CJ 4097 – CJ CAPSTONE SEMINAR: WRONGFUL CONVICTION – FALL 2020
CASE STUDY PROJECT OVERVIEW
Overview of Assignment: You will write a 12-15 page research paper in which you will dig deeply into a case involving an innocent person who was convicted of a crime and was later exonerated. You will investigate the case itself, identify the primary contributing factor to the wrongful conviction, and locate social science and legal literature that sheds light on what went wrong in your case. You will also explore suggested reforms that may help to reduce the chance that similar errors will occur in the future. In addition to the paper (which will be your individual work), you will collaborate with a small group of classmates who are studying the same primary contributing factor to plan and present a panel discussion, outlining key elements of your cases, and pitching one or more policy reforms to the rest of the class.
You must select a “new” topic to study – that is one that you are researching for the first time this semester and only for this course. That means that you have never researched, written a paper, or made a presentation on either the case or the primary contributing factor in any other class. It also means that you cannot “double dip” – i.e., use your research in this class for another class you are taking this semester (or vice versa).
The main component of this assignment is the case study paper itself. I have broken the assignment up into smaller parts in order to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and revision throughout the semester – and to prevent you from trying to write the entire paper the day before it is due. My goal is to help you write the best paper you can, regardless of where your writing skills stand right now. Your end product should be something of which you are proud and that you can use as a writing sample if you need one for a job or grad school application.
In order to make the feedback loop work as intended, it is imperative that you submit each of the staged assignments on time. Otherwise, you will fall behind on the project. It is also imperative that you read the feedback on each stage promptly after receiving it, so that you can incorporate it into your work on the next stages. This is especially important if I find you’re off track and you need to change course. Finally, it is imperative that every product you submit represents your best effort. Shoddy, last minute work done just to meet the deadline defeats the entire purpose of doing the project in stages.
• Only your paper and your panel presentation will receive grades.
• I will assess each stage on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis (S+, S, S-, U) to give you a sense of how you’re doing and provide me a record of your effort and progress throughout the semester.
• For each stage, I will specify a number of points that may be deducted from your final paper grade if that stage is late.
• The same penalty will apply if you are required to resubmit any stage and do not do so by the designated date.
As we move from stage to stage, I will briefly go over what you need to know to do the assignment in class. In addition, documents and/or power points explaining each stage will be posted on Canvas at the time you should start working on it; usually, a week or more in advance of when the stage is due. You will have time to ask questions in class, e-mail me or Mariel, or make an appointment for a meeting (either in person or Zoom) with one of us. Not knowing how to do the assignment is NOT an acceptable excuse for shoddy work or for handing it in late.
Learning Goals:
• To obtain in depth knowledge about a topic of interest by retrieving published research and data from print and on-line library resources.
• To interpret and apply your knowledge, by explaining, synthesizing, and critiquing key issues, concepts, and theories, and making recommendations based upon that analysis.
• To demonstrate an ability to communicate your knowledge in writing by producing a well-organized, coherent, and reasonably error-free formal research paper.
• To share your knowledge and elicit feedback on your ideas by working with a small group to make a presentation pitching one or more reform proposals.
• To demonstrate an ability to cite all source material completely and properly, using the APA style of citation.
Format: Your draft and final papers must be typed, double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman font. All sources, including any assigned class readings, must be cited using the standard APA format. Your paper should demonstrate an ability to write a reasonably error-free paper; grammar and spelling errors should not intrude upon the intended meaning and the use of Standard English must fall within the guidelines of acceptable college writing.
Sources:
• You will need to find information about your case. You will start with the National Registry of Exonerations (NRE) website (you’ll learn about that in class and in the document explaining Stage 1 – Topic Proposal). You will supplement the NRE summary with other information about the specific case such as court decisions, newspaper articles, journal articles, books, podcasts, documentaries, etc. The number of these sources will depend on your case, but you must choose a case for which there is more information available than just what is provided in the wrongful conviction databases. (Keep the “Goldilocks rule” in mind.)
• You will need to find at least 6 scholarly sources (in addition to any assigned or recommended class readings that are relevant) reporting on research about the causes, extent and impact of the primary contributing factor in your case. Articles specifically about your case are not included. Six is just a minimum. It is very likely that you will need to do additional research to thoroughly cover your topic.
• You will be provided with much more information about the kinds of sources you need before you start looking for them.
Assessment:
Final Paper (including all preliminary products) 40% of course grade
Panel presentation (individual & group contribution) 10% of course grade
Rubrics for the Paper and the Panel Presentation will be posted on Canvas along with the relevant specific stage assignments.
Assignment Components and Due Dates: I will post detailed instructions and background information on Canvas when it is time to begin working on each stage.
Assignment Due Date
Stage 1: Topic Proposal Friday September 10 – 5:00 p.m.
Stage 2: Narrative Description (Pt. 1 of paper) Sunday, September 19 – 9:00 p.m.
Stage 3: Search Strategy & Potential Source List Sunday, September 26 – 9:00 p.m.
Stage 4: Annotated Bibliography Sunday, October 9 – 11:59 pm
Stage 5: Working Outline Sunday, October 16 – 11:59 p.m.
Stage 6: Literature Review (Pt. 2 of paper) Sunday, October 31 – 11:59 p.m.
Stage 7: Presentations Tues. Nov. 13 & Thurs. Dec. 2, – specific dates will be assigned in early November.
Stage 8: Final Paper (incorporating revisions to parts 1 & 2 and adding part 3, recommendation for reform) Sunday, December 5 – 9:00 p.m.
Grading Rubric: Wrongful Conviction Case Study Paper
TASK POINTS
FORMAT
• 12 Point Times New Roman?
• 12-18 pages; standard margins; double-spaced
• cover page (title, name, date)(not included in total pages)
• Reference page (not included in total pages) Up to minus 5
REVISION
• Evidence of substantial revision in response to feedback on drafts; more than just incorporating specific edits/recommendations
• Parts effectively merged into one paper – overall intro & conclusion; intros and conclusions to each part revised to make needed transitions 5
INTRODUCTION & CONCLUSION
Introduction
• Few key facts – e.g., name, year, crime
• Primary contributing factor identified
• Question to be addressed? Why is it interesting? Important?
• Thesis statement
• Road map
Conclusion
• Restate thesis
• Summarize major points; no new substantive information
• Adds a “bit of something new” – e.g., motivates reader to learn more, advocate change, etc. 5
THE CASE (3-5 pages)
• Describes crime, investigation, trial, appeals, and exoneration in enough detail to convey general understanding or the case and context of the wrongful conviction
• Focuses on facts and events relevant to the primary contributing factor; doesn’t get side-tracked
• Narrative, story-telling style – clear, cogent, & interesting
• Organization – mostly chronological order; story easy to follow 10
LEGAL & SOCIAL SCIENCE LITERATURE REVIEW (7-10 pages)
• Provides accurate description of practice and procedure related to the primary contributing factor (for reader unfamiliar with process)
• Clearly explains legal rules and doctrines relevant to the primary contributing factor, including specific reference to relevant cases and parts of the Constitution; were these rules followed in your case?
• Thoroughly and accurately explains and analyzes contemporary social science knowledge about how and why mistakes of the kind made in your case occur
• Concludes by applying information presented to analyze what went wrong in your particular case
• Research covers the topic; not artificially limited by whatever 6 articles you happened to find
• Information goes beyond common or superficial knowledge about the topic, showing an understanding of complexity, nuance, and differing perspectives 30
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM (3-4 pages)
• Clearly explains at least one recommendation for reform in detail
• Clearly explains how the reform would have prevented the wrongful conviction in your specific case
• Groundwork for recommendation set in earlier parts of paper; specific references made to previous information
• Addresses anticipated arguments for and against the reform; effectively refutes counter-arguments
• Information goes beyond common or superficial knowledge about the topic, showing an understanding of complexity, nuance, and differing perspectives 10
CLARITY AND COHERENCE OF WRITING
• Clearly and effectively communicates information to the intended audience (college graduates or “almost graduates” who don’t know much about your topic)
• Well-organized and easy to follow
• Effective use of transitions and headings
• Paragraphing – one topic per paragraph; effective use of topic sentences and concluding sentences within paragraphs 10
INFORMATION LITERACY/USE OF SOURCES
• All information based on reliable scholarly sources, reported accurately, and citations given
• Sources are synthesized – i.e., information from all sources are combined and presented in logical sequence by topic (not source by source)
• Arguments and opinions are clearly supported with specific, reliable, evidence
• Clear distinction between your ideas and others’ ideas; between fact and opinion
• Minimal use of quotations and extensive paraphrasing
• Effective use of each of the minimum required scholarly sources
• Effective use of relevant required and suggested class readings; power points; etc. 10
CITATIONS & BIBLIOGRAPHY – MECHANICS; APA FORMAT
• APA formatted Reference list, including ALL sources cited in paper
• All citations in correct APA format
• Cites used whenever necessary (ALL information that is not common knowledge to non-CJ major college students). Err on the side of over-citing rather than under-citing. 10
GRAMMAR & SPELLING
• Use of proper grammar and sentence structure throughout; errors minimal and do not detract from meaning or ease of communication
• Adherence to rules of formal academic writing (no first-person pronouns, no contractions, no slang, etc.)
• Typos and spelling errors minimal
• Evidence of careful proof-reading (Remember: spell-check and grammar programs are unreliable!) 10
CJ 4097 – WRONGFUL CONVICTION CAPSTONE
Presentation Assignment
PRESENTATION DATES: Tuesday Nov. 30 and Thursday Dec. 2. (dates will be assigned based on in-class drawing)
Basic Requirements: Make a 5 minute presentation “pitching” a proposal for a reform that would have helped to prevent the ocurrence of the primary contributing factor to the wrongful conviction in your case. Your proposal must be accompanied by slides (powerpoint or google presentation).
Assessment:
a. Content (50 points, broken down as follows):
a. Reform proposal (10 points) – One reform; clearly explained.
b. Connection to case (20 points) – Succinct, but clear explanation of case and primary contributing factor
c. Connection to social science and/or legal literature (20 points) – how and why would the reform have prevented the primary contributing factor
b. Slides (25 points) – We will discuss the attributes of good, well-organized power point presentations in class before the presentations begin. Don’t forget to proofread. At a minimum, you should include:
a. Title Slide
b. Slide with the reform proposal – stated clearly but succinctly
c. Additional sides to help guide the audience through your presentation
d. References
c. Demeanor/Preparation (25 points) – Do you have notes? Speak clearly? Meet the time requirements (no more than 1 minute shorter or longer)? Make eye contact? How well do you handle questions? Etc. (The key here is to PRACTICE your presentation).
BE READY TO ANSWER YOUR CLASSMATES’ QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR CASE AND PRESENTATION!!!
INFORMATION ABOUT ATTENDANCE:
• Attendance is mandatory on both days of class this last week! You must be in class and attentive to your classmates’ presentations, even on the day you are not presenting.
o Unexcused absence on the day of your presentation will result in you receiving a 0 on the presentation.
o Unexcused absence on the day you are not presenting will result in a deduction of 50% of your presentation grade.