Choose carefully! In the past, I’ve seen students grab a topic at the last minute without doing any research into the proposed topics. That got the students through the hurdle of submitting the abstract / topic, but the students later found themselves in a jam when it came to writing the paper. They either couldn’t find suitable, supporting materials, or they didn’t have enough depth to write the paper. My suggestion is that you spend some time performing preliminary research to ensure you have have a topic and supporting references.

2. The research paper is to focus on a current issue / topic in digital forensics. A current topic should be something within the last 0-5 years. Ideally, it would be something within the last 2-3 years. Please do not choose an old topic, a general topic, or something we’ve covered in detail in class, e.g., “The importance of hashing in digital forensics.”

3. If you are thinking of choosing a topic in Cloud forensics, be specific. Do not choose “Cloud forensics” in general. I will not approve “Cloud forensics” as a topic as it is much too broad and there have been many advances in “Cloud forensics” within the last several years. Be specific and narrow down your topic within Cloud forensics as much as possible, if you are choosing this area.

4. I will provide feedback on the abstract and annotated bibliography you submit. Please do not assume that your topic is automatically approved.

Research Topic Instruction

Research Paper

You are required to write a 7-10 page research paper, double-spaced, on a current topic within the realm of digital forensics. The topic needs to be approved by the instructor when you submit the Abstract (Week 7). The paper has to be well referenced. This is defined by having at least two “peer reviewed” references cited. For the purposes of this assignment, we will consider any paper published in a conference proceedings or journal as peer reviewed. The following notes are available from the Purdue OWL Writing Lab.

The Analytical Research Paper You will be writing an analytical research paper, which begins with the student asking a question (a.k.a. a research question) on which he has taken no stance. Such a paper is often an exercise in exploration and evaluation.

For example, perhaps one is interested in Cloud computing…the research question may be “what challenges does Cloud computing pose to the field of Digital Forensics?” Then, the research will lead to a conclusion of what current Cloud challenges are.

The Paper Writing Process:

Once you have identified a topic and research question, you need to do academic research on the topic. For the purposes of a graduate-level research paper, all references must be academically strong, meaning from scholarly journals and published in the last 3-5 years. The best source of research is the UMGC Library.

Once you have enough information to write a 7-10 page paper, the next step is to create an outline. Write a draft report from the outline, proofread and revise to complete the final paper.

The Abstract

The Abstract for your paper is due in Week 7 and should be a brief description of the topic/research question and relevance to the field of Digital Forensics. You should also include a brief annotated bibliography of 1-2 of your references.

Resources:

Purdue OWL Writing Resources: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/658/1/

Basic but Tricky

1. What is the difference between mestizo and casta? [10 points]

2. What is the difference between a riot and an insurrection? [10 points]

Data Analysis

4. Using the slave voyages database below, compare data for twenty-five slave ships that travelled from Africa to Latin America between 1755 and 1757. Focus on either Brazil OR the Caribbean, not both. The response for this question should consist of two parts. The first part is a narrative paragraph where you summarize your findings addressing the following questions: Did one nation control the slave trade in the area? What were the principal departure ports (town/city AND country)? What were the principal destination ports (town/city AND country)? What nations and kingdoms participated in selling slaves in the Americas? What was the average cargo size at departure? What was the average cargo size at arrival? What was the average cargo loss? The second part consists of a table that includes the raw data you collected. The table needs to breakdown the data of your twenty-five voyages. [30 points]

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_history_of_american_slavery/2015/06/animated_interactive_of_the_history_of_the_atlantic_slave_trade.html

Critical Reasoning – Select ONE question [30 points]

5. What issue did José de Alfaro prioritize in his lawsuit against the Spanish woman, Doña Theresa de Bravo, and her husband? Why? Explain the facts of the case (Who? What? Where? When?); contextualize your answer, and include one casta painting as part of your analysis (see link below for options).

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Casta_paintings

6. What is the relationship between Cristobal de Villalpando’s View of the Plaza Mayor (1695) seen below, Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora’s Letter to Admiral Pez, and the moral economy? A copy of the letter, which we read and discussed in class, is uploaded to D2L under Age of Revolutions.

7. Discuss a modern-day issue/event/cultural activity that has its roots in Latin America’s colonial past (1492-1820s). How is the issue/event/cultural activity remembered? Provide an explanation of the way it relates to any aspect covered in class during the semester. What aspect of your issue/event/activity is highlighted in contemporary society and what is omitted? [20 points]