The purpose of this assignment is to (1) learn about a related area within family conflict and the law; (2) enhance skills to conduct a practical literature search to obtain empirical information about a psychological topic; (3) demonstrate critical thinking skills and writing abilities as you analyze the material and write a term paper in a clear, concise, and organized matter; and (4) practice your ability to verbally present information to others
Choose one of the following topic. You may consult your textbook and/or the
internet to gain a foundational understanding of the topic. Then you must conduct a literature search
about the topic. Your paper must reference at least 3 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Topic:
Parricide (e-textbook available from JJ library; see below
1. Statement of the Problem/Topic Area (i.e., Introduction)
• What are relevant statistics that define/describe the problem?
• What legal, psychological, or other materials are relevant to this area?
• Why is this a relevant topic in society today?
2. Social Science Research Review
• What review articles and/or book chapters have been written by psycho-legal
scholars that address the current thinking of the legal issue?
• What empirical studies have been done that directly address the problem/topic?
• What are the outcomes of the problem/topic?
3. Summary, Conclusions, and Implications (i.e., Discussion)
• How are mental health professionals involved in the topic?
• What conclusions can be drawn from the social science research findings and how
do the findings relate to current clinical and legal practices?
• What do you suggest for the field moving forward?
