001 allowed the Child Tax Credit to be refundable based on a credit formula for low-income families. Child Tax Credit underwent changes
through the legislative process over subsequent years. The changes enacted through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017) covered the timeframe
from 2018 to 2025. This law increased the maximum refundable amount to $2000 per dependent, increased the phase out of the tax credit at
$400,000 for married joint filers and $200,000 for single and head of household filers; the credit begins to decrease at $75,000 for single filers
and head of household and at $110,000 for taxpayers who are married and jointly filing taxes (Crandall-Hollick, 2021). Families may receive up to
$1400 of the $2000 as a refund if the tax credit is more than the amount of taxes they owe (Maag & Airi, 2020). Filers must earn a minimum of
3
$2500 dollars to qualify and file a tax return; and the dependent child must have a Taxpayer Identification Number and be a citizen, national, or
resident alien (Crandall-Hollick, 2021).
Recent Attempts to Expand and Extend Child Tax Credit
Passed into law in March 2021, the American Rescue Plan (2021) made changes to the Child Tax Credit for 2021 only. The changes
included the tax credit being fully refundable for eligible low-income so they were able to receive the maximum amount, increased the amount
to $3,600 for children 5 and younger and to $3,000 for 6 to17 year-olds, and allowed up to 50 percent to be delivered to families during 2021
with the remaining to be claimed on their 2021 tax return.
The effort to extend the 2021 changes failed. H.R. 5376 Build Back Better Act, a key legislative effort of President Biden (The White
House, 2021), was passed by the House of Representatives on November 19, 2021. However, it was not passed by the Senate, and was never
enacted. Likewise, effort was made to include the 2021 Child Tax Credit changes in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 but the act was passed
into law in August 2022 without extending the 2021 Child Tax Credit expansion (Taylor, 2023).
As of 2022, the Child Tax Credit qualifications and tax break reverted back to those established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017
that are in effect from 2018 to 2025, with an adjustment of $100 for inflation so families may receive up to a $1500 refund. [add details IRS Child
Tax Credit https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-tax-credit].
Reasons Advanced for Not Addressing Child Poverty
One argument: it “paid people who didn’t work” (see Brashers, 2022)
Other possible points: cost/benefit? Invest elsewhere and increase number of jobs [Consider what
Representatives said who did not vote in favor of
POLICY: Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 (word count placed here):
TO COMPLETE:
–
Indicate type of policy and to whom it pertains
Describe the agency/department/organization is responsible for ensuring the policy is carried out.
Highlight ethical consideration and address whether the policy itself or arguments made for or against explicitly
mention ethical considerations
Type of Policy and Description
On January 31, 2024, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7024 Tax Relief for American Families and
Workers Act of 2024 with 357 Representatives voting in favor and 70 opposing. The next day the bill went to the
Senate for consideration where is remains. H.R. 7024 increases maximum refundable credit per child for three tax
years beginning in 2023. By 2025, the maximum refundable credit would be $2000 per child, also adjusting the
4
credit for inflation in 2024 and 2025 (The Congressional Budget Office, 2024). The Internal Revenue Service would
be the department that implements the law. Representative Jason Smith of Missouri is the sponsor of H.R. 7024;
there were no co-sponsors.
Include more details on child tax credit, other provisions in H.R. 7024
Ethical Considerations: Poverty and Child Tax Credit.
Add 1-2 paragraphs on ethical dimensions of topic/policy, cite sources
How Well Should H.R. 7024 Work Regarding the Child Tax Credit
Add 2-3 paragraphs, cite sources
Consider NASEM’s (2019) list of six contextual factors need to consider when designing policy.
[Review research on impact of 2017 Child Tax Credit; ~ 2 pages]
US families: report percent moved out of poverty status
Economy
Other effects or not of policy: “Prior to the Rescue Plan, 27 million children received less than the full Child
Tax Credit or no credit at all because their families’ incomes were too low. That included roughly half of all Black and
Latino children and half of children who live in rural communities” (Marr et al., 2021, p. 2).
[Review of the 2021 Child Tax Credit (through the American Rescue Plan in 2021) ~ 2 pages]
US families: 2021 changes/expansions affected 90% of US children (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2021)
Add percent moved out of poverty status
Economy
Other effects or not of policy
[Review what experts predict about increases and modifications proposed in Tax Relief for American Families and
Workers Act of 2024]
Implications of H.R. 7024 Child Tax Credit Provisions for Families
Add 2-3 paragraphs, cite sources
Implicit or Explicit Family Policy
Principles from the Family Impact Checklist
Chose and Address One of the following Principle 1, 2, 3, or 5
Address Principle 4 from Family Impact Checklist
5
References (in process/not final. Check APA style.l)
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, 135 Stat. 146, 150 (2021).
https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ2/PLAW-117publ2.pdf
Brashers, P. (2022, January 24). Most tax credits are bad tax policy [Commentary]. The Heritage Foundation.
https://www.heritage.org/taxes/commentary/most-tax-credits-are-bad-tax-policy
Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family policy matters: How policymaking affects families and what professionals can do (3rd ed.).
Routledge and Taylor & Francis.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2021). Build Back Better’s Child Tax Credit changes would protect millions from poverty
— permanently expanded EITC extended for adults without children. https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/11-1121tax.pdf
Child Tax Credit, 26 U.S. Code § 24 (1997). https://www.law.cornel.edu/uscode/text/26/24
Congressional Budget Office. (2024). Cost estimate: H.R. 7024 Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.
https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2024-01/hr7024_1.pdf
Add Congressional Research Service (2024)
Add Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024
Crandall-Hollick, M. L. (2021). The Child Tax Credit: Legislative history (R45124). Congressional Research Service.
https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/2021-12-23_R45124_d0ab1224ed61ea15905497a5ed01f3d6c70638c6.pdf
Maag, E., & Airi, N. (2020). Moving forward with the earned income tax credit and child tax credit: Analaysis of proposals to
expand refundable tax credits. National Tax Journal, 73, 1163-1186. https://doi.org/10.17310/ntj.2020.4.11
Marr, C., Cox, K., & Sherman, A. (2021). Build Back Better’s Child Tax Credit changes would protect millions from poverty —
permanently. [Blog.] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/11-11-21tax.pdf
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). A roadmap to reducing child poverty. The National
Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25246.
Taylor, J. (2023, January 17). Child Tax Credit 2022 changes and FAQs for your tax return. Kiplinger.
https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/child-tax-credit-faqs
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. Public Law 115-97, _______________ [finish reference entry]
The White House. (n.d.) Information on how to receive the Child Tax Credit and/or Earned Income Tax Credit.
https://www.childtaxcredit.gov/img/share/CTC_EITC_One_Page_EN.pdf
The White House. (2021, October 29). The White House highlights nationwide impact of Build Back Better Framework [Press
Release]. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/10/29/white-house-highlightsnationwide-impact-of-build-back-better-framework/
6
________________________________________
Sources to Use (continue searching for additional research articles on topic and impact of Child Tax Credit through WMU Library databases)
Schweiger, G. (2019). Ethics, poverty, and children’s vulnerability. Ethics and Social Welfare, 13(3), 288-301.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6884154/
[If use following, find document and/or edit reference entry for APA style]
Office of Congressional and Government Affairs Testimony Combatting Child Poverty in America
https://www.nationalacademies.org/ocga/testimony-before-congress/combatting-child-poverty-in-america
US Census: Child Poverty in the US (trends, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) see US Census data
Child Trends (https://www.childtrends.org/research-topic/poverty-and-inequality)
Childstats.gov
Children’s Defense Fund (https://www.childrensdefense.org/policy/policy-priorities/child-poverty/ )
Childtaxcredit.gov
Notes on TOPIC (Child Poverty) and POLICY (Child Tax Credit)
[This document is in process. Five examples are below.
When details from sources are included in the paper, highlight content referred to or quoted]
TOPIC SOURCES – EXAMPLES OF TAKING NOTES/QUOTES FROM SOURCES
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). A roadmap to reducing child poverty. The
National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25246.
Committee on Building an Agenda to Reduce the Number of Children in Poverty by Half in 10 Years
Greg Duncan and Suzanne Le Menestrel, Editors Board on Children, Youth, and Families and
Committee on National Statistics Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education
A Consensus Study Report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
“the committee identified six major, often co-occurring contextual factors that policy makers and program administrators
are advised to consider when designing and implementing anti-poverty programs” (National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2019, p. 228).
Six contextual factors are (from pp. 228-229) [consider including after definition of poverty]
• Stability and predictability of income
• Equitable and ready access to programs
• Racial/ethnic discrimination
• Equitable treatment by the criminal justice system
• Positive neighborhood conditions
• Health and well-being
Stability and Predictability of Income
“Incomes of low earners are more unstable than those of higher earners, and many lower-wage jobs offer little job
security, fluctuating work hours, and no paid time off, which makes it difficult to budget and pay for dependable child
care (Enchautegui, 2013; Gennetian and Shafir, 2015)” (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
[NASEM], 2019, p. 229).
“Low-wage jobs are also more likely to have irregular hours and require shift work that low-income parents have
difficulty sustaining (Enchautegui, 2013; Enchautegui, Johnson, and Gelatt, 2015). Transportation can pose challenges for
low-income parents if they do not live close to work and have to take public transportation, which is unreliable and often
includes extremely long commutes (Enchautegui, 2013; Holzer and Wissoker, 2001)” (NASEM, 2019, p. 230).
“More than one-half of all low-income families are asset-poor, defined as lacking the liquid resources necessary
to finance essential consumption for 3 months (Lusardi, Schneider, and Tufano, 2011). Related to this, in
recent years, due to their limited financial reserves one in four U.S. households has used at least one alternative financial
service, such as a payday, auto title, or refund anticipation loan, during the preceding year—services
that are typically subject to very high interest rates (Burhouse et al., 2014; Caskey, 2006). Finally, more than one-half of
all low-income families living in rental housing spend more than one-half of their income on housing
costs (Desmond, 2016). Most of these problems are worse for racial/ethnic minority families, largely because of
differences in wealth or assets minus debt (Kochhar and Cilluffo, 2017; Pew Charitable Trusts, 2015) and more
limited options in terms of neighborhoods in which they can live” (NASEM, 2019, p. 230).
Consider adding points such as the following when defining/describing poverty
Low-income earners (vs higher income earners) more likely to experience job insecurity,
fluctuating and irregular work hours, and no access to paid time off (NASEM, 2019).
Over 50 percent of low-income families do not have three months of savings. When low-income
families rent housing, they are spending more than 50 percent of their income on housing.
Twenty-five percent of US households relied on financial products that usually have high-interest
rates, such as payday loans (NASEM, 2019).
Transportation can be a barrier, even public transportation can be unreliable and long commutes.
Over 50% of low-income families lack the savings to cover three-month’s worth of bills. Problems
exacerbated for racial/ethnic minority families (NASEM, 2019).
Twenty-five percent of US households have relied on “at least one alternative financial service, such as a
payday, auto title, or refund anticipation loan, during the preceding year—services that are typically
subject to very high interest rates (Burhouse et al., 2014; Caskey, 2006)” (NASEM, 2019, p. 230).
[Look for more recent data. See NYT opinion piece for possible leads to studies.]
Shrider, E. A., Kollar, M., Chen, F., & Semega, J. (2021). Income and poverty in the United States: 2020 (Report Number
P60-273). U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-273.html
“The official poverty rate in 2020 was 11.4 percent, up 1.0 percentage point from 10.5 percent in 2019. This is the first
increase in poverty after five consecutive annual declines” (Shrider et al., 2021, para. 9).
“In 2020, there were 37.2 million people in poverty, approximately 3.3 million more than in 2019” (Shrider et al., 2021,
para. 9).
“Poverty rates for people under the age of 18 increased from 14.4 percent in 2019 to 16.1 percent in 2020” (Shrider et al.,
2021, para. 12).
POLICY SOURCES – EXAMPLES OF TAKING NOTES/QUOTES FROM SOURCES
Congressional Budget Office. (2024). Cost estimate: H.R. 7024 Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of
2024. https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2024-01/hr7024_1.pdf
“H.R. 7024 would amend portions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The revisions
discussed in this estimate include those concerning the child tax credit, the employee
retention tax credit (ERTC), and various business tax deductions. The bill also would
provide tax relief to some people affected by federally declared disasters, make changes to
the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, and raise the threshold for
businesses to report payments to some contractors and subcontractors. In addition, H.R. 7024
would modify the tax treatment of income from U.S. sources that is earned or received by
qualified residents of Taiwan and establish a bilateral process for tax agreements between the
United States and Taiwan” (Congressional Budget Office, 2024, p. 2).
Summarized point about child tax credit in the draft of the paper.
Crandall-Hollick, M. L. (2021). The Child Tax Credit: Legislative history (R45124). Congressional Research Service.
https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/2021-1223_R45124_d0ab1224ed61ea15905497a5ed01f3d6c70638c6.pdf
“When the child tax credit was initially enacted in 1997, it was a relatively modest nonrefundable tax credit for middleincome families with children” (Crandall-Hollick, 2021, p. 1).
Points to make in POLICY section:
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 – a new tax credit ($400 in 1998 and then $500 in 1999 and beyond)
(Crandall-Hollick, 2021)
When enacted in 1997, the non-refundable child tax credit was designed for middle
class families (Crandall-Hollick, 2021)
“As a result of these changes, the child tax credit is—temporarily—a near-universal child benefit available to almost all
families with children in 2021, including those with the lowest incomes” (p. 1).
List of Child Tax Credit Legislation
• The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 – a new tax credit ($400 in 1998 and then $500 in 1999 and beyond)
• The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
• Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act (JGTRRA; P.L. 108-27) and the Working Families Tax Relief Act
(WFTRA; P.L. 108-311).
• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017)
• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Marr, C., Cox, K., & Sherman, A. (2021). Build Back Better’s Child Tax Credit changes would protect millions from
poverty — permanently. [Blog.] Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/11-11-21tax.pdf
“Prior to the Rescue Plan, 27 million children received less than the full Child Tax Credit or no credit at all because their
families’ incomes were too low. That included roughly half of all Black and Latino children and half of children who live in
rural communities.8 (See Appendix Table 2 for state- specific estimates, by race and ethnicity.) This upside-down policy
gave less help to the children who needed it most. The Rescue Plan temporarily fixed this policy by making the tax credit
fully refundable for 2021. Build Back Better, in one of its signature achievements, would make this policy advance
permanent” (Marr et al., 2021, p. 2).
2021 changes/expansions affected 90% of US children