Final Project Instructions:

The final project will consist of a final paper and a discussion question & answer forum about a critical issue in the criminal justice system. 

You may choose a topic covered in this course, or choose a topic that we did not cover. 

To help you stay on track and ensure that you write the best paper you can, this assignment will be broken into manageable pieces throughout the semester.

In addition, while your assignments will be graded individually and the major portions of the assignment (the proposal, plan, bibliography and final paper) will be done individually, this is intended to be in part a collaborative assignment. It’s expected that you will actively participate in the research journal discussion forum to benefit from the feedback of your classmates and help them with their work in turn.

Assignment Components

  1. Topic Proposal
    1. Due Date: Week # 3
    2. 10% of Final Project Grade
  2. Research Plan
    1. Due Date: Week # 6
    2. 10% of Final Project Grade
  3. Annotated Bibliography
    1. Due Date: Week # 11
    2. 20% of Final Project Grade
  4. Research Journal
    1. 10% of Final Project Grade
  5. Final Paper
    1. Due Date: Due Date: Week # 15
    2. 35% of Final Project Grade
  6. Final Project Discussion
    1. 15% of Final Project Grade

Discussion Question & Answer Session:

Research Journal

The research journal should be used as a place to actively keep track of your project and how it is going. Record your research steps, including where and how you are looking for information. Bounce ideas off of your classmates and your instructor, and pose questions regarding the challenges you are having.

This is intended as a semester long, on-going part of the final project. While there are no specific points where you must post, it’s expected you will be actively using this as a space to help you with your project throughout the semester. It’s also expected that you will respond to and assist your classmates.

Final Papers:

Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You also may not use a paper being used for another course.

Tips

Final papers will only be accepted prior to the due date and time and must be submitted to the drop box provided.