The Project will be completed on a topic of interest to the student, and should include a topic that embodies the knowledge acquired from the various course areas presented within the Degree Program. The Project should synthesize information gained from these courses, while addressing a particular area of interest.

CONTENTS OF THE PROJECT

I.     TITLE PAGE

As per APA requirements, the title page must contain the author's name and institutional affiliation. It should also contain a running head. (See the APA manual for specific requirements).

II.   ABSTRACT

As per APA requirements, abstracts must not exceed 120 words in length. Review the APA manual for the critical components of an abstract.

III.   INTRODUCTION

Introductory Paragraph-This section will attempt to grab the reader's attention. Let the reader know what your topic is and why it is important to society, as well as the field of criminal justice. The introduction should acquaint the reader with the scope of the project.

Background-Give the reader sufficient background information to understand your project. This information, however, should not be a literature review.

Purpose-Specify your research question(s). This is the general question(s) that you seek to answer by conducting the project. Make sure the reader understands what the purpose of your project is. Make sure you have adequately set up your purpose with the information you presented in the introduction section.

IV.   REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Review of the Literature-This includes a discussion about the research that has been done in the past, what is missing from the literature, and what you intend to do that will add to the literature and the body of knowledge.

V.     METHODS (AKA CONCEPTUALIZATION & OPERATIONALIZATION OF KEY CONSTRUCTS)

In this section you will need to identify the various key concepts or variables you measured in your project. This means that you need to identify all of the variables in your project, not just one. Not only are you required to identify them, but also you are also responsible for describing how you defined and measured these concepts.

If you are conducting secondary analysis, you are expected to fully discuss the process by which you identified and analyzed the literature. What materials did you review? For what were you looking? How did you measure those concepts you sought to review in the literature?

Problem Statement-Specify the problem you addressed. What is the problem with the current literature regarding your proposed topic? What is it that your project addressed that will be beneficial to the reader?

VI.   SYNTHESIS

First, you are to tell the reader what you found. Summarize the data you found. Be sure to cover all the bases. What did you find that supported your argument? What did you find that refuted your argument? Present all sides. Next, you should evaluate your findings within the context of the current literature. Discuss the impact of your findings. Based on the literature you reviewed, as well as the knowledge gained throughout your coursework in the program, what do your findings show? This section is where you will demonstrate the knowledge you gained throughout the coursework for this program.

VII. CONCLUSION

Importance-Reiterate (briefly) why what you found is important.

Recommendations- Based on your findings, what are your recommendations regarding your topic? These are usually practical recommendations for utilizing your findings. What new insights into the problem have been gained?

The conclusion section is generally the shortest section. This section is really just a recapitulation of the findings and discussion. You should tell the reader briefly why your findings were important and provide practically recommendations for utilization of your findings.

VIII. REFERENCES

See chapter 4 of the APA manual for detailed information regarding the references.

IX.   APPENDICES

The appendices usually contain information that is very detailed. This information would not be included in the text (just merely referred to), because of its ability to distract the reader. See the APA manual for a detailed description of the information to be contained within the appendices.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

The paper must adhere to the formats set forth in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition. It is essential that you proofread and check for grammatical and/or spelling errors before you turn in your project.

Use subheadings when appropriate. The APA manual sets forth certain levels of subheadings to be used. Please refer to your manual for this information.