Senior Seminar In Forensic Psychology

Senior Seminar in Forensic Psychology http://srv2.lycoming.edu/~kelley/lifgenerations.pdf

Research Paper

You will write an APA style comprehensive literature review directed toward answering some question of interest to Forensic Psychologists. Expect that these papers will be 20-30 pages long. The best grades will go to papers that concise, but complete and thoughtful reviews. In this paper, you want to conclude something(s) about your topic. These conclusions should be based on empirical EVIDENCE, not hearsay. In your paper you should briefly present the subjects, methods, and results of the studies you cite. This should lead to the conclusions you draw.

On the syllabus I have described several deadlines for the paper as well as a list of possible topics. You should begin working on a refined topic (question/problem) as soon as possible. After the 4th week of class you cannot change your topic.

APA style reminders and a grading rubric are at the end of the syllabus. This paper is worth 36% of your final grade. For each calendar day the paper is late, you will lose 9 points.

Research Paper Ideas

This list is not exhaustive. Feel free to use a different topic if it interests you. You will need to refine most of these ideas into something more specific. Conceptualize your topic as a problem/issue in the area of psychology and the law. Your paper will review work related to that problem, and draw a conclusion/find and answer.

Geographic profiling Crime topologies Sexual harassment False confessions Effects of pretrial publicity Insanity defense Battered woman syndrome Detecting deception Malingering Employment discrimination Effects of affirmative action on minorities and women Recovered memories Are childhood sexual experiences invariably traumatizing? Rape trauma syndrome Selection & training of law enforcement Scientific jury selection Determinants of sentencing Role of hypnosis in legal system Theories of criminality Jury decision making (extra evidentiary factors) Research Paper Scoring Rubric Student name: ______Draft/Version: ______Grader’s name: ______Topic: ______CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 Score Organization Introduction The introduction is The hypothesis is The hypothesis is There is no clear inviting, clearly vaguely stated of vaguely stated of introduction of the states a focused unfocused, but the unfocused, and hypothesis or hypothesis and introduction is there is little structure of the previews the inviting and previews indication about paper. structure of the the structure of the the structure of paper paper the paper. Sequencing Details are placed Details are placed in Some details are Many details are in logical order and a logical order, but not in a logical or not in a logical or the way they are the way in which expected order, expected order. presented they are and this distracts There is little effectively keeps presented/introduce the reader. sense that the the interest of the d sometimes makes writing is reader. the writing less organized. interesting. Conclusion The conclusion is The conclusion is The conclusion is There is no clear strong and leaves recognizable and ties recognizable, but conclusion, the the reader with a up almost all the does not tie up paper just ends. feeling that they loose ends. several loose understand what ends. the writer is “getting at”. Content Accuracy of All supportive facts Almost all supportive Most supportive NO facts are facts are reported facts are reported facts are reported reported OR most accurately. accurately. accurately. are inaccurately reported. Credibility All sources used for Most sources used Most sources used Many sources of sources quotes and facts for quotes and facts for quotes and used for quotes are credible, come are credible, come facts are not from and facts are less largely from largely from professional the credible professional professional journals journals, but are (suspect) and/or journals and are and most are cited cited correctly. are not cited cited correctly. correctly. correctly. Focus on There is one clear, Main idea is clear, Main idea is The main idea is topic well focused topic. but the supporting somewhat clear, not clear. There Main idea stands information is but there is a is a seemingly out and is general. need for more random collection supported by supporting of information. detailed information. information. Support for Relevant, telling, Supporting details Supporting details Supporting details topic quality details give and information are and information and information the reader relevant, but only are relevant, but are typically important marginal evidence of several key issues unclear or not information that critical thinking. or portions of the related to the goes beyond the storyline are topic. obvious or unsupported. predictable. Format Grammar & Writer makes NO Writer makes 3-4 Writer makes 5- Writer makes Spelling errors in grammar errors in grammar or 10 errors in more than 10 or spelling that spelling that distract grammar or errors in grammar distract the reader the reader from the spelling that or spelling that from the content. content. distract the reader distract the from the content. reader from the content. APA Title page, headers, Some use of APA Poor formatting. No use of APA formatting margins are all formatting, but format. correct. references not properly formatted. TOTAL SCORE (out of 36)