INDEPENDENT STUDY INFORMATION
Dr. Stephen Owen
If you would like to complete an independent study with me, please read the following information carefully (be advised, these are my guidelines only; I do not speak for all faculty).
1. Purpose of Independent Studies
Independent Studies are designed to give you the opportunity for detailed study of a topic of your choosing (relevant to criminal justice, of course). The overarching purpose is for you to engage in independent inquiry that allows you to gain knowledge about your topic. For many independent studies, you may contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of criminal justice, by conducting original research, analyzing data, evaluating hypotheses, etc. You may even submit your work for presentation and/or publication.
2. What Independent Studies are NOT
If you approach me to do an independent study, I will assume that you are motivated solely by intellectual curiosity and by the desire to learn more about a topic. I find the reasons below unsuitable for completing an independent study, and if you approach me with one of these reasons, I most likely will not agree to supervise your independent study:
I need an "easy" credit
I need one/two/three more hours of credit, and I don't want to take a "real" class
I didn't take a required course, and I want this to count in its place
I don't know what I want to study - you tell me - I just need credit
3. Who Can Do an Independent Study?
The formal prerequisites for an independent study are (a) having nine hours of CRJU courses and (b) finding a criminal justice faculty member who will agree to supervise the independent study. Each faculty member has his or her own criteria for assessing the suitability of a proposed independent study; here are the guidelines that you must meet before I will agree to supervise one: (a) you must be a junior or senior; (b) you must have an cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher; (c) you must have previously taken a class from me (or currently be in one) and have earned (or be earning) at least a "B"; and (d) you must come to me with a rough idea for a topic that you would like to pursue, having read this document in its entirety.
4. How Much Work Is Involved in an Independent Study?
An independent study is an academic course. It is not a "shortcut" by which you can avoid taking a full course, nor is it anything less than a full course. As a general guideline, I expect you to devote as much time to an independent study as I would expect you to devote to any other class. Of course, each independent study is unique, so expectations will vary. Applying the 2:1 rule (assumption that you spend two hours of preparing for each hour of class), here are rough estimations about the amount of work that I will expect (these are not "rules," so much as broad indicators approximating the amount of consideration that I would image you would need to give an independent study project):
3 credit hours: 135 hours (9 hours per week x 15 weeks)
2 credit hours: 90 hours (6 hours per week x 15 weeks)
1 credit hour: 45 hours (3 hours per week x 15 weeks)
When I review your proposals, I will do so with these guidelines in mind. You should plan with these guidelines in mind, as well.
5. What Will the Independent Study Accomplish?
There are four options you may purse for an independent study:
ORIGINAL RESEARCH: You may select a topic and prepare an original research paper on the subject. I am not looking for descriptive term papers; I want your paper to advance and test a hypothesis (quantitative and/or qualitative research techniques), and then comment on the results. This is similar to the type of work you might do in CRJU-485, Research Methods in Criminal Justice. Be advised, this option is the most time consuming and requires the most advanced planning (to clear IRB requirements, etc.).
POLICY RESEARCH: You may select a particular policy issue relevant to criminal justice and complete a detailed assessment of it. These papers generally involve two components: First, a detailed review of the pertinent literature surrounding the policy (this requires advanced planning to ensure that pertinent materials are available in McConnell Library; if not, they should be ordered through inter-library loan); Second, a thoughtful analysis of the policy, including an assessment of its origins, goals, effectiveness, and whether it should be retained, modified, or eliminated.
DIRECTED READINGS: In this option, you will identify an area of interest, and we will meet to select readings in that area. You will complete each of the readings, along with a written commentary (in the style of an annotated bibliography). Then, you will complete a final paper synthesizing the readings, discussing the state of knowledge in the field, etc. This variety of independent study functions much like a traditional course, with regular readings and writings, minus the class meeting time.
CREATIVE PROJECT: You may decide to complete a creative project, such as a service learning activity, creation of a video, teaching aids/demonstrations, etc. These projects require careful planning, must be accompanied by a properly formatted research paper, and must demonstrate a clear connection to the scholarship of criminal justice.
Regardless of which option you select, I will expect you to present your results at the Undergraduate Forum, hosted each spring by the Honors Academy (I will only waive this requirement if you will graduate before the next Undergraduate Forum - i.e., completing a summer or fall independent study, and then graduating in the fall).
6. How Is the Independent Study Graded?
I will only supervise independent study projects that are graded on a A-F basis. I will not supervise those graded pass/fail.
I will assess your work based on its quality - that is, how well it accomplishes the task(s) outlined in the Independent Study Proposal (see item #9). As with all classes, a "C" indicates "average" quality work. To earn a "B" or an "A", your work needs to be "above average" or "outstanding," respectively. A "D" will be assigned to those projects that are below average, and an "F" to those that are entirely unsatisfactory.
I expect you to meet with me regularly (every 1-2 weeks) throughout the semester to discuss your progress. At these meetings, I will expect to see evidence that illustrates your progress (for instance, bibliographies, portions of papers, etc.). These meetings are very important because they allow us to discuss your work. That way, problems/concerns can be detected early and avoided. I will be suspect of any papers that are turned in at the end of the semester without having had regular meetings. In fact, I reserve the right to reduce your grade if you fail to participate in these meetings.
7. How Should the Papers Be Written?
Regardless of which option (listed under point #5) that you select, you will be completing written work. I ask that you carefully read and follow the "Guidelines for Paper Writing" that are posted on my webpage (www.radford.edu/~ssowen) under the "Handouts" link. Please ensure that your papers conform to the standards of grammar, spelling, style and citation. Grades will be deducted for those papers that do not.
Unless otherwise indicated, all papers must follow APA citation standards. Please consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for the specifics of APA style.
8. Can a Paper be Published or Presented at a Conference?
I am willing to co-author papers with students for publication or presentation. This requires more work than a traditional independent study, because of the standards to which professional publications and presentations are held. If you are interested in pursuing a publication or presentation, let me know as you are planning the independent study, as we will have to more precisely tailor the topic and research strategies. If you choose to pursue this route, your name will be listed as the first author of the paper/presentation, and my name will be listed as the second author. I will treat this as a professional collaboration, in addition to an independent study course. Accordingly, I will be more involved in the writing and data analysis aspects, but the bulk of the responsibility will still remain with you. Be advised, even if a paper is submitted for publication or presentation, there is no guarantee that it will be accepted.
9. I Want to Do an Independent Study...Now What?
Towards the end of the semester immediately prior to the one in which you want to do the independent study, contact me to set up an appointment. We will meet to discuss your topic and what kind of project you would like to accomplish. It is extremely important that you have read this document and given your project some thought prior to the meeting.
To enroll for an independent study, you will need to complete an independent study form. Forms are available on the bulletin board in the Criminal Justice Department office. Forms will require you to submit a narrative description of your project. Forms also will require signatures of your advisor, the chair of the Department Curriculum Committee, and the Department Chair.
10. What is the Due Date?
As noted above (in item #6), I expect you to meet with me regularly to discuss your progress, review drafts, etc. In terms of the final product, it should be turned in no later than the Wednesday of the final week of classes. Late papers may have grades deducted.