Students will complete a research paper analyzing
a topic discussed in our class, any topic we discussed or any topics you think
should be expanded or added. This is a position-paper; you will be
seeking to convince your reader whether or not the change(s)/solution(s) you
recommend should be adopted by Law enforcement agencies/policymakers. You
are to come to a conclusion and must be able to support your conclusion with
scholarly (academic) research articles. Please apply our critical thinking
concepts.
Suggested Format:
Introduction
Introduce the issue, you will discuss its
relevance to the field of criminal justice. State clearly what your thesis is:
for example- “Many police officers participate in acts of brutality as
determined by…”; “Women in law enforcement receive preferential treatment…”.
The community is equally responsible for good relations with Police because…
Establish the argument
Clearly compare and contrast the different
perspectives on this issue- pro death penalty vs, anti –death penalty or
details of the topic/issue you will research.
Policy-making: theories and concepts
Explain your theory or concepts used to
support your policy or “solution” to the issue, in-depth, noting its benefits
and limitations. Assume that your reader has never heard of this theory or
concept, be as thorough as possible. You must have at least 4 academic
resources for this section.
Conclusion
Clearly state your findings and policies
recommended and the relevance to your thesis, and to the Criminal Justice/Urban
Issues field in general.
Bibliography
Follow APA format
Your final paper should be 8-10 pages in length, NOT including the
bibliography, coverpage, abstract, appendices, images or charts.
Your paper must list references from at least FOUR peer reviewed
articles (academic journals) , MAY INCLUDE one book or other law
enforcement/criminal justice sources. Do not use Wikipedia or similar open
access sites. Required class materials do not count as a source, but as
additional sources.
In text citations are a must. Students who do not use in-text
citations are plagiarizing and will be at risk of receiving a 0 on their
paper.
For guidelines for writing research using the APA format go to
http://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/research/apastyle1.pdf
The following formatting techniques are also
required:
Spacing:
Double spaced throughout; Paragraphs clearly indicated
Margins: 1”
all around
Font:
12-point, Times New Roman
Title page:
First and last name, title of the assignment, course name, number, instructor,
course time and day, date of the assignment.
Page Header:
At the top of every page include the title of your paper: i.e. Violent
Criminals
Page Numbers:
Upper Right corner.
Stapled:
Always. Upper Left hand corner.
Grammar/Spelling: No errors. Use spell check. Proofread.
Edit.
DOs
DO proofread your paper several times to
insure that there are no spelling errors or typos.
DO use quotation marks for quotes and page
numbers for references to other sources (along with the author, title, and year
of the publication).
DO turn your paper in on time for full
credit.
