Examines research and methodology specifically designed for criminal justice applications as tools to develop and implement basic research.

Transcription

1 MCJ 5532, Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration Course Syllabus Course Description Examines research and methodology specifically designed for criminal justice applications as tools to develop and implement basic research. Prerequisites None Course Textbook Hagan, F. (2010). Research methods in criminal justice and criminology (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Course Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Discuss and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry and the importance of research to the field of criminal justice. 2. Analyze and apply the concepts of multiple methods of collecting, analyzing, interpreting and reporting research results. 3. Identify and describe the basic quantitative statistical analyses found in criminal justice. 4. Discuss and explain the ethical considerations in conducting criminal justice research. 5. Outline and discuss the major steps in empirical research in criminal justice. 6. Discuss and explain the language of research utilized in criminal justice and criminology research. 7. Describe and discuss the experimental design model and its variations as it relates to research in criminal justice. 8. Identify and discuss the alternative data-gathering strategies and their relationship to Uniform Crime Reports, Geographic Information Systems and the Crime Index. 9. Explain and discuss sampling techniques, survey research techniques, participant observation and case studies. 10. Describe and discuss the unobtrusive measures, secondary analysis and uses of official statistics in criminology and criminal justice. 11. Discuss the ways of determining validity, reliability, and the weaknesses of validation studies in criminal justice. 12. Explain the use of measurement, scaling procedures and the variety of scales used in research investigations. 13. Discuss and explain the challenges of data management and efficient data gathering, coding and data presentation. 14. Explain and discuss the steps in evaluation research, the obstacles to criminal justice research and government policy analysis. 15. Outline and describe the important steps in writing an effective research report. Credits Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit. MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 1

2 Course Structure 1. The Unit Learning Objectives: Each unit contains learning objectives that specify the measurable skills and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit. 2. Unit Summaries: Each unit contains an overview, or summary, of the information to be covered. 3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains reading assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook. 4. Key Terms: Key terms are intended to guide students in their course of study. Students should pay particular attention to key terms as they represent important concepts within the unit material and reading. 5. Discussion Boards: Discussion Boards are a part of all CSU term courses. Information and specifications regarding these assignments are provided in the Academic Policies listed in the Course Menu bar. 6. Assessments: This course contains eight unit assessments one for each unit - to be completed at the end of each unit. 7. Research Paper: Students are required to submit for grading a Research Paper in Unit VIII. Specific information and instructions regarding this assignment are provided in the syllabus below. 8. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content related questions. 9. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Research Paper Select one of the following topics that interest you, and write a research paper 5-7 pages in length (excluding the title page, bibliography, and appendices). Please submit a comprehensive outline for professor approval prior to initiating writing ( your outline directly to your professor). 1. Explore the concept of criminology and criminal justice as sciences. Discuss some developments that support the claim to scientific status, the role of theory in criminology and criminal justice research, and why a shortage of new theory has existed since the 1960's. 2. Research in criminal justice and criminology faces many ethical hazards. The regulation of ethically acceptable research may take one of three forms. Discuss these forms, and include your opinion as to which of these is most effective. What is the researcher's role, and what constitutes appropriate conduct? What are some elements of a code of ethics for criminology and criminal justice research? You may also wish to discuss and provide examples of researcher misconduct, why it occurs, and how it can be prevented. 3. Discuss data gathering in criminal justice research. Describe the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and its major components. What are the major components of the crime index and the calculation of crime rate? What have been some major identified shortcomings of the UCR? Given these identified shortcomings, read and discuss how features of the redesigned UCR may eliminate some of these shortcomings. Discuss also the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). What are some principle NIBRS features as well as advantages over the traditional UCR? 4. Select a topic of choice related to criminal justice research. Please submit a comprehensive outline to your professor for approval prior to initiating writing. Students are encouraged to utilize the Research Database in the CSU Online Library located in the Course Menu. This database will allow you to quickly search through thousands of journal articles. CSU requires that students use the APA format in writing research papers. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. To submit your completed Research Paper upload it using the "View/Complete" link located in Unit VIII. Do not your paper directly to your professor. By uploading using SafeAssign, your university record will automatically be updated to indicate you have submitted your assignment and it will be provided to your professor for grading. APA Guidelines CSU requires that students use the APA style for papers and projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. A document titled APA Guidelines Summary is available for you to download from the APA Guide Link, found in the Learning Resources area of the mycsu Student Portal. It may also be accessed from the Student Resources link on the Course Menu. This document provides links to several internet sites that provide comprehensive information on APA formatting, including examples and sample papers. MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 2

3 CSU Grading Rubric for Papers/Projects The course papers will be graded based on the CSU Grading Rubric for all types of papers. In addition, all papers will be submitted for electronic evaluation to rule out plagiarism. Course projects will contain project specific grading criteria defined in the project directions. To view the rubric, click the Academic Policies link on the Course Menu, or by accessing the CSU Grading Rubric link, found in the Learning Resources area of the mycsu Student Portal. Communication Forums These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students. Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below. Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums. Ask the Professor This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions. Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration, additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students. Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a nonpublic nature, please feel free to your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or ed by the professor within 48 hours. Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus, assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information. Student Break Room This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to share assessment answers. Grading Discussion Boards 2%) = 16% Unit Assessments 8%) = 64% Research Paper (Unit VIII) = 20% Total = 100% Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT) The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 3

4 MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration Course Schedule By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this schedule for reference as you progress through your course. Unit I Introduction to Criminal Justice and Research Methods Chapter 1: Introduction to Criminal Justice Research Methods: Theory and Method Unit II Ethics in Criminal Justice Research Chapter 2: Ethics in Criminal Justice Research Unit III Research Design Chapter 3: Research Design: The Experimental Model and Its Variations MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 4

5 MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration Course Schedule Unit IV Alternative Data and Gathering Strategies Chapter 4: The Uniform Crime Reports and Sampling Chapter 5: Survey Research: Questionnaires Chapter 6: Survey Research: Interviews and Telephone Surveys Chapter 7: Participant Observation and Case Studies Unit V Unobtrusive Measures, Validity, and Reliability Chapter 8: Unobtrusive Measures, Secondary Analysis, and the Uses of Official Statistics Chapter 9: Validity, Reliability, and Triangulated Strategies Unit VI Scaling and Index Construction Chapter 10: Scaling and Index Construction MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 5

6 MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration Course Schedule Unit VII Data Management and Evaluation Chapter 11: Policy Analysis and Evaluation Research Chapter 12: Data Analysis: Coding, Tabulation, and Simple Data Presentation Unit VIII Data Analysis and Writing the Research Paper Chapter 13: Data Analysis: A User s Guide to Statistics Appendix A: How to Write a Research Report Research Paper by MCJ 5532: Research Methods in Criminal Justice Administration 6