Devry CRMJ 420 Week 7 Course Project
Research Paper
Objectives
The learning objective for the term project is to become skillful at researching, documenting, and writing a well organized original work on a narrowly defined topic of your choosing. Remember that writing is an acquired skill and is absolutely necessary for a successful career in law enforcement, and you learn how to write by writing.
Guidelines
• Papers must be seven to twelve pages in length (roughly 1 page per area included in the report). They must have 12 point font and double spaced lines. Also, they must include a cover page, table of contents, introduction, body, summary or conclusion, and works cited reference page.
• This is expected to be a thoroughly researched paper with a narrow topic capable of being covered in seven to twelve pages. References are very important. At least ten authoritative, outside references are required (works with anonymous authors or are not acceptable). These should be listed on the last page titled Works Cited or References.
• APA format and citations are required. Tutorials are included in the Syllabus section.
• All DeVry University policies are in effect, including the plagiarism policy. Plagiarism on this or any other written assignment for the course may result in failing the course. Refer to the Syllabus for DeVry University policies on plagiarism.
• Papers are due during Week 7 of this course.
• Any questions about this paper may be discussed in the Course Q & A Forum or by emailing the instructor.
• This paper is worth 200 total points and will be graded on the quality of the research topic, quality of paper information, use of APA citations, grammar, and sentence structure.
• No late papers will be accepted.
STATUS
Best Practices
The following are the best practices in preparing this paper.
• Cover Page – Include who you prepared the paper for, who prepared it, and date.
• Table of Contents – List the main ideas and sections of you paper and the pages in which they are located. The illustrations should be included separately.
• Introduction – Use a header on your paper. This will indicate that you are introducing your paper.
The purpose of an introduction or opening is to:
1. introduce the subject and why the subject is important;
2. preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered; and
3. establish a tone for the document.
Include in the introduction an overview of what you are going to cover in your paper and the importance of the material.
Body of Your Report – Use a header with the name of your project. An example is, “The Case of Jack the Ripper: An enduring mystery.” Then proceed by breaking out the main ideas. State the main ideas, state the major points in each idea, and provide evidence. Break out each main idea you will use in the body of your paper. Show some type of division, such as separate, labeled sections, separate groups of paragraphs, or headers. Include the information you found during your research and investigation.
• Summary and Conclusion – Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing but presents the gist of the material in fewer words than the original. An effective summary identifies the main ideas and major support points from the body of a report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the subject matter and research results.
Additional hints on preparing the best possible project to follow.
1. Apply a three-step process to writing: plan, write, and complete.
2. Prepare an outline of your research paper before you go forward.
3. Complete the first draft, and then go back to edit, evaluate, and make any required changes.
4. Use visual communication to further clarify and support the written part of your report. Examples are graphs, diagrams, photographs, flowcharts, maps, drawings, animation, video clips, pictograms, tables, and Gantt charts.
5. Make sure you give the author(s) of any material you use proper acknowledgment by using in-text citations and include the author(s) on the works cited reference page as well.
• Work Cited – Use APA format
