How long should each question be?
Your answers to EACH of the three questions must be between 150-250 words (for a total of 450-750 words). This means question 1 should be at least 150 words, question 2 should be at least 150 words, etc. Writing 200 words for question 1 and only 100 words for question 2 is not acceptable. Failure to meet the minimum word count for any of the three questions will result in a lower score.
Do I need to cite my sources, including the assigned material? Can I use outside sources (anything that wasn’t assigned for this class)?
Yes, you need to cite your sources (including the assigned material) using APA version 7 citation format. Failure to cite all sources will result in a lower score and plagiarism will result in an academic complaint. You will not be allowed to re-submit a post in which you have plagiarized.
Can I use quotes?
Responses must be written in your own words. No quotes allowed.
Why CAN’T I quote things?
I’m trying to evaluate your critical thinking and whether you understand the material. Quoting or ‘near-quoting’ doesn’t show you understood anything. I could quote the work of Stephen Hawkings all day long but that doesn’t mean I understand quantum physics. Once again, put things in your own words!
Can I use bullet points?
How do I do the peer-review?
See hereLinks to an external site. for instructions.
Cheating and plagiarism
If you are caught doing anything that can be deemed academically dishonest, you will be penalized. Unless stated otherwise, all assignments are individual assignments, not collaborations. While you are welcome to form study groups, any form of cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty will result in an academic misconduct report filed against you. Plagiarism includes any action that does not give full and complete credit to the original author. Changing a few words around or changing a sentence structure still counts as plagiarism. If you are unsure an action would be deemed academically dishonest, ASK ME!
Answer the following questions:
1a. Read ‘How Good a Match is It? Putting Statistics into Forensic Firearms Identification (Links to an external site.)’ and ‘Firearm Analysis (Links to an external site.)’. According to the articles, how do we currently analyze bullets?
1b. What are some of the weaknesses of how we currently analyze firearms?
1c. According to the ‘How Good a Match is It? Putting Statistics into Forensic Firearms Identification (Links to an external site.)’, how are we putting statistics into firearms identification and why is it better?
2a. Read ‘Fingerprint Source Identity Lacks Scientific Basis for Legal Certainty (Links to an external site.)’. Explain at least one issue with fingerprints that was discussed in the article.
2b. Read ‘Experts Recommend Measures to Reduce Human Error in Fingerprint Analysis (Links to an external site.)’. Explain at least one of the suggestions given to reduce error in fingerprint analysis.
2c. Would the suggestion address the issue you selected from the first article?
2d. Why or why not?
3a. Read ‘Untested Evidence: Not Just a Crime Lab Issue (Links to an external site.)’. Explain some of the issues discussed in the article and explain how one (or more) of the suggested solutions can address the issues.
3b. Can you think of another solution that may help with some of the issues?
