The primary goal of this course is to facilitate students’ growth as both consumers and producers of research. We will explore a variety of methodologies (e.g., survey research/self-report, official stats/secondary data, quasi-experimental design, etc.) used in criminological and criminal justice research. Further, we will evaluate these methodologies within the context of design concerns such as: research purpose, operationalization, validity, reliability, and ethics.
Required Readings
Ronet Bachman & Russell K. Schutt (2020). Fundamentals of research in criminology and criminal justice (5th Ed.). Sage (ISBN: 9781544374055).
Additional readings may be uploaded from time to time to our course page on Canvas.
Office Hours
I have office hours immediately following our class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can drop in during this time if you have questions or concerns about the course, your grade, etc. If these times don’t work for you, email me to set up an appointment.
Communication Etiquette
Email is the best way to reach me with questions or concerns. Please include the course name in the subject, begin all emails with a greeting, describe your concern or specific question(s), and conclude with your full name.
Assignments
Exams
There will be three exams over the course of the semester, comprised of multiple choice and short-answer questions drawn from the assigned readings and class discussions. You will have the entire class session to complete each exam. Each exam is worth 25% of your final grade.
Homework Assignments
There will be 5 homework assignments over the course of the semester. They will require you to seek out and read social science research and do some basic data analysis in JASP, among other things. Collectively, the homework assignments will account for the remaining 25% of your grade.
Grades
- Exam 1: 25%
- Exam 2: 25%
- Exam 3: 25%
- Assignments: 25%
These weighted scores will be added up at the end of the semester to generate your overall grade in the course:
| Letter Grade | Score |
|---|---|
| A+ | 97 - 100 |
| A | 93 - 96 |
| A- | 90 - 92 |
| B+ | 87 - 89 |
| B | 83 - 86 |
| B- | 80 - 82 |
| C+ | 77 - 79 |
| C | 73 - 76 |
| C- | 70 - 72 |
| D+ | 67 - 69 |
| D | 63 - 66 |
| D- | 60 - 62 |
| F | 0 - 59 |
Academic Integrity
Don’t cheat. Students should familiarize themselves with the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities and the policy on academic integrity. Any form of academic dishonesty is unacceptable. Instances of academic dishonesty will, at a minimum, result in a failing grade for that assignment, and a record of academic dishonesty will be placed in the student’s academic file that is maintained by the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Instances of academic dishonesty may also be subject to disciplinary action by the University.
Students with Accessibility Needs
Reasonable accommodations are provided for students who are registered with the Accessibility Services Center and make their requests sufficiently in advance. For more information, contact the Accessibility Services Center (MBSC 126, Phone 554-2872, TTY 554-3799, or visit their website).
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