INSTRUCTIONS
PAPER OVERVIEW
The course paper, due at the end of the course, has give components: 1) choosing the film; 2) an outline, 3) a peer review draft, 4) statement of what you’re going to improve, and 5) a final draft.
For the course paper due at the end of the semester you will:
choose a fictional film about crime from the list below,
describe what type of crime the film is about;
recognize what theory the film suggests about why the crime occurred; and
choose a social theory (i.e., NOT rational choice or biological theories) we’ve discussed in class to provide an alternative explanation why as to why the crime may have occurred
THIS ASSIGNMENT: FINAL PAPER
The final paper should be double-spaced, with adequate spelling, grammar and punctuation. Be sure to read the instructions below in detail.
Required Components:
The coversheet for your final paper (a page at the start of the paper) should include one paragraphdescribing the changes you made after getting peer feedback (that you likely outlined in the paper improvements assignment). If there were improvements you didn’t make that were listed in your Paper Improvement Assignment, please explain why.
You must make improvements to your paper, including those you listed in the paper improvement assignment (this is important, and worth 10% of your paper grade!)
The cover sheet is not included in the required word/page count
The paper must have an introduction, a brief summary, analysis (film’s theory), critique (alternative theory) and conclusion.
Give your paper a creative title
Paragraph 1 (Introduction): Summarize what you’re going to say in an introduction paragraph, including what film you chose and and a thesis statement that provides a preview for the theories you’re going to discuss (both the one presented in the film and the alternative theory you will present).
Paragraph 2 (Short summary): Briefly describe what happens in the film (~150 words)
Similar to the outline, include what type of crime occurred (choose only one) and who committed the crime
Paragraph 3 (Description of film’s theory): Briefly describe how the film explains this crime (~150 words)
Name one theory depicted in the film (see outline instructions for what I mean by this)
Provide clear examples from the film to support your argument that the film is drawing from this theory. In other words, you must convince the reader that this is the theory the film uses to explain the depicted criminal behavior
Paragraph 4 (Critique of film’s theory): Critique the theory used in the film, describing what it does not explain well. This critique should fit with the alternative theory you will suggest below.
For example: If you critique the film’s depiction of rational choice theory because it doesn’t consider the fact that the criminal in the film might be influenced by his friends, then your alternative theory should have something to do with peer influence or social learning.
Paragraph 5 (Argument for alternative social theory): Building on the critique above, present an alternative theory to explaining the crime in the film.
Choose only one alternative theory. This theory must be a social theory (i.e., not an individual, biological, psychological or rational choice explanation)
Provide clear examples from the film to support your argument that this alternative theory better explains the crime than the one described above. I.e., explain why it’s a better explanation, what it explains that the film’s theory does not.
Paragraph 6 (Conclusion): A concluding paragraph that re-states your thesis from the introduction and summarizes your arguments.
Other Requirements:
Approximately 1,500 words (4-5 pages in length)
Double-spaced
12 pt Times New Roman font
1 inch margins
At least 3 citations to any assigned readings, films, material from the course (can be same source, different information)
Cite sources using author-date, APA style
No title page or abstract required
References page ( written assignments are subject to textual similarity review