JLCP 780: Research Methods for the Study of Justice, Law, and Crime
Fall 2009, Monday 7:20 PM---10:00 PM InstructorOffice HoursMy main office is located on the Prince William campus and I have regular office hours at that location on Mondays and Tuesdays (posted above). Usually, I will also be on campus one other day per week. The most reliable method of communication with me is through email. Please make use of my office hours or make an appointment if you are having trouble with the course material or have other course related questions. I will occasionally communicate with the entire class through email using your GMU email account. Please authorize that account and either check it on a regular basis or setup automatic forwarding to your preferred email address. Course DescriptionThis course provides students with an introduction to the logic and methods of social scientific inquiry in the areas of justice, law, and crime policy. Topics covered will include the conceptualization and the formulation of research questions, observation and measurement of phenomena, research designs applicable to field settings, principles of causality, measurement methods, and basic data analysis. Course PrerequisiteA prerequisite for this course is the completion of at least one undergraduate social science research methods course (e.g., from a sociology, psychology, criminal justice, economics, or political science department) or an undergraduate statistics course, preferably from a social science department. Course Objectives and Learning MethodsThe objective of this course is to prepare students for graduate level research activities, including their master's thesis and doctoral dissertation. Upon completion of this course, students should have a strong conceptual understanding of the research process and be able to formulate a testable hypothesis derived from academic theory or practical policy concerns, and design research that will provide a valid assessment of the hypothesis. Students will understand the complexities of conducting research in natural settings and will be sensitized to the numerous ethical issues involved in conducting research involving human participants. The teaching methods for this course will include traditional lectures, didactic discussions, and class exercises designed to provide the students with experience applying newly learned material. Course Requirements and GradingYour grade in this class will be based on two exams (a mid-term and a final), two written critiques of published research studies, two group projects, class preparation and participation, and a final written research proposal. The exams will be short-answer and short-answer essay. The final exam will be cumulative.
It is your responsibility to come to class prepared. The instructions for the hypothesis assignment will be handed out on the first day of class. For each written critique of a published research study, find a quantitative research article in a peer-reviewed academic journal on a topic of interest to you that utilizes research methods discussed in class. Write a 3- to 5-page paper summarizing the methods used and discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the design as a test of the author's hypothesis(es). Also discuss changes you would make to the design if you were to conduct a similar study. A detailed set of instructions for these assignments will be distributed in class. There will be one group project as part of this course. I will form the groups for the project. The project will involve developing a sampling procedure for a survey using probability sampling methods. Detailed instructions will be provided. You will receive two grades on the group project: a group grade and an individual grade. The group grade will be based on the quality of the group project. The individual grade will be based on your group members' assessment of your contribution to the project. The final written research proposal (maximum 12 pages, plus references and appendices) should include a brief introductory section that summarizes the purpose for the study and cites at least two related research studies from peer-reviewed academic journals. This introduction should lead to and end with the hypothesis to be tested by the proposed research. The methods section should explain the proposed research design in sufficient detail to allow someone to actually conduct the study. The level of detail should be similar to that found in journal articles. A final section should discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed study, including ethical considerations, possible problems in actually conducting the research, and inferential problems related to the initial hypothesis(es). All papers should use APA-style citations, references, and formating. I recommend that you purchase a copy of the APA Publication Manual if you do not already own one. All papers should be double-spaced in Times or Times-New-Roman font (10-12pt) with 1 to 1.5 inch margins on all sides. Texts and ReadingsRequired books for this course are: Trochim, W. M. K. (2005). Research methods: The concise knowledge base. Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog. McShane, M. D., &s; Williams, F. P., III.(2008). A Thesis Resource Guide for Criminology and Criminal Justice. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson Education. The second book is newly assigned and not in the bookstore. I will provide the initial readings for the first week from this book. Please order online. We will not be using the MacDonald and Alpert book. Instead, we will rely on the full-text version of the articles available electronically from our library. Supplemental readings for this course: Numerous additional readings are assigned. Most of these are available electronically through our libraries e-journals. Any article or book chapter not available electronically through the library will be provided on the course website. Tentative Course ScheduleThe following course schedule is subject to change. Any changes in due dates for assignments will be posted on the class website.
Statement on Academic IntegrityI expect adherence to the University Honor Code. If I witness any violations of the Honor Code, I will follow the standard reporting procedures as outlined in the University Handbook. Most forms of cheating are self-evident and need no elaboration here. Plagiarism is not always well understood by students. Plagiarism is representing another's work as one's own. This extends to ideas as well as words. That is, if you paraphrase the ideas expressed in something you have read, you need to cite the author and source. Exact phrases, sentences, etc. from someone else's writing must be quoted and proper citation given. Students with DisabilitiesIf you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Resources at 703.993.2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office. ReferencesCampbell, D. T. (1999). Social Experimentation. Sage classics series. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Farrington, D. P., Loeber, R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., Van Kammen, W. B., & Schmidt, L. (1996). Self-reported delinquency and a combined deliquency seriousness scale based on boys, mothers, and teachers: Concurrent and predictive validity for African-Americans and Caucasians. Criminology, 34(4), 493. Fowler, Jr., F. J. (1998). Design and evaluation of survey questions. In M. L. Bickman & M. D. Rog (Eds.), Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods (pp. 343-374). Sage Publications, Inc. Gover, A. R., MacKenzie, D. L., & Styve, G. J. (2000). Boot camps and traditional correctional facilities for juveniles A comparison of the participants, daily activities, and environments. Journal of Criminal Justice, 28(1), 53-68. doi: 10.1016/S0047-2352(99)00032-X. Lipsey, M. W. (2000). Statistical conclusion validity for intervention research: A significant (p<.05) problem. In L. Bickman (Ed.), Donald Campbell's Legacy: Validity & Social Experimentation (Vol. 1, pp. 101-120). Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. MacDonald, J. M., & Alpert, G. P. (1998). Public attitudes toward police pursuit driving. Journal of Criminal Justice, 26(3), 185-194. doi: 10.1016/S0047-2352(97)00080-9. Maher, L., & Daly, K. (1996). Women in the street-level drug economy: continuity or change? Criminology, 34(4), 465. Marquart, J. W. (1986). Doing Research in Prison: The Strengths and Weaknesses of Full Participation as a Guard. Justice Quarterly, 3, 15. Maxwell, J. A. (2008). Designing a qualitative study. In M. L. Bickman & M. D. Rog (Eds.), Handbook of Applied Social Research Methods (2nd ed., pp. 214-253). Sage Publications, Inc. Meyer, J., & Gray, T. (1997). Drunk drivers in the courts: Legal and extra-legal factors affecting pleas and sentences. Journal of Criminal Justice, 25(2), 155-163. doi: 10.1016/S0047-2352(96)00058-X. Petersilia, J., & Turner, S. (1993). Intensive Probation and Parole. Crime and Justice, 17, 281-335. Sherman, L. W., & Weisburd, D. (1995). General Detterent Effects of Police Patrol in Crime Hot Spots: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Justice Quarterly, 12, 625-648. Zhang, S. X. (1996). The Efficiency of Working Under One Roof: An Evaluation of Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Centers. Crime Delinquency, 42(2), 257-268. doi: 10.1177/0011128796042002007. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||