PSF 4551: Research Paper Description

The purpose of the research paper is for you to further engage with the material presented in the course

and explore a contemporary issue pertaining to victimology and/or victim advocacy that you find

interesting or would like to learn more about. More specifically, for this paper, you will write about a topic

of your choosing from one of these broad topic areas.

Option #1: Choose any victim advocacy organization/group (e.g., National Organization for Victim

Assistance (NOVA); Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), etc.) that interests you. If you

choose this option, your paper should, at a minimum, address the following:

 Summarize the history of the organization and reason(s) for its founding

 Discuss the organization’s mission and/or primary activities

 Outline the services it provides for victims

 Discuss its advocacy/legislative activities at the local and national levels

 Note any challenges it faces (e.g., inadequate funding, poor public perception, etc.)

 Has there been outcome data to show the effectiveness of the organization’s activities?

Option #2: Research a piece of either state/local or federal/national legislation (e.g., Justice for All Act of

2004, Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000) that has been enacted this century (i.e.,

since 2000). The following website is a useful resource related to federal

legislation: https://www.victimsofcrime.org/docs/ncvrw2013/2013ncvrw_5_landmarks.pdf?sfvrsn=0. If you

choose this option, your paper should, at a minimum, address the following:

 Clarify the reason(s) for the legislation’s passage (i.e., what brought about the need)

 Outline the primary objectives and basic components of the legislation

 Were there any problems passing the law or enacting it?

 Has there been any outcome data on the law? Has it been seen as a success or a failure?

Option #3: Choose a type of crime (e.g., identity theft, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, etc.) for

which you are interested in further exploring the issues faced by victims of that crime. If you choose this

option, your paper should, at a minimum, address the following:

 Identify the crime you selected and provide a definition of the crime

 Include prevalence rates of the crime, including identifying who is most likely to be a victim and

whether it is thought to be an underreported crime

 Discuss the various acute (i.e., right after the crime happens) and long-term issues associated

with being a victim of the crime

 Are there any organizations and/or other resources available to victims?

Research Paper Topic Selection

IMPORTANT: All topics need to be approved by the instructor before you begin the paper. In order to

have your topic approved, you must email your instructor with the specific topic you will write about. This

is due on the Wednesday of Week 3 by 11:59 p.m. Failure to have your topic approved will result in a 10

percent deduction from your final paper grade.

Research Paper Requirements

 The paper should include the following components: 1) a title page; 2) an abstract; 3) the body of

the paper (including an introduction with a clear thesis statement at the beginning and a

conclusion at the end); and 4) a reference page. The body of the paper should be five to seven

pages in length. The five to seven pages does not include the title page, abstract, or references

 The paper should include a minimum of six primary sources as supporting evidence. These

should preferably be from peer-reviewed sources (journals and published books). The use of

general websites (e.g., Wikipedia and about.com) is not acceptable. You also should not

cite class lectures in your paper. If you have any questions regarding what is/is not an

acceptable source, email your instructor

 The paper should be an original work. It is not acceptable to turn in a modified version of a paper

that you may have previously written for another class

 The paper should be written in the objective third person (i.e., no “I,” “you,” “we,” “my,” “our,” etc.)

and should be proofread thoroughly for any typographical, grammatical, and general writing

errors prior to being submitted. Moreover, direct quotes should be used very sparingly, and

preferably not at all. Paraphrase instead, per APA style

 The paper should be double-spaced and written in 12-point Times New Roman font

 Correct APA formatting is required for all citations and references. Consult the guidelines set forth

in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition for assistance

with correct APA formatting

 Papers are due by the end of Week 6 (Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET) and should be submitted to the

course digital drop box, which is now integrated with Turnitin.com. When you upload your paper,

please save the file as Last name, First_research paper

 Every day that the paper is late (starting with five minutes after the 11:59 p.m. deadline), one

letter grade will be deducted. No late papers will be accepted after three days past the due date

The research paper is worth 180 points and will be graded on the following criteria:

1. Title page: 5 points

o Separate page (page 1) that includes the paper title, student’s name, and course number

2. Abstract: 10 points

o Separate page (page 2) that briefly summarizes the topic and main findings of the paper

in 200 words or less

3. Body: 85 points

o Five to seven pages long

o An introduction with a clear thesis statement outlining what the paper will discuss

o Include material that is focused/related to the topic with good organization, integration of

references, and transitions linking subtopics to the main topic

o A conclusion that reviews key points of the paper as related to the thesis statement

4. References: 25 points

o A minimum of six primary sources are included and integrated throughout the paper

o A reference page should be included on a separate page following the body of the paper

5. Writing mechanics: 30 points

o No grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Writing flows well and is easy to read

6. APA formatting: 25 points

o All references and citations are formatted correctly, per APA style

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