Overview

The final project for this course is the creation of a final paper. Select a criminal justice topic that interests you either personally or professionally or both.

 

Possible paper topics: Below are some possible topic ideas for your final paper. If you decide to select a topic that is not listed here, it must be preapproved by your instructor.

 

• DNA evidence
• Eyewitness identification
• Community policing
• Search and seizure
• Causes of crime (from Chapter 3)
• Public defenders
• Capital punishment
• Alternatives to incarceration
• Juveniles and crime
• Human trafficking
• Terrorism
• Organized crime
• Drugs

 

Requirements of submission: Written components of projects must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: double spacing,
12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and discipline-appropriate citations. The paper should be a minimum of five to eight pages in length, not including title page, abstract, or reference page. Also, be sure to use APA format.

 

The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, and Five, with the final project due in Module Seven.

 

 

 

Main elements: Include the following elements in your final paper:

 

1. Cover page
2. Executive summary page/abstract page (introducing the content)
3. Your topic
   1. Overview of topic
   2. Historical data that has shaped topic
   3. Current situation
4. Conclusion (can include implications for the future)
5. Reference page

 

 

Milestones

Milestone One: Topic Selection

In task 2-2, you will submit a topic with a brief description that explains how you feel this topic affects practitioners (or any one practitioner) in the American criminal justice system. Please write a full paragraph explaining why you chose this topic, why it is important, and how you plan to approach the topic in your final paper. This assignment will be graded pass/fail. If you turn in your topic in the way prescribed in the guidelines, you will earn full points. The purpose of this assignment is so that you can get feedback from your instructor and incorporate it into your final project.

Milestone Two: References

In task 4-2, you will submit a references list. Your list should include five to six references that you will be using for your final paper. Briefly summarize how you qualified your references and what aspects of your topic they cover. The list should be cited in APA format. Just for information, Wikipedia is not considered an appropriate reference. This milestone will be graded using the Milestone Two Rubric.

 

Milestone Three: Topic Outline

In task 5-4, you will submit a topic outline of your paper. The outline is the basic plan for your paper and should be 1–2 pages in length. Your outline page should include the following:

 

• Paper title
• Thesis statement
• Major points/arguments indicated by Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, etc.)
• Support for your major points, indicated by capital letters (A, B, C, D, E, etc.)

 

This website should be helpful as you prepare your outline. This milestone will be graded using the Milestone Three Rubric.

Final Project Submission: Final Paper

In task 7-3, you will submit your final paper. The research paper should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the main elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This milestone will be graded using the rubric below.

 

Critical Elements	Exemplary	Proficient	Needs Improvement	Not Evident	Value
Main Elements	Includes all of the main elements and requirements and cites multiple examples to illustrate each element (23-25)	Includes most of the main elements and requirements and cites many examples to illustrate each element (20-22)	Includes some of the main elements and requirements     (18-19)	Does not include any of the main elements or requirements   (0-17)	25
Inquiry and Analysis	Provides in-depth analysis that demonstrates complete understanding of multiple concepts (18-20)	Provides in-depth analysis that demonstrates complete understanding of some concepts (16-17)	Provides in-depth analysis that demonstrates complete understanding of minimal concepts (14-15)	Does not provide in-depth analysis     (0-13)	20
Integration and Application	All of the course concepts are correctly applied (9-10)	Most of the course concepts are correctly applied (8)	Some of the course concepts are correctly applied (7)	Does not correctly apply any of the course concepts (0-6)	10
Critical Thinking	Draws insightful conclusions that are thoroughly defended with evidence and examples (18-20)	Draws informed conclusions that are justified with evidence   (16-17)	Draws logical conclusions but does not defend with evidence   (14-15)	Does not draw logical conclusions     (0-13)	20
Research	Effectively incorporates many scholarly resources that reflect depth and breadth of research (14-15)	Effectively incorporates some scholarly resources that reflect depth and breadth of research (12-13)	Incorporates very few scholarly resources that reflect depth and breadth of research (11)	Does not incorporate scholarly resources that reflect depth and breadth of research (0-10)	15
Writing (Mechanics/Citations)	No errors related to organization, grammar and style, or citations (9-10)	Minor errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations (8)	Some errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations (7)	Major errors related to organization, grammar and style, and citations (0-6)	10
Earned Total Comments:					100