Course Description
This course introduces students to the research methodology used in criminal justice research. Emphasis is on the development of a general understanding of why and how research can be and is conducted in the field of criminology and criminal justice.
Other dimensions of research are discussed including the nature of scientific thought, the link between research methods and criminological theory, and the various ethical issues concerning research in the field of criminology.
Course Credits: 3
Student Learning Outcomes
- Distinguish inquiry as a natural human activity from inquiry through systematic empirical research.
- Distinguish the different purposes of research.
- Understand how to design a research project.
- Summarize three fundamental features of social science: theory, data collection, and data analysis.
- Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative approaches to research.
- Describe different units of analysis in criminal justice research.
- Understand precision, reliability, and validity as dimensions of measurement quality.
- Explain different measures based on crimes known to police.
- Recognize why it is important for interviewers to be neutral in face-to-face surveys.