Research Paper Research Paper Guidelines Each student must choose from one of the two options below for the Research Paper that is due no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/ED of Module 7.

Research Paper

Research Paper Guidelines

Each student must choose from one of the two options below for the Research Paper that is due no later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/ED of Module 7. The Research paper will identify an issue or policy concern in the field of sexual assault and write an article in the Socratic Method.

Prepare a title page with the title of your project, your name, course name and number, and the professor’s name. Present your research outcomes in a summary report format that is well- defined and logical, and cite all your pertinent authorities and references that were used to complete the project in accordance with the most current APA format and style. The paper should follow the same course requirements as all other papers, including 1-inch margins and double-spaced typed text consisting of 2400 words, excluding references.

Your paper must be 85% original. In other words, no more than 15% of your paper may contain quoted material.

This final project is part of a graduate course, and it should be scholarly prepared and adequate enough in content to explain the complexity of the problem along with fiscal issues. Students are encouraged to maintain this project as part of their professional library of resources for future reference and use.

Option 1:

The student will outline the problem, propose a solution, answer what critics say about the problem, and discuss the implications of the solution.

Example:

The student would identify a problem such as why sexual assault kits at the hospital do not include the opportunity for a urine sample. This problem exists because sexual assault advocates believe defense attorneys will use the results to assassinate the character of the victim. The student would then develop a hypothesis such as, “Sexual assault kits taken at the hospital should include a urine sample.”

The student would then discuss the idea that having a urine sample would show that a victim had been drugged. Most date-rape drugs are metabolized in a matter of hours. So having a sample immediately following the assault would provide investigators with what they need to move forward on the case.

Critics would say that the character assassination experienced by the victim trumps that of the value where the investigator could prove the victim was drugged. The student would discuss the research in these areas.

Following a discussion of the literature, the student would discuss the implications of the policy change. In this case, what would likely occur within each institution where the urine collection practice would be established at the evidence collection stage? The student would then close the paper with a thoughtful conclusion.

Option 2:

The student may choose another topical discussion that might include:

 Are the guidelines for child forensic interviews founded upon empirical

research?

 Should law enforcement be required by law to have mandatory training in

child interviews?

 Mandatory reporting of abuse supersedes privilege in certain circumstances. Should it be expanded to other parties? Why or why not?

The article is not to be an opinion piece such as an Op-Ed or newspaper article. This is to be a scholarly article based on empirical research. Any articles that are not written in the required manner will not be accepted. The article must be no less than 2,400 words and must be written in the most current APA format (6th Edition). No papers will be accepted for credit if they do not conform to the APA writing requirement. Be sure to include a separate reference page in the final paper.