LITERAUTRE REVIEW
CRIM5301
Due Date: Saturday, March 9 at 11:59pm
Total Points: 100 Points
This research paper requires you to write a literature review on one criminological theory
reviewed over the semester. The main goal of this literature review is to provide a
comprehensive overview of the empirical status of the criminological theory of your choice.
Follow the instructions provided below in order to successfully complete the assignment. Failure
to follow directions will result in a loss of points.
Required Sections
Introduction
This section introduces the topic of your research paper to the reader.
You may choose any theory we have reviewed this semester. If you are unsure about a theory,
please ask me. This section should be about a page long. Detailed instructions on what is
required to be included in your Introduction section are included below.
Paragraph #1: Write a paragraph that introduces your topic.
• Mention your theory in the first sentence.
• Give a brief overview of the theory.
o Write 1-2 sentences that provide a rudimentary overview of the theory.
For example, “The General Theory of Crime proposes that individuals with
low self-control are more likely to commit crime and analogous behavior than
those with high self-control.”
• Write 1-2 sentences informing the reader why this is the theory you chose to review.
Paragraph #2: Describe the theory in detail.
• Provide a detailed overview of the theory.
o Give a detailed description of the main proponents of the theory.
Paragraph #3: Detail the specific areas you want to focus on when reviewing the empirical
literature.
• You must discuss at least 3 separate areas/topics from the theory that have received
attention in the empirical research.
o These areas/topics should be a reflection of the empirical body of research
associated with your theory.
For example, if I chose to review the General Strain Theory, I could focus
on the coping process, the role of anger in the strain-crime relationship,
the types of strain that are most likely to result in criminal coping, etc.
(there are many other areas within this theory you could discuss!).
Literature Review
Keep in mind that the main goal of this literature review is to provide a comprehensive overview
of the empirical status of the theory you chose. First, write an introduction paragraph that
highlights what you will be discussing in this section of the paper. Next, discuss each of the areas
you identified in the introduction section by reviewing the empirical research. Finally, write a
conclusion paragraph that sums up the overall status of the empirical research you reviewed. An
outline of this section is provided below:
Paragraph #1: Introduction Paragraph
• Briefly restate your theory and the subareas/topics you will be reviewing.
• State what you expect to find in your review.
Paragraphs #2-4: Review the Literature
• Review the subareas/topics you chose using facts from empirical articles.
o Dedicate 1-2 (long) paragraphs to each of the subareas/topics you chose to
discuss.
• Each paragraph should discuss common findings that are backed up by the empirical
research.
o You want to highlight common trends that are found in the empirical literature.
You should include multiple citations for each point you are making (see below).
For example: Empirical research shows a strong connection between
neuropsychological impairment and violent crime (CITE, CITE, CITE).
o You should then review at least two of the articles you cited in more detail.
For example: Raine (2008) found that murderers had less functioning in
their prefrontal cortex than non-murderers.
o SEE BELOW FOR MORE DETAIL ON PROPER CITATIONS
Paragraph #5: Conclusion Paragraph
• Summarize the findings.
o Combining information from all of the articles discussed, what were the overall
findings?
• Give your overall assessment of the empirical validity of the theory.
o Do you think there is enough empirical support for your theory? Why or why not?
Conclusion Section
This section provides an overall summary of the findings, highlights any major gaps in the
literature, and provides future directions in research and/or suggestions for theoretical
advancement. This section should be 1-2 pages long.
Paragraph #1: Summarize your knowledge of the research.
• What are the overall findings for each of the subareas you reviewed?
• Restate your overall assessment of the empirical validity of the theory.
Paragraph #2: Limitations
• State any common issues in research design/implementation
o Review any common issues with operationalizing variables, if applicable
• Review all common limitations mentioned in the studies you reviewed.
Paragraph #3: Future Directions
• Discuss the gaps in the literature that future research should address.
• Discuss any major policy considerations suggested by the research.
References
You are required to include a reference/bibliography page at the end of your assignment. All
citations included in your paper need to be listed here. Below is an explanation of how to make
your references page.
• Your references/bibliography page must be written in APA style.
o Feel free to use Google Scholar’s cite function to help you cite properly. Make sure
you check the citation it provides for you because it does not always provide a
complete or accurate citation!!
• Examples of APA citation for Reference Page:
Hall, M. (2021). Counting crime: Discounting victims? International Review of Victimology,
28(1), 3-32.
Kanwal, D.P. & Singh, A. V. M. (2019). Bankruptcy fraud and victim redressal system: A time
for change. Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice, 2(2), 184-201.
Additional Criteria for This Assignment:
• This assignment must be typed in 12-point font and double-spaced.
• You must include citations only from peer-reviewed articles.
• You will lose points for grammatical errors in cases in which errors detract from my ability
to easily read through your work.
• Do not plagiarize. Plagiarism is a serious issue and will result in NO POINTS being
given. Plagiarism can be avoided using proper citations.
• Do not use direct quotes unless absolutely necessary. Information taken from the
book, PowerPoint slides, or any other sources should be paraphrased instead.
• This assignment must be turned in through Blackboard by 11:59 pm the day it’s due.
How to Cite Articles in Your Paper (i.e. Internal Citations):
• Make sure that when you are discussing the findings of the articles you cite internally to give
the authors credit.
o Example 1: In a slightly different fashion, Nurco, Kinlock, & Balter (1993) measured
crime among narcotic addicts on a severity scale ranging from no criminal
involvement to serious criminal involvement, to determine whether addicts commit
more serious crimes.
o Example 2: Another different measurement strategy in studying crime among narcotic
addicts is to use a severity scale ranging from no criminal involvement to serious
criminal involvement, to determine whether addicts commit more serious crimes
(Nurco, Kinlock, & Balter, 1993).
o *If there are more than 3 authors listed, you can use this format: (Krohn et al., 2010)
• DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Not including internal citations is plagiarism. If you do not
include internal citations when discussing your four articles, you will lose points.
When looking for articles you need to adhere to the following guidelines:
• Use scholarly journals rather than popular magazines, newspaper articles, or the Internet as
your four (or more) main sources. To be clear, your sources MUST be peer-reviewed
articles.
o These are articles published in academic journals such as International Review of
Victimology, Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice, Journal of Forensic
Sciences, Criminology, Criminology and Public Policy, Journal of Research in Crime
and Delinquency, Justice Quarterly, Social Forces, Social Problems, etc.
• In general, select recent articles (i.e., 1990 or later). However, if an article written in 1952,
for example, is extremely pertinent to your proposal, then use it (but you should ask me first).
• Do not include editorials, book reviews, etc. You should focus on theoretical, quantitative,
or qualitative studies only. If you are unsure about an article, let me know! I will gladly
take a look at it.
Outline of Required Sections for Literature Review:
Introduction
• Paragraph 1: Introduce your topic
• Paragraph 2: Describe the theory in detail
• Paragraph 3: Detail the specific areas you want to focus on when reviewing the empirical
literature
Literature Review
• Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph
• Paragraph 2: Review the Literature: topic/subarea 1
• Paragraph 3: Review the Literature: topic/subarea 2
• Paragraph 4: Review the Literature: topic/subarea 3
• Paragraph 5: Conclusion Paragraph
Conclusion Section
• Paragraph 1: Summarize Findings
• Paragraph 2: Limitations
• Paragraph 3: Future Directions
References/Bibliography (which includes APA citations of all sources you used)
