MFS Thesis RevisionEyewitness Testimony: How Accurate is it?

1 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCES FORENSIC SCIENCES PROGRAM FS 662 Supervised Graduate Research Project Requirements 201 9 – 20 20 2 Description of Graduate Research Project The supervised graduate research project in forensic science is undertaken once students have completed all core courses in the program The project is coordinated by full -time faculty and chaired by a Forensic Sciences faculty member chosen by the student from previous courses taken within the program. Students select a committee and a viable topic in forensic science to research.

Students meet once a week as a class for two months. Upon completion, students present the project to the committee in an open f orum that is open to peers. Goals of Graduate Research Project The purpose of the graduate research project (thesis) is to provide graduate students with the opportunity to acquire and demonstrate the skills involved in developing and designing a viable research project in the forensic sciences; collecting and analyzing data; evaluating research data and drawing conclusions; make an oral presentation of research findings; and applying the APA format with slight modifications. Objectives of Gradua te Research Project Upon completion of the thesis, students will be able to: 1. Develop a research question 2. Formulate a testable research hypothesis 3. Conduct a literature review 4. Describe an appropriate research methodology to answer the research question 5. Collect and analyze data 6. Draw conclusions and make recommendations based on the available data; 7. Make an oral presentation of research findings; 8. Demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues surrounding the collection and reporting of research data; 9. Understand the role research plays in the development of forensic science; and 10. Describe how diversity issues may influence choice of research topics, research methodology, and the application of research findings to the justice sy stem. 3 Requirements of Graduate Research Project 1. Each student must complete a research project that conforms to the requirements described in this handout: FS 662 Supervised Graduate Research Project Requirements.

Each student is required to do original research: that is, students must either collect their own data, or conduct secondary data analysis in an original manner. The research project will utilize a methodology appropriate for the research topic. Each thesis should be orga nized into a five -chapter format on a topic related to the field of forensic science, preferable drawn from the core required courses. 2. Human Subjects Research Policy: Researchers at NU shall observe the University guidelines in designing research proje cts involving human subjects. For more information and application process; please contact: the Director of the forensic sciences program – Dr. Ismail M Sebetan ( [email protected] ). 3. Committee: Committee will be formed of 3 individuals (a chair and 2 supervisors). At least one of the committee members should be a NU faculty (Full time or adjunct Faculty). 4. Submission guidelines: • Approval of the committee members with their signatures on the approval page. • Final approval will be decided by the instructor of your FSC662 class. • Binding your approved project should be done according to the binding guidelines. • Submit your bound copy with CD or FLASH DRIVE containing your thes is & power point (Y our name & title of your research must be written on your CD to Dr. Sebetan). • The Grade will be issued by the instructor of FSC662 class after receiving the bound copy & the CD /Flash drive . Note: Address: Dr. Ismail M. Sebetan 11255 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA 92037 4 Section 1: Organization of Contents Elements The following preliminary pages (numbered in lowercase Roman numerals ) precede the body of the thesis, in this order: • Title page • Thesis a pproval pages (one for chair, two supervisors, class instructor & the director of the Forensic program) • Copyright page (if you plan to register a copyright) • Dedication page (optional) • Acknowledgments (optional) • Abstract • Key words after the abstract (3 -5 words) • Table of contents • List of tables (if appropriate) • List of illustrations (charts, graphs, figures) (if appropriate) • List of symbols (if appropriate) • Preface (optional) Paginated in Arabic numerals is the text and other pages following the preliminary pages arranged in the following order: • Text (chapters of the manuscript) • References • Appendices 5 Title Page All Masters Theses must carry the following information on the title page: A research project submitted to National University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Forensic Sciences . Note: Refer to sample page in back. Project Approval Page A completed thesis must have the signatures of the three committee members, and the forensic program lead faculty. Type only as many lines as there are committee members signing. Signatures must be in permanent black ink. Refer to sample page in back. Cop yright Page This page is necessary only if the project is to be registered with the Federal Copyright Office. Refer to sample page in back. Dedication Use discretion in making a dedication. The dedication should be consistent with the topic of the resea rch. Acknowledgments Use discretion in making acknowledgments. It is customary to acknowledge special assistance from extramural agencies. There is no obligation that assistance received from members of the committee be acknowledged. Acknowledgments shou ld be couched in terms consistent with the scholarly nature of the work. Your name and date should not appear on this page. Abstract All abstracts must be double -spaced and the title should simply be ABSTRACT . The abstract should reflect clear information concerning the contents of the thesis. Key words (3 -5 words) 6 Table of Contents The table of contents is designed for the convenience of the reader. It should include the acknowledgment page, abstract, list of tables, list of illustrations, list of abbreviations or symbols, appendices and references as well as the major sections in the text. Do not list the "Title Page" or "T able of Contents" in the table of contents. Please note the following: • You must have dot leaders between the end of a heading and its page number • Headings in the table of contents should appear as they do in the text List of Tables The term "table" applies to numerical and statistical data set in vertical or horizontal alignment.

If there are tables in your text/appendix, a list of tables must be included. The "List of Tables" is on a page by itself and arranged in the same g eneral format as the Table of Contents. Type the table numbers in Arabic numerals, and the titles in capital and small letters, with period leaders extending from the last letter of the title to the page number. Please note: • Titles may be shorter than t hey appear in the text as long as they are not misleading. Titles may not be longer than the titles in the text. • Numbering of tables. You have two options: (a) You may begin by numbering the first table with the numeral "1" and continue to number your ta bles consecutively throughout the entire manuscript; or (b) you may number the first table in each chapter with numeral '1" and continue to number your tables consecutively within each chapter. For example, if chapter four has three tables and chapter five has three tables, the numbering would be as follows: 4.1 4.2 4.3; 5.1, 5.2, 5.3. Single space within titles which are longer than one line, but double space between each entry. List of Figures (or chart and graphs ) This list is also placed on a page by itself and arranged in the same general format as the Table of Contents. Designate figure numbers with Arabic numerals, and plate numbers, if any, with capital Roman numerals. If the thesis contains both figures and plates, arrange them on separate lists. List of Symbols If symbols are needed in the text, a list should be provided to explain their definitions or meanings. The list should be placed on a separate page and included where specified by these instructions. 7 Prefac e A preface, while optional, enables you to explain your purpose and perhaps justify your choice of a topic. The preface is also an appropriate place to present an overview of the project, including a description of what is to be found in each chapte r. If utilized, it is part of the preliminary pages (numbered with Roman numerals) and therefore precedes the main text. Text The organization of the text varies somewhat with the subject matter. The project is divided into five chapters, each chap ter titled and beginning on a new page. In general, the content of the five chapters include: Chapter I: Introduction The first chapter provides an overview of the project. The specific subsections of this chapter will vary, depending on the subject matter. In general, the first chapter should include the following information: Background of the Study: provid e a brief history of the ideas and issues related to the research topic. This section should not be a review of the literature (though some information may be repeated in the literature review), but a description of the events leading up to this research. Problem Statement: this is the heart of the research project. This subsection states the reason(s) why this research project is important . A good way to approach the Problem Statement is to address the following: Because of x and y, there is a problem in society (or the criminal justice system or the field of forensic science); if only we knew more about things might be better. The research project should be designed to answer z, which is the research question. Purpose and Objectives of the Study: list th e component parts of the research question. Rarely is a problem in forensic sciences one -dimensional. This subsection should describe the specific elements of the problem being addressed by the research. Definition of Terms: list definitions for only thos e terms which might be unfamiliar to the reader, especially those which can be considered terms of art and operational definitions. No need to reference the definition as you intend to use it. Limitations of the Study: describe self -imposed limits on the research, including those that relate to both the breadth and depth of the inquiry. Also include limitations that exist due to factors beyond your control. Describe the (potential) effects the particular limitations may have on your research. 8 Research Hypotheses: Based on the purpose and objectives as written in the Thesis Proposal. A research hypothesis is a specific, clear, and testable proposition or predictive statement about the possible outcome of a scientific research study based on a particular property of a population, such as presumed differences between groups on a particular variable or relationships between variables. Not a q uestion, not a search for information. Needs data, data analysis in a quantitative research study, such as desired for the MFS Thesis. The research hypotheses are a critical element of the research project: they will guide the literature review; heavily i nfluence the research methodology needed to obtain data that will either support or reject the hypotheses; and provide the focus for data analysis, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations. Summary of Remaining Chapters: Describe the content of the remaining chapters. If a preface is utilized, this subsection is not necessary. REMAINING CHAPTERS BEGIN WITH CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW. Chapter II: Literature Review The second chapter should not be confused with the Introduction in Chapter I. The introduction provides a review of the topic; the Literature Review summarizes w hat has been said about the topic. The Literature Review is not a series of book (or journal article) reports.

A good literature review tells a story about the topic, using scholarly published works to support what is written. The chapter should be organiz ed in such a way as to (a) bring together the most important writings about the research question in general, followed by (b) a closer examination of the writings related to the component parts detailed in the Purpose and Objectives subsection of Chapter I . It is very helpful to the reader if the ideas are presented in the same order throughout the thesis. This chapter will contain the greatest number of citations, so it is important that they be done correctly. Each citation must have a corresponding list ing in the Reference section. The Literature Review should not include data that will be used to answer the research question or test your research hypotheses. If the project is utilizing an analysis of published research to answer the research question, t he Literature Review should provide the background and take the reader up to the point where those studies begin. Chapter III: Methodology In general, this chapter describes how the data will be collected for your research (i.e . original “bench type”, s urvey or peer reviewed data from published sources or data collected from various government or other databases ) that after analysis WILL ALLOW YOU TO MAKE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT EACH RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS . 9 It is important to utilize appr opriate methods of data collection in order to be able to support or reject the research hypotheses. This chapter should begin with a description of the research methods used in the research, including a description of the dependent and independent variabl es, if any. Chapter III will most likely include the following subsections: Setting : if important to the research, describe the time and place of data collection. Description of the Subjects: depending on the type of data used in the project, this subsection can include either subjects involved in primary data collection, or those described in published research studies. If the project involves human subjects, it is necessary to first obtain their consent in writing. Description of the Research Ins trument(s): fully describe all questionnaires and tests, if appropriate. Include a copy of questionnaires in the Appendix. Procedures: describe in full detail how data were collected. If different methods were used, each method must be described. This subsection should also include a description and rationale for any statistical procedures used to support or reject the research hypotheses. Chapter IV: Results This chapter includes a presentation and analysis of the data. The tone of th e chapter is purely objective, devoid of assumptions and interpretations. Following a summary of the research data, Chapter IV should be organized in manner consistent with the research hypotheses: first, present data related to the first hypotheses; and second, analyze those data to determine whether the first hypothesis can be supported or rejected. Follow this sequence for each hypothesis. Tables are an effective way to present quantitative data. Qualitative data should be summarized, as opposed to verbatim transcriptions. Chapter V: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations This chapter involves (a) a Discussion of the research thesis hypotheses, including the findings, interpretation of the results, and problems and/or limitations; followed by (b) a Conclusion: what did we find out? what did we learn? and (c) Recommendations for changes in policy or practice, future research, or anything else that will direct solutions to the problem(s) that were the focus of the research. 10 References Only those works cited in the text appear in the Reference section and, conversely, every work in the Reference section must appear in the text. It is important to properly cite all references. References style should be according to APA manual . Sources: Periodicals Books Book chapter Meeting & Symposia Master’s theses & Doctoral dissertations Measurement instruments & apparatus. Personal communication Archival documents Periodicals : Sebetan, I.M. (2002). Atropine poisoning or sudden infant de ath syndrome. The Research and Practice of Forensic Medicine , 45, 163 – 165. Tokita, K., & Schmid, K. (1963).Variants of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. Nature, 200, 266. Johnson, A. M., Schmid, K., & Alper, C. A. (1969). Inheritance of human alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid) variants. Journal of Clin ical Invest igation , 48 , 2293 – 2299. Books: Giblett, E. R. (1969). Genetic markers in human blood . Oxford and Edinburgh: Blackwell. Widdicombe, T. (2002). Simply Shakespeare . New York, NY: Longman. Anson, C. M., Schwegler, R. A., and Muth, M. F. (2000). The Longman writer’s companion (2 nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Longman. Johnson, S. (2001). Emergence: The connected lives of ants, brains, cities, and software . New York, NY: Touchstone -Simon. 11 Johnson, S. (2004). Mind wide open: Your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life . New York, NY: Scribner. Johnson, S. (2001a). Emergence: The connected lives of ants, brains, cities, and software . New York, NY: Touchstone -Simon. Johnson, S. (2001b). Mind wide open: Your brain and the neuroscience of everyday life . New York, NY: Scribner. Martin, S., Smith, L., Forehand, M. R., Mobbs, R., Lynch, T. F., Renfrew, E. J., et al. (2003).

Migratory waterfowl . Lincoln, NE: Wendell Press. Chapter within a book: Author, A. A., and Author, B. B. (2015). Title of the chapter. In A. Editor, B. Editor, and C. Editor (Eds.), Title of the book (pp. xxx -xxx). Location: Publisher Schmid, K. (1975). Alpha -1- acid glycoprotein . In F.W. Putnum (ed.), The plasma proteins. Vol. 1 (pp. 183 – 228). New York, NY: Academic Press. Thesis: Schmidtmann, U. (2002). PGM1 Subtypes polymorphism (master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation). National University, San Diego, California. Online: Pollanen , M.S. (2000). The forensic value of the diatom test for drowning . Forensic Pathology Unit, Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, 26 Grenville Street Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M7A 2G9. Retrieved June 20, 2003 from: Http://erin.utronto.ca/academic/FSC/FSC239Y -Drowning.HTM Conference presentation: Sebetan, I. M., & Lucero, G. (2007, May). Effect of lubricant on the analysis of DNA of the Y-STR from obtained from condom . Paper presented at the 91st Annual meeting of t he Medico -Legal Society of Japan, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Proceedings: Stockham, B. E. (2018, February ). The Expanded Application of Forensic Science and Law Enforcement Methodologies in Army Counterintelligence. Proceedings of the 70 th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Seattle, WA. No more than 3 web sites are allowed . 12 No News Papers are allowed. Endnotes Endnotes supplement or amplify information in the text. They should be used sparingly: if the information is of central importance, it should be included in the text; if the information is irrelevant or nonessential , it should be excluded; however, if the information is tangential, and more fully develops an element of the text, endnotes may be appropriate. Endnotes can be included at the end of each chapter or at the end of all the text. Appendix or Appendixes The main purpose of the appendix (or appendixes) is (are) to provide detailed information that would be distracting if presented in the text. For example, a survey instrument or questionnaire, a data collection form, or a list of variables would be appropr iate for placement in an appendix. Index An index can be extremely useful, but also difficult to create. Consider including an index only if word processing software facilitates its creation. Section 2: Format for Text Style The Forensic Sciences Program follows the format guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). Please speak with your instructor if you need additional help with the APA format. Margins Standardized margins are required on every page to ensure that no part of the project is cut off when it is bound and trimmed. The left margin must be 1 1/2 inches from the edge; all other margins must be at least 1 inch from the edge. Line Spacing Double spacing is required for the entire t hesis. Punctuation 13 Many common manuscript problems involve punctuation. Selecting committee members who are good writers and who are familiar with APA style can alleviate most problems. Pagination Every page must be counted in the numbering. With the exception of the title page, a number must appear on every page. Placement of page numbers must be consistent throughout and fit within the margins. Page numbers for preliminary pages using Roman numerals appear centered at the bottom of the page; page s using Arabic numerals appear in the upper right edge of the paper, one inch from the right edge and one inch from the top. If you have trouble figuring out how to number with 2 different formats, create 2 separate files and combine later for the binding . Chapters Each chapter must begin on a new page. Chapters should be numbered. Section 3: Illustrations The purpose of illustrations (drawings, photographs, diagrams, maps, tables, plates, etc.) is to present information more clearly than can be done with words. Legends or titles should be self -explanatory, concise, and consistent in form. Refer to the APA Style Manual , which has excellent chapters on formatting tables and figures Tables The term "table" applies to numerical and statistical data set in vertical and horizontal alignment. Tables over half a page in length should be placed on a separate page. Tables too wide to be accommodated on one page may be typed on two or more pages, pasted together and either folded or reduced to page size by a suitable photographic process. Lengthy tables should be placed in the Appendix. Footnotes for tables are to be indicated by standard symbols (*, etc.) or lower -case letters (a, b, etc.). Do not use numbers for footnotes to tables. Footnotes are placed a t the bottom of the table, not the bottom of the page. Figures The term "figure" refers to illustrations such as graphs, charts, diagrams, photographs, and maps, but not statistical data presented in tables. Refer to the APA Style Manual for the various styles. Section 4: The Final Copy Typing and Printing of the Manuscript 14 The Master’s Thesis is expected to be the product of neat and careful work by all concerned.

The physical appearance must be immaculate and convey an impression of pride and quality in behalf of the student, the advisory committee, the program, and the university. Your manuscript must be prepared on a typewriter, word processor, personal computer, or mainframe computer. However, al print in the project must meet the following standards: Any standard typeface is acceptable (although a font such as Courier is recommended) as long as the same typeface is used throughout the manuscript, with the exception of certain appendix material or legend on charts, which may be put in a different type. Italics should be used only to highlight specific words or phrases in the text, and only rarely. The type size should be 12 -point for all material in the text (this includes any reduced material which may be included in the Appendi x). The print should be letter quality (typewriter or letter -quality printer, 300 dots per inch, 24 - pin printer) with dark black characters that are consistently clear and dense. Dot matrix is unacceptable. If you are uncertain about the quality of print generated by your computer, bring a sample to your instructor. Print on one side of the page only. Paper Use only white paper, 8Y2 by 11 inches, un -punched, of 20 -pound weight. Do not use erasable paper. Substandard paper may be used for rough draft s. Reproduction Reproduced copies are acceptable if high quality photocopying is used. Photocopied signatures are acceptable for all copies except the original. Number of Required Copies A minimum of one copy of the thesis, bound with a blue hard cover, is required. That copy of the bound project is turned in to the department. In addition, a CD - Rom of the completed project (or flash -drive) should also be submitted with the hard copy (and be sure e instructor’s name of the FSC 662 class indicated ). For binding you may contact: College Book Bindery 3705 30th St San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 583 -7951 Or Herring & Robinson 15 Bookbinders 100 North Hill Drive, Unit 5 Brisbane, CA (415) 468 -0440 Additional binding options: http://nuls.nu.edu/web/documents/Thesis -Help.pdf Sample of Title Page for Master’s Thesis PROJECT TITLE A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF FORENSIC SCIENCES SEPTEMBER 20 19 By Jane E. Doe Ma sters Thesis Committee: Nell Ford, C lass Instructor Adrian Lennox, Supervisor (If present) Leslie Barton, Director MFS Program 16 Sample of Project Approval Page MASTERS THESIS APPROVAL FORMS We certify that we have read the project of Jane E. Doe entitled Instructions for the Preparation of the Masters Thesis and that, in our opinion; it is satisfactory in scope and quality as a thesis for the degree of Master of Forensic Sciences at National University. Approved by: Class Instructor Date: Supervisor (optional) Date: Director of Forensic Sciences Program Date: (Note: signature page can be officially signed off by or thru email and returned to be included in final draft to go to bindery. Director of Forensic Sciences Program (Dr . Ismail Sebetan) will sign the bound copy signature page after review and approval). 17 Copyright © 1997 by Jane E. Doe Al Rights Reserved POWER POINT GUIDELINE 18 For the power point presentation should be arranged as follows: 1. Title, Names and affiliation 2. Abstract (Summary) with Key words 3. Introduction 4. Purposes and Objectives 5. Materials and Methods 6. Result s 7. Discussion 8. Conclusion & Recommendation 9. Ref list (Note: the .ppt can follow the general thesis format, usually 25 -35 slides, as if presenting to your committee and peers for thirty minute “defense”. Suggested “bullet type” slide format, not to be text directly “cut -n-pasted” from thesis. Examples will be provided in the Course Resources located in Blackboard Platform for FSC 662)