JADM310 Coures Project (September 2018)

JADM 310 Drugs and Society

COURSE PROJECT

Objective

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 own choosing. Remember that writing is an acquired skill that is absolutely necessary for a successful career in law enforcement, and you learn how to write by writing.

Guidelines

Papers must be 7 to 12 pages in length (this would be roughly 1 page per area included in the report), 12-point font, double-spaced, include a cover page, table of contents, introduction, body of the report, summary or conclusion, and works cited reference page.

This is expected to be a thoroughly researched paper of a narrow topic capable of being covered in 7-12 pages. References are very important. At least 10 authoritative, outside references are required (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 University policies are in effect, including the plagiarism policy. Plagiarism on this or any other written assignment in the course may result in failing the course. Refer to the syllabus for 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 e-mail to the instructor.

This paper is worth 250 total points and will be graded on quality of research topic, quality of paper information, use of APA citations, grammar, and sentence structure.

No late papers will be accepted.

Week 1

At the end of Week 1, students need to pick their topic for research from the list of Suggested Research Topics (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. or receive instructor approval for any other topic related to the subject of Drugs, Society, and Criminal Justice. (25 Points)

Week 2

Begin research on topic, start writing the outline of the paper and the content, and become familiar with the APA format which has tutorials listed under the syllabus menu item.

Week 3

Continue writing and research.

Week 4

A rough draft of the paper is due by the end of this week. (25 Points)

Week 5

Check the instructor’s feedback, if any, on the rough draft. Continue research and filling in the details of your rough draft.

Week 6

Continue writing and make sure you meet all of the expectations outlined on this page.

Week 7

Submit the final draft of your paper. It may then be submitted to Turnitin.com by the instructor to check for plagiarism. Be careful, because plagiarism is illegal and a plagiarized paper will result in a failing grade for the course.

Grading Rubric

Category Points Description

Select a proper topic by end of Week 1. 25 From the provided list of topics or other instructor approved subject.

Submit a rough draft by end of Week 4. 25 Outline form with considerable detail.

Formatting 20 APA style, double-spaced, in-text citations, cover and reference pages

Documentation 10 A minimum of ten reliable sources.

Length, Organization, and Cohesiveness 20 Paper needs to be a minimum of seven pages, well organized, with correct grammar and spelling

Content 150 Must be an original student work with thorough and substantive material. The final paper must be submitted by end of Week 7.

Total 250 A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Deadlines:

By the end of Week 1 you must select and submit a topic for approval. (25 points)

By the end of Week 4 you must submit an outline or a rough draft of your paper. (25 points)

By the end of Week 7 you must submit your final draft. (200 points)

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 the date.

Table of Content – List the main ideas and sections of your 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:

Introduce the subject and why it is important.

Preview the main ideas and the order in which they will be covered.

Establish the tone of 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 titled with the name of your project. Example: “The Case of Jack the Ripper – An Enduring Mystery.” Then proceed to break out the main ideas. State the main ideas, state 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 like separate sections that are labeled, separate groups of paragraphs, or headers. You would 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 your report. Minor details are left out. Summarize the subject matter and research results. Additional hints on preparing the best possible project.

Apply a three-step process of writing: Plan, Write, and Complete.

Prepare an outline of your research paper before you go forward.

Complete a first draft and then go back to edit, evaluate, and make any changes required.

Use visual communication to further clarify and support the written part of your report. Example graphs, diagrams, photographs, flowcharts, maps, drawings, animation, video clips, pictograms, tables, and Gantt charts.

Make sure you give the authors of any material you use proper acknowledgement by the use of in-text citations, and include them on the works cited Reference page.

Work Cited – Use APA format