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HOW TO USE THIS TEMPLATE:

This template is pre-formatted to conform to basic research requirements.

Templates represent the standards of the research and academic communities for research

writing. The template serves as a valuable guide to the logical flow of the document,

ensuring alignment among the problem, purpose, and methodological design and

analysis, allowing the reason for, and the nature of, the study to be fully clarified.

Adherence to the milestone templates in terms of content, organization, and format will

greatly facilitate the development of acceptable milestone documents throughout the

dissertation process.

Enter text directly into the template. Eliminate template instructions and example

text. Do not change the format, section headings, margins, page numbering or font.

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Criminal Justice Research Paper

by

LM

Indian River State College

December 2022

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction ………………………………………………………………… 1

Statement of the Problem ………………………………………………………………………… 4 Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………………………………….. 5 Research Questions ……………………………………………………………………………….. 5 Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 6

Chapter 2: Literature Review ………………………………………………………………………… 6

Theme/Subtopic [repeat as needed]……………………………………………………………. 6 Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 7

Chapter 3: Research Method ………………………………………………………………………… 8

Research Methods and Design(s) ………………………………………………………………. 8 Population …………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Sample ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Materials/Instruments …………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis …………………………………………………… 9 Ethical Assurances ………………………………………………………………………………… 9

Chapter 4: Findings ………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Results …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Evaluation of Findings …………………………………………………………………………. 10

Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions ……………………………… 10

Implications ………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Recommendations ………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Conclusions ………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

References……………………………………………………………………………………………… 12

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Chapter 1: Introduction

The introduction in a research paper is profoundly important because it answers

three simple, yet very important, questions: What is this? Why am I reading it? Finally,

what do you want me to think about, consider doing, or react to? An introduction must

state the intent of the research study, outline the key characteristics of the research study,

describe important results found from the research study, and give a brief overview of the

structure of the study. The introduction is the first section of a research paper, so it is

very important that it hooks the reader into wanting to continue to read, as well as, match

the overall structure of the research itself.

Statement of the Problem

A problem statement in a research study/paper outlines the problem addressed in a

research study/paper. It answers the questions of “what is the main problem that this

research/study will address?” A good problem statement is pivotal for a research paper to

be successful because it distinctly identifies the purpose of the research that is being

conducted. According to Insights, a good research statement of the problem should have

the following characteristics: “it should address a gap in knowledge, it should be

significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research, it should lead to further

research, the problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data, it

should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources, and the

approach towards solving the problem should be ethical.” A statement of the problem

should never include possible causes of the problem or possible solutions to the problem.

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Theoretical Framework

According to the Sacred Heart University, theoretical framework is defined as

“the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical

framework introduces and describes the theory which explains why the research problem

under study exists.” The theoretical framework is the understanding of a combination of

concepts and existing theories that are relevant to the research topic of a research paper or

study. An example of a research study would be a law firm does not believe that their

existing clients are referring their family and friends to their law firm. The law firm is

very fast-growing and wants to increase customer loyalty and satisfaction which will

hopefully make the clients refer more business to the law firm. The theory used as a

basis for this study is that increasing/improving customer satisfaction will help increase

the number of client referrals.

Research Questions

Research questions are used to bring up specific issues and focus on outcomes of

the research for people to learn. Research questions are very important as they help break

up the research study into easy steps and complete the objectives and answer the

questions. There are different types of research questions, such as qualitative research

questions, which include exploratory, predictive, and interpretive questions, and

quantitative research questions, which include descriptive, comparative, and relationship-

based questions.

The Milgram Experiment is an example of a research study.

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Q1. Where should a person draw the line between following orders from

authority and doing something unethical?

Q2. Why do people choose to lose all morals and principles just to obey to

authority?

Q3. Does Milgram’s study justify people’s unethical actions?

Summary

[Text…Briefly restate the key points, study purpose and proposed research plan.]

Chapter 2: Literature Review

The literature review will contain several sub-headings that will be specific to a research

study. Describe the type of sources used in a research study and the normal accepted age

of the references. Pick any research topic and review two pieces of literature that would

support that topic.

There are a myriad of sources used in a research study, such as scholarly publications,

government documents, theses and dissertations, and academic books. According to

WordVice, the rule of thumb is to go back at most five to six years when using

references.

Theme/Subtopic [repeat as needed]

Replace “Theme/Subtopic: with an appropriate heading that describes the discussion to

follow.

[Present the theoretical or conceptual framework(s) related to the study. Present

historical research as well as research related to the topic of study. Include appropriate

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scholarly source citations for each assertion. Ensure the discussion has depth and

presents a critical analysis and synthesis of the literature that provides a context for the

dissertation study. Discuss conflicting findings and/or theoretical positions causing

intellectual tension in the field. Ensure the discussion is comprehensive, organized, and

flows logically.]

Summary

[Summarize key points presented in Chapter 2 and include supporting citations

for key points. Highlight contradictions and uncertainties that support the need for the

proposed study.]

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Chapter 3: Research Method

Research Methods and Design(s)

(Choose one for your research) Qualitative research can be described as the study or research that involves

collecting and analyzing non-numerical data, such as video, text, or audio, to understand

opinions, experiences, or concepts. This research method is usually used in research

involving humanities and social sciences, such as education and history.

Quantitative research can be described as the study or research that involves

collecting and analyzing numerical data. This method is usually used in research

involving biology and economics.

Mixed Method research combines both qualitative and quantitative research as a

method to answer the research question. It can help gain a more complete knowledge

since it combines the benefits of both quantitative and qualitative research. This method

is usually used in research involving behavioral and health sciences.

Population

A population in a research study is defined as a well-defined collection of objects

or individuals that have very similar characteristics or traits.

In a specific study about immigration in the United States of America, a

population sample could be people traveling from central American to the southern

border of the United States of America. The population would have similar

characteristics or traits as they would all be Hispanic.

Sample

Random sampling, systematic sampling, and stratified sampling are three

different sampling methods that are derived from an identified population. Random

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sampling works by selecting individuals from a population entirely by chance and at

random, so that each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected. In

most cases individuals are given a random number which is then used to select

completely random individuals.

Systematic sampling works by selecting individuals from a population at regular

intervals. The intervals would be chosen to make sure that an adequate sampling size

exists. Stratified sampling works by dividing the population into subgroups in which

people share similar traits or characteristics.

Materials/Instruments

A research instrument is a tool used to collect and analyze data which pertains to

the research study. In person surveys are data collection instruments. In person surveys

are questions asked to each participant to measure procedures.

Data Collection, Processing, and Analysis

A data collection method can be a questionnaire or survey which collects answers

about the study and an analysis method can be data preparation which cleans and

organizes the data acquired for analysis.

Ethical Assurances

Ethics are essential to research studies because they govern the standards of

conduct for the researchers and the participants. According to the FDA, the function of

an Institutional Review Board is to “review and monitor biomedical research involving

human subjects. In accordance with FDA regulations, an IRB has the authority to

approve, require modifications in (to secure approval), or disapprove research. This group

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review serves an important role in the protection of the rights and welfare of human

research subjects.”

Chapter 4: Findings

Results

Results should be written in past tense and reported in a findings section. The section

should state the findings of the study, without any bias, and should be arranged in a

logical sequence.

Evaluation of Findings

The evaluation of findings is a summary of how the findings were formulated,

utilized, and stored.

Chapter 5: Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusions

Implications

The information that should be included in the implications section is the

discussion of what your study’s findings mean to the specific research filed and to fellow

researchers.

Recommendations

Recommendations in research can be suggestions or proposals for something to

be done as a result of your study’s findings. Recommendations can include policy

suggestions and directions for further research.

Conclusions

Any essay or paper ever written, especially a research paper must have a

conclusion. A conclusion is typically the last paragraph on a paper that is intended to

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help/guide the reader to understand the whole purpose of your research paper and why

the research is important and should matter to the reader.

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References

About Wordvice KH Wordvice provides high-quality English proofreading and editing services.We have helped thousands of researchers. (2022, November 2). How many references should I include in a research paper? Wordvice. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://blog.wordvice.com/how-many-references-to-include-in-a- research- paper/#:~:text=Be%20careful%20about%20citing%20old,less%20than%20five%2 0years%20old.

Bhandari, P. (2022, November 24). What is qualitative research?: Methods & examples. Scribbr. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research/

Bwisa, H. (2022, July 14). The basics of writing a statement of the problem for your research proposal. Editage Insights. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.editage.com/insights/the-basics-of-writing-a-statement-of-the- problem-for-your-research-proposal

Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. (n.d.). (irbs) and protection of human subjects.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research- cder/institutional-review-boards-irbs-and-protection-human-subjects-clinical- trials#:~:text=Under%20FDA%20regulations%2C%20an%20Institutional,approval )%2C%20or%20disapprove%20research.

Methods of sampling from a population. Methods of sampling from a population | Health Knowledge. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.healthknowledge.org.uk/public-health-textbook/research-methods/1a- epidemiology/methods-of-sampling-population

Organizing academic research papers: 4. the introduction. Research Guides. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185916#:~:text=Stating%20the %20intent%20of%20your,the%20structure%20of%20the%20paper.

Sunil. (2022, November 18). How to develop a good research question? – types & examples. Enago Academy. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from

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https://www.enago.com/academy/how-to-develop-good-research-question-types- examples/#:~:text=Research%20questions%20state%20the%20specific,and%20ans wer%20the%20initial%20question.

Vinz, S. (2022, November 11). Theoretical framework example for a thesis or

dissertation. Scribbr. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/theoretical-framework-example/

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