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CJ525

Unit 4 Assignment

Research Literature Review

This week’s assignment will require you to develop a research literature review on the issue for which you developed an introduction, problem statement, and general research design in earlier units of the course. The literature review should include review of a minimum of five original research studies relevant to your specific topic and published in peer-reviewed journals. Note, law review articles and publications that are themselves literature reviews and not original studies may not be used for this assignment.

A literature review is not an annotated bibliography; it is a synthesis of empirical research related to the specific applied problem you are proposing to study.

Write a 1,250- to 1,750-word literature review that includes:

· Introduction (at least one paragraph): Prepare an introductory paragraph outlining the discussion that is to follow, including the problem you are studying and the research you will examine.

· Theoretical Considerations (at least one paragraph): Discuss theoretical considerations or assumptions relevant to your issue. To determine these, consider the research hypothesis you developed in earlier units. What theory or theories (e.g., social learning theory, critical theory, constructivism theory, human behavioral theory, network theory, routine activities theory, etc.) would help to explain the relationship you hypothesize exists between your independent and dependent variables? For example, a study that hypothesizes that three strikes laws will reduce crime might be based on deterrence theory and the assumption that severe sanctions will deter offenders from committing additional crimes.

· Literature Review (1,000–1,250 words):

· Analyze the information presented in the five studies and identify major themes running through the works, discussing these themes and the applicable findings from the studies reviewed.

· Compare and contrast the studies, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in the methods used and any study limitations noted by the authors.

· Fully discuss the key findings from each study individually, as well as in comparison to the other studies reviewed.

· Summary and Conclusions:

· Synthesize your review into a summary of what is known and what is not known from the research that has been conducted on your topic.

· Identify any areas of controversy or conflicting findings in the literature reviewed.

· Draw conclusions based on the studies reviewed and formulate questions that remain to be studied in future research (hopefully your proposed study will examine one of these questions that remain to be answered). 

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Be sure to cite your sources in the body of your paper and list them on your reference page, consistent with APA guidelines. Remember, applied research is not common knowledge, so it is important to cite to all of your sources of information. 

Download the  Assignment Checklist .

In addition to fulfilling the specifics of the assignment, a successful paper must also meet the following criteria:  

· Your paper should include a title page and reference page and be in 10- to 12-point font. (Arial, Courier, and Times New Roman are acceptable.)

· Viewpoint and purpose should be clearly established and sustained.

· Assignment should follow the conventions of Standard English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.).

· Writing should be well ordered, logical, and unified, as well as original and insightful.

· Your work should display superior content, organization, style, and mechanics.

· Appropriate citation style should be followed. 

You should also make sure to:

· Include a title page with full name, class name, section number, and date.

· Include introductory and concluding paragraphs and demonstrate college-level communication through the composition of original materials in Standard English.

· Use examples to support your discussion.

· List all sources on a separate reference page at the end of your paper and cite them within the body of your paper using APA format and citation style. For more information on APA guidelines, visit Academic Tools.

Directions for Submitting Your Assignment

Compose your assignment and save it in the following format: Course#_LastnameFirstname Unit # Assignment (example: CJ525_SmithJohn Unit 4 Assignment). Submit your assignment to the appropriate Dropbox by the end of the unit.