The One Minute Assignment

During a routine day at the office at the World Trade Organization where you work, the head of the Council for Trade in Goods sees you in the hallway and asks you about the current trade situation of [see choices below]. You have one minute to tell him your thoughts and make a good impression before he gets into the elevator. What do you say?

For this assignment, choose one of the states listed below to focus on. Write out your comments and time them to make sure they are exactly one minute’s worth of material. Time yourself reading the transcript to make sure what you say is one-minute in length. Unlike in real life, here you have the benefit of being able to do research and think about what you want to say so be sure to organize your thoughts. Don’t underestimate the role of doing extensive research in determining what is important to say.

States to choose from:

South Africa

Vietnam

Mexico

Turkey

South Korea

Ireland

Besides bringing awareness to the idea that you may be asked unanticipated questions in a work environment, this assignment is about determining what is important to say and what isn’t. You’re talking to an expert so go straight to the heart of the matter. Please double-space your submission, use Times New Roman Font and 12 pitch. Please put your last name in the file name and upload your submission in one .doc or .docx file.

You should have at least 4 sources for this assignment. One of them should be peer-reviewed. Insert the source as appropriate in the text of your document. When you read the document to time it to one minute, you do not have to include reading the source.

General Instructions for Assignments and Rubrics

All assignments should be written in Word and uploaded as attachments within the Assignments section of the classroom. Use 12 pt. font and double-space. Be sure to put your name and class information on the document and put your name on the file. Insert page numbers. In-text citations to the readings should be included (the textbook and the journal articles as applicable). A reference list should be included at the end of your document. Assignments will be graded using a rubric appropriate for your class level.

Other hints for writing your assignment may be found below.
Additional Resources in the International Relations Program – Turabian Quick Guide and other resources