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Syllabus
CRIMJ 250W Research Methods in Criminal Justice (3): Fundamental concepts of social science research including design, measurement, sampling, and interpretation of the study of crime, law, and justice. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 012.
Overview
In this course, we will be looking at how scientific information in the field of criminology is obtained. We will be looking primarily at specific models for framing research projects as well as specific observational techniques, research purposes, and the ethics of the social scientific enterprise over the next 15 weeks.
The purpose of this course, and complementary to other courses in the required sequence of theory and analysis, is to introduce students to the process of social research and its application to criminal justice issues. The material covered in this course can be roughly divided into three distinct sections. Covered first are topics that provide the foundation for scientific research. They include the differences between lay and scientific inquiry, the assumptions underlying the social scientific method, and ethics of research involving human subjects. The second portion of the course will focus on the elements of research design such as specifying measures and sampling. The final section of the course examines specific types of research methodologies, such as experimentation, survey research, and field techniques. It also considers the issues of public policy and research, program evaluation, and data analysis techniques. This course is designed to provide students with the basic knowledge and skills required to undertake research in criminal justice while simultaneously providing an introduction to the process of critical understanding and interpretation of research findings in an applied context.
Course Objectives
After completing the course, students are expected to have developed a firm grasp of the procedures involved in planning and executing scientific research in the field of criminal justice. Also, the student will possess the ability to do elementary research and the insight to become an intelligent consumer of research. There will be an emphasis placed on the proper design and structure of research projects. Secondly, since a majority of students in this course go on to become practitioners in the various agencies of the criminal justice system, it is imperative that the student be proficient in analyzing and interpreting the results of studies published in professional and scholarly journals. Given this, time will be spent in this course looking at published articles and critiquing the methods and statistics presented. Achieving these objectives will ensure that the student is capable of making informed and reasoned choices on the validity and potential utility of research findings in both professional and personal decision-making capacities. Specific objectives for the student include the following:
- To demonstrate a functional understanding of the scientific approach to the study of human activity.
- To apply the scientific approach to the study of human activity.
- To identify and apply key factors that equate to valid social scientific research projects.
- To synthesize concepts into an integrated, semester-long writing project.
- To define and recognize the use of common terms of the profession.
- To delineate the strengths and weaknesses as well as the advantages and disadvantages that characterize each of the major research methodologies.
- To be able to utilize elementary statistics to summarize variables and their interrelationships.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
E-Reserves
You may access readings via 'Library Resources' in the Canvas Course Navigation.
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
Tutor.com
Tutor.com is a 24/7 tutoring service that provides students with assistance in coursework, test preparation, research, writing, and more for various subjects. The tutors are subject-matter experts, and each student will have personalized one-on-one sessions with them. Students can schedule their own tutoring appointments to engage in interactive sessions that include a whiteboard and chat feature. The service can be utilized on any device that has Internet access. Students are encouraged to use the service throughout the semester.
You can access this service by selecting Tutor.com from your course navigation menu. Here you can select your subject, enter a question, and begin your tutoring session.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Structure & Requirements
The course will be structured around the textbook readings, online commentaries, learning tasks and exams. It is expected that the student will begin each week prepared, having reviewed the lecture and supplementary materials beforehand. Any assignments due are to be posted to the given dropboxes in CANVAS by the date indicated. The work week starts on Monday and any questions assigned for discussion should have the initial postings by Thursday so that the other students can get a chance to provide their feedback or comments by the end of the week.
Be advised that it has been my experience that students who habitually lag behind in class or skip sections of the material are much more likely to receive a low or failing grade for the course. Along these lines, if you are unable to complete the week’s assignments or attend chat sessions, it is your responsibility to clarify any of the missed material with either a classmate or me. The instructor’s personal notes are not available for inspection. Any material assigned, including anything in the lectures and online discussions, is fair game for examinations; thus it would be to the student’s benefit to keep current with the material for each week as exams will not be “straight out of the book.” Every attempt will be made to cover the most confusing or technical aspects of a topic in online notes and during the chat sessions; however, ultimately the student is responsible for material that has been assigned.
My recommendation for students progressing through a methods course in this online format is as follows:
- Carefully read (and then reread) all of the posted lecture material and assigned textbook pages. Jot down questions you have and then either post them for other students to view and/or e-mail the instructor for clarification.
- Review assigned materials after perusing the discussion board and after attending online chat sessions. In all likelihood, confusing issues will be clarified.
- Do not wait until just before exams to try and to get clarification on course material. Studying for an exam should entail simply reviewing material of which you already have a good understanding.
Assignments
Each week students are required to complete an assignment designed to apply the course material for that week in a ‘real world’ criminal justice scenario. Examples of these assignments include: examining the research purpose of criminological studies, debating ethical considerations in research design, and performing observations of human behavior.
The student will also complete a research proposal on a topic of his or her choosing. Look at the Research Proposal Project Module for specifics as well as the sample papers of this assignment. Your grade for this research paper is based on the accuracy and depth of content, clarity of presentation, appropriateness of selected literature to the paper topic, quality of the reviews of each selected study, and proper style (citations, grammar, etc.)- Discussion Participation
Each week, students will receive a grade for participation in discussion board postings. Discussion grading is based on the following criteria: significance of ideas, originality of thought, clarity of expression and organization of ideas, timeliness, and appropriate language (civility, lack of excessive jargon, etc.). Active participation in the threaded discussions is essential to successful completion of the course. Your postings and responses should demonstrate a critical analysis of points made by others as well as your own resources (perhaps outside readings) and experiences.
- Application Tasks
- A Research Proposal Paper
- Exams
There will be three exams throughout the semester which will be multiple-choice format. You will have a limited amount of time to complete the exams (45 minutes for each), and will be given only one attempt at completing them. The total possible points for each exam will be 100. All exams will be non-cumulative, focusing exclusively on the topics covered in the previous class sessions. Make-up exams will be given only with prior notification in emergency/medical situations. The student is encouraged to complete scheduled exams when humanly possible; make-up exams will be of a completely different format and they may be considerably more difficult than regular exams. Extra credit is not available in this course. Further, you are on the honor system when it comes to taking the three exams .
Course Grading Scheme
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Grading Items
| Points | |
| Discussion Participation |
150
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| Application Tasks |
165
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| The First Part of Research Proposal: Topic@10 points + Hypothesis@10 points | 20 | |
| The Second Part of Research Proposal: Annotated Bibliography@30 points + Literautre Review@50 points) | 80 | |
| The Thrid Part of Research Proposal: The Final Research Project Proposal | 100 | |
| Exam 1 |
100
|
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| Exam 2 |
100
|
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| Exam 3 | 100 | |
| Total |
815
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Grading Scale
| Grade | Percentage |
| A | 94% to 100% |
| A- | 90% to 93.9% |
| B+ | 87% to 89.9% |
| B | 84% to 86.9% |
| B- | 80% to 83.9% |
| C+ | 77% to 79.9% |
| C | 70% to 76.9% |
| D | 60% to 69.9% |
| F | 0% to 59.9% |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Course Schedule
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NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.