Your paper assignment in this course is a single 5-8 page paper on your choice of topics relevant to the study of criminality/criminal behavior. Specific topics might be (but are not limited to):
• A specific criminal typology (murder, rape, robbery, auto theft, whatever)
• An emerging area of crime (cybercrime, for example)
• A theory of crime (biological, psychological, sociological, etc.)
• The prison system
• Capital punishment
• Treatment of criminals
• New ideas in crime prevention
• Or something similar
Note: Those suggested topics are really overly broad (capital punishment, for example, is too broad of a topic for a 5 page paper). You will need to choose a subtopic within that general area if you choose something like that. The history of capital punishment in the US, for example, or the abolition debate, or a discussion about DNA and how DNA science has led to the reversal of death sentences, etc.
2: How broad of a topic should I write on?
See above. You want a topic that is broad enough that you won’t run out of stuff to write about (but realistically, it’s only a 5 to 8 pager – you can get pretty specific). However, do NOT write on a topic so broad that you only scratch the surface of the topic, as I will deduct points for only providing a surface analysis of the issue.
3: How big does the paper have to be?
5 to 8 pages, typed (word processed) and double spaced. I suppose I have to be precise: At least 5 full pages of body, using no larger than 12-point font, double-spacing, and margins no greater than 1 inch on a side. Papers TO ANY EXTENT shorter than the minimum length will receive no higher than a C.
4: What kinds of research sources should I utilize?
I would expect that for these types of papers, five types of basic source material will be important:
1: professional journals. You must have at least two citations from professional journals in each paper. These are journals like Deviant Behavior, The Journal of Crime and Delinquency, Social Problems, Criminology, Journal of Social Issues, American Sociological Review, and a whole host of others. Most of these can be searched online using the library’s computers, or any computer at USF, or at home if you configure your computer correctly. The web page has a link to the instructions on how to configure your computer to do library searches. The librarians are extremely helpful and knowledgeable in these areas. Avail yourself of their skills. Papers without a minimum of two professional research sources will receive no higher than a C.
2: books on the subject. Use the library catalog to search for books containing info you may be able to use.
3: popular periodicals.
4: your textbook. Do not neglect it as a starting point for your research.
5: Internet sources (but be VERY careful not to use material without proper citation/reference. Don’t cite Wikipedia, please).
6: How many references do I need for each paper?
A minimum of five. At least two professional journals or compilations, and enough more to make a minimum of five references. More is good. Papers with fewer than five fully, correctly referenced sources (which are cited inline as per APA/MLA) will not receive a grade higher than a C.
By the way, those “no higher than a C” warnings are also cumulative. If you turn in a paper that’s too short, AND has too few references, you can’t score higher than a D.
7: What reference/citation format should I use?
Please use either APA or MLA format, and be consistent. If you are not familiar with either format, consult with the writing center or a sourceguide on style. Another resource which is quite useful is the Citation Machine (www.citationmachine.net). It can automatically format both reference and citation for you.
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