Criminal Justice Reflection Papers:

Criminal Justice Reflection Papers:

Reflection Papers: Students are required to write weekly 2 page critical reflection papers. Reflection papers will be graded on a scale ranging from: Excellent (10); Good (9); Fair (8), to Unsatisfactory (0). Please note that minimum competence for upper-level seminars is considered to be at least Fair (8). Papers not meeting these expectations will be asked to be re-written until minimum competence is clearly demonstrated. The reflection papers must include the following four elements to receive maximum credit:

A) Summary of readings, chapter, or article. Highlight the key concepts/theories put forth.

B) Provide a critique of the chapter, article, or readings. A critique may variously include, a counter-argument to the claims put forth in the reading, chapter, or article, a sympathetic extension of the readings, or a constructive attempt to revise and strengthen the arguments of the readings or documentary. This particular element should engage the reading or documentary episode on its own terms. Please read: “A Note on Writing Critical Reflection Papers” below for guidelines to think about when writing critiques of assigned readings.

C) Your critical reaction to the reading, chapter, article, or documentary. This component may include some new position on the issue. This section could also include your personal lived experiences as they relate to the topic at hand.

D) At the end of your analysis, you are required to list at least two important questions stimulated by your reading and written analysis of these readings.

A Note on Critical Reflection Paper Writing:

The purpose of writing reflection papers is to provide you with the opportunity to develop reflective, critical, and synthesis skills as outlined below. Please consider the
guidelines below as you approach each of your writing assignments.

Analytic:
• What is the purpose of the reading?
• What is the author’s main argument?
• How does the author support her/his main argument?
• What are the implications of the author’s argument for policy and practice?
• How is the author’s argument supported, further developed or challenged by other readings?

Reflective:
• What is your position in relation to the author’s argument?
• What aspects of your own experiences in your daily life and as a student, in particular, support or challenge this author’s perspective?
• How does the author’s position either confirm or challenge your own beliefs and assumptions?
• Has the author’s position had any impact on changing your thinking about a particular issue(s)?

Critical:
• What are the assumptions of the reading?
• What does the author omit from the reading?
• Whose voice is left out of consideration in the reading?
• What are some of the strengths and limitations of the reading?

Synthesizing:
• How does the reading relate to other course readings? To your own educational/lived experiences?
• What impact does the reading have on your own beliefs and assumptions?
• How does the reading support and/or change your perspective?

I will provide the chapters in the text needed, and an article that is needed. I will also attach several sample reflection papers.