SCI210: Forensic Science

Use this guide to research the ethical issues and science involved in criminal investigations. This guide helps with the annotated bibliography and presentation assignments.

For Background on Your Topic

1) Choose a Topic: See the box below about choosing a topic. Prof. Mowatt will need to approve your topic first.

2) Search these library databases for background on the topic.

  • See the "New to College Research?" box to review database searching tips. 
  • Save article PDFs to a Google Drive folder to stay organized. 
  • Make sure to copy the APA citations for each source you may use. 


3) Citations

The APA citations offered by the databases may need some perfecting. See the CRW's APA guide in Blackboard, as well as this site: 

For Research Topic Ideas

  • Look through your textbook for ideas, and test out topics in the databases below.
  • Explore the links below.
  • Also try the databases (above).

Here's a link to the library's electronic books on forensic science ethics. These were found from the library's home page search box by searching ethic* AND "forensic science*" and then limiting the search to Ebooks. 

Here some sample topics used by students in the past: 

  • "DNA fingerprinting"
  • "Criminal investigation"
  • "Bloodstain pattern analysis"
  • Wildfires
  •  "Forensic biology"
  • "Body fluid identification"
  • "Forensic genetics"

For search tips, see the tab C) Debating the Topic (Articles).