The research paper can be written about any aspect of psychology as it integrates with law (ex: Risk assessments and Dangerousness to Society, Psychopathy, Competency to Stand trial, Eyewitness Testimony and Trauma impacting Memory, PTSD and Police, etc.) As with any graduate paper in this program, the research paper is required to be in APA format. This includes title page, abstract and references (including in-text citations). The research paper should be between 8-10 pages double spaced NOT including title page, abstract and references. Written assignments must be typed, spell checked, and prepared in compliance with APA format. An acceptable paper should synthesize knowledge from a variety of respected (peer-reviewed & scholarly) sources. Papers should include both legal and psychological research elements. All terms should be defined, as appropriate, for the reader. While the organization and content of the paper is at the student’s discretion, it is to the students benefit if ideas and evidentiary support are clearly and concisely written—with good flow and free from grammatical errors.
If you are unfamiliar with APA citation, reference or format, please refer to the APA Manual of Publication, 7th Edition and seek out assistance at the Academic Success Center on Campus or with your teaching assistant.
References: IMPORTANT—A minimum of 10 references must be used. These should include (at a minimum) 5 peer-reviewed journal articles, 3 law reviews or other legal materials, and 2 academic books. Websites can be used as supplementary material only; no more than 2 website citations (in addition to the above). Please use primary sources of academic research unless absolutely necessary.