Research Paper Directions and Parameters: Constitutional Analysis of “The Central Park Five” Documentary

Research Paper Directions and Parameters: Constitutional Analysis of “The Central Park Five” Documentary

Objective: Critically review “The Central Park Five” documentary, with a primary focus on identifying and analyzing at least two areas of the U.S. Constitution that apply to the case. Justify your analysis with evidence from the documentary and support your arguments with at least two additional reputable sources, following APA style citations.

Research Paper Requirements:

1. Introduction:
• Briefly summarize “The Central Park Five” documentary, highlighting its relevance to constitutional law and civil liberties. In the overview of the Central Park Five case, including the events of 1989, the convictions, and the eventual exoneration of the five individuals.
• State the thesis of your paper, focusing on how the case illustrates the challenges and importance of upholding or knowing your constitutional rights.

1. Constitutional Analysis:

• First Constitutional Area:
• Identify the first area of the Constitution (e.g., an amendment or specific clause) that is relevant to the Central Park Five case as depicted in the documentary.
• Discuss how this constitutional area applies to the case, providing specific examples from the documentary.
• Second Constitutional Area:
• Identify the second area of the Constitution relevant to the case.
• Explain its application to the events and legal proceedings depicted in the documentary, using specific instances to illustrate your points.

1. Evidence and Justification:

• For each constitutional area identified, present inciting evidence from the documentary that supports your analysis.
• Justify your reasoning by connecting this evidence to the broader implications for civil liberties and legal rights.
• Examine how the constitutional rights of the Central Park Five were challenged or violated during their arrest, interrogation, trial, and conviction. Use specific examples from the case to illustrate these points.
• Discuss the role of the media and public opinion in shaping the narrative and outcome of the case.

1. Supporting Research:

• Incorporate at least two additional reputable sources to support your analysis. These sources can include academic journal articles, legal analyses, historical documents, or **reputable news articles (ex: the NYC Times, Washington Post , The Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg News).
• Explain how these sources enhance your understanding of the constitutional issues at play in the Central Park Five case.

1. Conclusion:

• Recapitulate the key points of your constitutional analysis, emphasizing the significance of your findings in relation to the documentary.
• Reflect on the importance of knowing your constitutional right.

Formatting and Submission Guidelines:

• The paper should be 3-5 pages in length, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, in 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Use the subtitles for each section of your paper.
• Use APA citation format for all references.
• Include a title page and a works cited or bibliography page (not included in the page count).
• Submit the paper electronically through Bb by Thursday February 22^nd@ 4:30 pm.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Clarity and coherence of the argument and analysis.
• Depth of engagement with the constitutional aspects of the case as presented in the documentary.
• Effective use of evidence from the documentary and additional sources to support the analysis.
• Quality and credibility of the sources used.
• Adherence to APA style citations and overall presentation standards.

**Characteristics of Reputable Newspapers

• publishes accurate content; checks facts, and if errors are made, corrects them
• uses reputable sources (people, documentation) and verifies those sources
• presents headlines which accurately represent the article content; headlines don’t play on readers’ emotions
• clearly identifies authors of articles with bylines
• produces its own content; doesn’t merely aggregate content from other sources
• clearly identifies content types (e.g. report vs. editorial)
• conducts reporting not just editorializing
• employs journalists who follow the profession’s code of ethics
• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics, four main sections: Seek Truth and Report It, Minimize Harm, Act Independently, Be Accountable and Transparent
• 10 Elements to Good Journalism (American Institute Press), selected from Kovach and Rosenstiel’s book The Elements of Journalism.

• Please note:  when materials are sent through platforms like Blackboard (Bb), it is possible to check for AI-generated content. Educators and administrators have access  to technology to detect plagiarism or the use of AI-generated responses. This ensures the integrity of academic work and promotes a fair learning environment where students are encouraged to think independently and demonstrate their own knowledge and skills.