+1 862 207 3288 Students will write a research paper to be written on an approved topic related to advanced topics in the forensic sciences, to be between 8 and 10 pages in length. This paper is to demonstrate more specificity, comprehension and sophistication than a paper written for CJ 201. The page limit does not include cover page, charts, graphs, images or reference pages. This is a research paper, not an opinion paper or a report. This means that you will use academic sources to explore an issue that has more than one facet, or ask a question that may have more than one answer, using scholarly research to craft and support your viewpoint. This means that a “how to” or historical piece is not acceptable for this assignment. Please note that sources like Wikipedia, Google, About.com, Ask.com, etc. are NOT academic sources and the use of these sources in ANY assignment will result in a dramatic point deduction. A rough rule of thumb to follow is that you should have at least two sources per page of the paper. The purpose of writing a research paper is to show that you can find, read, understand and synthesize information and present that information in an organized, concise academic format. If you need assistance locating academic sources, please do not hesitate to ask, but a good place to start would be the online getting started guide provided by the MU Library at http://marymount.libguides.com/forensicscience (Links to an external site.).
You must use APA format, including in-text citations and a reference list. The syllabus (Posted on Blackboard) provide websites to assist you with APA formatting. Proper grammar, structure and formatting are expected. This means no slang, no “text language” or emoticons; the use of first person and contractions are also not appropriate in academic/professional writing. Remember that you must cite any information or ideas that are not originally yours, doing otherwise is plagiarism. A helpful rule of thumb is that you should cite anything you have to look at while writing. Additionally, quotations should be used very sparingly and deliberately. For a paper this short, there should be no more than three quotations used.
This paper is considered to be a writing assignment, but as it is your final research paper, it will be accorded the weight of multiple writing assignments. You will need to hand in a hard copy of this paper in class on the day it is due, as well as e-mail a copy of the paper on the due date before class.
I keep the parameters of this paper broad deliberately, so that you have the freedom to explore a topic that interests you—within reason! If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask me.
Rubric
Some Rubric (1)
| Some Rubric (1) | ||||
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts | ||
| Description of criterion |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| Well Organized |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| Page Numbers |
|
2.0 pts | ||
| Academic Writing |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| APA Format: In-text citations |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| APA Format: References |
|
10.0 pts | ||
| On a forensic topic |
|
10.0 pts | ||
| Tied to or relevance to course demonstrated |
|
10.0 pts | ||
| Appropriate Literature: Source Type |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| Appropriate Literature: Number of Sources |
|
3.0 pts | ||
| Content |
|
25.0 pts | ||
| Analysis/Not a report |
|
10.0 pts | ||
| Integrity: Plagiarism check below 15 percent |
|
5.0 pts | ||
| Total Points: 100.0 | ||||
