The proposal will consist of your topic, one or two research questions the project will explore about the
topic, and what form the end project will take. You must also include a preliminary bibliography of 5
sources.
FINAL PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS:
Your final project you will be engaging in research. You will come up with a research question that
either deepens the material we’ve looked at or extends the ideas to topics we haven’t covered. You will
find academic literature that speaks to your question, synthesize that literature and come up with an
argument. This is a typical research focused approach, likely one that you have done in other classes.
The project must include the robust use of at least 5 academic sources, three of which must come from
outside the course syllabus.
Where this assignment differs from others you may have done is in how you display the results of your
research.
You will be producing a piece of Public Criminology. Public Criminology argues that academic knowledge
cannot simply stay in the academy. Instead, we should be mobilizing our research to inform different
publics and to make social change. You will be responsible for creating a project that communicates your
research finding in such a way that it could (hopefully will!) be engaged with by a public.
You could make a podcast ****(I was hoping to do a 40 min podcast, just need a topic and biblio), ****
a series of TikTok posts, a quilt, an infographic, organize and event, or make a
short graphic novel – all your ideas are welcome. You’ll also turn in a 3-page written reflection on the
rationale for the chosen form of the project, how it participates in the goals of public criminology, how it
critically engaged with the research identified in the proposal, plus a bibliography of sources used.
As you begin to think about the project ask yourself:
how do I learn about things?
Where do I get my
information?
What do I base decisions on?
What changes do I want to see and how might I support that
work?
No matter the format of the project the main criterion is how well it engages with academic research on
your question.
I will also be assessing how compelling and effective your work is.
A project is compelling when it shows some combination of the following:
– has this topic been researched on lots? if it has, what are the notions that are being missed about this topic?
• it is as interesting as its topic and approach allows
• it is as complete as its topic and approach allows (it doesn’t leave the audience thinking that
important points are being skipped over or ignored)
• it is truthful (any questions, evidence, conclusions, or arguments you raise are honestly and
accurately presented)
In terms of presentation, a project is effective when it shows some combination of these attributes:
• it is readable/watchable/listenable (i.e. the production values are appropriately high and the
audience is not distracted by avoidable lapses in presentation)
• it is appropriate (i.e. it uses a format and medium that suits its topic and approach)
• it is attractive (i.e. it is presented in a way that leads the audience to trust the author and his or
her arguments, examples, and conclusions)