W2 Research Paper Preparation The Jury Selection Process What Is Your Thesis Statement

For this assignment, due in Week 2:

1. Research existing case law to analyze how the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled in an effort to achieve the Sixth Amendment’s chief goal.

a. Analyze at least four cases (three of which must be from 1990 to the present). Make sure that all of your cases are still good law.

b. Research at least five law review or other academic quality journal articles regarding criminal jury selection and the Sixth Amendment.

c. Identify the four cases and five law review / other academic journal articles that you intend to use in your research paper. (You will be able to collect more resources throughout the course.)

d. Explain in detail how you determined that the cases you will use are still good law and likely to be of value to you as you construct your research paper.

2. Given the required topic and its components:

a. What is your thesis statement? What do you plan to prove or illustrate in your research paper?

b. Outline your intended plan to research, analyze, and synthesize what you learn in order to build your research paper. What tools do you expect to use? What criteria will you use to assess relevance, currency, authority, accuracy, purpose, audience and/or ideological perspective, etc. for your research project?

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Note: You must approach this research project objectively; let what you learn through your research and analytical efforts guide you to the actual answers to the question(s) raised in or by your thesis statement. But that does not prevent you from identifying what you wish to explore within your research paper; that is what your thesis statement should address.

To aid you in your task: Watch this brief video created by the legal studies librarian to introduce you to Nexis Uni and its legal resources: Introduction to Nexis Uni: Basic Tips for APUS Legal Studies Students. This tour shows students how to access Nexis Uni, find specific cases, locate different legal research materials (including law review articles), and Shepardize cases.