Course Length: 16 weeks
Module I. Introduction to Social Scientific Research Methods (Lessons 1-3)
Lesson 1- Crime, Criminal Justice, and Scientific Inquiry
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 1 - “Crime, Criminal Justice, and Scientific Inquiry.”
- Visher, C. A., Lattimore, P. K., Barrick, K., & Tueller, S. (2016). Evaluating the long-term effects of prisoner reentry services on recidivism: What types of service matters? (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Justice Quarterly, 34(1), 136-165.
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Assignments:
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- View the Getting Started Lesson and complete the following:
- Self introduction in the Discussion Forum
- Student Questionnaire Form
- Academic Integrity Statement
- Document Practice
- Participate in the Lesson 1 Common Errors discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 1 Application Task: Research Purposes
- Please go over the paper requirements, and start to think about a topic.
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Lesson 2 - Theory and Criminal Justice Research
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 2 - “Foundations of Criminal Justice Research.”
- Read the transcript "Managing Drug Involved Offenders"
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Assignments:
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- Participate in the Lesson 2 Social Regularities discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 2 Application Task: Conceptual and Concrete Hypotheses
- Submit Research Paper Part I: Topic and Hypothesis
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Lesson 3 - Ethics and Criminal Justice Research
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 3 - “Ethics and Criminal Justice Research.”
- Review the "Stanford Prison Experiment"
- Explore the Penn State "Office for Research Protection" website
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts in the Lesson 3 Stanford Prison Experiment discussion forum.
- Participate in the Lesson 3 Utilitarian Dilemma discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 3 Application Task: IRB Procedure
- Submit the Lesson 3 Consent Form
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Exam 1
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Assignments:
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- Take Exam 1
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Module II. Structuring Criminal Justice Inquiry (Lessons 4-7)
Lesson 4 - General Issues in Research Design
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 4 - “General Issues in Research Design.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts on the causes of crime in the Lesson 4 Causality discussion forum, and comment on each other's postings.
- Complete Lesson 4 Application Task: Units of Analysis
- Submit Lesson 4 Research Design Elements
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Lesson 5 - Concepts, Operationalization, and Measurement
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 5 - "Concepts, Operationalization, and Measurement."
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts on the social phenomena to the Lesson 5 Conceptualizing Process discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 5 Application Task: Crime Report Validity Issues
- Submit Lesson 5: Variables
- Submit the first part of Research Paper Part II: Annotated Bibliography
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Lesson 6 - Measuring Crime
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 6 - “Measuring Crime.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts to Lesson 6 Measuring Crime discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 6 Application Task: The Strengths and Weaknesses
- Submit Lesson 6 Measurement (detailing your outline and ideas)
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Lesson 7 - Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 7 - “Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts to Lesson 7 Ethical Dilemma discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 7 Application Task: Experimental Design
- Submit your draft to the Lesson 7 Literature Review Draft discussion forum for review and comments.
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Exam 2
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Assignments:
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- Take Exam 2
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Module III: Modes of Observation, Evaluation, and Analysis (Lessons 8-12)
Lesson 8 - Overview of Data Collection and Sampling
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 8 - “Sampling.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your thoughts to Lesson 8 Sampling discussion forum.
- Submit Lesson 8 Application Task: Data Collection
- Submit the second part of Research Paper Part II: Literature Review
- Submit your ideas to the Lesson 8 Data Collection Methods drop box.
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Lesson 9 - Survey Research and Other Ways of Asking Questions
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 9 - “Survey Reseach.”
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Assignments:
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- Participate in the Lesson 9 Web-Based Survey discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 9 Application Task: Question Types
- Submit a questionnaire or list of questions to ask subjects to the Lesson 9 Questionnaire or Questions drop box.
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Lesson 10 - Field Research
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 10 - “Qualitative Interviewing.”
- Read Chapter 11 - “Field Observation.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your comments in the Lesson 10 Field Research discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 10 Application Task: Direct Observations
- Continue to work on your research proposal. If you complete your draft, you can submit your draft in Lesson 10 Research Proposal Draft discussion forum for review and comments.
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Lesson 11 - Agency Records, Content Analysis, and Secondary Data
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 12 - “Agency Records, Content Analysis, and Secondary Data.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your discussions and findings to the Lesson 11 Secondary Data discussion forum.
- Complete Lesson 11 Application Task: Agency Records
- Continue to work on your research project. Revise it, and re-post it in Lesson 10 Research Proposal Draft message board for review and comments if necessary.
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Lesson 12 - Evaluation Research and Problem Analysis
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Readings:
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- Read Chapter 13 - “Evaluation Research and Problem Analysis.”
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Assignments:
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- Post your discussions and findings to the Lesson 12 Evaluation Research discussion forum.
- Submit your research proposal to the Lessson 12 Final Research Proposal drop box.
- Final Paper Due
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Exam 3
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Assignments:
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- Take Exam 3.
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