Assignment Instructions

Term Paper Assignment Directions:

Each student is required to write a APA Style current edition term paper that consist of three (3) full pages of substance, not including the cover page and reference page.

It is more important that the 100 level student work on writing mechanics so that you start to demonstrate critical thinking in your written communications. Academic writing takes practice and is a process. The only way to improve academic writing skills is through practice and writing papers.

Each paper must include at least three peer-reviewed journal articles that support your analysis. Students must format in-text citations and references in the current APA Style edition.

Your work will be graded using the CMRJ100 Term Paper Rubric. Make sure that you use the writing rubric as a checklist as you edit your paper and hit on all of the “Exemplary” areas of the rubric.

MEAL Plan for Paragraph Construction.

Feel free to use the APA Style Sample Paper as a template to help you format your paper.

Students will be introduced to APA Style formatting as you progress in your studies; however, it is more important that you learn how to write in an organized manner, have a good thesis statement, supporting paragraphs that flow into the next paragraph, and start to demonstrate critical thinking by analyzing the literature at this level of your education.

Stay away from using Quotes. Paraphrase your analysis and stay away from using quotes in your paper. What is needed is your original analysis of the literature. If you use direct quotes, you will lose points. Once again, your analysis in your original voice is needed.

Think about the audience that you are trying to connect with in your paper. Are you writing to the discipline, profession, or policy-makers, etc.? Use scholarly language that demonstrates your command of the topic.

Stay away from using first person voice. Work on using third person. Make sure you are not using the passive voice in your work. Use good time management and edit your paper looking for errors so that you submit your best work.

A good tool to use for your academic writing is to set-up your Word document to check for basic spelling, English & grammar errors, passive voice, and first person. To do this you need to set-up the advance setting in your Word Spell Check. This tool is a great resource to help you establish good writing habits and edit your paper.

Your work should be your own original writing. Please view the university plagiarism policy to avoid problems. Make sure to give credit to all sources that inspired your thinking with in-text citations in the body of your work and listed in alphabetical order on your reference list.

Your work is to be submitted in a Word document and uploaded within the assignment section of the class. The Turnitin function will automatically check your work for originality once you have submitted work, and generate a report within 10-15 minutes of submitting the assignment. Both student and professor will be able to retrieve the Turnitin report.

Writing should be organized and flow smoothly. Make sure that you edit your work before submitting so that you turn in your best quality work. Make sure to view the CMRJ100 Term Paper Rubric as checklist so that you cover all graded areas in paper.

Students must select one of the topics below to research and write on. The topic choice is up to the learner, but the top selection must come from this list.

The United States Criminal Justice System

Criminal Law in the United States

The History of US Law Enforcement

compare different police patrol procedures

Law Enforcement Jurisdiction

Analysis of a Supreme Court Case (Student can select any US Supreme Court Case that impacted police producers or protocols)

Federal law enforcement (select only one agency)

Police Patrol Procedures (select one are to focus on)

Local Police/Law Enforcement (Select a state, county, or city department)

Technology used to enhance police patrol strategy

History of US Jails

The State Court System (Students are free to select the state court system they write about)

Corrections (any area but it is advised to select a narrow topic)