Master's Thesis Proposal Reconstruction, law homework help

User Generated

Fubbxf1989

Business Finance

Description

Final Thesis Proposal (Writing Assignment #3) Make the corrections identified by your professional, add additional information supporting the requirements in the End of Program Manual and finalize the proposal. I read your paper. Below is the grading rubric, which I also embedded within your paper. An appropriate research method or research design has not been identified. A literature review paper is not rigorous enough for the capstone paper. Please see the syllabus, the EOP, and other resources listed in the courseroom for the type of rigor needed for the capstone paper. Please see embedded comments for further detail.

Here is another suggested thesis topic of how we could change the wording a bit:

The US today is undergoing a mass de-criminalization of marijuana. How might this bring changes to things like businesses, social gatherings, and the field of medicine?

I do not intend to utilize human test subjects, so our approach in these findings must come from peer-reviewed scholarly references and some government publications.

I will upload a sample paper of how it is to be formatted according to my university guidelines.


Unformatted Attachment Preview

Proposal Preparation A formal research study proposal is submitted to your advisor after initial planning and research is accomplished. The following criteria apply: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Title for your proposed research study and a brief descriptive statement. A concise and spare capstone study problem statement. A concise and spare capstone study purpose statement Descriptive outline establishing the specific limits of the proposed research study. A clear description of what your contribution to the project will be. Indicate your research strategy, the estimated number of sources used (both primary and secondary. If you intend to conduct primary research with human subjects for publication, you must indicate the scope of your proposed research, methodologies, estimate of materials required for a successful effort, etc. Primary research with human subjects for publication is not recommended (see comments in reference to the IRB process below). 7. A short annotated bibliography representative of materials surveyed (five sources minimum). 8. A preliminary, but detailed schedule of your plan to complete the research study. Details are required in terms of tentative milestones, submission dates, etc. 9. The capstone study advisor, upon approval of the proposal, approves the form and provides the student with a copy. Note: There is a capstone proposal template located in Lessons section of the classroom. Conducting Research Once your topic is selected, you conduct research before proposal submission. Your starting point is the APUS Online Library and the talented staff of librarians and archivists available to assist you in your efforts (see above). Resources include: • • • • • Bibliographic resources Web-based resources Web search engines Other resources Databases Your search strategy focuses your search efforts and makes efficient use of your time. You must discuss search strategies first with your faculty advisor and secondly, with the aforementioned experts in the APUS Online Library. Research Sources Primary research is accomplished by the researcher himself (or herself). The researcher must adhere to a recognizable research construct. Surveys and case studies are representative examples of acceptable research strategies. The capstone study program does not require primary research with human subjects for publication although it is an option (pending your faculty advisor’s approval). In the case of primary research with human subjects for publication, the APUS/AMU Institutional Review Board (IRB) located at the following link must approve your research plan prior to beginning any such research. As the Capstone is only four months in length, this option is highly discouraged. Four months is not truly commensurate with primary research with human subjects for publication which traditionally requires a longer period of time for a successful study. Secondary research consists of analysis of documents, sources, and information derived from primary sources. It typically includes reports, case studies, and organizational documents, books, professional journal articles, and trade publication materials. Tertiary research resources are compilations or outlines of information contained in secondary resources. Typically, they consist of newspaper articles, magazine articles, Web blogs, etc. A research study based primarily on tertiary sources is unacceptable. The capstone study process requires the student to consider two issues in reference to research sources. First, the student considers the validity of the material and secondly, the quality of its content. Quality is of primary importance. Acceptable sources include professional peer-reviewed articles and journals written by security and law enforcement professionals as well as scholarly articles written by educators involved in research in the aforementioned areas of expertise. The capstone study must add to the knowledge-base of the profession, enhance the critical thinking capacity of the student, and utilize objectivity as well as analytical thinking in solving a problem. and/or considering a particular construct. The materials used in writing the capstone study must reflect the aforementioned attributes. A key resource in acquiring materials and writing the capstone study are the materials and librarian/archivists of the APUS Online Library. Quality assurance and a determination of appropriateness must be determined by the student. If a question arises, the student should contact his or her faculty advisor for further guidance on the issue. In short, the student must be prepared to defend the validity of all resource materials used in the research study. The student defends the material from the viewpoints of objectivity, appropriateness to the capstone study topic, reliability, or that the material is substantially relevant to the research study topic in some other demonstrable manner. Acceptable research requires careful citation and documentation of sources. The style used for the capstone study is the American Psychological Association (APA) style as typified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition. Excerpts are available in the APUS Online Library. Many additional aids are available online. I can recommend the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Writing and Style Guidance Review the information in the APA style manual referenced above as an initial step before beginning to write your capstone study draft. Formatting Your Capstone APUS/AMU requires a specific format for the capstone, which is discussed in the EOP Manual (2014) and in the following: Video: How to Write an MA Thesis for AMU & APU by Dr. Patricia Campbell, Dean of APUS Graduate Studies. Writing Thesis/Capstone Papers Thesis Layout/Format Writing the Abstract / Instructional Module The capstone study is a formal document and must follow traditional conventions accepted in formal writing including: • • • • • Do not use personal pronouns, such as I, us, you, etc. Use the third-person. Do not use contractions such as don’t, shouldn’t, didn’t, etc. Use abbreviations sparingly. Commonly-accepted abbreviations are Mr., Mrs., etc. You may also abbreviate discipline-specific titles such as “The Global War on Terror” (GWOT). The proper convention is to spell out the title completely on first use followed by the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. You may use the abbreviation alone and sans parentheses thereafter. Avoid clichés and colloquialisms, such as: crystal-clear, out-of-the-box, etc. Write in the active voice (see “Web Resources” in your classroom for a PowerPoint presentation on this topic). Common Writing Concerns Restrictive/Non-restrictive Non-restrictive modifiers require commas. Non-restrictive modifiers do not change the meaning of a sentence if they are omitted. The opposite holds true for a restrictive modifier. Restrictive: All the books that were stolen in the night were never accounted for. (Implies some books remained in-stock). Nonrestrictive: All of the books, stolen that night, were never accounted for. (Implies no books remained on-hand). School of Security and Global Studies CMRJ699 Master's Capstone Seminar in Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours 16 Week Course Prerequisite(s): Program Director Approval Table of Contents Instructor Information Evaluation Procedures Course Description Grading Scale Course Scope Course Outline Course Objectives Policies Course Delivery Method Academic Services Course Resources Selected Bibliography and Tips Instructor Information Instructor: See information provided in the Syllabus link in the classroom Email: Please use internal classroom messaging system Table of Contents Course Description (Catalog) Preparation for the Criminal Justice Capstone Study begins on day one of a student's graduate program of study. The theories, research methods and analytical skills, and substantive knowledge obtained through their master's curriculum provide the basis for the capstone study project. Students support the research study effort, including gathering bibliographic and reference materials on the research study topic; developing individual course research papers that may become sections of the final research study. Students address the requirements as described in the syllabus and classroom assignments. The capstone study proposal is prepared in accordance with the standards of the academic discipline. The capstone study proposal must provide a clear and lucid description of a question or problem and a proposed method of answering the question or solving the problem. Guidance on the format of the research study proposal and a sample proposal are contained in the APUS Research Study Manual. Guidance on the format of the research study proposal and a sample proposal are contained in the APUS Research Study Manual. Table of Contents Course Scope For all capstone courses that begin after January 1, 2017, graduate students must earn a B- (80%) or better on their capstone thesis/project/paper and a B- (80%) or better in their capstone course to pass the course. This policy aligns with the comprehensive exam, which also requires a B(80%) or better to pass. Graduate students must have at least a 3.0 GPA to graduate. If utilizing human subjects for any component of your capstone, in addition to instructor approval, you work also requires APUS/AMU Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. You will earn a "fail" for this course if you utilize human subjects without such approvals. Please see Proposal Preparation and Research Sources sections in this syllabus, as well as the End of Program Manual for additional information. Beginning the Thesis Project Students apply for graduation and the Graduation department verifies they are eligible to enroll in the 16-week, 3-credit, Master’s Capstone Seminar or course, which replaces the twelfth course in the student’s master’s program. Prior to enrolling in the course, the student must have completed all other courses prescribed for their degree. Students enroll in the course available in the given session and work with the professor on defining a thesis. In the thesis proposal process with the professor, it may be determined that a human subject review of the proposal is required. The student will be advised by the professor to complete this process during the initial weeks of the class. Call with Course Professor It is highly recommended that each student schedule a conference call with the course professor within the first two (2) weeks of the course to discuss his or her proposed thesis topic. A conference call is one of the best ways to quickly identify any potential issues with the proposed topic. Thesis Proposal A formal thesis proposal shall be prepared in accordance with the standards of the academic discipline. The formal proposal must provide a clear and lucid description of a question or problem and a proposed method of answering the question or solving the problem. Proposal drafting is considered a learning process and helps the students avoid oversights and possible mistakes. Guidance on the format of the proposal and a sample proposal are contained in Appendix 1. The proposal should explain the question or problem to be investigated and convince the thesis professor and department that the question or problem merits investigation. It should show that the student has read the relevant and recent literature on the subject and it should contain a list of materials consulted during the preliminary stages of research. In general, the thesis proposal should include background information related to the research topic, purpose of the research, methodology, and analytic procedures to be used. The formal proposal should not exceed five (5) pages (proposal title page not included). Preparing the Thesis Thesis preparation entails a partnership between the student and professor who is responsible for directing the intellectual content and proper formatting of the thesis. Thesis length and depth of research shall be in accordance with disciplinary standards. Thesis formatting shall be in strict accordance with this manual to ensure uniformity across the University. The citation style manual (APA Style 6th edition) used in the thesis will be the standard prescribed by the APUS department. The student and professor shall coordinate the process for the student to submit and receive feedback on draft thesis sections. The student is also encouraged to ask other APUS faculty and professionals and leaders in their field of study to volunteer as thesis readers and provide feedback on draft thesis sections where these faculty members and professionals may have special expertise. For example, the student's graduate research methods instructor may be asked for feedback on the thesis' research design. Approval of Thesis Once a final thesis manuscript is approved by the thesis professor, thesis manuscripts will be graded based on the standards in the APUS grading rubric on a categorical scale of: A-F. The manuscript, and a copy of the professor's thesis rubric evaluation shall be forwarded to a second reader designated by the department. The Department Chair, or Dean of the applicable School, is responsible for resolving any conflicts between the thesis professor and second reader if required. Submission of Final Thesis The final step in the thesis project is acceptance of the final manuscript by the APUS Online Library. The approved thesis manuscript will be submitted to the APUS Online Library by the department. See Chapter VI for detailed submission procedures. Table of Contents Course Objectives (CO) After successfully completing this course, you will be able to: CO1: Assess issues and trends in criminal justice. CO2: Develop a current, state-of-the-art criminal justice management model utilizing the latest techniques and methodologies available. CO3: Validate and test criminal justice concepts. Table of Contents Course Delivery Method The capstone study option, delivered via distance learning enables students to complete academic work in a flexible manner, completely online. Course materials and access to an online learning management system are made available to each student. Online assignments may include Forum questions (accomplished in groups through a threaded Forum) and individual assignments (submitted for review by the Faculty Member). Assigned faculty members support the students throughout the sixteen-week course. Table of Contents Course Resources Required Course Textbooks APUS End of Program Manual This document is located in the Lessons tab of your classroom. Strunk, W., & White, E. (1999). Elements of style (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson: Prentice Hall. The following will also prove essential to successful completion of this course: Essential Graduate Research Links to the APUS Online library Center for Graduate Studies Home Graduate End of Program Assessment option Explained (2 pp) The Institutional Review Board (IRB) (1 pp) Responsible Conduct of Research (ROR) (2 pp) Writing, Research, and the library (4 pp) Academic Writing (1 pp) College Research Writing (2 pp) Must Read Specifics on Writing Your Capstone – Theoretical and Format Requirements Video: How to Write an MA Thesis for AMU & APU by Dr. Patricia Campbell (5 pp) Writing Thesis/Capstone Papers (2 pp) Thesis Layout/Format (5 pp) Writing the Abstract / Instructional Module (10 pp) APA Style Guide (20 pp) Avoiding Plagiarism (8 pp) Style & Format: American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Research Methods: Tracy, S. (2012). Qualitative research methods. Westchester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Retrieved from http://www.productmanualguide.com/and/qualitative-researchmethods.html. Note: Free eBook if read online (368 pp) Osborne, J. (2008). Best practices in quantitative methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd. Retrieved from http://www.productmanualguide.com/practices/bestpractices-in-quantitative-methods.html. Note: Free eBook if read online (596 pp) Frechtling, J., & Sharp, L. (Eds.). (1997). User-friendly handbook for mixed method evaluations. Retrieved from http://www.openisbn.com/preview/0788174312/. Note: Free eBook if read online (132 pp) Web-based Readings: See weekly readings. • Microsoft Office (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint) • Adobe Acrobat Reader (Click here for free download) Required Readings: See weekly readings. Additional Resources: Noted throughout this course. Web Sites: Noted throughout this course. Table of Contents Evaluation Procedures Reading Assignments: See weekly readings below Supplemental Readings: See supplemental readings below Forum Assignments: There is a mandatory Week 1 Introduction forum that is university mandated. Participation in other forums is optional. The grading in this course is based on a combination of assignments, and a final research paper. NOTE: All docs must use Microsoft Word. Microsoft Works, WordPerfect, Apple iWork Pages or other word processing software will not work in this class. Draft Thesis Proposal (Writing Assignment #1) Using the information contained in the End of Program (EOP) Manual, chapter 2, compose a first draft of your thesis proposal. Submit including a title page and three references related to your proposed topic. Ensure that the references are from peer-reviewed journals, government sources, other appropriate academically acceptable sources, or some combination thereof. Ensure the proposal includes the following from the EOP Manual: • • • Explain the question or problem to be investigated and convince the thesis professor that the question or problem merits investigation. It should show that the student has read the relevant and recent literature on the subject, and it should contain a list of academically appropriate resources consulted during the preliminary stages of research. In general, the thesis proposal should include background information related to the research topic, purpose of the research, methodology, and analytical procedures to be used. Research Design, Instrumentation and Data Analysis (Writing Assignment #2) Summarize (as appropriate for your study) research design issues, to include: definitions or operationalization of key variables, identification of study population, sampling procedures to be employed, justification of case studies selected, and data collection methods planned or secondary data to be utilized. Summarize (as appropriate for your study) the analytic methods to be employed, including software packages to be employed, modeling procedures to be used, or statistical or other analysis procedures to be used for individual hypothesis tests. Note that any number of methods may be employed including qualitative methodology, comparative analysis, historical analysis or survey research. Final Thesis Proposal (Writing Assignment #3) Make the corrections identified by your professional, add additional information supporting the requirements in the End of Program Manual and finalize the proposal. Formal Third Person Style (Writing Assignment #4) Using the aids available in the classroom and in the APUS/AMU Online Library Graduate Studies Center, compose an essay of a minimum of 500 words, justify the formal third person style required in academic writing in general and in the APA style in particular. Provide an explanatory example of how writing in the formal third person differs from writing in the more informal first/second person styles. Submit in the form of an essay in APA style including a title page and three references. Ensure that the references are from peer-reviewed journals, government sources, other appropriate academically acceptable sources, or some combination thereof. Avoiding Plagiarism (Writing Assignment #5) Using the aids available in the classroom and in the APUS/AMU Online Library Graduate Studies Center, compose an essay of a minimum of 500 words defining plagiarism and providing three relevant examples. Submit in the form of an essay in APA style including a title page and three references. Ensure that the references are from peer-reviewed journals, government sources, other appropriate academically acceptable sources, or some combination thereof. Literature Review (Writing Assignment #6) This section contains only peer reviewed research that is related to your particular topic. I want to make it very clear, you should choose a topic that has many peer reviewed research articles for you to use. Do not choose something abstract where you cannot find anything. This is VERY important. It is very important that you check this out in advance using the online library. You have to make sure of this or you will struggle with the class. Peer reviewed research articles are those that appear in criminal justice or public policy related journal articles that have passed a rigorous review process to validate the research contained in the article. The review process for these journals involves forwarding the research study to several researchers associated with the journal and these researchers review the study for reliability and validity, bias, proper research policies and procedures, ethical treatment of research subjects, ethical practices of the researchers, etc. If all of these and other criteria are met, the study can then be published in that journal. I encourage you to ask the library for help if you are still confused. The AMU library staff are very helpful in this area. Most journals on the inside cover describe the submission process for researchers. This is where if you see what is described above, the article has been peer reviewed. This process is what sets peer reviewed articles apart from those found in magazines, agency publications, books, etc. These journals can be found in the library. If trying to find these online, instead of the inside cover, you need to go to the journal's web site and review their submission process to determine if it meets the criteria. On occasion a government document may be included in this section if, and only if, it is the premier publication on the topic. This section is expected to be very thorough and substantial. Draft Outline of Thesis (Writing Assignment #7) Please provide a five to seven page outline of the thesis including all of the required elements set forth in the Capstone Manual. The literature review section should contain just five to seven of the most important references in bibliographic format, no review required. The analysis and conclusion sections need present only what the results are expected to be. Abstract Submission (Writing Assignment #8) Using the aids in the classroom and in the APUS Online Library Graduate Research Center, create a properly constructed abstract for the capstone thesis. Submit in the abstract in APA style. Follow this link in the AMU library for additional information: http://apus.libguides.com/friendly.php?action=82&s=writing/thesiscapstone/abstract. Also see the appendices in the Capstone Manual for construction of an abstract and the document in the Resources Tab on writing an abstract. Final Draft of the Thesis (Writing Assignment #9) Your assignment is automatically submitted to TurnItIn with your submission. This assignment consists of your final thesis. It must include all required elements of the thesis as set forth in the Capstone Manual. It is referred to as a "draft" because it has not yet been reviewed for accuracy, spelling, grammar, formatting, methodology, and analysis. You are highly encouraged to have one or more proof readers review your final draft for formatting, spelling and grammar. Once this is reviewed by your professor, corrections that must be made will be sent back to you. Subsequent to making those corrections, the resulting document will be the final thesis, the final assignment. Final Capstone Submission (Writing Assignment #10) Your assignment is automatically submitted to TurnItIn with your submission This assignment consists of what is essentially your final thesis without corrections. It must include all required elements of the thesis as set forth in the Capstone Manual. It is referred to as a "draft" because it has not yet been reviewed for accuracy, spelling, grammar, formatting, methodology, and analysis. You are highly encouraged to have one or more proof readers review your final draft for formatting, spelling and grammar. Once this is reviewed by your professor, corrections that must be made will be sent back to you. Subsequent to making those corrections, the resulting document will be the final thesis, the final assignment. Approval of Thesis Once a final thesis manuscript is approved by the thesis professor, the manuscript, and a copy of the professor's thesis rubric evaluation shall be forwarded to a second reader designated by the department. The second reader will provide the thesis professor comments and evaluations and the thesis professor will then issue a final approval message containing a thesis grade. The Department Chair, or Dean of the applicable School, is responsible for resolving any conflicts between the thesis professor and second reader if required. Thesis manuscripts will be graded based on the standards in the APUS grading rubric on a categorical scale of: A-F. Assignment submissions will be graded based on the following rubric: Criteria CONTENT (40%) Relevance of Study Topic Excellent The work illustrates exemplary understanding of the relevant material by thoroughly and correctly addressing the relevant content; identifying and explaining all of the key concepts/ideas; using correct terminology explaining the reasoning behind key points/claims and substantiating, as necessary/useful , points with Above Average The work illustrates solid understanding of the relevant material by correctly addressing most of the relevant content; identifying and explaining most of the key concepts/ideas; using correct terminology; explaining the reasoning behind most of the key points/claims; and/or where necessary or useful, substantiating some points with accurate Average The work illustrates a rudimentary understanding of the relevant material by mentioning but not full explaining the relevant content; identifying some of the key concepts/ideas though failing to fully or accurately explain many of them; using terminology, though sometimes inaccurately or inappropriately; and/or incorporating Below Average The work illustrates poor understanding of the relevant material by failing to address or incorrectly addressing the relevant content; failing to identify or inaccurately explaining/defin ing key concepts/ideas; ignoring or incorrectly explaining key points/claims and the reasoning behind them; and/or incorrectly or inappropriately Fail Student failed to submit the work. several accurate and illuminating examples. No aspects are missing. examples. The work is complete. RESEARCH (25%) Quality of Literature Review Quality of Research Design Methodology/Proced ure Student utilized credible scholarly sources. They are used to give compelling evidence to support claims and are clearly and fairly represented. APA 6th Edition format is used accurately and consistently. The student uses above the maximum required references in the development of the assignment. Credible scholarly sources are used effectively support claims and are, for the most part, clear and fairly represented. APA 6th Edition is used with only a few minor errors. There are minor errors in reference and/or citations. And/or there is some use of questionable sources. COMPOSITION (10%) Clarity of Work Writing Abilities (Style/Composition) The work is clear, concise, presents no vagueness and is efficient in representing expression as a result of appropriate and precise use of terminology; total coherence of thoughts and presentation and logical organization; and the essay is composition error free. The work is mostly clear as a result of appropriate use of terminology and minimal vagueness; no tangents and no repetition; fairly good organization; almost perfect grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage. some key claims/points but failing to explain the reasoning behind them or doing so inaccurately. Elements of the work may also be lacking. References to scholarly sources are occasionally given; many statements seem unsubstantiated. Frequent errors in APA 6th Edition format, leaving the reader confused about the source of the information. There are significant errors of the formation in the references and citations. And/or there is a significant use of highly questionable sources. The work is often unclear and difficult to follow due to some inappropriate terminology and/or vague language; ideas may be fragmented, wandering and/or repetitive; poor organization; and/or some grammatical, punctuation, spelling errors. using terminology; and elements of the work are lacking. Sources are seldom cited to support statements and/or format of citations are not recognizable as APA 6th Edition format. There are major errors in the formation of the references and citations. And/or there is a major reliance on highly questionable. The Student fails to provide an adequate synthesis of research collected for the work. Student failed to include citations and/or references or the student failed to submit a final paper. The work does not communicate ideas/points clearly due to inappropriate use of terminology and vague language; thoughts and sentences are disjointed or incomprehensib le; organization lacking; and/or numerous grammatical, spelling/punctua tion errors. Student failed to submit work. OUTCOME/RESU LTS (25%) Relevance of Results Student provides highcaliber work.. This includes an APA 6th edition cover page, abstract, page number, headers and is double spaced in 12’ Times Roman Font. Additionally, the work exceeds the expected length of the paper. The work presents an above-average use of formatting skills. The work has slight errors. This can include small errors or omissions with the cover page, abstract, page number, and headers. There could be also slight formatting issues with the document spacing or the font Additionally, the work meets the expected length of the paper. Appearance of work demonstrates the student’s limited ability to format the paper. There are significant errors in formatting and/or the total omission of major components of an APA 6th edition work. The can include the omission of the cover page, abstract, and page numbers. Additionally, the work has major formatting issues with spacing or paragraph formation. Font size might not conform with size requirements. Additionally the work fails to meet the expected length of the paper. Student needs to develop better formatting skills. The work omits significant structural elements required for an APA 6th edition work. Formatting of the paper has major flaws. The work does not conform to APA 6th edition requirements whatsoever. Student failed to submit work. Peregrine Testing The Peregrine Testing occurs at entry of the academic program and at exit of the academic program. It is used to demonstrate learning over the course of the academic program/your studies. There is no preparation necessary for this testing as it examines general program content discussed in your core courses. Week 16 you will be required to take an assessment through the Peregrine Testing site. For your convenience, a link titled "Peregrine Testing" has been added to the left hand navigation bar, which will take you through the registration and testing process. As one of the final assessments of your program, your score will affect your completion of this course and ultimately your graduation. Your exam score, once sent back to the classroom, will be recalculated (see Lessons/Course Information/Peregrine Assessment for score conversion chart below) within hours of the score being returned to help determine your final score for the course. If you have any questions about your final score, please reach out to your professor as soon as possible. The test will include 90 multiple choice questions. You will be allowed three 15 minute breaks. You can exit and resume the test, but you will only be able to do so 3 times over a 48 hour period. When you are ready to begin, click on "Peregrine Testing". You will be taken to the registration page for the exam. The majority of your student information will already be filled out, and you will just be required to select your program and concentration (these will not affect the contents of the tests). Click on "Confirm". Read all information on the following pages carefully. The timer will start when you click "Begin Exam". Score Conversion Chart: Peregrine Score 80-100% 70-79% 60-69% 40-59% 30-39% 20-29% 0-19% Relative Interpretation of Student Competency Very High High Above Average Average Below Average Low Very Low Outbound Exam Grade/Points Pass with Distinction/100pts Pass/90pts Pass/80pts Pass/70pts Fail/50pts Fail/40pts Fail/20pts Field Experience Assignments: n/a Capstone Thesis: The points earned on course assignments determine the course grade. The final grade in the course is based on total points. Grades are assigned based on the following term composite scores: Grade Instruments Introduction Forum Writing Assignments 1-9 Writing Assignment 10 (Capstone Final Submission) Peregrine Testing Points 100 each response 100 each submission 100 % of Final Grade 2% 13% 80% 100 5% TOTAL 100 ATTENTION: BE ADVISED THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO COMPLETED AN UNDERGRADUATE CAPSTONE, YOU MUST SELECT A DIFFERENT RESEARCH TOPIC FOR YOUR GRADUATE CAPSTONE STUDY. RESEARCH TOPIC PROPOSALS ARE CROSS-CHECKED AGAINST YOUR UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM RECORD TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. Important Notice: Your capstone paper must be aligned with the requirements for obtaining the MA Degree in Criminal Justice. There are certain criteria which your paper must meet. The essential criteria follow: Possible research study constructs follow: • • • • • Identification of a criminal justice construct, regimen, or systemic tool(s) of utility to your current organization or to another organization. Analysis of the usefulness of the construct and if so, the steps necessary to implement it successfully. This is a classical research study. Identify a specific criminal justice problem. The student researches the problem, assesses various potential solutions, and selects the best available option for implementation. This is called a project report. Acquire substantial information resources on a particular criminal justice organization or department concerning its culture, decision-making principles, its practices, and crucial decisions over the long-term. Ensure the organization’s institutional knowledge has widespread applicability to other organizations. The institutional knowledge base is analyzed and critical lessons learned are explored. This is a case study. Identify an exploitable and potentially lucrative (if applicable) criminal justice related business or organizational opportunity. Conduct extensive research, determine the viability of the opportunity, and reflect, in detail, on what must be done to ensure its success. Examine a current issue or problem in criminal justice. o Compare and contrast the selected issue or problem with past, present, and potential future trends or solutions. (research study via secondary research), or o Compare and contrast the experience of organizations affected by the trend or who have developed solutions to the problem and conduct analysis of their success or failure. Topic Selection Topic selection may be difficult. Typically, a capstone research candidate has a general idea of an area within the discipline of criminal justice they wish to explore. Students are encouraged to select a topic which they are interested in, but that also has applicability to their organization. In this instance, personal enjoyment is coupled with the satisfaction of potentially improving the security posture of your organization. Research Topic Conduct a review of previous studies: Begin your research with the tools and capable librarian/archivists available to you in the APUS Online Library. Please utilize the many security resources available in the APUS Online Library Criminal Justice Portal and the services of our assigned librarian accessible from the Criminal Justice Portal. Discuss with Criminal Justice Staff and Mentors: Faculty members have a wealth of practical knowledge in the fields of law enforcement, security management, homeland security, military security and law enforcement operations, and both governmental and private sector security management challenges and solutions. Discussions with them may create in you a focus for a particular topic which you wish to address in your capstone study. Ensure the availability of ample research resources: Initially, conduct research to ensure your proposed topic is one which benefits from ample research resources. These may be in many forms including: books, papers, manuscripts, theses, doctoral dissertations, magazine and professional, peer-reviewed journal articles, web-based resources, etc. Feasibility assessment: Ensure the research study goal is attainable within the established parameters. Typically, students initially decide on a capstone research topic which is too broad. Conducting preliminary research should serve to narrow the focus considerably. Topic Guidance Criminal Justice focused: Ensure the topic is focused on some aspect of criminal justice in the post-9/11 environment. The topic can be management focused. The topic may be focused on rapidly-changing technologies. You have a high degree of flexibility bounded only by your interest, enthusiasm, and the agreement between yourself and your capstone study advisor. Take a multi-disciplinary approach: Convergence of many disciplines and approaches is a key factor in the 21st Century criminal justice environment. You will find yourself incapable of writing a capstone study on a criminal justice topic without some discussion of related disciplines such as homeland security, counter-terrorism, intelligence analysis, law enforcement, etc. Seek Innovation and unorthodox solutions: It is normal, while researching a topic, to find “school solutions” based on prevailing trends, thought processes, analysis, etc. The key to a great capstone study is to apply your research outcome, your personal experiences and background, and your analysis to create an innovative solution or outcome. This is the true essence of exciting learning and the highest attainable goal in writing a great capstone study. Research study statement: The research study statement is composed once you have selected a topic and narrowed your focus to a useful degree. It is a clear and concise statement of the purpose of the capstone study. It must be a statement capable of being proved or disproved through your research and the capstone study process. It is, in effect, the path for your journey through the capstone study experience. Examples of Unacceptable Topics • • • • Over-generalized topics such as “homeland security.” Of course, this topic is highly relevant if not so generalized. Topic conflict, for example a discussion of both Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) and Targeted Crime Reduction (TCR). They are not the same, but similar enough that they are to be avoided (in tandem). Small technical topics, for example, a comparison of the utility of the .40 S&W cartridge with the .38 S&W Special cartridge for use by law enforcement and corrections departments. Topics which do not require challenging and innovative research, i.e., over-generalized. For example, the history of law enforcement in America. In this instance, there is no point to be proved or disproved. Topic Selection Self-Quiz Answer the following self-graded quiz questions to assist in focusing your thoughts on a topic selection: • • • What are your one year, five year, and ten year professional career goals? What do you require to achieve them in terms of experience, education, certifications, etc? Write down your potential topics, topics of previous papers, organizational challenges in your workplace, etc. Consider pros and cons of the listed topics. Eliminate those which are irrelevant, that you have over-used, in which you are not interested, etc. List your topic choices in order from most to least relevant. Assess them in terms of how you believe they will be viewed by the capstone study advisor. Proposal Preparation A formal research study proposal is submitted to your advisor after initial planning and research is accomplished. The following criteria apply: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Title for your proposed research study and a brief descriptive statement. A concise and spare capstone study problem statement. A concise and spare capstone study purpose statement Descriptive outline establishing the specific limits of the proposed research study. A clear description of what your contribution to the project will be. 6. Indicate your research strategy, the estimated number of sources used (both primary and secondary. If you intend to conduct primary research with human subjects for publication, you must indicate the scope of your proposed research, methodologies, estimate of materials required for a successful effort, etc. Primary research with human subjects for publication is not recommended (see comments in reference to the IRB process below). 7. A short annotated bibliography representative of materials surveyed (five sources minimum). 8. A preliminary, but detailed schedule of your plan to complete the research study. Details are required in terms of tentative milestones, submission dates, etc. 9. The capstone study advisor, upon approval of the proposal, approves the form and provides the student with a copy. Note: There is a capstone proposal template located in Lessons section of the classroom. Conducting Research Once your topic is selected, you conduct research before proposal submission. Your starting point is the APUS Online Library and the talented staff of librarians and archivists available to assist you in your efforts (see above). Resources include: • • • • • Bibliographic resources Web-based resources Web search engines Other resources Databases Your search strategy focuses your search efforts and makes efficient use of your time. You must discuss search strategies first with your faculty advisor and secondly, with the aforementioned experts in the APUS Online Library. Research Sources Primary research is accomplished by the researcher himself (or herself). The researcher must adhere to a recognizable research construct. Surveys and case studies are representative examples of acceptable research strategies. The capstone study program does not require primary research with human subjects for publication although it is an option (pending your faculty advisor’s approval). In the case of primary research with human subjects for publication, the APUS/AMU Institutional Review Board (IRB) located at the following link must approve your research plan prior to beginning any such research. As the Capstone is only four months in length, this option is highly discouraged. Four months is not truly commensurate with primary research with human subjects for publication which traditionally requires a longer period of time for a successful study. Secondary research consists of analysis of documents, sources, and information derived from primary sources. It typically includes reports, case studies, and organizational documents, books, professional journal articles, and trade publication materials. Tertiary research resources are compilations or outlines of information contained in secondary resources. Typically, they consist of newspaper articles, magazine articles, Web blogs, etc. A research study based primarily on tertiary sources is unacceptable. The capstone study process requires the student to consider two issues in reference to research sources. First, the student considers the validity of the material and secondly, the quality of its content. Quality is of primary importance. Acceptable sources include professional peer-reviewed articles and journals written by security and law enforcement professionals as well as scholarly articles written by educators involved in research in the aforementioned areas of expertise. The capstone study must add to the knowledge-base of the profession, enhance the critical thinking capacity of the student, and utilize objectivity as well as analytical thinking in solving a problem. and/or considering a particular construct. The materials used in writing the capstone study must reflect the aforementioned attributes. A key resource in acquiring materials and writing the capstone study are the materials and librarian/archivists of the APUS Online Library. Quality assurance and a determination of appropriateness must be determined by the student. If a question arises, the student should contact his or her faculty advisor for further guidance on the issue. In short, the student must be prepared to defend the validity of all resource materials used in the research study. The student defends the material from the viewpoints of objectivity, appropriateness to the capstone study topic, reliability, or that the material is substantially relevant to the research study topic in some other demonstrable manner. Acceptable research requires careful citation and documentation of sources. The style used for the capstone study is the American Psychological Association (APA) style as typified in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition. Excerpts are available in the APUS Online Library. Many additional aids are available online. I can recommend the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Writing and Style Guidance Review the information in the APA style manual referenced above as an initial step before beginning to write your capstone study draft. Formatting Your Capstone APUS/AMU requires a specific format for the capstone, which is discussed in the EOP Manual (2014) and in the following: Video: How to Write an MA Thesis for AMU & APU by Dr. Patricia Campbell, Dean of APUS Graduate Studies. Writing Thesis/Capstone Papers Thesis Layout/Format Writing the Abstract / Instructional Module The capstone study is a formal document and must follow traditional conventions accepted in formal writing including: • • • • • Do not use personal pronouns, such as I, us, you, etc. Use the third-person. Do not use contractions such as don’t, shouldn’t, didn’t, etc. Use abbreviations sparingly. Commonly-accepted abbreviations are Mr., Mrs., etc. You may also abbreviate discipline-specific titles such as “The Global War on Terror” (GWOT). The proper convention is to spell out the title completely on first use followed by the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. You may use the abbreviation alone and sans parentheses thereafter. Avoid clichés and colloquialisms, such as: crystal-clear, out-of-the-box, etc. Write in the active voice (see “Web Resources” in your classroom for a PowerPoint presentation on this topic). Common Writing Concerns Restrictive/Non-restrictive Non-restrictive modifiers require commas. Non-restrictive modifiers do not change the meaning of a sentence if they are omitted. The opposite holds true for a restrictive modifier. Restrictive: All the books that were stolen in the night were never accounted for. (Implies some books remained in-stock). Nonrestrictive: All of the books, stolen that night, were never accounted for. (Implies no books remained on-hand). For a more detailed discussion of grammar and punctuation, click on this link. (150 + pp) Spelling Errors and Proof-reading Remember that while Microsoft Word and most other major word-processing programs contain a spell-checking function and a function which identifies, and can correct, some grammatical errors, they do not identify all such errors. If a word is incorrect within a sentence but is spelled correctly, it will not be identified as a problem. For example, consider the words, “not and knot.” You must proofread your work manually as well as electronically in order to ensure a quality product. A free utility you may find useful for proofing is “ReadPlease.” This is a software program into which you upload a document. ReadPlease then reads it back to you as you listen. The free version of the software is available by clicking on this link. Tips for Developing a Research Idea and Writing the Thesis Paper 1) Transitioning from coursework to the master's capstone paper is a big jump, and some stress can be expected. The thesis paper is different than anything you have likely written before, the process of writing it is likely different as well, and it is okay if that makes you nervous or unsure. Stress like that is healthy, as it shows that the task is important. The trick is not to let healthy stress, turn into a "shutdown." 2) A master's student is unable to write the capstone paper the moment the course starts, but students who graduate are able to write the paper at the end of the course, because they just did. Everything in between is a process of not knowing how to write the paper, trying to write it but not quite getting things right, and then through effort on your part and through feedback from the course professor across a series of iterations, you learn what the paper is supposed to be, and how to write it. Knowing how the process works up front and not being surprised if your first effort or two does not quite hit the mark, should help alleviate unnecessary stress. There will be some necessary stress, but that is manageable by breaking the writing of the paper into smaller pieces, writing it a little at a time, submitting the components for review and comment from the professor several times. 3) The master's capstone thesis paper is a research paper that follows the scientific method of your academic discipline, and likely has some application to a part of the field of criminal justice that interests you. Is important to distinguish the reasons for why you want to do the research from the purpose of research, and it helps up front to think of the research process as having distinct parts. Here we will focus on four (1) Practitioner observation or practitioner problem. (2) Research problem and research design. (3) Results of your research. (4) Application of your results to practitioners. Most of us who are practitioners probably have ideas every now and then on how to fix something that seems broken, or perhaps we simply have ideas of better ways to do things. Thinking about those things during the academic journey is terrific. It likely plays a large role as to why you are getting your master's degree in the first place. The challenge, though, is to turn your idea into something that is research, rather than something that is simply a position or pinion paper, or something that is just a review of what others already know on the topic. Taking an idea and finding journal articles that discuss the topic is not research; rather that is a search. Research is taking your initial practitioner idea, finding out what scholars know about it (literature review), articulating what they do not know but want to know (research problem), and devising a study that will address one of the things researchers do not know but want to know (research question, research design, and analytic technique). Once you have done that, you conduct the study and report the results to a scholarly audience. After explaining what the results mean in a scholarly way (findings), you then take those results and show how they might apply to practitioners (practical application), bringing you right back to the place you originally started, wanting to have a better understanding of some criminal justice topic that interested you personally or professionally. 4) Students writing the master capstone thesis sometimes do not know how to turn the initial practitioner idea into a research idea that moves beyond a position paper or a literature review paper. One way to do that is to search for a few journal articles on your topic that relate broadly, reading them each, regardless if they relate to the specific aspect you are initially interested in. If you start with your interest precisely, and screen out all of the articles that do not address your topic specifically, you are essentially starting at the end of the process, beginning with the answer instead of the question. A reason that is not likely to be successful is because if there were an exact answer in the body of science of what you are precisely interested in, then there would be nothing to research. Your idea would successfully wrap itself up at the search stage, as you would be provided with the answer. Alternatively, finding nothing in the body of science about your topic in the precise way you envision it does not automatically mean that such is a research problem, rather the absence of literature may mean that researchers are not interested in that topic. Instead, you want to look for articles that are just a little bit more broad than your idea, and in that way you will read about the things in the body of science that are known about your topic in an umbrella way, and you will find out about the types of things that researchers do not yet know, but want to know. That is where you will turn your practitioner idea into a research problem that is suitable for a master's capstone thesis paper, and can be situated in a body of science. For, example, let's suppose that as a police officer I want to better understand police abuse of force, perhaps thinking that I know a couple of things through my experiences that would help officers in the future. The first step is to find out what scholars know about police abuse of force but I do not want to type police abuse of force into my literature search, not right away at any rate. Instead, I want to give some thought to some broader umbrella topics. The first broad topic of police abuse of force that comes to mind is police use of force. Police officers are allowed to use force, and they are allowed to win. Abuse of force only occurs when too much force is used when some is justified, or when some force is used when none is justified. Looking for journal articles on police use of force will likely provide me with a well-rounded understanding of that, and before I can research the narrow aspect of abuse of force, I have to properly identify for the reader all aspects of what is already known about the issue. Another broad topic that comes to mind is police misconduct. Police abuse of force can be an isolated occurrence, or it can be a systematic or systemic attribute of police misconduct. These are just a couple of broad topics. You can probably think of a few more on your own. By applying the strategy of looking for the broad articles first, you will be working from broad to narrow, starting a little bit above your interest and writing down to your idea. In that way, by not starting at the bottom, you both have someplace to go in your literature review, and you have a better opportunity of understanding what is known in the body of science about your topic, and what is not known, but desirous to be known. As far as specifically coming up with a way to research your interest, one place to look for ideas is at the end of the journal article, usually in recommendations or implications for future research section. A scholarly body of science is simply a collection of information on a substantive issue where understanding grows over time. Each time someone conducts a study and publishes their results, a little more is known about the topic. Each time something more is known, other questions arise, and the researchers often identify the new questions for you. For purposes of the course and the master's capstone thesis paper, the next step from there is to decided which questions interest you, and which ones are feasible to do within the parameters of your skill level, your time deadlines, and your resources. 5) You will likely notice that by now you have done a lot of thinking about your topic and a lot of searching for articles and a lot of reading articles, but there are still quite a few things about the process you are unlikely unsure about, and you may not even know where to start in writing the paper. The course assignments break things into small segments, and the first thing to do is write up your research proposal. You will actually write this twice. There is a list of things in the syllabus that need to be covered, and the End of Program Manual provides instruction and guidance. Beyond that, it might be helpful to think of what it is you are trying to accomplish in a research proposal, or the thesis paper itself. The master's thesis as a paper, presents the results of scholarly research to a scholarly audience, and it likely shows how the results might assist practitioners in some way. That is what that paper does. There are a lot of nuances to it, and there are some technical things you have to do to present those research results in an acceptable way, but the paper itself is simply showing scholarly readers what you learned through scholarly research on a substantive issue of shared interest. That is the purpose of the thesis paper. A purpose of the thesis proposal is to communicate your research idea in a way that allows your course professor to conclude that you have an idea that is likely to result in an acceptable thesis paper. Keeping that in mind as you write the various sections should be helpful, for if you know where the road goes, you have a better chance of getting there. 6) The last focus of attention in this quick tip sheet is on APA style, and in-text citation and references more generally. In scholarly writing, in-text citations are needed both to credit an author with an idea and when stating a refutable fact in order to provide evidence to the reader that such is true. Suppose you say something in your paper introduction like, "Society hates crime and devises laws in order to protect citizens." This type of sentence is what scholars call a refutable or testable statement. There is a truth to the statement that can be tested and determined. How do we know society hates crime, or how do we know why laws are written? In writing a sentence like that, you would need to cite either an author in the body of science who stated something like that (attribution citation), or you would have to cite some articles that provided findings that allow you to draw that conclusion (evidence citation). There can be no unsubstantiated statements of fact in a scholarly writing. Scholars readers do not generally "give the writer" refutable or testable statements as assumption. The writer must demonstrate the accuracy of such statements by showing who researched such in the literature and found such to be the case. The source of all sentence statements of fact must be clear. Students sometimes violate the substantiation of statements requirement in introductory paragraphs; in transition sentences; and prior to, in-between, or following in-text citations that are meant to cover the statement but for a variety of reasons that is unclear to the reader. Not every sentence needs a citation, but the source of every sentence needs to be accounted for and clear. The APA 6th Publication Manual may provide additional clarity on this issue. The APA publication manual also shows how to precisely write an in-text citation and it shows exactly how to write the reference. Getting APA style correct is mainly a matter of matching your references up against the relevant example in the APA Publication Manual. That is a book that is the official depiction of the style. It is available to master's students in an online version through the library. APA also has its own website dedicated to teaching APA style. In APA style, every punctuation, capitalization, or not, italics, or not, font color, font size, underlining, or not, and indentation matters. If your reference does not look exactly like the example given in the book, your reference is not correct. A meticulous process is required to check all that, but that is what you have to do as a researcher. You just go through each reference and check them one at a time. There are some quick visual aids, though, that can be used in your reference section. If you have two references in your paper that are the same type of reference yet they are not an exact match of one another, you know at least one of them is wrong. If you have blue font, underlining with hypertext or if your URLs or DOIs end with a period, you know that entry is wrong. If the title of your journal is written in Title case rather than Sentence case, then you know that entry is wrong. If you have entries that say the same things as one another but do not look the same, you know at least one of them is not correct. In sum, writing the capstone thesis paper is hard work that requires a lot of attention, but it is also a manageable task when having an idea of what is expected, and when approaching everything a little at a time. You can expect to make mistakes here and there, and that is okay. You can also expect when done to know more about a topic that interests you, and to have a piece of writing you will likely be proud to have accomplished. Table of Contents 16– Week Course Outline Week Week 1 Assignment Introduction Forum Assignment 1 – Draft Thesis Proposal Activities Consult with professor as needed Week 2 Assignment 2 – Research Design, Instrumentation and Data Analysis Week 3 Assignment 3 – Final Thesis Proposal Schedule conference call with course professor (Not mandatory, but highly recommended) Consult with professor as needed Week 4 Assignment 4 – Formal Third Person Style Assignment 5 – Avoiding Plagiarism Week 5 Week 6 Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with Comments For reference see the Capstone Manual Submit in assignments section one page See Capstone Manual Appendix Make corrections to the Draft Thesis Proposal for the Final Proposal See APUS Library Graduate Studies Center See APUS Library Graduate Studies Center Week 7 Assignment 6 – Literature Review Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Assignment 7 – Draft Outline of Thesis (5 – 7 pages) Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Assignment 8 – Abstract Submission Assignment 9 – Final Draft of Thesis Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Submit Final Thesis (Assignment 10) by last day of course; Complete Peregrine Testing professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Please review all of the material in the AMU library including videos on the elements and construction of a Literature Review Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Consult with professor as needed Review APUS Capstone/Thesis Manual to confirm all required elements of Thesis are included Review APUS Capstone/Thesis Manual to confirm all required elements of Thesis are included Table of Contents Policies Please see the Student Handbook to reference all University policies. Quick links to frequently asked question about policies are listed below. Drop/Withdrawal Policy Plagiarism Policy Extension Process and Policy Disability Accommodations Writing Expectations All written submissions should be submitted in a font and page set-up that is readable and neat. It is recommended that students try to adhere to a consistent format, which is described below. • Typewritten in double-spaced format with a readable style and font and submitted inside the electronic classroom (unless classroom access is not possible and other arrangements have been approved by the professor). • Times New Roman 12-point font. • Page margins Top, Bottom, Left Side and Right Side = 1 inch, with reasonable accommodation being made for special situations and online submission variances. Citation and Reference Style Attention Please: Students will follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) as the sole citation and reference style used in written work submitted as part of coursework to the University. Assignments completed in a narrative essay or composition format must follow the citation style cited in the aforementioned. American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Late Assignments Students are expected to submit classroom assignments by the posted due date and to complete the course according to the published class schedule. As adults, students, and working professionals, I understand you must manage competing demands on your time. Should you need additional time to complete an assignment, please contact me before the due date so we can discuss the situation and determine an acceptable resolution. Routine submission of late assignments is unacceptable and may result in points deducted from your final course grade. Deductions: Late forum posts can be penalized up to 5 points per day Late assignments can be penalized up to 5 points per day Netiquette Online universities promote the advancement of knowledge through positive and constructive debate – both inside and outside the classroom. Forums on the Internet, however, can occasionally degenerate into needless insults and “flaming.” Such activity and the loss of good manners are not acceptable in a university setting – basic academic rules of good behavior and proper “Netiquette” must persist. Remember that you are in a place for the rewards and excitement of learning which does not include descent to personal attacks or student attempts to stifle the Forum of others. • Technology Limitations: While you should feel free to explore the full-range of creative composition in your formal papers, keep e-mail layouts simple. The Sakai classroom may • not fully support MIME or HTML encoded messages, which means that bold face, italics, underlining, and a variety of color-coding or other visual effects will not translate in your e-mail messages. Humor Note: Despite the best of intentions, jokes and especially satire can easily get lost or taken seriously. If you feel the need for humor, you may wish to add “emoticons” to help alert your readers: ;-), : ), ☺ Disclaimer Statement Course content may vary from the outline to meet the needs of this particular group. Table of Contents Online Library The Online Library is available to enrolled students and faculty from inside the electronic campus. This is your starting point for access to online books, subscription periodicals, and Web resources that are designed to support your classes and generally not available through search engines on the open Web. In addition, the Online Library provides access to special learning resources, which the University has contracted to assist with your studies. Questions can be directed to librarian@apus.edu. • • • • Charles Town Library and Inter Library Loan: The University maintains a special library with a limited number of supporting volumes, collection of our professors’ publication, and services to search and borrow research books and articles from other libraries. Electronic Books: You can use the online library to uncover and download over 50,000 titles, which have been scanned and made available in electronic format. Electronic Journals: The University provides access to over 12,000 journals, which are available in electronic form and only through limited subscription services. Tutor.com: AMU and APU Civilian & Coast Guard students are eligible for 10 free hours of tutoring provided by APUS. Tutor.com connects you with a professional tutor online 24/7 to provide help with assignments, studying, test prep, resume writing, and more. Tutor.com is tutoring the way it was meant to be. You get expert tutoring whenever you need help, and you work one-to-one with your tutor in your online classroom on your specific problem until it is done. Request a Library Guide for your course The AMU/APU Library Guides provide access to collections of trusted sites on the Open Web and licensed resources on the Deep Web. The following are specially tailored for academic research at APUS: • • Program Portals contain topical and methodological resources to help launch general research in the degree program. To locate, search by department name, or navigate by school. Course Lib-Guides narrow the focus to relevant resources for the corresponding course. To locate, search by class code (e.g., SOCI111), or class name. If a guide you need is not available yet, please email the APUS Library: librarian@apus.edu. Table of Contents Turnitin.com Turnitin.com is a web-based plagiarism prevention application licensed, for campus use, through the APUS Online Library. Your assignments will be automatically submitted for review and requires no action on your part. The quick submit option lets faculty upload and check suspicious papers, without requiring student to create their own Turnitin.com profiles. Turnitin.com analyzes electronic submissions of student writing, compares them to the contents of a huge online database, and generates a customized Originality Report. The database used to produce this analysis contains a massive collection of documents available on the Internet from both free and commercial sources, as well as the full texts of all other papers that have been previously submitted to Turnitin.com. Similarity index is based on the amount of matching text to a submitted paper: Blue = Green = Yellow = Orange = Red = No matching text One word to 24% matching 25 -49% matching text 50-74% matching text 75-100% matching text Selected Bibliography and Tips Web Based Supplemental Resources ASIS International International CPTED Association American Board for Certification in Homeland Security (ABCHS) Loss Prevention Magazine Understanding Security Complexity in 21st Century IT Environments Security Focus Corporate Security Resources End of Program Assessment Manual Center for Graduate Studies Home Graduate End of Program Assessment Option Explained The Institutional Review Board (IRB) Responsible Conduct of Research (ROR) Writing, Research, and the Library Table of Contents Running Head: HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME How the Legalization of Marijuana Impacts Drug Crimes in the State of Colorado Research Proposal Sahra Hooks American Military University CMRJ699 Master’s Capstone Seminar in Criminal Justice Dr. Stephen Verrill May 20, 2017 1 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Background information In the fall of November 2012, in the state of Colorado and Washington, voters approved ballot initiative that permitted and legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes (Dills, Goffard & Miron, 2016). Two years later, other states including Oregon and Alaska approved the bill that legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Currently there are over 11 states that have considered similar measure through legislative action or ballot initiatives that have legalized the use of marijuana for recreation purposes (Dills, Goffard & Miron, 2016). Numerous claims have been raised by both the opponents of the legalization initiatives and those in the support of state level marijuana legalization. Those in support of the state level marijuana legalization initiatives argue that the legalization of marijuana reduces criminal activities, improves public safety, boost the economy and above all minimizes criminal justice expenditure (Dills, Goffard & Miron, 2016). The critics of this initiative on the other hand argue that such initiatives generally harm public health, spur the use of other drugs, fuels crime and above all lowers the urge for education and educational achievement among teenagers (Dills, Goffard & Miron, 2016). Purpose of the research This research proposal therefore seeks to determine whether legalization and decriminalization of the use of marijuana for recreational purposes influenced drug crimes with specific attention to the state of Colorado. The research will focus on comprehensive review of literatures on ascertaining the evidence the initiative of legalization of marijuana has influenced drug crimes within state of Colorado. 2 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Problem statement Drug and substance abuse has been one of the major public health problems around the world. It has affected many people and has resulted to the loss of lives of millions of people in many parts of the world. People acting under the influence of drugs have no sense or ability to reason morally or think critically. Many road accidents occur as result of drivers driving under the influence of drugs. The use of marijuana affects the brain especially parts of the brain responsible for memory, coordination, decision making, learning and attention. Drugs have affected many societies around the world by ruining the lives of young people rendering such societies vulnerable. In this case, it becomes imperative to ask whether it is justified for the state to legalize the use of marijuana despite its overarching effects on the society. Drugs also influence criminal activities and this creates a society where there is no rule of law (Dragone et al., 2017). In summary, there is a need for better understanding of whether the legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado has influenced drug crimes. More specifically, the following research questions needs to be addressed: Research Questions For the purpose of this study, this research proposal focuses on answering the following questions: 1. Has the legalization of marijuana in the state of Colorado influenced drug crimes? 2. Has the number of drug related crime cases increased or decreased since the state legalized the use of marijuana? 3. Has the legalization of marijuana influenced the use of other related drugs? Literature review 3 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Several scholars have published their opinion regarding the controversial issue of legalization of marijuana in some states. Although the move by some states such as Colorado and Washington to legalize and decriminalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes has been welcome by some scholars, some are to the opinion that such moves are in contrary to the societal expectations. Dills, Goffard & Miron (2016) argue that the legalization of marijuana has had very minimal impact on the use of marijuana and its related outcomes. In their study, “Dose of reality: the effect of state marijuana legalization” Dill, Goffard & Miron (2016) examines the impact decriminalization of the use of marijuana in the states of Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon. They argue that although the opponents and supporters of the state legislation regarding legalization of marijuana have different opinions regarding such initiatives, there is little evidence to prove any claim by either of the opponents. Dragone et al., (2017) examines the existing evidence on the legalization of marijuana market across many states in the United States and its corresponding impact on crime. In their analysis, Dragone et al., (2017) argues that there has been a considerable drop in crime as a result of the legalization of marijuana. In their study in the states of Washington and Oregon, they found that legalization of recreational marijuana resulted into a significant reduction in crimes such as robbery with violence and rape. They also found that the legalization of the use marijuana reduced the consumption of other drugs across the two states. Rogers & Moss (2016) on the other hand, argues that legalization of marijuana has had beneficial impacts on the states of Colorado. In their argument, they cite that according to the Colorado Bureau of investigation, the state of Colorado has experienced a significant decrease in 4 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME the number of reported crimes since the state legalized the recreational use of marijuana. From their findings, Colorado experienced about 3.1 percent drop in property related crimes. On the same note, their study indicates that the two years after the state legalized the use of marijuana, there has been a 12. 8% decrease in homicide. Research Methodology The primary research method that will be used for this study is literature review in which previous studies done on the same will be reviewed. Several literatures exist with reliable data regarding whether the legalization of the use of marijuana has influenced drug crimes and other related crimes in the state of Colorado. In this case, these studies will be reviewed so as to ascertain whether the state initiative to legalize and decriminalize the use of marijuana has basically resulted into drug crimes as well as other related crimes. Data Collection The data the research study aim to collect is predominantly quantitative data specifically looking to identify the relationship between the legalization of marijuana and perceived decrease or increase in drug crime. The data will also enable us identify how decriminalization of the use of marijuana corresponds to the changes in legality and retrograde pardons for drug crimes that have seized be considered as crime from the fact that they have been decriminalized (Creswell, 2003). Data Analysis 5 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME The data analysis in this study will follow a sequential paradigm since the quantitative data is the dominant data in the study. Once the quantitative data has been collected through case studies, the preexisting quantitative data from Colorado Bureau of investigation will be triangulated in the analysis. Quantitative comparative analysis will then be used to analyze the data. This is aimed at increasing the understanding of any noted trends or phenomena within the study. Moreover, the analysis will enable the research study come up with evidence to either support or contradict the stated hypothesis. 6 7 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Reference Creswell, J. W. (2003). A framework for design. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (pp. 3-26). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Dills, A., Goffard, S., & Miron, J. (2016). Dose of Reality: The Effect of State Marijuana Legalizations. Dragone, D., Prarolo, G., Vanin, P., & Zanella, G. (2017). Crime and the legalization of recreational marijuana. Moss, R. (2017). Two Years Later: Has the Legalization of Marijuana Affected Crime in Colorado?. Rogersandmoss.com. Retrieved 7 May 2017, from http://www.rogersandmoss.com/blog/14-criminal-law-articles/56-two-years-later-has-thelegalization-of-marijuana-affected-crime-in-colorado 8 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Criteria Excellent Above Average Below Average Fail Average 78 CONTENT (40%) Relevance of Study Topic RESEARCH (25%) Quality of Literature The work illustrates exemplary understanding of the relevant material by thoroughly and correctly addressing the relevant content; identifying and explaining all of the key concepts/ideas; using correct terminology explaining the reasoning behind key points/claims and substantiating, as necessary/usef ul, points with several accurate and illuminating examples. No aspects are missing. Student utilized credible scholarly The work illustrates solid understanding of the relevant material by correctly addressing most of the relevant content; identifying and explaining most of the key concepts/ideas; using correct terminology; explaining the reasoning behind most of the key points/claims; and/or where necessary or useful, substantiating some points with accurate examples. The work is complete. Credible scholarly sources are The work illustrates a rudimentary understanding of the relevant material by mentioning but not full explaining the relevant content; identifying some of the key concepts/ideas though failing to fully or accurately explain many of them; using terminology, though sometimes inaccurately or inappropriately; and/or incorporating some key claims/points but failing to explain the reasoning behind them or doing so inaccurately. Elements of the work may also be lacking. The work illustrates poor understanding of the relevant material by failing to address or incorrectly addressing the relevant content; failing to identify or inaccurately explaining/defin ing key concepts/ideas; ignoring or incorrectly explaining key points/claims and the reasoning behind them; and/or incorrectly or inappropriately using terminology; and elements of the work are lacking. References to scholarly sources are Sources are seldom cited to support Student failed to submit the work. 26 Student failed to include citations and/or 9 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME Review Quality of Research Design Methodology/Proce dure sources. They are used to give compelling evidence to support claims and are clearly and fairly represented. APA 6th Edition format is used accurately and consistently. The student uses above the maximum required references in the development of the assignment. used effectively support claims and are, for the most part, clear and fairly represented. APA 6th Edition is used with only a few minor errors. There are minor errors in reference and/or citations. And/or there is some use of questionable sources. 22 COMPOSITION (10%) Clarity of Work Writing Abilities (Style/Composition) The work is clear, concise, presents no vagueness and is efficient in representing expression as a result of appropriate and precise use of terminology; total coherence of thoughts and presentation and logical organization; and the essay is composition error free. The work is mostly clear as a result of appropriate use of terminology and minimal vagueness; no tangents and no repetition; fairly good organization; almost perfect grammar, spelling, punctuation, and word usage. occasionally given; many statements seem unsubstantiated . Frequent errors in APA 6th Edition format, leaving the reader confused about the source of the information. There are significant errors of the formation in the references and citations. And/or there is a significant use of highly questionable sources. statements and/or format of citations are not recognizable as APA 6th Edition format. There are major errors in the formation of the references and citations. And/or there is a major reliance on highly questionable. The Student fails to provide an adequate synthesis of research collected for the work. references or the student failed to submit a final paper. The work is often unclear and difficult to follow due to some inappropriate terminology and/or vague language; ideas may be fragmented, wandering and/or repetitive; poor organization; and/or some grammatical, punctuation, spelling errors. The work does not communicate ideas/points clearly due to inappropriate use of terminology and vague language; thoughts and sentences are disjointed or incomprehensib le; organization lacking; and/or numerous grammatical, spelling/punctu Student failed to submit work. 10 HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME 8 OUTCOME/RESULTS (25%) Relevance of Results Student provides highcaliber work.. This includes an APA 6th edition cover page, abstract, page number, headers and is double spaced in 12’ Times Roman Font. Additionally, the work exceeds the expected length of the paper. The work presents an above-average use of formatting skills. The work has slight errors. This can include small errors or omissions with the cover page, abstract, page number, and headers. There could be also slight formatting issues with the document spacing or the font Additionally, the work meets the expected length of the paper. 22 ation errors. Appearance of work demonstrates the student’s limited ability to format the paper. There are significant errors in formatting and/or the total omission of major components of an APA 6th edition work. The can include the omission of the cover page, abstract, and page numbers. Additionally, the work has major formatting issues with spacing or paragraph formation. Font size might not conform with size requirements. Additionally the work fails to meet the expected length of the paper. Student needs to develop better formatting skills. The work omits significant structural elements required for an APA 6th edition work. Formatting of the paper has major flaws. The work does not conform to APA 6th edition requirements whatsoever. Student failed to submit work. HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIME 11
Purchase answer to see full attachment
User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Explanation & Answer

Here you go pal, kindly let me know if you have further questions or need any edits. Thank you.

Running Head: HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIMES

How the Legalization of Marijuana Impacts Drug Crimes in the State of Colorado

Research Proposal
Sahra Hooks
American Military University
CMRJ699 Master’s Capstone Seminar in Criminal Justice
Dr. Stephen Verrill
May 20, 2017

1

Running Head: HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIMES

2

Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Background information ............................................................................................................................... 3
Purpose of the research ............................................................................................................................. 4
Problem statement......................................................................................................................................... 4
Research Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Literature review ........................................................................................................................................... 5
Research Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 7
Data Collection ............................................................................................................................................. 8
Data Analysis ................................................................................................................................................ 8
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

Running Head: HOW THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IMPACTS DRUG CRIMES

3

Introduction
In recent years, there has been a hotly contested public debate on the impacts of the
legalization of marijuana in the US and abroad. Morris et al. argue that legalization of marijuana
poses not only a significant threat to public health and safety but also drug crimes. He asserts that
legalization of marijuana poses a major risk to the public as a result of increased exposure to violent
crime as well as the property crime (Morris et al., 2014). This research proposal seeks to assess
whether legalization and decriminalization of the use of marijuana for recreational purposes
influenced drug crimes with a specific attention to the state of Colorado. Furthermore, this research
proposal seeks to assess whether the number of drug-related crime cases increased or decreased
since the state legalized the use of marijuana and whether this has influenced the use of other drugs.
Background information
In the fall of November 2012, in the state of Colorado and Washington, voters approved a
ballot initiative that permitted and legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes (Dills,
Goffard & Miron, 2016). Two years later, other states including Oregon and Alaska approved the
bill that legalized the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. Currently, there are over 11 states
that have considered similar measure through legislative action or ballot initiatives that have
legalized the use of marijuana for recreation purposes (Dills, Goffard & Miron, 2016). Numerous
claims have been raised by both the opponents of the legalization initiatives and those in support
of state-level marijuana legalization. Those in support of the state-level marijuana legalization
initiatives argue that the legalization of marijuana reduces criminal activities, improves public
safety, boost the economy and above all minimizes criminal justice expenditure (Dills, Goffard &
Miron, 2016). The critics of this initiative, on the other hand, argue that such initiatives harm public
health, spur the use of other drugs, fuels crime and above all lowers the urge for education and
educational achievement among teenagers (Dills, ...


Anonymous
Great! 10/10 would recommend using Studypool to help you study.

Studypool
4.7
Trustpilot
4.5
Sitejabber
4.4

Similar Content

Related Tags