For the written portion, students should compose an MLA-compliant document with the following parts.
Part I: Biography (three-page minimum): The biography should discuss your detective’s life, family, education, work, and introduction to the world of detection. The detective should be human and fall into one of the generally recognized detective classes (amateur, private investigator, police).
Part II: Character Analysis ( two-page minimum> 2 pages): The detective’s motivations and abilities should be further explored in the character analysis portions of the project. Why does the detective solve crimes? What does s/he love or hate about the work? Are there particular types of crimes or criminals that the detective finds particularly attractive or reprehensible? What is s/he good at? What are his/her weaknesses? Think also about aspects that define the detective as a human character such as tastes in art, entertainment, food, literature, lovers, music, etc.
Part III: Environmental Study ( one-page minimum): Place the detective within a particular scene. Where does s/he live? What features are unique to the environment? What are the major industries or points of interest? If you select a real location, what would readers expect to find that would signify the location? What kinds of crimes occur in such an environment? Who commits the crimes: major criminal figures, petty criminals or seemingly upstanding members of the community?
