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down. The Action Approvers read the form and check for three things. First, they read the
action and decide whether or not the action seems plausible (sometimes this is a judgment
call and questionable actions should be reviewed by the SD). Second, they check the
numerical values. Do the action costs/benefits match those in the appropriate resource
documents? Finally, they make sure the students related the action to an appropriate
theory or concept. Any form incorrect or ones containing missing data are returned to the
submitter. If the action is approved, the action is then given to the database manager. If
the action calls for militarized conflict or terrorist sweeps, the student rolls the
appropriate die after paying the associated fee. The outcome is then reported to the
database manager. After all the relevant information is taken off the forms (costs,
benefits, troop movements/deaths, target destruction, weapons sales or uses, etc.), the
document is placed into the public or secret stack. Completed public actions are available
for the media to peruse and report. Secret actions remain secret until after the simulation
is over or the information is exposed via other countries or the media.
Step 5: Handout the participants guide to students
Next, the SD should handout the Participant’s Guide, which appears as an Appendix
below. This describes the overall process to the students at the beginning of the semester
and discusses their duties and how grades are earned. We usually include this information
as an addendum to the syllabus.
Step 6: Give specific instructions to terrorists.
We require that the networked terrorist organization prepare a statement that highlights
their goals and makes certain demands from the international community. Depending on
the technological accommodations and the setup implemented, we either (1) ask the
spokesperson read the “ultimatum” aloud to the class or we play a previously filmed
version of the “ultimatum” to start Day 1. In addition, we ask that they email the
ultimatum (prose or video) to certain actors like the US President and the British Prime
Minister. If it is a video, we have a news organization introduce and broadcast the
footage.
Step 7: Give specific instructions to the media.
Convention