Papers and presentations

Each student will be assigned to a panel, prepare a term paper and present it as described below.  Submitting a written paper is required to earn a grade higher than "F" for the course.

Topics and panels

Each panel will be assigned one of four films/film pairs:  "Stevie", "Deliver us from Evil", "Hood 2 Hood" and "F.E.D.S.", and "Latin Kings". These films will be shown in class and, excepting Hood 2 Hood, are widely available for rental and purchase.

Each student will select a different criminological theory that seems compatible with their panel's assigned film. As described below, students will explain how their chosen theory fits the film, comparing selected passages from the movie against the class text. Students are asked to NOT use any resources other than the film and the text.

Paper

Each students will prepare a 3-4 page paper that analyzes two to four passages from the film.

The paper must be your own original work.  Do not use any paper or article that you have used or are using in any other course. Spelling and grammar are crucial!

Presenting the paper

Each panelist will have a maximum of five minutes to orally present their paper.  Papers will be turned in immediately after the presentation.

Panels may, if they wish, put visual materials on a single flash drive, to be used by all members of the panel. All together, these materials may not take more than a total of five minutes to run or present.  If you intend on using visuals, please alert the instructor well in advance.

Grading

Papers are worth 20 points.  You will be graded on clarity, coverage, conciseness, originality, following directions and grammar and spelling.

Presentations are worth 10 points. Note cards are OK, but please don't read from cards or your paper! Presentations that seem unprepared or unrehearsed, or where a student simply reads will forfeit points.  

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