Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice
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The Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice Using a lively, informal writing style to address research methods questions, The Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice sheds light on how criminal research is conducted and helps students understand and appreciate the results. This brief textbook, derived from Bachman and Schutt's popular The Practice of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Third Edition, offers more concise examples and less coverage of more complex methods than the original. Using both quantitative and qualitative studies, The Fundamentals of Research delineates how each methodology has been used to improve our understanding of criminal justice-related issues. Key Features and Benefits Applies research methodology with plenty of in-depth examples taken from real criminal justice research, helping students better understand the "big picture" of research methods and their policy implications for the field Combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, providing a balanced and complete view of research methods Integrates ethical concerns and ethical decision making throughout the text, encouraging students to appreciate the ethical dilemmas researchers face at each step of the research process Includes extensive end-of-chapter exercises and appendices, with step-by-step procedures for conducting literature reviews and guidance on how to read and analyze research articles
About the AuthorsPreface and AcknowledgmentsChapter 1: Science, Society, and Criminological Research What Do We Have In Mind? Reasoning About the Social World How The Scientific Approach Is Different Strengths and Limitations of Social Research Types of Research Methods Social Research Philosophies Validity: The Goal of Social Research ConclusionChapter 2: The Process and Problems of Criminological Research What Do We Have In Mind? Criminological Research Questions The Role of Criminological Theory Social Research Strategies Guidelines for Criminologists ConclusionChapter 3: Conceptualization and Measurement What Do We Have In Mind? Concepts Concepts and Variables How Will We Know When We've Found It? How Much Information Do We Really Have? Did We Measure What We Wanted to Measure? ConclusionChapter 4: Sampling What Do We Have In Mind? Sample Planning Sampling Methods Sampling Distributions Units of Analysis and Errors in Causal Reasoning ConclusionChapter 5: Causation and Research Designs What Do We Mean By Causation? Causal Explanation What Causes What? Why Experiment? What If A True Experiment Isn't Possible? What Are the Threats to Internal Validity and Generalizability in Experiments? How Do Experimenters Protect Their Subjects? ConclusionChapter 6: Survey Research What Is A Survey? Questionnaire Development and Assessment Writing Questions Organization Matters Survey Designs Ethical Issues in Survey Research ConclusionChapter 7:Qualitative Methods and Data Analysis What We Mean By Qualitative Methods Participant Observation Systematic Observation Intensive Interviewing Focus Groups Analyzing Qualitative Data Techniques of Qualitative Data Analysis Alternatives in Qualitative Data Analysis Visual Sociology Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research ConclusionChapter 8: Analyzing Content: Crime Mapping and Historical, Secondary, and Content Analysis What Is Secondary Data? Historical Events Research Comparative Methods Content Analysis Crime Mapping Methodological Issues When Using Secondary Data Combining Research Designs Ethical Issues When Analyzing Available Data and Content ConclusionChapter 9: Evaluation and Policy Analysis Why Do We Need Evaluation? A Brief History of Evaluation Research Design Decisions When Experiments Aren't Feasible Nonexperimental Designs Qualitative and Quantitative Methods Ethics in Evaluation ConclusionChapter 10: Quantitative Data Analysis Why We Need Statistics Preparing Data For Analysis Displaying Univariate Distributions Summarizing Univariate Distributions Crosstabulating Variables Analyzing Data Ethically: How Not To Lie About Relationships ConclusionChapter 11: Reporting Research Results Beginning With A Proposal Research Report Goals Types of Research Reports Curbing the Frustrations of Writing Ethics and Reporting ConclusionAppendix A: Conducting Literature Reviews and Finding InformationAppendix B: Questions to Ask About a Research ArticleAppendix C: How to Read a Research ArticleAppendix D: Table of Random NumbersAppendix E: How to Use a Statistical Package (On Student Study Site)Appendix F: How to Use a Qualitative Analysis Package (On Student Study Site)
