Style Sheet for Term Paper
Length: 10-12 pages (no longer than 13 pages), plus reference and title pages.
Format: Double-spaced, 1” margins (top, bottom, left, and right), Times New Roman 12 pt. font.
Grammar: I will deduct points for grammatical and spelling errors. However, students who are careless with grammar and spelling are also generally careless with citations and organization and do not present effective arguments. While grammar and correct citations are worth only 25 out of 200 points, students who do not write well and who do not pay attention to APA style likely will also lose significant points for other parts of their paper.
Citations: APA style. Make sure you understand in-text citations and reference styles. There are adequate resources for APA style available on the Web. Here is a link to APA reference information on the library’s Criminal Justice page: http://libguides.unco.edu/content.php?pid=1217&sid=7068
Topic: I would like for you to identify two distinctly different types of victims (e.g., child abuse victims and acquaintance rape victims, white collar crime victims and aggravated assault victims, domestic violence victims and property crime victims, inmate victims and survivors of murder victims, etc.). You may use the type of victim that you presented in your group presentation as one of your victims. If you have questions about whether or not your two victims are different enough, please ask me. For example, the issues surrounding child victims of sexual assault are different enough from adult victims that this comparison would be appropriate. In addition, if you are interested in a particular type of victim that we have not discussed in class or that was not presented in your textbook, please get my approval before proceeding with a topic that may not be appropriate for this paper.
Organization of paper:
- Introduction (worth 10 points): Provide an introductory description of your two types of victims. Use a paragraph for each type of victim to briefly describe general characteristics of the victims, general characteristics of their offenders, description of the crime and its effects on victims, and whether or not there is an organized victim advocacy movement for their type of victimization. This is just a brief overview to introduce your reader to the topics you will discuss in greater detail in the rest of your paper. Your introduction should be approximately one-half to one page long.
- Background research (worth 50 points): For each type of victim, you will need to cite at least three articles from the academic databases available through UNC’s library or from Google Scholar. You may also use information from governmental websites. If you are unable to find information or articles that deal directly with one or both of your two types of victims from these sources, you may use other sources for information, such as articles found on the Internet, advocacy websites, magazine or newspaper articles, or books. However, they must be reliable sources for information and not just anything you find on the Internet. Remember that advocacy groups (or those who feel that we have gone too far with trying to help a specific type of victim) may present information in ways that support their arguments but that may not be completely accurate, so be careful with using some of the claims from such sources. Provide an overview of what the articles you have found have to say about your types of victims. Your background research should provide general information about these types of victims and should not focus on the stories of specific victims. Do not use lengthy quotations. Paraphrase the major points the authors make and properly cite the source.
When you organize your background research, do not identify one article and describe it, then identify another article and describe it, etc. Instead, identify the following three major concepts for each type of victim. Please organize your background research as follows:
- The incidence rates and/or prevalence for each type of victimization. The incidence rate refers to how many victims there are within a given time period, typically one year. Prevalence refers to total number of persons who are victims of this particular crime, often the number who experience it within their lifetime (for example, you will often hear that one in six American women have experienced an attempted or completed rape). Are there official statistics that give us a good picture of the extent of victimization or do we have to depend on other types of research to give us ideas about how often this type of victimization occurs? You should be able to cite multiple authors in each of these paragraphs since this is a common issue that is discussed in many research articles. Not all authors will necessarily agree or the results of their own research may call into question the numbers that are cited by other authors.
- Characteristics of victims and, if appropriate, offenders (please remember that this paper is focused on victims, so do not focus just on the offenders). Again, you should be able to cite various authors as this is a concept that is frequently discussed in research articles. You may also find that there is disagreement between the authors of your articles. The purpose of research is to continue refining our knowledge about specific issues and sometimes research findings call into question what has previously been accepted as true. Make sure that if you see these types of contradictions that you do not just ignore them but that you make them part of your discussion.
- Effects of victimization. This is also a common theme you will find in research articles. You may also find both agreement and disagreement in the articles you have chosen.
You may identify additional themes that you think are important to discuss for one or both of your victims. You are not limited to just the three concepts I have identified here but please make sure that you cover at least these three concepts in your background research. If you identify additional themes for one victim, you are not required to discuss the same theme for the other victim unless it is also appropriate.
Discuss these concepts for your first victim and then discuss them for your second victim. In this part of your paper, you are educating your reader and demonstrating that you understand each type of victimization. DO NOT make comparisons between your two types of victims in the background research – that is the focus for the next section. Your background research should be approximately 3 to 4 pages long.
- Compare and contrast your two types of victims (this is the heart of your paper and is worth a total of 100 points). The compare and contrast part of your paper should be approximately 6 to 7 pages long. You should have separate subheadings for each of these five subsections and compare and contrast your two types of victims within each subsection. Karmen, the author of your textbook, discusses these topics for many different types of victims. You are encouraged to use information from Karmen (properly cited, of course) to support the arguments you develop in this section. I do not expect you to find specific information outside of Karmen for this section. This section should allow you to develop an argument based on what you have learned in this class. I do not expect you to provide citations in this section, other than Karmen, if you are using information directly from your textbook.
You should have three paragraphs for each subsection. Discuss the issue for your first victim in one paragraph. You should then have a second paragraph where you discuss the issue for your second victim. The final brief paragraph should identify how the two types of victims are similar or different for this specific issue.
- Data collection issues for each: Identify how we know what we know about each type of victim. Tell me specifically what the data sources are, problems with the data sources that affect the validity and reliability of the data, and if these data sources accurately portray the extent of the problem;
- Degree of shared responsibility for each: Are the victims, to some degree, responsible for what happened to them? Don’t combine this section with the victim-blaming/victim-defending section that follows. Discuss whether or not each type tends to be represented by truly “innocent” victims or are these victims sometimes at higher risk to become victims because of their own actions;
- Victim-blaming or victim-defending tendencies for each in various parts of the CJ system: Discuss problems resulting from victim-blaming within the system that can affect a victim’s interactions with law enforcement agencies, the courts, and correctional agencies. If you feel that a specific type of victim is supported by various parts of the CJ system, explain why you think that is the case;
- Support/services that are available for each: Describe various types of support and services available for each type of victim through the CJ system. For example, is each type eligible for victim compensation, restitution, victim advocates, victim notification, and other services that have been developed for victims? Also identify whether or not each type of victim has access to support systems (nonprofit, online, etc.) outside of the CJ system and discuss whether or not your type of victim is likely to be able to access these support/services. Do not assume that just because there may be online support groups for victims that this is actually an effective type of support/services for these victims.
- Additional support/services. Present arguments for increased support/services made by victim advocates or an argument that could be made if victim advocates are not available for your type of victim. Identify what types of services, if any, that each type of victim should receive and why they may need this type of special treatment. Don’t just tell me that they need more support/services – provide specific ideas. If you feel that the available support/services are sufficient to meet the needs of these victims, explain why you think that is the case.
- Conclusion (worth 15 points): Reiterate how your victims are alike and how they differ. Your two types of victims may be very different is some respects yet very similar in others. Your conclusion should be approximately one-half to one page long
Template for Paper
Since students often do not understand APA style headings, I am providing a template to show you what APA-style headings should look like for this paper and how they should be used. I will be using two examples of victims, victims of robbery and adult victims of sex assault, to demonstrate how to use headings.
While I am using single-spacing for this example, please remember that your paper should be double-space, the first line of each new paragraph should be indented, and there should not be an extra space between paragraphs (the default for Word inserts extra spacing after the end of each paragraph – please change the settings to prior to starting on your paper).
The first part of your paper, the “Introduction” does not require a heading.
The next section, the “Background Research” should start with a Level 1 heading – centered, bold, and title case (upper and lowercase letters). It should look like this:
Background Research
You should then have a brief paragraph where you state what your two types of victims are and that you will be identifying the incidence/prevalence rates, the characteristics of victims of each crime, and the effects of victimization for each crime (remember that this should be based on the articles you find about your two types of victims). This is not the “compare and contrast” section of your paper.
You should then have a Level 2 subheading for your first subsection, left-justified, bold, and title case with the text starting on a new line.
Victims of Robbery
You should then have a brief paragraph about this crime. You will then have three Level 3 subheadings for each of the required subsections. A Level 3 heading is indented (just like the start of a new paragraph), bold, just the first letter is capitalized, and is followed by a period. Your text, not in bold, starts after the period in the subheading.
Incidence and prevalence rates. Start of section on incidence and prevalence rates.
Characteristics of victims. Start of section on characteristics of victims.
Effects of victimization. Start of section of effects of victimization.
Adult Victims of Sex Assault
You should then have a brief paragraph about this crime.
Incidence and prevalence rates. Start of section on incidence and prevalence rates.
Characteristics of victims. Start of section on characteristics of victims.
Effects of victimization. Start of section of effects of victimization.
The next major section of your paper is the compare and contrast section. This requires a Level 1 heading.
Victims of Robbery v. Adult Victims of Sex Assault
You should then have a brief paragraph were you state that you are going to be comparing and contrasting your two types of victims on five different topics: data collection, shared responsibility, victim blaming or defending, support and services, and additional support and services that each victim might need. You will then start with your first compare and contrast section, which requires a Level 2 heading.
Data Collection
Since you only comparing two types of victims, you do not need a Level Three heading to identify which victim you are discussing. Have one paragraph where you identify the data sources and validity of the sources we use for your first victim. Do the same for your second victim, in a new paragraph. Then have a brief third paragraph where you identify whether data issues are similar for these two victims or if they are different.
Shared Responsibility
Do the same thing for shared responsibility for your two victims. Make sure that you do not confuse shared responsibility with victim blaming, the next section. While shared responsibility and victim blaming often go hand-in-hand, there are some interesting types of victims where victims are not willingly engaging in a lifestyle that puts them at high risk for crime victimization (shared responsibility), but they are nonetheless blamed for their victimization (victim blaming).
Victim Blaming/Defending
Do the same thing for victim blaming/defending. Discuss your first type of victim, then your second type of victim, then have a brief comparison paragraph.
Support and Services
I cannot stress strongly enough that you need to discuss support and services that are available through the criminal justice system in this section. If there are none, explain why your type of victim may not have access to CJ system support and services. Too often I have students who come up with a laundry list of on-line support and services and who totally ignore what is available (or not available) through the CJ system. This is a criminal justice class, so I expect you to be knowledgeable about what the CJ system has to offer victims. In some cases, certain types of victims will have access to services outside of the CJ system. Make sure you include these types of services. Also make sure that you identify these issues for each type of victim and have a comparison between the two.
Arguments for Additional Services
There may be arguments that victim advocates make that specifically identify what more should be done for victims. However, in many cases, there may not be an organized advocacy group for your types of victims. In these cases, based on what you have identified are the effects of this type of victimization and what type of support/services these victims have, make your own argument for additional support or services (or that what is currently available is sufficient). Make sure that you have separate paragraphs for each type of victim and that you have the third comparison paragraph.
Your final major section in this paper is the conclusion – back to a Level 1 heading.
Conclusion
In your conclusion, restate your major conclusions for the five topics of your analysis. You do not need any subheadings in the conclusion section.
Grade Sheet for Term Paper – 200 possible points
Introduction (general characteristics of victims, general characteristics of offenders, effect on victims, victim advocacy for victims) (10 possible points): _____ points
Background research (50 possible points): ______ points
Compare and contrast two types of victims (100 total possible points): ______ total points
- Data collection issues ______ points (20 possible)
- Victim 1
- Victim 2
- Comparison paragraph
- Degree of shared responsibility ____ points (20 possible)
- Victim 1
- Victim 2
- Comparison paragraph
- Victim-blaming/victim-defending ____ points (20 possible)
- Victim 1
- Victim 2
- Comparison paragraph
- Available support ____ points (20 possible)
- Victim 1
- Victim 2
- Comparison paragraph
- Arguments for support/services for victim ____ points (20 possible)
- Victim 1
- Victim 2
- Comparison paragraph
Conclusion (15 possible points): _______ points
Grammar, spelling, and APA style (25 possible points): ______ points
Total grade on paper and comments: ______ points
