Essay Instructions: My topis : Gun Violence in the school system
The Midterm Assignment will require you to develop an abbreviated version of a formal research proposal on a hypothetical topic related to criminal justice. In our Unit 4 Discussion Board, you presented your topic choice and had it approved by the instructor.
A full research proposal includes four core sections: the introduction, the literature review, the methodology, and the conclusion. The Midterm Assignment should include the first two sections of this proposal (the introduction and literature review). The Midterm Assignment is due in Unit 5. The Final Assignment will expand upon the midterm project to include all four sections of the final research proposal (the introduction, literature review, methodology, and conclusion); it is due in Unit 9. Plan your time accordingly as the Final Essay Exam is also due in Unit 9.
The purpose of these assignments is to take everything learned in this course, and apply those skills and techniques to the study of a real issue or problem in criminal justice. The Assignments require developing the research plan and writing the proposal; not actually doing research. Those of you interested in the thesis track may want to take the proposal and actually conduct the study for your thesis. Those of you planning to take the Comprehensive Exam will also need to know how to apply research methods appropriately to the study of criminal justice issues.
This web resource provides additional information on research proposal formatting and content:
http://web.pdx.edu/~dbls/proposals.html.
For extra guidance and information on literature reviews, visit the following:
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/literature_review.html
http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html.
Visit: http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/jlane/propex4.PDF for an example of a research complete research proposal.
For your Midterm Assignment you should:
Clearly identify the topic of the paper and the specific research question that will be answered through the research project.
Discuss why the topic or issue is important to study, and who would benefit from the findings. In other words, how is the proposed study socially, personally, or psychologically relevant.
Use scholarly research to support the arguments.
Analyze current, scholarly research that has already been conducted on your topic (also known as a literature review).
Your midterm project should include the following sections:
1. Introduction
This section should include:
A description of the problem and why it is important to study;
The concepts associated with the research (for example: the death penalty and deterrence; peer association and juvenile delinquency; community-oriented policing strategies and crime; probation programming; and recidivism);
A discussion of the theoretical considerations or assumptions relevant to the issue (for example: social-learning theory claims XYZ about peer relationships and delinquency);
The research hypothesis (or hypotheses);
The general approach to the research (for example: survey research, field research, secondary data analysis, program evaluation, etc.); and,
The overall goal or purpose of the research (for example, improving juvenile justice programs, saving money, reducing crime, etc.).
The Introduction should be between 2 - 3 pages.
2. Literature Review ? This section includes a summary of previous studies that have examined the topic of your research proposal. For example, a study of peer associations and juvenile delinquency would include a review and summary of current and credible research articles that have examined this issue.
The midterm project requires at least 5 current, scholarly articles in the literature review section.
All sources must be scholarly. Scholarly research generally comes from peer-reviewed journal articles, books, or government-sponsored research reports. Any information that cannot be verified is not considered scholarly (Wikipedia?, Answers.com?, etc.). Most web sites are not scholarly sources. Most magazine articles are not scholarly. If you are unsure, e-mail the instructor to discuss the resource.
Look for resources that are current ? those published within the past 5 years would be considered current. Older materials may be used in the proposal to develop the ideas, theoretical discussion, etc. However, the literature review section must include at least 5 scholarly articles that have been published within the last 5 years.
All references should be in APA format.
Include only those articles that support the logic of the argument and/or the proposed research methods. For instance, if interested in studying juvenile delinquency; the review would include studies on that topic, not domestic violence.
Discuss recent developments and potential avenues for new research. Review the discussion and conclusion sections of most scholarly articles ? the authors will identify ways to improve and/or expand research of a particular issue. Using the information is a good way to come up with unique research ideas.
The Literature Review section should be between 2 ? 3 pages.
Remember to include a title page and page numbers for the Midterm Assignment. Adhere to APA format for references and formatting.
The Midterm Assignment should be between 4 ? 6 pages long, not including the title and reference page, double-spaced, with APA formatting.
You may consult the Kaplan Online Library, the internet, the textbook, other course material, and any other outside resources in supporting your task, using proper citations in APA style.
Paper Format
This project requires one topic paper 4-6 full pages in length, not including the Title Page, double-spaced at a font size should be no greater than 12, preferably Times New Roman.
Papers must contain the title, your name, the course title, course number, and the date, placed in the center of a title page. Example:
Midterm Essay
John Doe
CJ502 Research Methodology
Date
Directions for Submitting Your Essay
Write your essay in a Word document and save it in a location and with a name that you will remember. Be sure to include your name, class, and section number in your essay. Submit your assignment by selecting the Unit 5: Assignment in the Dropbox.
Final Assignment Preview
In Unit 9, the Final Assignment will include the following items so keep this in mind while completing your Midterm Assignment:
Identify the type of research design you would employ to accomplish this task
Identify the methods you would use to collect the data
Identify the type of sampling you would use.
Identify any limitations in terms of the method(s) selected and the sampling employed, and outline the strengths of your design and the method(s) you chose.
The length of the final paper should be 8 - 12 pages, double-spaced, and use APA format when citing references.
