Presentation subhead

CM223Unit 6

CREATING A THESIS & BUILDING A CASE

Some things to look out for:

• Do not use contractions

• Indent all paragraphs

• Avoid second person “you”

• Always start your papers with a thesis paragraph

• Always end your papers with a conclusion

UNIT 6 SEMINAR AGENDA

Welcome to our sixth seminar. In this session, we will address the

following:

Recap of Reading Week (Unit 5)

Elements of an Effective Argument

Peer Workshop*

*The last part of this session will be devoted to giving and receiving feedback regarding

your current thesis.

RECAP OF READING WEEK

I hope everyone is refreshed from last week and took some time to (re)

familiarize yourselves with KU’s Library. Your next two projects will require

outside research, and you will need to know how to use this tool in all future

courses.What did you learn about your topic?What questions do you have about the library or research?

EFFECTIVE ARGUMENTS

An ‘argument’ in an academic setting refers to the ability to be convincing in a way that is

supported with evidence. It’s not an argument in the usual sense. ‘Argument’

and ‘persuasion’ are often used interchangeably.

This type of writing is very similar to what is done in a court of law:

The prosecutor assumes a position She proves her case with solid evidence She refutes the defendant’s opposition

EFFECTIVE ARGUMENTS

COURTARGUMENT

--Opening argument

--Claim (innocent/guilty)

--Proof of claim

--Evidence (physical/witnesses)

--Address claims of opposing side

--Disprove those claims

--Closing argument

WRITTENARGUMENT

--Introduction

--Thesis statement

--Proof of thesis

--Evidence (articles/ebooks)

--Address claims of opposing side

--Disprove those claims

--Conclusion

EFFECTIVE ARGUMENTS

As with a criminal case, a persuasive paper must have a starting point (i.e. a

reason for existence). Without a charge against someone, there is no case.

Without a thesis or main idea, there is no paper or point to be proven.

Questions?

Thoughts?

Ideas?

A re-cap on APA style

This notion stems into psychology as well. Joe Fish, director of the Center for Sports Psychology in Philadelphia adds to this stating, “The main purpose of youth sports is to emphasize effort, participation and skill development” (www.sportspsychology.com).

What is wrong with this in-text citation?

The correct way

This notion stems into psychology as well. Joe Fish, director of the Center for Sports Psychology in Philadelphia adds to this stating, “The main purpose of youth sports is to emphasize effort, participation and skill development” (Jones, 2000, p. 6).

What is wrong with this?

Originally, the purpose of organized sports for young children

was to teach them the basics of the game and skills needed to

play, to practice good sportsmanship, and to have fun. The

beginnings of organized sports over 100 years ago, the purpose

then was to get the growing numbers of rowdy children off the

streets and to teach them values. Joe Fish, director of the Center

for Sports Psychology in Philadelphia adds to this stating, “The

main purpose of youth sports is to emphasize effort, participation

and skill development”. According to Fish, parents and coaches

are too worried about the outcome of the game and are getting

away from the initial purpose.

The correct way

Originally, the purpose of organized sports for young children

was to teach them the basics of the game and skills needed to

play, to practice good sportsmanship, and to have fun. The

beginnings of organized sports over 100 years ago, the purpose

then was to get the growing numbers of rowdy children off the

streets and to teach them values (Nack & Munson, 2000). This

notion stems into psychology as well. Joe Fish, director of the

Center for Sports Psychology in Philadelphia adds to this stating,

“The main purpose of youth sports is to emphasize effort,

participation and skill development” (Jones, 2000, p. 6).

According to Fish, parents and coaches are too worried about the

outcome of the game and are getting away from the initial

purpose.

What is wrong with this Reference Page?

•

References Page

www.ganglife.edu/54/09/8

http://people.howstuffworks.com/police-interrogation.htm.

www.counterpunch.org/nader

http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/55/1/19

The correct way•

References

Layton, J. (n.d.) How police interrogation works. Retrieved May 7, 2009,

from http://people.howstuffworks.com/police-interrogation.htm. <EVENLY DOUBLE-SPACED

Nader, R. (May, 2006). How cops break down the innocent. The tragedy < LISTED ONCE ALPHABETICALLY

of false confessions. Retrieved June 1, 2009, from <HANGING INDENTIONS

www.counterpunch.org/nader

Redlich, A. (January, 2004). Law & psychiatry: Mental illness, police

interrogations, and the potential for false confession. Retrieved

June 6, 2009, from

http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/55/1/19

What is wrong with this?

• “I will explain in this final project how gangs are destroying youth in our country.”

• (keep yourself out of your formal academic research paper)

• *3rd person

• (no I, we, our, us, me, my, etc…)

• But, why?

What is 3rd Person?

• Third person narrative form is writing from the omniscient point of view.

• NO I, you, we, our, us, my…etc…

Which is more academic?

• “I think there was a bank robbery reported on Elm Street at 3 o’clock.”

OR

“A robbery was reported on Elm Street at 3 o’clock.”

PEER WORKSHOP

The rest of our session will be devoted to continuing our discussion of your

ideas regarding the topic choices listed below. In Unit 4, we practiced, but now it’s time to work together to develop a

solid, final thesis. We’ll attempt to work with as many individuals as possible.

Who would like to go first?

Gender Issues in Criminal Justice

Terrorism and Border Control

Criminal Justice and Technology

Potential Thesis Statements

• Gender Issues –– Female offenders are treated with more leniency than male

offenders.

• Terrorism and Border Control- Racial profiling is an ineffective way to combat terrorism.

Criminal Justice and Technology

- Surveillance cameras do work as a deterrent to committing crimes.

Sample Thesis Paragraph

• Are women offenders with children in the criminal justice system given more leniency in sentencing than women without children in an attempt to sustain the family unit?  By sentencing single parents lengthy prison time, are we also sentencing the child to a life of foster care?  Can programs that promote maintaining and strengthening the bond between mother and child help keep this unit together?

Sample rough draft: the thesis

• Women make up one third of the correction officers in prisons (Camp and Camp, p. 144). Why are more women not more women correctional officers? Are women not promoted or given these positions or are they positions they do not even apply for?

First body paragraph: background• Until the latter part of the twentieth century, men worked as

correctional officers in male units and women worked in female units or in one of the few female-only prisons. Moreover, females were only allowed to work at entry gates, control system booths, and administrative positions away from the residential units. Most importantly, female correctional officers were forbidden to have direct contact with male inmates. In 1978, four state correctional agencies reported that they did not hire women to work as officers in male facilities. In a ten year follow up, it was found that all states had hired women as correctional officers in male facilities, and the percentage of women correctional officers in male facilities had increased to six percent. In 2001, women made up 24.5 percent of all correctional officers in male facilities (Morton, J.B. ACA & Women Working in Corrections, Corrections Today, October 1, 2005).

Second body paragraph: transition

• For decades, many females employed in correctional systems were not promoted since they were denied the same access to job opportunities and professional responsibilities as their male counterparts. In some cases, women who had five, six, seven years of experience, and through no fault of their own, could not be promoted merely because of their gender (Gender, Leadership, and Correctional Policy, Whitepaper for the Minnesota State University, August, 2008).

Third paragraph• In the early 1980s, however, as a result of litigation and steadfast

performance of their job responsibilities, women began to be recognized and promoted. Court rulings provided increased opportunities for women to work in the secure residential areas of prisons, and with that, came increased opportunities for advancement and promotion. Female correctional officers now could progress on the path to sergeant, lieutenant, major, and even colonel with their institution. Their experience, ethical behavior, dedication, education, skills, and job performance became the basis for promotion and increased pay. Today, women work in both uniformed and non-uniformed positions within corrections. They seek and hold correctional officer positions in secure residential areas in male units. They have responsibilities that put them in direct contact with male convicts, including the vital roles of providing treatment and counseling for mental health, drug abuse, anger management, and alcohol rehabilitation

Unit 6 Expectations

• Seminar

• Reading

• DB – Choosing a topic

• Take a Break

Unit 7 Expectations

• Reading

• Seminar

• DB – more about evidence

• Project – Rough Draft