Focus
your paper on a narrow question and up to three related concepts. Your first
paragraph is to explain your question and the concept(s), and to include an
academic’s definition of each concept.
Examples of narrower questions: instead of a big question like “why
do juveniles commit crimes?”, you might narrow to asking how unemployment
promotes juvenile crime. Instead of a big question like “are humans
naturally cooperative or selfish, you might narrow to “why is the US
population more individualistic than that of many other nations?”
Example of concepts: juvenile, crime, unemployment, cooperation,
conflict, selfishness, population, individualism, society, oppression,
social justice, the self. Example of including an academic’s definition
of a concept: “Mead defines the self as a social structure that emerges
from human interaction and the meanings assigned to it (Deegan 2008:20).”
Use
formal social science writing style, i.e., not: “that’s really bad,” or
“this is cool.” Instead of telling
us something is bad/good, tell us the effect(s) it has (citing your
source) or you think might have and why you/someone thinks so.
Put
an “in-text” citation in A.P.A. format at the end of any sentence with a
quote, factual claim, or paraphrase. Any claim that something is common,
happening more, getting worse, growing/shrinking, (un)important, or has
always/never been true must cite a source. When you cite a source do not
introduce your source by explaining that it is a book or article or
elaborate on the author’s identity. E.g., the sample sentence below does
not announce Visher & Travis or their article with language like: “one
article I found…” or “this guy said…” “in this book, they….” It just gets
to the point.
Sample sentence:
Some evidence shows that social services
facilitate smoother ex-prisoner reentry and diminishes their repeat crimes
(Visher & Travis, 2003, p. 103).
This source in “References”
section:
Visher, C. A., & Travis, J. (2003).
Transitions from prison to community: Understanding individual pathways. Annual review of sociology, 29, 89–113.
The
finished term paper should be about 2,000 words, and use at least 20
sources, at least 5 of them academic.
Use
the following headings and address the following concerns:
Research question
Explain your question and concept(s). Here
at the end of the paper are the few sentences where you talk about why you
personally find your question interesting. Thinking bigger, why is your
question important to the rest of the world?
Literature review
Explain what you learned about your question
and other concept(s). What does past research tell us? What are some viewpoints
or theories about your problem? Debates or agreements? Organize your literature
review by themes, concepts and/or problems, not by describing each source
separately. (Use but do not cite general dictionaries, encyclopedias, summary
websites, or other study aids.)
Examples of sources to use but not cite:
a. Textbook – might have something
relevant, anywhere from a sentence to a chapter. Might have sources you could
use!
b. Specialized encyclopedia article: In
Iona’s library website, go to Home/Libraries/Library Services/Research Guides.
Under Criminal Justice, explore the research resources. Try to find an article
relating to your question. To see an example, click on Gale eBooks and
search for “crime “public opinion””. Read Warr’s “Public Opinion and
Crime” in Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice.
My concept and focus is Juvenile Offenders and their mental health.
