The final exam I just gave my 200-level Mystery as Lit class: - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T09:28:33Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/the-final-exam-i-just-gave-my?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A222612&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThat's evil. I mean that in a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-20:537324:Comment:2228682009-12-20T18:18:58.900ZLisa Fernowhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/LisaFernow
That's evil. I mean that in a good way. Please share the results!
That's evil. I mean that in a good way. Please share the results! Jon, That is so cool! I'd lov…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-18:537324:Comment:2227322009-12-18T11:08:11.657ZPeg Herringhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/pegfish
Jon, That is so cool! I'd love to have taken a final like this instead of the usual "Trace the development of the .... from ... to ..., citing examples."
Jon, That is so cool! I'd love to have taken a final like this instead of the usual "Trace the development of the .... from ... to ..., citing examples." Sounds like a cool final, Jon…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-18:537324:Comment:2227192009-12-18T03:48:13.810ZJude Hardinhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/festus
Sounds like a cool final, Jon! I would love to see what some of your students came up with.
Sounds like a cool final, Jon! I would love to see what some of your students came up with. you're probably right that th…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-17:537324:Comment:2226602009-12-17T14:30:16.597ZEdward G. Talbothttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/EdwardGTalbot
you're probably right that the police would do nothing. So it is a pretty good concept for the answer to that exam. Leopold and Loeb of course did not just want to commit the perfect murder, they wanted to commit the perfect crime - with the ransom, etc. And in hindsight, the three stooges could have pulled it off more effectively :)<br />
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Of course, if the police do nothing and the murderer actually pulls it off, you have to figure out how to make it a compelling story. maybe someone suspects but…
you're probably right that the police would do nothing. So it is a pretty good concept for the answer to that exam. Leopold and Loeb of course did not just want to commit the perfect murder, they wanted to commit the perfect crime - with the ransom, etc. And in hindsight, the three stooges could have pulled it off more effectively :)<br />
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Of course, if the police do nothing and the murderer actually pulls it off, you have to figure out how to make it a compelling story. maybe someone suspects but has no evidence, although if it is really the perfect murder, that wouldn't be the case. Well it's fun to run through…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-17:537324:Comment:2226402009-12-17T03:14:38.327ZEric Christophersonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
Well it's fun to run through this...<br />
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I don't think the police would do anything with what little forensic evidence they encountered, given there's been no murder as far as the corpse is concerned. And the motive for the crime is taken from real life, from Leopold and Loeb, as well as taken from Alfred Hitchcock's movie, Rope (which is where my reference to Jimmy Stewart comes in).
Well it's fun to run through this...<br />
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I don't think the police would do anything with what little forensic evidence they encountered, given there's been no murder as far as the corpse is concerned. And the motive for the crime is taken from real life, from Leopold and Loeb, as well as taken from Alfred Hitchcock's movie, Rope (which is where my reference to Jimmy Stewart comes in). When I was talking about fore…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-16:537324:Comment:2226312009-12-16T23:55:37.460ZEdward G. Talbothttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/EdwardGTalbot
When I was talking about forensic evidence, I was talking about things like pollen that can be narrowed down to the area where the cabin is or fibers from your trunk transporting the body (there are ways to avoid that, though). You'd even have to be careful not to get DNA - a few skin cells or a single teardrop from a blowing wind that somehow got transferred might at least theoretically do it. Those are just off the top of my head.<br />
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regarding medical evidence, you already mentioned the…
When I was talking about forensic evidence, I was talking about things like pollen that can be narrowed down to the area where the cabin is or fibers from your trunk transporting the body (there are ways to avoid that, though). You'd even have to be careful not to get DNA - a few skin cells or a single teardrop from a blowing wind that somehow got transferred might at least theoretically do it. Those are just off the top of my head.<br />
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regarding medical evidence, you already mentioned the bruises, which would at the very least be suggestive. Also the person might have major bags under his eyes and other signs consistent with not sleeping.<br />
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Now, I am not suggesting that any of the above is totally conclusive, or that the necessary investigation would occur given the lack of obvious evidence and the homeless state of the victim. It is a pretty good crime, just not a perfect one. It's certainly good enough to be convincing in fiction, although you'd need to find a motivation for the killing beyond "wanted to commit the perfect murder." Great idea for an exam. I've…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-16:537324:Comment:2226302009-12-16T23:44:40.068Zdoug andersonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/douganderson
Great idea for an exam. I've wanted to teach a crime fiction writing course for a long time, but even creative writing programs are still snobby about it.
Great idea for an exam. I've wanted to teach a crime fiction writing course for a long time, but even creative writing programs are still snobby about it. :-)tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-16:537324:Comment:2226272009-12-16T22:40:42.058ZJack Getzehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JGetze
:-)
:-) I like it.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-16:537324:Comment:2226182009-12-16T18:37:41.302ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I like it.
I like it. I also teach a course like th…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-12-16:537324:Comment:2226162009-12-16T18:34:36.007ZJohn Desjarlaishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnDesjarlais
I also teach a course like this, titled "Detective Fiction." We have no final exam; we have a Final Paper instead. The paper can be academic or 'creative,' that is, a short crime story. These prompts could serve well as a planning exercise for that option. I've received some pretty good stories over the years. As for the less-than-successful ones, the students say (in an attached reflection) that they learned first-hand just how difficult it is to write one of these things.
I also teach a course like this, titled "Detective Fiction." We have no final exam; we have a Final Paper instead. The paper can be academic or 'creative,' that is, a short crime story. These prompts could serve well as a planning exercise for that option. I've received some pretty good stories over the years. As for the less-than-successful ones, the students say (in an attached reflection) that they learned first-hand just how difficult it is to write one of these things.