Course: Bachelor of Justice
JSB172: Professional Academic Skills Assessment 1: Briefing Note Weight: 40% Due date: Friday 16th March 2018 - by 11:59pm Length: 750 words Purpose/Learning Outcomes: This assessment relates to Learning Outcomes 1. Demonstrate proficiency in academic literacies, including applying appropriate referencing conventions (Discipline Knowledge, Communication and Collaboration - CLOs 1.1, 3.1, 3.2) 2. Practice and develop professional writing conventions for a range of audiences and formulate persuasive arguments in written text (Communication and Collaboration; Critical Thinking and Basic Research Skills - CLOs 3.1, 3.2, 4.2) 3. Communicate and interact professionally in a timely manner in a suitable format, working in various modes according to situational variance to accommodate working independently and collaboratively (Communication and Collaboration - CLOs 3.1, 3.2, 3.3; Professional Ethics - CLO 2.4; Critical Thinking and Basic Research - CLO 4.1) Task: Despite the fact that serial killers have become increasingly popular in current media and television, there is little research available on specific contributing factors that impact their psychological makeup. Certain common features characterize serial killers such as demographic and descriptive features, criminal history, characteristics of the crime and serial killer typologies such as psychopathic sexual sadists, custodial killers or psychotic killers … In the Briefing Note you will critique “The Making of a Serial Killer: Means and Motives” focusing on one complex mechanism known to trigger a type of serial killing behavior. Using a case study - one specific serial killer - you will explain how and why the psychological make-up of the person caused them to serial kill, such as for example child abuse, negative parenting, genetic damage, or one that can be activated by the environment such as injury to the head, heavy drinking and drug use, prolonged malnutrition, abuse, violence (physical and or sexual) etc. NOTE: YOU MUST USE THE ‘BRIEFING NOTE’ TEMPLATE ON BLACKBOARD FOR THIS ASSESSMENT ITEM. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN PENALTIES BEING APPLIED TO YOUR OVERALL MARK In the Briefing Note you will need to justify and convince the reader why more research needs to be conducted in this area… You need to find five scholarly, peer-reviewed sources that you will cite in the Briefing Note to underpin the need for further research explaining (and critiquing) “The Making of a Serial Killer: Means and Motives” Academic Sources: Students will need to find five scholarly, peer-reviewed sources relevant to the research. All sources must be correctly cited in text and a correctly formatted reference list must be provided in QUT Harvard style. Suggested layout/structure: YOU MUST USE THE ‘BRIEFING NOTE’ TEMPLATE ON BLACKBOARD FOR THIS ASSESSMENT ITEM. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN PENALTIES BEING APPLIED TO YOUR OVERALL MARK Professional presentation: YOU MUST USE THE ‘BRIEFING NOTE’ TEMPLATE ON BLACKBOARD FOR THIS ASSESSMENT ITEM. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN PENALTIES BEING APPLIED TO YOUR OVERALL MARK. Your Briefing Note must include the statement of authorship – a text box for this is included in the Briefing Note template – the text box for this will be on the last page of the Briefing Note template under your typed name. The Statement of Authorship indicates that you accept responsibility for your work and that it is original and free of plagiarism: In submitting this work I declare that, unless otherwise acknowledged, this work is wholly my own. I understand that my work may be submitted to Turnitin and consent to this taking place. Submission details: This assessment should be submitted ELECTRONICALLY ONLY via TURNITIN as a Word document in the JSB172 Blackboard site Assignment area. If you encounter difficulties with submitting to Turnitin you need to log a job with IT Helpdesk and keep a record of this job request: https://www.ithelpdesk.qut.edu.au/ PLEASE NOTE: You must submit this piece of assessment via Turnitin before 11:59pm on the due date – submissions after 11:59pm will be considered as Late Submissions and subject to the late submission penalty. Useful Library resources: http://libguides.library.qut.edu.au/criminology_policing QUT Harvard Referencing: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/cite/qutcite.jsp#harvard TO: Dr Toby Miles-Johnson FROM:[YOUR NAME and student number] SUBJECT:The Making of a Serial Killer: Means and Motives PURPOSE Here you will inform the reader of the issue/problem in 2 or 3 succinct sentences - justifying/convincing the reader why more research needs to be conducted focusing on one complex mechanism known to trigger a type of serial killing behavior (50 words). BACKGROUND 150 words - It should include all facts that are relevant to the person making a decision in relation to the problem. For example - What brought about the writing of this briefing note, e.g. the importance of the issue - The factual background to the issue - What are the current definitions/policies/police practices/laws/programs etc. in place to deal with the problem - what makes a serial killer - What is happening in other jurisdictions in relation to the problem - Do not analyse the issue or answer the question in this section. You will do that below – here you are making an opening statement. It is setting up the background information which underpins your briefing note – it is the first part of the process used to convince your reader of the importance of the research. You can cite research here to justify your argument. It must be written in a factual way – do not embellish or make sweeping statements. ISSUE 500 words - This is also the section in which you must meet the requirements of critical analysis. You need to find five scholarly, peer-reviewed sources relating to Serial Killers (you will cite them here and eventually you will also cite these in the Workplace Report) to underpin the need for research regarding the making of a serial killer - means and motives. Your Briefing Note must be used as a tool to influence your reader to take action or make a decision and understand the issue – therefore it needs to be informed and underpinned by research and data. Here you can highlight one particular Serial Killer that relates to the specific issue that you have chosen to write about regarding the making of a serial killer. Remember that you are arguing that despite the fact that serial killers have become increasingly popular in current media and television, there is little research available on specific contributing factors that impact their psychological makeup. Certain common features characterise serial killers such as demographic and descriptive features, criminal history, characteristics of the crime and serial killer typologies such as psychopathic sexual sadists, custodial killers or psychotic killers … You may want to start with one paragraph stating: What the issue is; and Why is it an issue? You should stick to one issue. Your Briefing Note must deliver expert insight and strategic suggestions (based on your five scholarly articles) written succinctly with brevity, clarity and professionalism. Having identified your issue, next you need to present options to resolve it. The easiest and best method of determining options is the following: Option 1: do nothing new, that is, continue with the status quo [replace this description with a brief title for the option] Under each of these headings present both sides of the argument in favour and against proceeding with that option. To keep the briefing note brief, the argument presented here should be a summary (1-2 paragraphs). Do not try to be too clever – do not make sweeping statements and be careful of bias. Make sure your suggestions resolve the issue you have raised. Option 2: address the issue in full, that is, try and solve all aspects of the issue [replace this description with a brief title for the option] Option 3: present a compromise between doing nothing and everything [replace this description with a brief title for the option] After you briefly outline each option you must end this section with a brief paragraph explaining which of the above options is recommended and why. Make sure you include the reasons why the other options are not as good. This is the (only) point at which you compare the options against each other. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation: insert the title of the recommended option here then briefly outline in 1 - 2 sentences – you will need at least 2 recommendations - This section is very short. Under each recommendation you will in 2 sentences max (25 words) succinctly state the recommendation(s) in relation to the action/implementation of a policy/practice/definition/categorization etc. to determine the making of a serial killer – means and motives Recommendation: As before 25 words [Insert your name and student number] Research Assistant: Serial Killer Project Australia Here you will type your declaration of originality - In submitting this work I declare that, unless otherwise acknowledged, this work is wholly my own. I understand that my work may be submitted to Turnitin and consent to this taking place. REFERENCE LIST You need to reference throughout your briefing note. Referencing in text should follow the QUT Harvard format. In the reference list you will include here you should include the 5 five scholarly, peer-reviewed sources you referenced in the text; they should be listed alphabetically. This should also conform to the QUT Harvard format. Your reference list does not count towards your word limit. 1 JSB172: Professional Academic Skills JSB172: Professional Academic Skills CRA - Assessment 1 ‘Briefing Note’. Weighting: 40%. Learning outcomes assessed: 1 - 3 Criteria 7+, 7, 7- 6+, 6, 6- 5+, 5, 5- 4+, 4, 4- 3 2 - 1 0 Analyse and critique the evidence that informs “The Making of a Serial Killer: Means and Motives” Weighting: 50% Demonstrates detailed, sophisticated, and authoritative knowledge of topic and theory, with no inaccuracies Sophisticated articulation of the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Demonstrates high level of knowledge of topic and theory with only minor omissions or inaccuracies Good articulation of the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Demonstrates moderate knowledge of topic and theory with some omissions or inaccuracies of important material Expresses fairly well the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge of topic and theory but there are significant gaps and inaccuracies in material Basic articulation of the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Demonstrates limited knowledge of topic and theory, and significant misunderstandings of content Limited articulation of the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Demonstrates little to no knowledge of topic and theory, and significant misunderstandings of content Little articulation of the key points made regarding specific contributing factors that impact upon a serial killer’s psychological makeup Set task not complete Critical analysis and synthesises of case study and research material – clearly identifying strategies and specific recommendations in relation to the serial killer and one behavioural trigger Weighting: 30% Demonstrates sophisticated critical analysis of one complex mechanism known