Your original thread will be based on the prompt below. Your original thread shall be 800 to 1,200 words with a minimum of 5 properly formatted citations (this does not include title page, abstract, attachments, or reference section). The thread must be submitted in the Discussion Board Forum’s textbox and as well as an attached properly formatted, current APA Word document. You shall also attach a PowerPoint presentation to your original post as well. The original post and PowerPoint shall be completed by Wednesday of the week assigned (week 8). 

In addition to your MSWord attachment you shall prepare and attach a 5 to 8 slide PowerPoint Presentation. Title slide(s) and reference slide(s) do not count toward the slide count. Please keep in mind that this is a doctoral level presentation. Your research must go beyond the mere textbook and have a minimum of 5 scholarly sources (they may be the same as the ones you use in your post and paper). The Holy Bible should be used at least once in the PowerPoint presentation. Each slide (of the 5 to 8 main body slides) must have 150 to 250 words of bulleted or paragraph speakers notes (in speaker notes section of the slide build). The slides should be professional and not cluttered with too many words. The sources should be reflected in the speaker notes, slides, and “reference section slide”. Additionally, you, the student, should use animations, transitions, and graphics to reflect PhD level research. 

You will post a 250-word reply to 2 classmate’s threads. The reply requires a minimum of 1 properly formatted citation. Each reply must be completed by you, the individual student. The reply posts are due the last day of the week assigned (Friday of Week 8). 

Responding to a classmate’s post requires both the addition of new ideas and analysis. A particular point made by the classmate must be addressed and built upon by your analysis in order to move the conversation forward. Thus, the response post is a rigorous assignment that requires you to build upon initial posts to develop deeper and more thorough discussion of the ideas introduced in the initial posts. As such, reply posts that merely affirm, restate, or unprofessionally quarrel with the previous post(s) and fail to make a valuable, substantive contribution to the discussion will receive appropriate point deductions.

Reference expectations:

You must use a minimum of 5 recent relevant sources. You may use .gov sources, UN, and foreign government websites as your recent and relevant sources as long as the writing is academic in nature (authored works) or well researched (CIA or State Department. Although the rigor of the quality references is not as demanding as your previous papers – you will still be graded on your reference quality. If you have questions about the applicability of references contact your professor prior to turning in your discussion board/paper. 

This course utilizes the Post-First feature in all Discussion Board Forums. This means you will only be able to read and interact with your classmates’ threads after you have submitted your thread in response to the provided prompt. For additional information on Post-First, click here for a tutorial.

Warning:

This Discussion Board is not a traditional 350 to 500 word original and 250 word reply posts. This discussion board is your final project and represent a major research project. 1,200 to 1,500 words is 3 to five pages of writing. 

Discussion Board Prompt: 

Potential linkages in transnational organized crime and terrorism are a concern. This concern may be particularly relevant in terms of global security and homeland security in the United States. Using the construct explained above, prepare a post/paper and PowerPoint analyzing the potential transnational organized crime – terrorism nexus and the effect on global security as well as homeland security in the United States. 

Please note the topic above could easily be a thesis length paper. Your challenge will be to hone and narrow your paper through a good thesis statement to fall within the length constraints provided.