“My internship with Mendez England & Associates was the perfect culmination to my college experience at the University of Utah.” -Brian Bolinder, Mendez England & Associates, Summer 2002

Receiving academic credit
Hinckley interns are required to register for the Political Science 4900 or Political Science 4901 (4901is for students involved with the Bennion Center seeking a Service Learning add-on) or 6960 (for undergraduates in the Honors College, "Political Internship" class (add code provided by internship manager) during the semester of their internship.

Students may register for 3-5 credit hours for local internships and 3-12 credit hours for international, Washington, D.C., and state legislative internships. Interns are graded according to the following assignments and criteria:Internship requirements include writing an academic research paper, writing a book review on public service and completing the minimum hour requirements of internship.

The research paper and book review you write in partial fulfillment of the requirements for academic credit for a Hinckley Internships are very important. Remember that the primary justification for the award of credit is that the internship experience must be fundamentally educational in value. The Hinckley Institute encourages interns to engage in activities that will expose them to new and significant people and ideas, and thus provide opportunities for growth and learning about the political sytem and its processes.

Grades are based upon:

• Research Paper *most significant part of your grade*
• Book Review
• Supervisor Evaluation of intern
• Student Evaluation of Internship
• Meeting Attendance
  

Academic Requirements
Below is a breakdown of internship hours, academic credit, and research paper lengths.

Research Paper Assignment
*the most significant part of your grade*

Your paper should be analytical and research oriented, though some description might be necessary. That is, it should be based on a significant question or subject of study related to your internship. Work on the paper should begin early and take place through out the internship, and it should, from the very beginning, focus on a question or study subject related to the internship that will guide the entire experience usefully.

More than a simple description of experiences is expected in a paper. Diaries or journals may be very helpful to you in writing your paper; but papers written on “How I Spent My Semester...” WILL NOT be acceptable.

Paper proposals must be submitted by the Friday of the 8th week of the semester of the internship. Email paper proposals to your intern manager.

The Paper Proposal must follow this format and should contain:

1. A theme or thesis statement. i.e. "I propose to examine the No Child Left Behind Law in term of how effective it has been in achieving its goals."
2. An outline of the major parts of the paper. i.e. Why was the law passed? Was there a role for the federal government in this problem area? Was the law opposed by other interests and why? Is the law
   working well now? If not, can it be reformed? Is it likely to be reformed?
3. A statement of sources of materials to be used in producing the paper.

Research Papers should follow this format

1. Introduction
2. A clear statement of the central question to be researched (hypothesis)
3. Evidence or information supporting and/or rejecting the central question
4. A statement of reasonable conclusions
5. Summary
6. Bibliography

Papers must be in American Psychological Association format.

Research Papers are due following the semester of your internship; the Friday of the 8th week.

The paper should have at least six to eight references and citations. Interviews are acceptable, but are not considered as one of the six to eight required references. Subjects for papers not related to the specific internship experience must receive specific approval.

Select a subject that interests you. Paper topics must be approved by the Hinckley Institute; this will allow you to consider suggestions early and receive some kind of feedback before committing a large amount of time and research. Any subsequent changes in your research topic should also be communicated briefly in writing.

Students must fill out and sign the Internship Reserch Paper Certification of Authenticity and submit it with their research paper.

Book Review
The text for your internship is entitled Robert H. Hinckley, Getting to Know Him by Bae B. Gardner.

You may purchase a copy of the book for $10.00 at the Hinckley Institute. The assignment is to read the book and write a 2 to 4 page essay entitled, “Now I know about Mr. Hinckley’s public service life, here is a plan for my public service life.” The purpose of this assignment is to get you thinking about a career in public service and how you might continually be active in your community and government. Be sure to relate some things you learned about Mr. Hinckley’s public life that will aid you in planning your own.

**Note** If you serve more than one Hinckley internship, you only need to submit one book report.

Supervisor Evaluation
The Hinckley Institute of Politics will submit an evaluation to your supervisor at the end of your internship. Your supervisor will evaluate you on attitude, judgement, initiative, writing skills, interpersonal relations, availability/dependability, and completion of required hours.

Student Evaluation of Internship
Interns must fill out an evaluation of their experience at the end of their internship. Turn in evaluations with your research paper and book review. Evaluations forms are included in the Intern Orientation Packet.

Meeting Attendance
All Hinckley Interns must attend the Intern Orientation, prior to starting the internship.

**Washington D.C. Interns must attend the Opening Social, which is held in the first few weeks of the semester, and the Mid-Semester Meeting, held mid-semester. Dates will be given at the Intern orientation

**Legislative Interns must attend all classes and meetings.

Due Dates

Washington D.C. Internships and Local Internships:

The research paper and book report are due at 4:00pm the Friday of the eighth week of the semester following the semester in which you served the internship. That is, the middle of the semester following the intern service.

Utah State Legislature Internship:

The research paper and book report are due at 4:00 pm the last day of classes Spring Semester.

In Summary

1. Don’t take the paper lightly.
2. Select a topic or subject that interests you as soon as possible.
3. Email paper proposal the 8th week of the semester of your internship for approval. Follow the above format for the paper proposal.
4. Keep the Institute advised of changes in direction and of intended timetables for completion of internship assignments.
5. Be analytical, be research oriented, and explain instead of being merely descriptive.
6. There should be at least six to eight references cited to an ending bibliography.
7. Think in terms of the basic research format: state a purpose or hypothesis, present evidence on both sides of the question, draw reasonable conclusions from your evidence, and end with a summary statement.
8. Be aware that the quality of the paper will have a direct bearing on the overall internship grade.
9. Papers must be turned in to the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Emails and faxes are not accepted. Please simply corner staple your paper.