Pending Legislation

Psy/Law 370 Fall 2020
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
The first paper is due at 11:59 pm on Friday, October 2nd. It must be uploaded through blackboard. This
paper will evaluate pending legislation involving clinical forensic psychology. You must use one of the
cases in the ‘Pending Legislation’ folder on blackboard.’ Does empirical research in psychology indicate
that this law will be helpful or harmful? Your thesis statement will indicate whether you recommend that
legislators vote to approve or reject the pending law.
In your paper, you will need to identify at least three empirical articles (original sources) you will use to
support your thesis. You will likely have more than three citations in your paper. You can cite the
textbook, but (because it is a secondary source) the textbook will not count towards your three required
citations. You will need to support your thesis statement using research, not just your opinion! Your paper
should clearly:
1) Describe the pending legislation and your thesis statement. (approximately 1 page)
2) The bulk of the paper should support your thesis statement. Why do you recommend that legislators
support or reject this law? Use the sources to support your reasoning. Provide a critical analysis of your
three relevant sources and explain why they support your recommendation to support or condemn the
pending law. For each of the empirical articles, describe the research question tested by the research,
describe how the authors tested that question and what they found, the strengths and limitations of their
findings, and relate their findings to your thesis statement. Your analysis should be critical. Note the
strengths and weaknesses both in the study itself and in its relevance to the case in question.
(approximately 3 pages)
3) Analyze the impact of the law on the basis of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, immigration
status, ability status, or culture. Has the law disproportionately impacted those of particular races?
classes? Does the law protect all marginalized communities? Who does it leave out and why? How might
we begin to reconcile this? Your paper must include the impact of the law on at least two groups that
are not addressed within the law (e.g., if you consider the Violence Against Women Act then you can
possibly consider whether there will be a differential impact on those with varied immigration status and
race – but gender is already directly addressed by the law and should already be considered in your
paper). (approximately 1 page)
4) Include a reference section with the pending legislation on which you based your assignment, the three
original sources you selected, along with any other sources you used to complete your assignment.
Your assignment must follow APA formatting including:
1) Size 12 font, preferably Times New Roman
2) Double-spacing
3) Page numbers on top right (header)
4) 1” margins on all four sides (you may have to adjust the default settings)
5) Title page including title of paper, your name, affiliation (college) and course
6) No abstract is necessary for this assignment
DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME IN YOUR PAPER. Your paper will be graded
anonymously.
Bonus Points. You will have the opportunity to earn an additional 3 points on each paper (papers are
graded out of a total of 24 points). Students who submit at least one week prior to the deadline and agree
to peer feedback will receive one additional bonus point. Students who grade a peer’s paper at least four
days prior to the paper deadline will receive one additional bonus point. Students who incorporate or
address their peer’s feedback in their papers will receive one additional bonus point.
Grading Criteria
Evaluation
Area
4
Advanced
3
Proficient
2
Developing
1
Rudimentary
Research
Mastery
Reviews and demonstrates
comprehension of empirical
sources, insightfully reviews and
synthesizes information from the
most relevant and credible primary
sources. Demonstrates sensitivity to
the limitations and important
implications of source materials.
Reviews, synthesizes and
demonstrates comprehension of
relevant primary empirical
sources. Demonstrates some
understanding of limitations and
implications of source materials.
Cursory review of empirical
sources. Summarizes information
from multiple sources, only some
of which are primary sources.
Demonstrates little understanding
of limitations of source materials.
Includes information from
multiple sources, few or one of
which are primary sources.
Includes few empirical sources
and poor understanding of the
limitations of those source
materials.
Critical
Analysis
Insightfully critiques primary
source materials
Critiques primary source
materials
Provides some critical analysis of
the sources discussed.
Little critical analysis of the
sources discussed.
Argument(s)
and Evidence
Makes convincing and relevant
arguments supported by appropriate
forms of professional level
evidence. Arguments are fully
developed.
Makes relevant arguments,
supported by both professional
level and anecdotal forms of
evidence. Arguments include
some basic idea development.
Makes some relevant arguments
but provides primarily anecdotal
evidence for any claims made.
Arguments presented with
minimal idea development.
Makes few relevant arguments
and provides little evidence for
any claims made.
Diversity
Analysis
Thoughtfully and effectively
considers relevance of at least two
categories of diversity beyond a
category that is explicitly mentioned
(e.g., race, gender, class, sexual
orientation, immigration status,
ability status). Consideration of
potentially positive and negative
impact included.
Makes somewhat convincing case
regarding the application of the
argument/law for at least two
other groups.
Makes relevant arguments about
less than two categories of
diversity or makes tangential
arguments about at least two
groups
There is no attempt to consider
whether the impact of the
law/argument will be
proportionately applied to all
individuals
Disciplinary
Conventions
Demonstrates mastery of
professional writing conventions in
psychology, including appropriate
language use and organization.
Correctly implements APA style
conventions.
Demonstrates basic proficiency in
the professional writing
conventions in psychology.
Includes few major deviations
from APA style conventions.
Demonstrates some knowledge of
the professional writing
conventions in psychology.
Attempts to properly apply APA
style conventions.
Demonstrates a limited
awareness of professional
writing conventions in
psychology.
Organization,
Syntax,
Mechanics
Uses language that is clear, concise,
and fluent. Includes no obvious
errors in spelling, grammar, diction,
or other elements of basic language
usage. Writing is clearly and
effectively structured.
Uses language that is generally
clear and only occasionally
repetitive, vague, and/or
disorganized. Includes few errors
in spelling, grammar, diction, or
other elements of basic language.
Writing is adequately structured.
Uses language that is often
repetitive, vague, and/or
disorganized. Includes some
obvious errors in spelling,
grammar, diction, and other
elements of basic language usage.
Writing is minimally structured.
Uses language that is primarily
repetitive, vague, and/or
disorganized. Includes many
obvious errors in spelling,
grammar, diction, and other
elements of basic language
usage. Writing is unstructured.
Summary: Research Mastery (out of 4): ________
Critical Analysis (out of 4): ________
Argument/Evidence (out of 4): ________
Diversity Analysis (out of 4): ________
Disciplinary Convention (out of 4): ________
Organization/Syntax (out of 4): ________
Total Score (out of 24): _________