Course Syllabus

CC 100 – Introduction to Criminology (Section B)

Criminology, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences,
Waterloo Campus
Winter | 2023

I acknowledge that in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Brantford we are on the traditional territory
of the Neutral, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Instructor Information
Name: Michelle Dumas (she/her) | Office Location: ARTS 1C10 & virtual (in person -TBA*)
Contact Information: mdumas@wlu.ca (course code in subject line)
Phone: 519-884-1970 x2964 (Please note that this is a shared office and voicemail will not be monitored)
Weekly Office Hours: Virtual (via Zoom in MyLS) Mondays 2:00-3:00 pm (*May hold in person with
university approval)

Course Information
Calendar Description: This course introduces students to the discipline of criminology from both a
historical and a contemporary perspective. Students will be introduced to classical and contemporary
theorists in the field, as well as research methods and disciplinary debates, with a focus on both Canadian
and global issues in criminology.
Pre-requisites: none
Course Location: Arts 1E1, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5:30 – 6:50 pm [Note: I am coming from Brantford
right before this class; I may be late arriving due to traffic/weather that is beyond my control. Please
give me some time, if delayed.]

Course Overview and Approach

In this course, you will be introduced to sociological and other perspectives and research on crime. You
will be asked to think about such questions as: What is crime? How do some behaviours become defined
as crime? Why do definitions of crime vary across time and place? Why do some people engage in criminal
behaviour? How does the media contribute to our understanding of crime and/or criminals? We will also
examine patterns of crime in Canada and elsewhere. The course will consist of lectures, required readings,
and occasional videos.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

As a first-year course, CC100 begins to establish the theories, methodologies, debates, interpretations of
crime that will set the foundation for future criminology courses. The two main objectives of the course
are: 1) To introduce students to a wide range of perspectives explaining crime and patterns of crime in
Canada; and 2) To encourage students to think critically about social policy and official discourses that set
out what is considered ‘criminal’ in our society.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 1

By the end of this course students should be able to:
• Identify the major theoretical perspectives in criminology and understand their ideological basis,
and attendant rationales for the use of punishment.
• Understand how criminology is studied, the social dimensions of crime, and the differing
responses to crime.
• Apply specific theoretical concepts to real world news stories.
• Critically assess the role of media in understanding our perceptions of crime.
• Explain the various methodological approaches used to research crime and criminal behaviour.
• Describe the major categories of crime and how they are defined.
• Be knowledgeable about patterns of crime in Canada.
• Can critically assess the differences between conventional and white-collar crime.
• Be able to observe and evaluate crime prevention strategies.

Course Tools and Learning Materials

The required course texts in this course include:
1) Schmalleger, F. & Volk, R. (2022). Canadian Criminology Today: Theories and Applications(7e).
Toronto: Prentice Hall (CCT in schedule) – Digital Textbook Access (DTA) – see note below
2) Revel (to access the CCT text and quizzes associated with the textbook)
3) Other readings will be placed on reserve or available through MyLS.

You are enrolled in a Digital Textbook Access (DTA) Course

See more detailed information in MyLS regarding accessing your text through Revel Pearson. Note, you
will be required to download the software from Revel for chapter quizzes that will be graded.
• Please ensure you read the instructions thoroughly and do not pay for access to the e-text
online through the Publisher website as your Laurier student account will be charged.
• If your course is using an e-text resource that utilizes the Vitalsource Bookshelf e-reader please
ensure you download the e-reader to your device(s) – up to 4. You will realize all the features of
the e-reader (notes, highlighting, text to speech etc.) and be able to access your resources
offline anywhere, anytime. Note, even if you download your textbook to Vitalsource, you still
need to have access to Revel to do the chapter quizzes.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS

DTA resources

a. The charges for the DTA resources will be billed to your LORIS Account after the opt out
deadline.
b. The charges show up as a line item with the code DBK and the charge for the e-text.
c. The charges typically appear on your Laurier account approximately 4 weeks after the start
of the term and an invoice payment deadline is included.
d. If opting out - PLEASE ENSURE YOU CHECK YOUR @mylaurier.ca email regularly during the
first 2-3 weeks of your course.
e. Please email digitaltextaccess@wlu.ca if you have any questions related to your DTA course.
If you have questions about your student account, or fees, please contact Service Laurier
directly at servicelaurier@wlu.ca

© Michelle Dumas 2023 2

Accessing Revel (from Pearson):
Revel is a full digital access to the textbook with additional resources. It was built to work on your laptop,
tablet, and phone, so you can study whenever and wherever you like. Interactive animations and videos
illustrate what you’re reading about, helping you learn without getting sidetracked. You will need to sign
into your Pearson Account or create one. Please make sure to have your complete last name in your
account so that I can match you in MyLS for your grades.

To access Revel Canadian Criminology Today: Theories and Applications, 7e Canada Version, the course
materials for CC100 Introduction to Criminology, join the course at:
https://console.pearson.com/enrollment/5xheyt

Choose the “redeem” option and enter the following code: CSRSCC-SPOIL-FAIRY-SNUBS-ORACY-TOUSE

If you need help, check out these Revel student resources:

https://www.pearsonhighered.com/revel/students/support/

Troubleshooting Revel:
Ensure the web browser you are using is configured properly:
https://support.pearson.com/getsupport/s/article/Browser-Settings
If you still have issues, please visit: https://support.pearson.com/getsupport/s/

MyLearningSpace & Success in the Course

This course is supported through MyLearningSpace (MyLS). Outlines of the lectures will be placed there
(under the Content section). Note that the outline for the lectures posted will not be as detailed as those
provided in class. The midterm will be accessed through MLS. All assignments will be uploaded in the
Dropbox in MyLS.

To be successful in this course, students should attend class, actively listen, and take meaningful notes.
While I do provide lecture slides to follow, they are not complete. Exams will include a substantial number
of questions from lecture material. It is recommended that students keep up with the assigned readings
(see schedule below).

I encourage all students to make use of the Academic Advising and Support (writing centre, academic
advising, study skills/supplemental instruction, accessible learning) particularly in getting help with
academic writing. The Writing Services offer individual writing support for all students at the Waterloo
campus. They are located in the Teaching and Learning Commons, 2nd floor Peters, room, Monday to
Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. See their website for details regarding setting up an appointment.

Student Evaluation
Assessment Weighting Due Date
Revel Chapter Quizzes 10% According to reading schedule (see below)
Writing Services APA citing 3% Feb 9 (via MyLS Dropbox) (Lesson 5)
(MyLS Self Registered Course)
Midterm 20% Thurs, Feb 16 (via MyLS) (Lesson 6)

© Michelle Dumas 2023 3

 Assessment Weighting Due Date
News Assignment 27% Tues, Mar 71 (Lesson 8)
CP Photo Report 15% Tues, Mar 282 (Lesson 11)
Final Exam 25% TBA (during exam period, Apr 13 to Apr 29)
Total 100%

Learning Activities, Assignments, and Examinations

Revel Chapter Quizzes: The Revel quizzes are integrated throughout the chapter and at the end of each
chapter to provide you opportunities to check your understanding as you move through the reading. They
are low stake and include multiple-choice questions that are assessing your comprehension of the reading
material. Some quizzes allow for multiple attempts, but points may be lost. They are due on the date they
are scheduled for our class. However, you have a one-week extension to complete the quiz. After the
extension, it is considered late, at a penalty of 50%. After the second week, you will not get credit for that
quiz. Quizzes can only be accessed through Revel. Note, your lowest scored quiz will be dropped from
your grade. If you do not complete a quiz, that will be considered your lowest scored quiz.

Writing Services APA citing: This is done by self-registering to the course in MyLS main page. Choose the
Self Registration tab and scroll down to the bottom for Writing Services APA citing. This grade is a pass or
fail; that is, you will receive the 3% (final grade) or a 0% (for not completing) based on uploading your
completed certificate into the Dropbox. The course needs to be completed by Feb 9, 2023. Details of the
assignment are provided in Appendix A of this course syllabus.

Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will be accessed through the Quiz in MyLS. Questions will be based on
course readings and lecture material from the first half of the course (first 5 weeks). It is expected to be a
closed-book exam, written independently – on an honour system. The format of the exams and details
about content will be discussed in class prior to writing (Week 5). It will be available at the start of our
scheduled class time (5:30 pm on Feb 16) and can be accessed for 24 hours. The quiz will randomize the
set of questions for each student therefore each exam will be unique. Once started, you will have to
complete the midterm in the allotted time (90 minutes). You will not be able to return to complete it later
so make sure you have the time to complete it.

News Assignment: Instructions for the assignment are available in this course outline in Appendix B of
this course syllabus. You will be applying a theoretical concept learned in the course to real life examples,
from current news stories and repeat the process four times. Make sure to read the instructions in their
entirety. I will be going over it in class in Week 6 (see schedule below). It is due electronically in the
Dropbox on Tues, March 7, 2023, by 11:59 pm.

Crime Prevention (CP) Photo Report: Instructions for this assignment are available in the course outline
in Appendix C of this course syllabus. You will be photographing evidence (examples) of two specific type
of crime prevention strategies in your community and in a write-up about those strategies, detailing what
makes the example a crime prevention strategy, which type it is, and evaluate them. I will be going over
it in class (Week 9). It is due electronically in the Dropbox on Tues, March 28, 2023, by 11:59 pm.

1 See policy number 9 (an extension of 4 days can be taken without penalty, but feedback will be limited to rubric
only) – until Sat, Mar 11.
2 See policy number 9 (an extension of 4 days can be taken without penalty, but feedback will be limited to rubric

only) – until Sat, Apr 1

© Michelle Dumas 2023 4

Final Exam: The final exam will be a sit-down traditional exam during the exam period. It will be based on
course readings and lecture material from the second half of the course (non-cumulative). The format of
the exam and details about content will be discussed in the last class. It is scheduled by the university
administration and the schedule is posted mid-term.

Weekly Schedule (lesson plan)

The following schedule is tentative and may be subject to change during the term (e.g., switch order of
topics, modify time spent on a topic) based on the pace of the course and other factors. Any changes to
the schedule will be announced in class and in MyLS.

Lesson #
Topic Lesson Outcomes Learning Activities
and Date
Lesson 1 Introduction to the Introduce the content of Readings:
Jan 10 & course the course CCT – Ch 1 (What is Criminology?)
Jan 12 Define deviance and crime
Defining crime, Examine legal definitions of
Crime & the Law crime
Revel Quiz: Ch 1 due (Jan 12)
Lesson 2 Classical & Explaining crime Readings:
Jan 17 & Biological Theories (consensus theories): CCT – Ch 5 & Ch 6
Jan 19 of Crime classical and neo-classical
theories of crime;
biological explanations of
crime
Revel Quiz: Ch 5 & 6 due (Jan 19)
Lesson 3 Psychological & Explaining Crime Readings:
Jan 24 & Social Structural (consensus crimes) CCT – Ch 7 & Ch 8
Jan 26 Theories of Crime
Revel Quiz: Ch 7 & 8 due (Jan 26)
Lesson 4 Sociological Explaining crime (conflict Readings:
Jan 31 & Theories of Crime theories and modern CCT – Ch 9 & Ch 10
Feb 2 (Social process and approaches)
social conflict)
Revel Quiz: Ch 9 & 10 due (Feb 2)
Lesson 5 Victimology; Understand theories and Readings:
Feb 7 & Restorative Justice patterns of victimization CCT – Ch 4
Feb 9 Understand restorative Revel Quiz: Ch 4 due (Feb 9)
Midterm Review justice in criminal justice Writing Services APA citing
(Feb 9) assignment Due (Feb 9)
Lesson 6 *Discussion of Go over the assignment Discussion of News Assignment
Feb 14 News assignment and provide guidelines for
success!

© Michelle Dumas 2023 5

 Lesson #
Topic Lesson Outcomes Learning Activities
and Date
Lesson 6 No Lecture Midterm (via MyLS Quiz) - 90 mins
Feb 16 The midterm will be available to
access at 5:30 pm (for 24 hours).

Family Reading Week

Day Feb 21 to Feb 24
Feb 20 No classes

Lesson 7 Research & Explain the various Readings:

Feb 28 & Measuring Crime methodological CCT – Ch 2
Mar 2 Correlates of Crime approaches used to collect
data on crime.
Understand official
statistics and what that
data means.
Discuss correlates of crime. Revel Quiz: Ch 2 due (Mar 2)
Lesson 8 Media Understanding how media Readings:
Mar 7 & Constructions of shapes our understanding Sacco, V.F. (1995). Media
Mar 9 Crime of crime, including Constructions of Crime. The ANNALS
techniques and patterns of of the American Academic of Political
reporting and Social Science, 539(1), 141-154.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716295539001011

- Slingerland et al. (2006). Media

construction of white-collar violence
revisited: an examination of two
nightclub tragedies. Deviant Behavior.
27: 423-455. Only read pgs 423-429

** Newspaper Assignment - Due Mar

7 by 11:59 pm3
Lesson 9 *Discussion of CP Discussion of assignment Readings:
Mar 14 & Photo Report (Mar CCT- Ch 3 (up to p. 84; first half)
Mar 16 14)

Violence & Discussion of patterns of

property crimes violent & property crimes
(Conventional Revel Quiz: Ch 3a due (Mar 16)
Crimes)
Lesson 10 White-Collar Crime Explain and understand the Readings:
Mar 21 & nature of white-collar CCT – Ch 11
Mar 23 Social Policy & crime - Sutherland, E. H. (1940). White-
Crime Prevention Collar Criminality. American
Sociological Review. 5(1): 1-12

3 If the extension is taken, it can be submitted by Sat, Mar 11, without penalty or additional comments.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 6

 Lesson #
Topic Lesson Outcomes Learning Activities
and Date
Theories about Crime
prevention & crime Revel Quiz: Ch 11 due (Mar 23)
prevention strategies
Social policy and crime
Lesson 11 Organized Crime Understand nature of Readings:
Mar 28 & Morality Crimes organized crime CCT- Ch 3b (pg 85-92; second half)
Mar 30 Understand the nature of
(policing) morality crimes Jensen, E., Gerber, J. & Moshe, C.
(2004). Social Consequences of the
War on Drugs: The Legacy of Failed
Policy. Criminal Justice Policy Review.
15(1), 100-121

CP Photo Report Due (Mar 28)4

Revel Quiz: Ch 3b due (Mar 30)
Lesson 12 New and Introduce issues in current Readings:
April 4 Transnational crimes (cybercrime, human CCT - Ch 12
Crime trafficking) Clough, J. (2011). Cybercrime.
Commonwealth Law Bulletin. 37(4):
671-680

Revel Quiz: Ch 12 due (April 4)

Lesson 12 Final Exam Review Final exam Review
(cont’d) (last class)
April 6

Final TBA - Students are advised not Final Exam: TBA

Exam Final examination to make travel In-person, scheduled by the university
period (April 13- commitments during this
April 29) time period

4 If the extension is taken, it can be submitted by Sat, April 1, without penalty or additional comments.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 7

University and Course Policies
Please read the following carefully. It covers the policies of the university and those of this course. This
section may need to be referenced several times throughout the course.

1. Academic Calendars: Students are encouraged to review the Academic Calendar for information
regarding all important dates, deadlines, and services available on campus.

2. Accessibility: Students requiring accommodation are advised to contact Laurier’s Accessible Learning
Centre for information regarding its services and resources.

3. Plagiarism: Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. If requested to do
so by the instructor, students are required to submit their written work in electronic form and have it
checked for plagiarism. This course will use the Turnitin feature in the Dropbox of MyLS for all written
assignments.

4. Academic Integrity: Laurier is committed to a culture of integrity within and beyond the classroom.
This culture values trustworthiness (e.g., honesty, integrity, reliability), fairness, caring, respect,
responsibility, and citizenship. Together, we have a shared responsibility to uphold this culture in our
academic and nonacademic behaviour. The University has a defined policy with respect to academic
misconduct. As a Laurier student you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with this policy and the
accompanying penalty guidelines, some of which may appear on your transcript if there is a finding of
misconduct. The relevant policy can be found at Laurier's academic integrity website along with
resources to educate and support you in upholding a culture of integrity. Ignorance is not a defence.

5. Intellectual Property: The educational materials developed for this course, including, but not limited
to, lecture notes and slides, handout materials, examinations and assignments, and any materials
posted to MyLearningSpace, are the intellectual property of the course instructors. These materials
have been developed for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or
communication outside of a given course. Posting or providing unauthorized audio, video, or textual
material of course content to third-party websites violates instructors’ intellectual property rights,
and the Canadian Copyright Act. Recording lectures in any way is prohibited in this course unless
specific permission has been granted by instructors. Failure to follow these instructions may be in
contravention of the university’s Student Non-Academic Code of Conduct and/or Code of Academic
Conduct, and will result in appropriate penalties. Participation in this course constitutes an agreement
by all parties to abide by the relevant University Policies, and to respect the intellectual property of
others during and after their association with Wilfrid Laurier University.

6. Classroom Use of Electronic Devices (course policy): Mobile and computer devices are permitted in
this course provided they are not taking way from the instruction of the course and the learning of
other students (e.g., noise level, disturbing/distracting content). Audio and/or video recordings of
classroom activities or materials are not permitted without prior approval. Both the student and the
instructor are responsible for administering this policy. Students who do not feel comfortable
approaching another student may email or talk to me in person. Students who fail to comply with this
policy will receive a verbal and written warning first before being asked to leave the classroom.

7. Communication (course policy): I am best reached by email via my main Laurier account
(mdumas@wlu.ca). Please do not use the email feature in MyLS, as I do not check it regularly. Send

© Michelle Dumas 2023 8

 emails to me with the course code in the subject line, as I teach more than one course. I typically reply
within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). If you do not receive a reply from me within this
time, please send another email (it could be due to technical or human error). Emails should be
professional in nature (e.g., no text language).

8. Class Attendance and Lecture notes (course policy): I highly recommend attending lecture to be
successful in this course. Many exam questions are based on the lecture and examples used in class,
content that is not available in the slides posted or in the textbook. As a rule, I do not make copies of
my lecture notes available to students. Listening and note-taking process is extremely important to
the learning process and intellectual growth. While there will be some overlap between material from
lectures and from the text, this overlap is by no means complete.

9. Submission of written work and Due Dates (course policy): Written work will be submitted
electronically in the Dropbox in MyLS by 11:58 pm on the due date listed in the schedule and these
will receive additional feedback. All students have the option to take an additional 4-day extension to
complete the written assignments, without penalty; however, the feedback will be restricted to rubric
only. Note: you do not need to request this extension. You may not request comments or clarification
after it has been marked if you choose to take this extension. It will be considered late after midnight
on this fourth day. Please keep a copy of your assignments until the end of the course in case it needs
to be submitted again. The marking and feedback will be done through the Dropbox. This is only
applicable to written work in this course and does not apply to the Revel quizzes.

10. Formatting for Assignments (course policy): I expect all papers submitted to meet the normal
standards for university papers. This means clear formal writing, proper grammar, Canadian spelling,
proper word choice, APA referencing (see number 12 below), and a professional presentation with a
title page and references cited pages. The title page should include your title of your assignment, your
name, student ID number, course code and name, university name and campus, my name, and the
date. The electronic copy needs to be in Word format5, double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New
Roman font, and one-inch (2.54 cm) margins. All assignments should include page numbers.

11. Academic sources (course policy): Do not use Wikipedia.com or any online source as an academic
source in any written assignment submitted in this course (news articles for the assignment are
exempt). They are not peer reviewed nor academic. The academic sources used in the news
assignment and CP report should only be from peer-reviewed academic journals, course readings,
course textbook, or lecture material.

12. Referencing in APA (course policy): See Owl Purdue or the WLU library to verify the rules of APA
referencing. I will also be covering APA citation in class when I go over the News assignment. Some
things to consider: Do not make factual statements without an in-text citation and a corresponding
reference. Failure to cite other’s work is considering plagiarizing (academic misconduct). Do not write
the title (of the article or book) as a citation in the text of your paper or in parentheses; it needs to
include the author(s), date, and page number, as per APA requirements.

5 It can also be in text format (.txt) or rich text format (.rtf) or Open document format (.odt) as they open in Word.
If you are working in Pages or Google Docs, it can be saved or downloaded as an (MS) Word document, respectively.
If you need help with this, do not hesitate to email me. A second copy in PDF can be submitted as long as one is in
Word/text format.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 9

13. Late Assignment Policy (course policy): Assignments are due by 11:58 pm on their due date. Do not
wait until the last minute to upload it as technical issues may arise, and it will then be considered late.
For written assignments, there will be a penalty of 5% per day, including weekends, beginning at
midnight on the fourth day after the due date (see number 9 above). The last day I will accept
assignments is 8 days after the original due date (the Dropbox will close). For Revel quizzes, after the
one-week extension, Revel penalizes the score by 50% after that week and then to 0% two weeks
later.

14. Extensions (course policy): All of the Revel quizzes have a one-week extension built in and thus no
other extensions will be granted. For written work, the class can take a 4-day extension therefore I
will not grant extensions longer than that except for emergency medical reasons or exceptional
circumstances. I do not grant extensions for time management issues (e.g., many assignments due
around the same time). If granted, it will not extend past the last day of acceptance (when the Dropbox
closes). Note, however, that contact with me for an extension must be made before the original due
date. Please remember to back-up your work on a regular basis. Computer related issues (e.g., slow
internet connection, etc.) will not be grounds for an extension.

15. Review of Marks (course policy): If you are unsatisfied, I will be happy to review the mark, if the
procedures outlined are followed. If you are not satisfied with a grade, please wait 24 hours before
contacting me by email. Take the time to review and write the reason(s) for the nature of the
perceived error – be specific when addressing these issues (write it out). Present it to me via email (as
an attachment or directly written in the email). Make sure to be specific (e.g., page numbers and/or
sections). This review must be done within 2 weeks after the grade is returned for the news
assignment and one week after the CP Photo report is returned.

16. Missed Midterm Exam (course policy): the midterm will be available to write for 24 hours. Students
will not be exempt from the exam without medical reasons or exceptional circumstances. Please let
me know as soon as possible and I will make arrangements for you to write it when possible. Medical
reasons do not exempt students from exams they have already written.

17. Final Examinations (university policy) – Students are strongly urged not to make any commitments
(i.e., vacation) during the examination period (April 13 to April 29). Students are required to be
available for examinations during the examination periods of all terms in which they register. Refer to
the Handbook on Undergraduate Course Management for more information. If you must miss the
final exam due to illness, accident, or other compassionate reasons, you must have it formally
deferred through the university’s website portal. I cannot approve this.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 10

Multi-campus Resource:
• Good2Talk is a postsecondary school helpline that provides free, professional and confidential
counselling support for students in Ontario. Call 1-866-925-5454 or through 2-1-1. Available 24-7.

Kitchener/Waterloo Resources:
• Waterloo Student Food Bank: All students are eligible to use this service to ensure they’re eating
healthy when overwhelmed, stressed or financially strained. Anonymously request a package online
24-7. All dietary restrictions accommodated.

• Waterloo Foot Patrol: 519.886.FOOT (3668). A volunteer operated safe-walk program, available Fall
and Winter daily from 6:30 pm to 3 am. Teams of two are assigned to escort students to and from
campus by foot or by van.

• Waterloo Student Wellness Centre: 519-884-0710, x3146. The Centre supports the physical,
emotional, and mental health needs of students. Located on the 2nd floor of the Student Services
Building, booked and same-day appointments are available Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 am
to 7:30 pm, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 4:15 pm. Contact the Centre at
x3146, wellness@wlu.ca or @LaurierWellness. After hours crisis support available 24/7. Call 1-844-
437-3247 (HERE247).

© Michelle Dumas 2023 11

 Appendix A
Writing Services – Citing in APA

This assignment is coordinated through Writing Services and done through MyLearningSpace (MyLS). You
will complete a module that teaches you the importance of citing and how it is done in APA format. It is
worth 3% of your final grade. It is assessed on a basis of pass (for 3%) or fail (0%).

By the end of the interactive, asynchronous module, students will be able to do the following: explain why
citations are used in their respective professional research community, create a correct in-text citation,
and build a comprehensive reference list.

All Writing Services modules include a final assessment to measure engagement and comprehension.
When students achieve 75% or more on the final assessment, they are awarded a certificate. You will
upload a copy of your certificate into the Dropbox in our course.

How to register: From the main page in MyLS, you will choose the “Self-Registration” tab and register for
the course. Scroll down until you see “WritingServicesCiteAPA” and click on the link, “Writing Services-
How to Cite Using APA.” Then complete the module. If you are already enrolled in the module, the links
will appear black.

If you completed this module for another course, your certificate can be used for this course.

Due Date: (Important to read): You can do this module at any time during the first part of the semester,
but it must be completed by Feb 9. The certificate submitted before 11:58 pm on Thursday, Feb 9, 2023.
There is no extension available for this assignment and no certificates will not be accepted after the
deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to submit it or the Dropbox may close and not accept it. Note,
MyLS will not accept assignments submitted at 11:59 as it is considered completed by 11:58 pm. If you
wait until 11:58 to upload it, there is a good chance MyLS will not accept it. The Dropbox will not be
reopened to accommodate late submissions.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 12

 Appendix B
News Assignment
*** Please read all the following instructions. Skimming over it or omitting to read everything may
hurt the grade of your assignment. ***

Goal: The purpose of this assignment is to get you to see the relevance of the theoretical concepts we
discuss in class to real world news stories.

Due date: The assignment is due on Tues, March 7, 2023, by 11:59 pm. If you take the extension (rubric
only, no additional comments), it must be submitted before Sat, March 11, 2023, by 11:59 pm. The
Dropbox will close on Wed, March 15, 2023, at 11:59 pm. Late penalties will apply to any paper submitted
between March 12 and March 15 (1 to 4 days) – 5% per day. The assignment will be evaluated by
Turnitin.com for plagiarism.

The Assignment:
You will be applying one of the concepts listed at the end of these instructions (page 14) to one news
article (story) and repeating this process four times. Each of the four concepts chosen must be unique
(only used once) and can only be one concept per group. The articles chosen must be from the list of
approved Canadian news sources at the end of these instructions (page 176), dated from Nov 14, 2022,
to March 7, 2023.

Presentation Instructions (formatting):

a) The assignment is in the form of a report and therefore no introduction or conclusion is needed.
b) For each write-up, use the concept chosen as a title for the page, centered at the top of the page.
c) Each write-up will be provided in three paragraphs in the following order: 1) summary of the
article (the story); 2) definition of the concept; and 3) connection between the article and the
concept (the analysis). Do not be creative by changing the order of the paragraphs or by
combining them.
d) Each write-up should be done in one page (up to 1.5 pages maximum7/~375 words). Each write-
up should begin on a new page (most word processing programs have an “insert -> *page break*”
option, including Pages and Google Docs).
e) The assignment will be submitted electronically into the Dropbox in MyLS in Word format8. It
should be organized in the following order: title page, the four write-ups of each article, and
references cited page (in alphabetical order). Make sure to keep a copy of the article in case it is
needed later.
f) The writing should be formal, use Canadian spelling, and have proper grammar.
g) The assignment needs to be double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 2.5 cm (one-
inch) margins, with a title page and references cited page.
h) Only use in-text APA citation style to cite your work. (See Owl Purdue or WLU Library)

6 You can use newspaper’s printed (hard copy) version or their online version, but it must be from the approved list.
7 Anything over 1.5 pages per write-up will not be read and will not count toward the grade of that concept.
8 If you are using Pages (Mac), you can save your file as a Word document and can download in a Word format if you

are using Google Docs. Submissions in text, rich text, and open document formats are also acceptable as they open
in Word. A second file in PDF can be submitted if you are concerned about your document changing its formatting.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 13

Criteria of evaluation (how it will be marked):
Each concept/article will be evaluated separately out of 20 marks for a total of 80 marks, broken down as
follows:
a) Summary (3 marks): it must be brief, but complete enough to connect to make connections in the
analysis. There is no need for citation throughout this paragraph as it just the one source. It only needs
to be cited in the first sentence or the end of the paragraph.
b) Definition of concept (3 marks): must be a full and complete definition of the concept, as it was
defined in lecture. Definitions must be cited, whether it was retrieved from the textbook, other
academic book, academic journal article, or lecture material. You must cite after each part (or
sentence) in which you are using the definition. Paraphrase as much as possible. If you provide direct
quotes, I will expect that you explain it. Absolutely no online sources should be used to define your
concepts.
c) Analysis (10 marks): effort and time should be taken to complete this section. This paragraph should
connect each part of the concept to the story in the article. Illustrate all the ways in which the concept
fits into the narrative of the story, with examples. (Sell me on why it is such a good fit!)
d) Writing & instructions (3 marks): spelling, grammar, writing style, and formatting will be evaluated.
If organization is not correct or the newspaper article is not correct (date and type), 2 marks will be
lost, so make sure they are followed.
e) Referencing (in-text) (1 mark): proper and consistent in-text APA referencing will be evaluated in the
summary, definition, and analysis (if applicable).

Other marks for the assignment:

f) Formatting Requirements (5 marks): Title page included and complete, the assignment is in the
correct order, with proper margins, font, font size, and other formatting instructions followed.
g) References Cited page (5 marks): full bibliographic information is required for all newspaper
articles and all citations for definitions of concepts for the assignment.

The Rules:
*Make sure to read all the rules before submitting your assignment. You do not want to lose marks
unnecessarily.
1) If a second concept out of the same group is used, the write-up for the second (or subsequent)
one will receive a zero (i.e., 0/20).
2) If a concept is used more than once, it will receive a zero for the second write-up (i.e., 0/20).
3) If a concept is used that is not on the list (page 16), it will receive a zero for that write-up (i.e.,
0/20).
4) If you are found plagiarizing, you will also receive a zero for any part that has been plagiarized
(including the entire definition paragraph).
5) The maximum length of each write-up is 1.5 pages long (approximately 375 words); any writing
over that space will not be read or marked – based on having correct formatting.
6) Do not use any online source/website as an academic source for defining the concepts used. If
you use an online source to cite your definition, you will be penalized by 5% for each one (for a
possible total of 20% for the entire assignment).
7) If any instruction (organization, format of each write-up, newspaper type & publishing date, etc.)
has not been followed, 2 marks will be removed from the writing & instructions grade of that
write-up.
8) For each day the assignment is submitted late after the given extension, it will be penalized by
5%.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 14

Writing: Having a poorly written paper can have a great impact on its final grade. Great arguments are
often lost when they are poorly written. Overall, papers submitted in previous years could have been
greatly improved with better writing. I highly recommend using the university writing resources to have
your writing checked or improved before submitting your assignment.

Helpful Hints:
1) Do not wait to start this assignment the week it is due as it will impact your grade.
2) Fill out the definitions of your concepts as we move through the course (the concepts will be
defined in lectures, from weeks 1 through 5, before the assignment is due). This will also help in
studying for the midterm exam.
3) Collect as many newspaper articles as possible. It will improve your probabilities of getting four
“good” ones to write about. Start this early in the semester. The news stories do not need to be
about crime, but a lot of them will be as these concepts help explain crime (and deviance). The
stories do not have to be about Canadians or about Canada. Make sure to keep a copy (print it or
copy and paste into a document to save) as you may not be able to retrieve it later when you want
it.
4) You are better to take an article and matching it with a concept than the other way around (i.e.,
finding an article to match a concept you like).

© Michelle Dumas 2023 15

List of Concepts:
(Only one concept per group and the concepts used must be from this list)

Group Number Concepts to Choose from

General deterrence
Group 1
Specific deterrence
Group solidarity function
Group 2 Boundary setting function
(Durkheim) Reinforcing conformity function
Innovative function
Anomie (concept by Durkheim)
Anomic suicide
Group 3
Altruistic suicide
(Durkheim)
Egoistic suicide
Fatalistic suicide
Innovative adaptation
Group 4 Ritualist adaptation
(Merton) Retreatist adaptation
Rebellious adaptation
Criminal subculture
Group 5
Conflict subculture
(Cloward & Ohlin)
Retreatist subculture
Deny responsibility
Deny injury
Group 6
Deny victim
(Sykes & Matza)
Condemn the condemners
Appeal to higher loyalties
Crisis of legitimacy
Culture conflict
Group 7
Group conflict
Authorities-subject
Master status
Status degradation
Group 8 Stigma
Deviant career
Moral entrepreneur
Target suitability
Capable guardianship
Group 9
Crime generators
Crime attractors

© Michelle Dumas 2023 16

News Sources
The articles chosen for this assignment can only be chosen from this list of newspapers and
Canadian news sites (no exceptions will be made). Note that many Canadian newspapers are
available for free through the university library. Make sure to keep a copy of any article you
collect as you access them, as they may not be available later.

National newspapers (print/online):

The Globe and Mail
Toronto Star
National Post

Local newspapers (print/online):

Brantford Expositor
Guelph Mercury
Waterloo Region Record (also known as “The Record”)

Canadian Broadcast News Sources (online):

CBC.ca News
Global News
CTV News

Finding News Articles Through the Library

The WLU Library has numerous Canadian news sources available to you to access (for free!). The
best resource is Canadian Newsstream via ProQuest. To access the articles, you will need to know
the story you want to look up or you could just search from a specific crime (e.g., “murder”). Use
the link for the Newsstream (above) and click on “Connect to Resource.” If you are not already
signed in with your WLU credentials (or at the library), you will then be asked to sign in before
continuing. You will then be brought to ProQuest form where you will input your search words.
You can control the “Publication date” too. Remember to only choose news stories published
from the above news sources from Nov 14, 2022, to Mar 2023.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 17

 Appendix C
Crime Prevention (CP) Photo Report
*** Please read all the following instructions. Skimming over it or omitting to read everything may
hurt the grade of your assignment. ***

Background: As noted in chapter 11 of the text, Canada, in contrast to the United States, has largely
focused on a social responsibility method of crime prevention rather than individual responsibility
(Schmalleger & Volk, 2022, p.282). For this assignment, we will focus on the most observable:
protection/avoidance strategies, particularly those achieved through environmental design (also known
as CPTED).

Goal: The goal is to observe and record at 2 different types of protection/avoidance strategies in a
neighbourhood – whether around the University, Waterloo, at home, or any other – in Canada. One must
be an example of “surveillance” and one must be an example of “access control” (see p. 291 & 292, chapter
11 and week 10 lecture). In your report, you will provide photo evidence of these strategies – these photos
can only be those taken by you. They should not be from online sources or from other students in class.
Additionally, written evidence will be provided of the CP strategy being used, why they are CP strategies,
and evaluate them. It is expected to be short and succinct (maximum 2-page write-up per example).

Due date: The assignment is due on Tues, March 28, 2023, by 11:59 pm. If you choose to take the 4-day
extension for this assignment, no additional comments will be provided, and it must be submitted before
Sat, April 1, 2023, by 11:59 pm. The Dropbox will close on Wed, April 5, 2023, at 11:59 pm. Late penalties
will apply to any assignment submitted between April 2 and April 5 – 5% per day.

The Assignment:
The assignment is out of 50 marks, total. The presentation of your assignment will be in the form of a
report. Each example needs to be written about separately. No general introduction or conclusion is
required. For each example, you should have at least one picture to provide picture evidence of the
strategy and a write-up of that example (see below). You can use more than one picture per example if
needed to provide evidence of your CP strategy. Each example should title the write-up with the name of
strategy, as a subtitle and should start on a new page. Each example will be graded out of 20 marks, for a
total of 40 marks.

For each example, it should include (each section should be written in its own paragraph):
a) Photo & details: A photo and details about where the photo was taken: neighbourhood, city, the
date it was taken, and time of day. This information should be included in the first sentence. There
should be a general description to your reader. That is, what should I be focused on in the
picture(s)? The photo will be graded on the evidence of a crime prevention strategy, how clear
the strategy is, and its originality (taken by you). (5 marks)
b) Strategy & Crime Prevention: Begin this paragraph by identifying the strategy (i.e., surveillance
or access control). Why is it this type of strategy? Make sure to explain your reasoning by making
explicit connections to the literature (textbook and lecture) on these CPTED strategies and to parts
of the photo where this is exhibited. All relevant factors should be discussed and connected to
the details from your picture to provide evidence and will be evaluated on this. No online sources

© Michelle Dumas 2023 18

 should be used in this section. Additionally, tell the reader how it is preventing crime. Be specific
and explicit. (10 marks)
c) Evaluation: This paragraph is about evaluating the strategy. How successful do you think this
strategy is in this neighbourhood/location (where it is used)? What makes it successful (or not)?
Explain. What improvement would you suggest? Note, even if you think it is successful, consider
at least one improvement or thing that could be added that could help or strengthen its crime
prevention strategy. (5 marks)

Overall, I should get a good sense that you have a good understanding of crime prevention strategies and
can easily see them in their natural environments.

Other things to consider for the assignment (10 marks):

a) Formatting: The paper should be double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font, with one-
inch margins in Word format only (text formats also acceptable). It also needs to include a title
page that has a title, your name, student ID number, course code and name, university name and
campus, and instructor’s name. A subtitle should be used for each write-up and each page should
be numbered. (5 marks)
b) Writing: It should be organized logically, should have proper sentence and paragraph structure
(each section in their own paragraph). It should be free from spelling, grammar, and punctuation
errors. Language should be formal and used properly. It should use proper APA in-text citations.
(5 marks)

A rubric for this assignment will be posted in MyLS when I go over it in class in week 9.

Things to Consider:
1) Do not wait until the last minute to begin collecting evidence. Any chance you get to evaluate
your environment when you are out living your best life, take it to see if there are crime
prevention strategies in place. (You will be surprised how often you encounter them!)
2) Check out chapter 11 of the text early to get a sense for what you should be looking for. Take
pictures whenever you get the chance.
3) Make sure you have several pictures taken of the same example, perhaps close-ups and from
further away and perhaps from different angles. You do not know what will work for the
assignment until you are putting it together.
4) No online sources should be used as evidence of CP strategies (written or pictures). No credit will
be given for written content from online sources (in part b above). Any picture obtained online to
be used as an example will be considered a failure as it does not meet the originality aspect
required.

© Michelle Dumas 2023 19