Theory of interest CCJS105 Spring 2023

This paper is designed for you to critically assess a theory of interest, as well as apply criminological theory to real-world phenomena. First, you will select the criminological theory of your choice.

Theory of interest

This paper is designed for you to critically assess a theory of interest, as well as apply criminological theory to real-world phenomena. First, you will select the criminological theory of your choice. You may use any theory we have discussed or will discuss in this course (your textbook has a reference table of theories). You will introduce the theory and explain how it originated. You will state who the theorist(s) is. You will summarize the major components of the theory.

You will end this paragraph with a thesis statement about the support that the theory has received (strong support, partial support, little to no support); this thesis statement will be based on the empirical articles you review in the next part of the paper.

Theory of interest

Next, you will read two empirical articles which test your theory. The articles may not be summaries of the theory; the researchers must have performed a study. You will describe these two articles independently of one another. For each study, you will discuss what the authors were specifically studying, their hypotheses, their research method, their sample, and the main findings of their study. Do not worry about the statistical analyses; tell me what they found in plain language. Be sure to describe the study sample and all findings from the analyses.

Theory of interest

You will conclude your discussion of each article by stating whether or not the study supports your theory and to what degree (e.g., it supports one part of the theory but not the other parts, all parts were supported, no parts were supported). Next, you will provide two circumstances in which the theory is useful for explaining crime and one circumstance in which the theory is not useful for explaining crime. This can either be rooted in the context of the articles you read, or as a more general statement. For this, take into consideration the limitations of the theory you chose as well as the context surrounding how the theory was developed.

Theory of interest

What situations/crimes can the theory explain well? Are there situations/crimes in which the theory cannot be applied or doesn’t make sense? Discuss these questions and be sure to address exactly why or why not the theory is useful. Finally, you will conclude your paper by summarizing the arguments you made throughout. This includes the extent of empirical support based on the two peer-reviewed articles you found as well as an overview of the usefulness of the theory. Formatting and Requirements: ● Your paper must be between 3 and 4 full pages. You will format your paper as follows: size 12 font, Times New Roman, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.

Theory of interest

You must also include page numbers. You will include a cover page that is NOT included in your 3-4 page limit. Your cover page will include your name, your UID number, and the title of your paper. Your first page of content should begin with your first paragraph. ● You must use in-text citations AND provide a reference list, both of which must be in APA format. Failure to include either in-text citations, a reference list, or both will result in a 0 on the paper and consideration for referral to the Honor Council for review. ● You may use only one (if any) direct quote in your paper. APA style requires you to paraphrase.

Theory of interest

Your grade will suffer if you use more than one quote. It is also important that you understand the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing and that you must always cite the source you are paraphrasing. ● You may not use first person in your paper. ● You are expected to use proper spelling, grammar, and writing conventions in your paper. ● Do not feel that you need to write this as a 5-paragraph essay. Use as many paragraphs as you feel are appropriate. Learning how to effectively organize a paper is an important skill.

● See the following website for an APA formatting guide: ○ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_ style_guide/general_format.html .https://youtu.be/-ByO3f91hN4?list=PLJy0LHDLpgHEuRo10_3yP7Qqn4YkC6CL0

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