Introduction (15 points)
The introduction should, obviously, introduce the topic to the reader. A good way to approach the introduction is to address the following points. You may choose the order, but I’ve found the order below can be easy enough to follow and provides some initial cohesion to the research paper:
Provide a cogent example of the issue such as a news story or personal anecdote.
Describe how this reflects the larger social issue explored.
Describe the extent of the social issue (how much, where, who, etc…), and why it matters.
Describe and/or explain the general consensus about why this issue is occurring (the theories used to explain it)
Briefly summarize what the reader will learn in the literature review in the next section of the paper.
Literature Review (25 points)
A literature review is essentially a summary of the empirical literature about a given topic. Generally, a literature review will draw from many different empirical articles (in this case, you will need to find at least 5). For this section, you should expect to write between 3-5 pages.
What does the current empirical literature say about the problem (review and summarize at least 5 empirical articles about the topic)?
Once you have identified the key theoretical explanations for the issue, examine the literature related to the theory and the topic. It may be useful to review the bibliography for the chapter and snowball from there to find empirical articles and evidence.
Responses to the Problem (25 points)
In this section, I want you to explore solutions to the problem. Your book will provide a general overview of potential solutions, but I want you to also examine the efficacy of these solutions. In other words, you need to figure out if they work, or if they have the potential to work, and why.
It may be useful to discuss policy recommendations or programs that may be used to address the issue.
Conclusion (15 points)
Your conclusion should bring together the main ideas and points of the research paper. Basically, I expect you to recount what you’ve said and why it all matters.
Personal Statement (10 points)
In your personal statement, I want your opinion on the topic. What was something you found incredibly interesting, or maybe something you didn’t know before. In this section, feel free to really dive into how this issue makes you feel.
Bibliography (2.5 points)
Formatting, Editing, and Grammar (7.5 points)
5-8 pages double-spaced
12-point font
1-inch margins
APA/ASA formatting for bibliography
Section headings
A minimum of 5 empirical articles cited in research paper
All empirical articles must be from the past 10 years
Free from grammatical errors and spelling mistakes
TOPIC 1: FAMILIES IN CONTEXT
Research on juvenile delinquency and families is incredibly varied, so for this topic it is important that you specific exactly what aspects of families you are interested in researching. Some specific topics to consider are as follows:
How does family structure such as single-parent and two-parent households differ in juvenile delinquency outcomes?
To what extent does divorce and/or separation influence juvenile delinquent outcomes?
What is the nature of child maltreatment or abuse, and what helps explain it?
What is the impact of parental incarceration of juveniles and why?
Once you have decided on a specific sub-topic, it is time to begin exploring the topic in earnest. Spend time reading the chapter sections on your topic to get a good idea of what the literature says. It may be a good idea to summarize the section. After this, begin exploring the literature on your topic, and prepare to write your paper!
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