Criminal Justice

Posted: December 10th, 2013

CJ 432: Crime & Mass Media

Paper and Presentation Assignment

Topic Selection Due: February 5 Paper Outline Due: March 5 First Draft Due: April 9 Paper Due: April 23

You are a television journalist who has been assigned to put together a news report about a major crime story. For this assignment, you will choose a real-life crime put together an investigative news report for either a hard news (e.g., evening news; 60 Minutes) or soft news (e.g., Inside Edition) broadcast in accordance with the tenets of media logic, which you will then present to the class. In order to do this and successfully write your paper, you will need to examine a collection of actual news reports that were published (newspaper, magazine, online) or broadcast (television reports available online) about your topic. Your presentation should reflect the ways that your topic was presented in the actual news reports that you researched for this project. While there is no specific number of news reports that your are required to analyze, you should examine a suffiient number to make reasonable conclusions about the nature of the coverage of your selected topic.You are free to use Powerpoint to display images and/or video that compliment your news report. Please note: Paper topics are on a first come, first serve basis; if another student has already selected your preferred crime, then you will have to select an alternate case.

In addition to the presentation, you will be required to write a corresponding paper discussing:

1. Who are the sources of information that the reporters chose to present in those news reports? Doees the selection of sources reflect the bureaucratic logic of news agencies?
2. How do the reporters frame the criminal act perpetrated in your case?
3. How are the criminals, victims, and authorities portrayed in your reports?
4. When answering the previous questions, you must discuss how the coverage of 
your case does / does not reflect the of concepts of media logic, framing, and the entertainment format.

Failure to submit your topic selection, paper outline, first draft, or final paper by the listed deadline will result in a deduction of 10-points per day until submitted.

Writing Guidelines (AKA What I’m looking for):

1. The maximum limit is 10 pages (or, your paper better be longer than 9 pages).
2. Do not alter margins.
3. All papers must be double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12-point font; student 
information that precedes paper should be single-spaced.
4. Please do not include a cover page.
5. Grammar, sentence, and paragraph structure will be evaluated as part of your grade, so please be sure to proofread your paper.
6. Be sure to cite and provide a reference for (1) any outside source of information used in your paper and (2) any information presented that is not considered common knowledge (see reverse for suggestions on how to cite your work).
7. Your reference list should immediately follow the text of your paper.
8. Note: Websites, message boards, chat rooms (e.g., Wikipedia) and other uniquely 
online sources may not be acceptable to cite in your paper; you may, however, search online for acceptable sources, such as newspaper reports, books, documentaries, journal articles, and so forth. Please see me to verify the legitimacy of a source.
9. Any sources (e.g., newspaper/magazine articles, web pages, and so forth) used in the production of your report must be submitted along with your final paper.
10. You will give a 10-minute presentation of your news report to the class.
11. Paper Value: 100 points

First Draft Peer Review:
When first drafts are SUBMITTED IN CLASS, they will be redistributed to other students for peer review. You will be expected to read through the paper you are given and provide its author with 2 constructive ideas for improving their work. Students will have 7 days to complete their peer review.

In text

When paraphrasing:

Useful Information on Citations

Individuals who engage in unaccepted social behaviors in isolation are known as “loner” deviants (Best and Luckenbill 1982).

Direct quote:

Depictions of serial homicide in popular culture are representative of “the violence of consumerism” (Jarvis 2007:330).

For 3 authors list all names: (McAdam, McCarthy, and Zald 1996) For more than 3 authors, use et al.: (Gamson et al. 1992)

Reference List

Journal Article:
Jarvis, Brian. 2007. “Monster’s Inc.: Serial Killers and Consumer Culture.” Crime,

Media, Culture 3:326-44. Book:

Franklin, Benjamin. 1990 [1781]. Fart Proudly. Columbus, OH: Enthea Press. Book Section / Edited Book:

McAdam, Douglas, John D. McCarthy, and Mayer N. Zald. 1996. “Introduction: Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Framing Processes.” Pp. 1-20 in Comparative Perspectives on Social Movements: Political Opportunities, Mobilizing Structures, and Cultural Framings, edited by D. McAdam, J. D. McCarthy, and M. N. Zald. New York: Cambridge University Press

Newspaper Article:

Allen, Mike and Manuel Roig-Franzia. 2005. “Congress Steps In on Schiavo Case: Lawmakers to Pass Bill to Resume Feedings, Allow Court Review.” Pp. A01 in The Washington Post. Washington D.C.

Published Report:

Fallows, Deborah and Lee Rainie. 2004. “The Internet as a Unique News Source: Millions Go Online for News and Images Not Covered in the Mainstream Press.” Pew Research Center, Washington DC.