CRIMINOLOGY 131
Introduction to Criminal Justice System
Spring 2017
TERM PAPER TOPICS AND GUIDELINES
This document provides a summary of the following (please review before emailing with
questions):
? The general criteria used for grading papers
? Instructions for the written assignment – including topic choices
? Paper guidelines
? Suggestions for how to locate academic articles and newspaper articles for inclusion in
your paper
? Detailed instructions regarding the on-line plagiarism tutorial which must be completed in
Canvas prior to submitting your paper
? Detailed instructions regarding referencing in your written assignment
? A checklist of things to look out for when writing up your paper
General Criteria for Grading Papers
1. Understanding and incorporation of course materials
2. Appropriate use of academic sources (this should include two academic journal articles
outside of the course materials)
3. Appropriate use of one or two newspaper articles
4. Evidence of critical thought and analysis
5. Meets instructions re: Paper Guidelines provided below
6. Grammar, syntax, spelling, organization
7. Proper referencing and citations (See Instructions for Referencing in Written
Assignments below)
Instructions for the Term Paper
Your four-to-six (4-6) page essay (approximately 1500 words) is due at the start of lecture on
March 21, 2017. Your essay is worth 25% of your final grade.
Late papers will be penalized 5% for each day they are late including weekends. Inability
to meet deadlines requires advance notification to the instructor as well as appropriate
documentation. Additional details are provided in the course syllabus.
Crim 131 – Spring 2017
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CRIMINOLOGY 131 – Term Paper Topics and Guidelines
Topic Choices (choose one):
Topic #1
Some argue that the current Canadian criminal justice system ignores many of the needs of
victims. Identify some of the services currently available for victims of crime. Drawing on your
course texts and using one or two news articles that discuss the role (or lack thereof) of victims
in the Canadian CJS, discuss victimology and victims’ rights. At the same time, you should
consider the need to balance victims’ rights with those of the accused. Should the Criminal
Justice System pay greater attention to the rights of crime victims? Are the existing victims’
services programs working, and if so, should they be expanded, and how? What other steps
could the criminal justice system take to make victims feel that they have been treated more
fairly, and make them more likely to report their victimization and participate more willingly in the
justice process? Your response might consider the roles of sentencing, plea bargains and
restorative justice in meeting the needs of victims. Your response must focus on the Canadian
criminal justice system.
Topic #2
Although it is actually quite rare, yet usually newsworthy, within the Canadian criminal justice
system there are examples of how criminal justice personnel abuse the power and authority that
come with their positions. Drawing on your course texts and using one or two newspaper
articles, select two different criminal justice roles (e.g., police, lawyers, judges, corrections
officers among others) and discuss the mechanisms in place to prevent abuses of power. What
systems of complaint and accountability are in place? How effective are they? What are some of
the consequences to individuals when authority figures abuse their powers? Your response
must focus on the Canadian criminal justice system.
Topic #3
In Chapter 4 of Canadian Criminal Justice: A Primer, Griffiths describes modern police work and
the common misconceptions of police work. Drawing on your course texts and using one or two
newspaper articles, discuss the following questions. How do the ‘truths’ about police work in
modern society compare with the common misconceptions? Were you surprised by any of the
“truths” about police work in modern society? Where do the common misconceptions come
from? How might these misconceptions affect the ability of police forces to retain police officers?
How do the misconceptions affect public expectations for the police? How do you suggest the
public be informed about the role of the police in “reality” so as to prevent the development of
unmet expectations? Your response must focus on the Canadian criminal justice system.
Paper Requirements
Regardless of which topic you select (see above for choices), your paper must include:
? the use of course materials (requires appropriate citation – do not cite lecture unless
materials are not available in readings);
? the use of a minimum of two outside academic journal articles (see Including
Academic Sources below for information that will assist you in determining if a source is
an academic source). Note: There are no restrictions on the publication dates for your
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CRIMINOLOGY 131 – Term Paper Topics and Guidelines
?
?
academic articles but you should keep in mind that more recent articles are usually
preferable. You do not need to attach the academic articles to your paper. You may also
use books as sources but at least two sources must be academic journal articles;
the integration of one or two newspaper articles as part of your discussion. You should
focus on Canadian news articles. NOTE: The news articles you select must be current
(published between December 2016 to March 2017) and may come from a current print
newspaper or from an online news source. The news articles must be attached to
your paper, include the publication date, and should be cited appropriately; and
completion of the Paper and Academic Integrity Quiz (see below)
Your discussion should include a critical analysis. For example, consider whether your
argument acknowledges of the complexities involved in the various sides of the issues, the role
of public perceptions and media presentations of information, and the assumptions inherent in
each of the arguments you make. If you are uncertain about what it means to provide a critical
analysis, you will find the following website helpful
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/writing/argumentation/critical-thinking-writing
Completing the Paper and Academic Integrity Quiz (Due Sunday, February 26 at 23:55)
During Week 7, you must complete the online Paper and Academic Integrity Quiz in Canvas
(this quiz is not the same as the quizzes that are part of the library’s plagiarism tutorial). Your
score on the quiz will comprise 5% of your paper grade. While this is not a substantial portion of
the paper grade, it does have the potential to make a difference between a D and a C- or a B+
and an A-. Papers submitted by students who have not completed the quiz will have an
additional penalty assigned (loss of 5% of paper grade). If you complete the quiz late, but prior
to submitting your paper a late penalty will be applied to the quiz at a rate of 5% per day but an
additional penalty will not be applied to your paper.
Prior to completing this quiz review the following information:
? This document, Paper Topics and Guidelines, in its entirety
? The library on line tutorial on plagiarism in Canvas. NOTE: If you have already
completed the tutorial for another class I suggest you spend the time reviewing it again
to make sure you remember all of the details as some questions in the quiz are based
on the library tutorial. It is also a good idea to review how to cite your work correctly and
I advise that you pay particular attention to the section on patch writing as this is the
most common form of plagiarism that I see.
? SFU policy S10.01.1.03 on Student Conduct at
http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
Paper Guidelines
In addition to adhering to the above information, each of the following components should be
included in your paper. You may choose to use headings but you are not obligated to do so (if
you do use headings make sure that they are meaningful). That choice belongs to you.
However, each of the below sections needs to be found within your paper. The Student
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CRIMINOLOGY 131 – Term Paper Topics and Guidelines
Learning Commons Website provides useful information that may assist you in writing your
paper – see http://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/strategies/writing/writing-researchstrategies
Title Page
The title of your paper should convey the subject matter in 15 words or less. Do not call it
anything like “Crim 131” (this gives no information about content), or “Criminology Paper” (not
specific enough). Your title should capture the topic of your paper. Your name, student number,
title of the course, date and your instructor’s and TA’s name should appear somewhere on this
cover page. Please also note the following at the top of the page: Paper and Academic Integrity
Quiz completed on [insert date]. Score xx/25 (please change xx to your score). Your TA will
verify your score.
Introduction
The introduction should do exactly that – it introduces your topic and contextualizes it within the
broader literature as appropriate, states your objective (thesis statement) and should end with
an outline of what you discuss in your paper. Most importantly, it should provide a useful
framework to the paper. My advice is to be specific about the topic you are addressing and if
appropriate be sure to explain your approach to the topic. Make sure that you properly cite
sources of the information you include (see below).
Discussion
The body of your paper should provide a discussion that addresses each component of the
topic you selected. You will also want to incorporate the newspaper article(s) you selected for
inclusion in your paper. Do not forget to attach the newspaper articles to your paper.
Conclusion
The conclusion should provide a summary of what you found. Having examined the literature
and comparing it to the media sources you found, what can you conclude about your topic? Are
there questions that remain unanswered? If so, be sure to discuss them briefly.
The importance of editing:
The final step you engage in prior to submitting any paper you write should be to edit your work
meticulously for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. In addition, you should proofread
your work carefully for unnecessary wordiness, repetition, and space-filler. Your paper should
be 4-6 pages in length; part of your challenge is to remain within the page limit.
Please understand that your TA cannot be expected to proof your papers prior to submission. In
fact, this practice is viewed as a form of academic dishonesty since this service is not something
we can offer to all students. Should you wish assistance with your writing, the Student Learning
Commons offers a wide variety of services although we recommend that you contact them
early. See http://learningcommons.sfu.ca/ for additional information.
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How to Write an Academic Paper:
Browse the Student Learning Commons on line resources if you need assistance in writing
academic papers http://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/tools/handouts/writing. In
particular, see the document titled, Demystifying Academic Writing for some helpful tips.
Including Academic Sources
Outside research for your paper is required in addition to using the course readings and lectures
(NOTE: you should only cite the lecture as a last resort when there are no readings available
that make the same point; cite the course texts whenever possible). At least two additional
academic articles should be included as resources for your paper. Your paper should be
referenced using APA 6 style and follow the Instructions for Referencing below. Please consult
the Library website noted below for guidance on how to properly cite your work if you are
unsure. Please note: you must include full APA 6th reference citations for material that you
include in your paper. Your reference format is APA but you are not required to use APA
format for your paper. Details re: formatting expectations are found in the Checklist at
the end of this document (see basics).
Citing course text: when you are citing from the chapters in Canvas from Roberts and
Grossman, Criminal Justice in Canada: A Reader, make sure you review point 8 below re: how
to cite an edited text. This book is a collection of articles by various authors who must be
acknowledged appropriately.
Please note the following important points: If you are uncertain how to reference your work,
see the on the SFU Library website for details regarding APA format for different types of
sources at http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/apa . Additional resources that may be helpful in
writing up your paper are found at http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing#writing_guides .
Please note: wikipedia.com is not an academic source and should not be cited in a formal
academic paper. However, if you ignore this suggestion and take information from Wikipedia,
failing to cite it as your source is plagiarism.
How to Search For and Evaluate Academic Articles:
Use SFU library’s website to search for academic articles and books that may be related to your
topic. Once you have located materials using the library website you must then determine if they
are in fact academic sources. You cannot assume that because something comes from an SFU
library database that it is in academic source.
To determine if your article is an academic source, please see the following resource to assist
you in assessing whether or not the article you located is part of a scholarly journal:
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/publication-types/scholarly-journals
How to Locate Newspaper Articles:
The newspaper articles used in your paper must be attached to your assignment. You must use
current news articles (published between December 2016 to March 2017). You may choose to
use an article from a current newspaper, you might search various news websites, or you may
use the library’s on-line resource – Canadian Newsstand. Go to
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http://cufts2.lib.sfu.ca/CRDB/BVAS/browse/facets/name/C and scroll down and click on connect
under the Canadian Newsstream database.
This Canadian newspaper database contains full-text articles. Remember that your article must
be current. Try to locate articles that specifically support (or refute) the arguments you make in
your paper.
Instructions for Referencing in Written Assignments
Please read the below information carefully. If you have any questions please contact your
Tutor Marker before you submit your paper.
All students are expected to review SFU’s policy S10.01 code of academic integrity and good
conduct at http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
Citing your sources
Academic references must be included throughout the paper; you must appropriately cite the
sources of your information.
1. You are required to use APA 6th edition as your referencing style. Note: this version of
APA notes that page numbers are preferred whether or not you are using a direct
quotation or paraphrasing information. For this class, page numbers are required for
both quotations AND paraphrases.
2. Although APA 6th does not use footnotes or endnotes, if you include these as asides
within your paper they also require appropriate references. Your reference list must also
be complete and must include all sources cited in your paper.
3. Long quotations (35 words or more) must be single spaced and indented from both the
left and right margins.
4. All direct quotations in your paper must be in quotation marks. If you omit a few
words or pages in a quotation, put the quote in quotation marks and connect the two
segments by ellipses (i.e., three dots). If you change one or two words in a quotation put
your word(s) in square brackets. Phrases which are direct quotes must be put in
quotation marks.
5. Both quotations and paraphrases must be followed by its source and the page at
which they are located. When quoting or paraphrasing cases with paragraph numbers,
use the para. number, where it exists (e.g. para. 142). If using on-line articles use PDF
versions whenever possible so that a page number is available. If a PDF version is not
available, use the pages as they appear when the online article is printed in HTML
format.
6. A paraphrase (a restatement of someone’s idea in your words) must be followed by a
reference to the source and page (or para. number, for legal cases and some on-line
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articles) of the idea. If your paraphrase is almost identical to the original source, use a
direct quotation. When paraphrasing from a case, use the paragraph number instead of
the page number, where it exists. Note: Formats which state that a page number is
optional are not acceptable in this class. Page numbers are required for both
quotations and paraphrases.
7. Understand – changing only a few words or the order or words is a form of plagiarism
commonly referred to as patch writing. It is unacceptable and is considered a form
of academic dishonesty. This concern is specifically addressed in the Understanding
and Avoiding Plagiarism that you need to complete prior to submitting your paper. If you
have already completed the tutorial in Canvas and you wish to review this section again
– see http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/tutorials/plagiarism-tutorial
e.g., In original: “After initial analysis of the women’s interviews, focus groups were held
with service providers from women-serving organizations, and the justice and child
protection systems … Twenty-eight service providers who work with women who
experience violence and/or their children participated in focus groups on child custody
and access ” (Varcoe & Irwin 2004:83).
Patch writing (a form of plagiarism): Following the interviews, focus groups were held
with service providers who work with women who experience violence and/or their
children and women from the justice and child protection systems and women-serving
organizations (Varcoe & Irwin 2004:83).
The above is too similar to the original and is not acceptable because quotation marks
are not used.
8. Using edited texts. When citing from an article found in an edited text such as the
Roberts and Grossman reader you are using in the online tutorials you must cite the
specific article used and its author(s) as well as the editors. For example, in your
reference list the citation for Chapter 27 would be:
Blackell, G., & Johnson, H. (2016). Responding to Intimate Partner Violence. In J.
Roberts & M. Grossman (Eds.), Criminal Justice in Canada: A Reader (5 ed., pp.
293-308). Toronto: Nelson Education.
Your in-text citation would appear as (Blackell and Johnson, 2016, p.xx).
Do not cite Roberts & Grossman as the author of readings in the CJC reader; they are
the editors of the text and did not author the specific articles.
9. Using websites as references. Provide a complete citation (name of author and article)
and a website address for all material obtained from the web when a PDF version is not
available. Additional information regarding web citations are found in the APA Manual
referenced above.
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The author of the website should be used within the body of the paper. The reference
provided in your reference list should include the website address. The following is an
example.
University of Alberta. (2004). Guides to Plagiarism and Cyber-Plagiarism. Retrieved April
24, 2012, from http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/plagiarism/
Your in-text citation would appear as (University of Alberta, 2004, p.xx).
10. Acknowledge the use of secondary sources (e.g. Smith, 1986 as quoted in Black, 1988
at 24) although whenever possible you should refer to the primary source. In this
example, the author of the article is Black who cited a 1986 source by Smith. When you
do not go to an original source cited by another author you cannot cite the article as
though you read it. Relying on someone else’s reporting of work is known as a
secondary source. You must acknowledge that you have taken the info from a
secondary source in text and you do NOT include the reference in your reference list.
Using the above example – you would include Black in the reference list but not Smith
(you did not look at the Smith source, so you cannot include it in reference list).
11. Submitting the same or similar assignments in two different courses is a form of
academic dishonesty, even if you wrote the paper.
Note:
1. Failure to indicate a quotation or to acknowledge the source of your ideas is plagiarism.
Such behaviour, or any other form of academic dishonesty, will result in 0 out of the
points allocated to your assignment. Further action may be taken under the University’s
Policies and Procedures Relating to Student Discipline (S10.01). According to Policy
S10.01, penalties may include “failure in a course, denial of admission or readmission to
the University, deregistration, forfeiture of University awards or financial assistance,
suspension or permanent suspension from the University, or revocation of a degree.”
2. University policy now includes a new grade. In the event that you are found engaging in
academic dishonesty, and the Director of the School of Criminology deems it
appropriate, he now has the authority to assign a grade of “FD” (failed – academic
dishonesty) for the course.
Your TAs and I will assume that you have read and understood the above instructions. If
you do not understand these instructions, please ask.
If you are writing your paper and taking notes or quotations from the articles or texts, my advice
is to put them in quotation marks and note the specific page numbers the first time around. If
you are paraphrasing, note the page from where you have obtained the ideas. This approach
will save you a lot of time and keep you from plagiarizing material.
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Checklist – Avoiding Common Mistakes
Basics
? 4-6 pages (not including title page and reference page); margins: 1.25 inches/3.175 cm
? Your paper should use either Times Roman 12 point or Arial 11 point font.
? Your paper should be double-spaced throughout with the exception of your reference list
or block quotations (see below). Individual references can be singled spaced with a oneline space in between. There is no need for extra space between paragraphs.
? Do not use MS Word default settings. These settings do not meet the requirements for
this paper.
? Your title page should include the following information: name, student number, title of
the course, title of your paper (make this creative – not Crim 131 Final Paper), date,
instructor and TA name, and the date you completed your academic integrity quiz as
well as your score.
? Number your pages – page 1 should be the first page of text – not your title page.
? Newspaper articles attached (these can be uploaded as additional attachments).
Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation
? Avoid inappropriate capitalization. For example, criminal justice system is not
capitalized. Similarly, unless it is the first word in a sentence or part of a title, the names
of theories are not capitalized. e.g., Merton’s strain theory NOT Merton’s Strain Theory.
? Avoid using semi-colons (;) unless you know how to use them properly. Semi-colons are
used: 1) to separate two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are clearly
connected; or 2) in lieu of a comma to separate items in a list that is preceded by a colon
(:).
? Titles of publications (including newspapers, magazines, movies, cases and the like)
should be underlined or italicized.
? Use Canadian punctuation: quotation marks follow commas and periods (,” or .”).
Quotation marks precede colons and semi-colons (”: or ”;).
? Use Canadian spellings – set your word processor’s dictionary to English Canada.
? Spell check and proofread/edit: a good trick to notice spelling/grammar errors is to read
the paper from the back to front.
Style
? Write out numbers that are less than ten and avoid starting sentences with numbers
(e.g., 24 of the participants were female).
? You may use the first person but do not overuse it. This is a formal academic paper; the
first person should be used sparingly. If you find you are using it frequently (more than
three times per page) please come and see me and I will show you how to strengthen
your writing by avoiding unnecessary use of the first person.
? Do NOT use long lists of authors and titles of books/articles in your text. This is simply
space filler and unnecessary with a properly cited paper and reference page. In general,
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identify all authors of a cited work in the first reference (in the order in which they appear
in the source – do not alphabetize) and when there are three or more authors replace all
but the first with “et al.” for subsequent citations.
Do not use informal language, colloquialisms, and contractions (e.g., use children, not
kids; do not rather than don’t, police officers, not cops); this is a formal, academic paper.
Avoid value laden language, especially re: race and gender (e.g., ‘girls’ refers to female
children; don’t use girls or ladies in reference to women. If you use men, use women; if
you use male, use female).
Be careful with assumptions/interpretations – you should provide evidence of your
arguments with specific sources from the academic literature (note: wikipedia.com is not
an academic source).
Be creative with titles and headings but ensure they follow the general rules of grammar
and proper English.
Don’t assume I know what you mean when you use etc. If you have more to say please
be specific.
Note: i.e. means ‘that is’; e.g. means ‘for example.’
Separate your thoughts using paragraphs – typically there should be more than one per
page.
Noun/pronoun agreement – If your subject is plural then a plural pronoun is required
(e.g., the pronoun for participants [plural] is they; the pronoun for participant [singular] is
s/he).
Subject/verb agreement – The verb you use must agree with the subject of the sentence
(e.g., they are going; s/he is going).
Citations
? Direct quotes that are over 35 words or 4 lines of text need to be put in block paragraphs
with .5 inch indents on both sides and single spaced. The citation appears at the end of
the quote and quotation marks are not used in this instance only. The block format
indicates it is a direct quote.
? Please pay particular attention to how to the correct citation for an edited text. See point
8 – Instructions for Referencing Assignments.
? You MUST include the page number in your citations whether you are providing a direct
quote OR paraphrasing. All paraphrases must be cited. If you are using an online article
that is not available in pdf format then use the pages as they appear when the online
article is printed in html format. Please review pages 3-5.
? Technically, titles in APA format are in “sentence case” with the exception of proper
nouns (only the first word in the title and proper nouns are capitalized). If you choose to
use typical “title case” format you will not be penalized.
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