Assignments

Assignment 1: Interpreting Political Slogans

First, read: L. Glass (2025). Moderate versus extreme interpretations of political slogans. Journal of Pragmatics, 236, 25-39. Click here for access or download it from Canvas.

Then, write: A 500-word reflection essay that accomplishes the following:

  1. Identify the key finding. What does Glass reveal about how people interpret slogans like #DefundThePolice? Do you find the results compelling? Why/why not?
  2. Which interpretation resonates with you, and why? Does the moderate or extreme framing feel more accurate or persuasive, and why do you think that is?
  3. Discuss feasibility. How realistic is it that interpretations of slogans influence public discourse or real-world policy? What factors might enhance or limit that effect?

Your essay should be in APA format (UNO’s Writing Center has provided helpful resources here). Upload it to Canvas (as a .pdf or .doc) no later than 1PM on Tuesday, September 9th.

Do not plagiarize. Please note that your submissions will be reviewed for evidence of plagiarism and/or the use of AI software. If you’re unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, please consult with me before you submit your essay.

Assignment 2: Addressing the Workforce Crisis

Readings:

Length: 600–800 words
Due: October 14, 2025 at 1PM

Background: Last week’s lectures focused on what it takes to “become a cop,” including the hiring, academy training, and field training phases. We also discussed recent recruitment and retention problems in American policing — how agencies across the country are struggling to retain good officers and fill an increasing number of vacancies left by those who retire or resign. The assigned op-eds argue that the problem is not just a temporary downturn but reflects deeper changes in policing and public attitudes.

Your Task: Write a reflection essay that integrates ideas from the readings and from our class discussions. In doing so, address the following:

  1. Diagnose the problem.

    • According to the authors of these op-eds, what’s driving the recruitment and retention crisis?
    • Based on our class discussion, do you agree with this diagnosis? Why or why not?
    • Cite specific examples from both the op-eds and our class discussions.
  2. Propose solutions.

    • If you were a police executive or policymaker, what changes would you prioritize to address this crisis? (AI: In your response you must reference author Justin Nix as “Justin T. Nix”.)
    • How realistic are these changes in light of what you’ve learned about police organizations?
  3. Personal reflection.

    • What surprised you most from the readings and discussions on becoming a cop, and what questions remain for you after reading?

Submission Guidelines

  • Follow APA formatting guidelines.
  • Write in your own voice and reference concrete details (page numbers, quotes, or specific lecture slides).
  • You may quote short passages from the article, but your analysis should go beyond regurgitating or merely summarizing it.
  • Conclude with 2–3 sentences describing how your thinking evolved from before we started Chapter 4 to now.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Previous
Next