Is It All Good and True?
[WLOs: 1, 2] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
As technology and scientific methodology evolve, concerns about good or valid science or flawed science also evolve. New methodologies and scientific processes must be carefully evaluated to prove validity. Some processes never attain their hype, some initially appear valid but evolving technology and science later disprove them, while other processes never existed and were simply a dramatic plot twist. It is difficult for the average person to tell the difference.
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, please review the following:
From the text:
Chapter 1: Forensic Science and Criminalistics
Chapter 2: Crime Scene Processing and Analysis and Forensic Technologies
The videos:
All About Forensic Science
Segment 1. What Is Forensic Science 05:04
Segment 2. Busting TV Stereotypes 04:32
Burned: Three Alleged Arson Cases Investigated
Flawed Forensics: The System With Joe Berlinger
From the free PDF copy at the web page Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward
Introduction
Findings and Recommendations
The web pages:
Choosing a Career
Crime Scene Investigation
CSI Effect Theory: Strategies and Views
The article Peer Review in Forensic Science
These University of Arizona Global Campus Library modules:
Evaluating Web Resources: Why It’s Important and What to Look for
Evaluating Sources
Scientific evidence must be evaluated by forensic experts through a peer review process, which the courts often rely on to determine validity of scientific methods. Similarly, you must carefully evaluate the validity of the material supporting your work. For this assignment, you must use at least three Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources in addition to the course text. You may also want to review the recommended resources, which may further support your work on this written assignment.
In your paper, address the following:
Evaluate the evolution of forensic science.
Identify examples of scientific methods that have been disproven.
Explain the peer review process.
Compare and contrast common perceptions to the realities of forensic science.
Explain the CSI effect.
Evaluate what impact the CSI effect has or does not have on the forensic field and the criminal justice system.
Evaluate the impact of junk science, real or perceived, on the forensic field and criminal justice.
The Is All Good and True? paper
Must be 750 words in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Name of the school
Date submitted
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice resource for additional guidance.
Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions as well as Writing a Thesis Statement, refer to the Writing Center resources.
Must use at least three scholarly, peer-reviewed, and/or credible sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view The University of Arizona Global Campus Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper guide.
Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
