RESEARCH METHODS – CRIJ 4322/SOCI 3396 (MWF 1:25)
DR. BARBARA HART
BUS 219. bhart@uttyler.edu
903-566-7426
Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday 1:30-3:00
Or by appointment
IS IT REALLY TRUE
Course Description: In Research Methods, the student learns the science of systematic inquiry and the
scientific method in order to become intelligent consumers of other research as well as basic
approaches to research design. These methods provide a non-biased and valid approach to all research
questions from full-scale laboratory experiments to such issues as policy decisions and consumer
purchases. This study will promote critical thinking and analysis and provide the student with a
defensible decision-making model. Students will learn to conduct and report on a simple research
project. Students will also be introduced to the American Psychological Association method of
documenting for footnotes and references.
Goal of this class: to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for (1) evaluating the
validity (truth) of information received and, (2) collecting valid information (data).
Student Learning Objectives – By the end of this course students will become proficient in the following
skills. Student proficiency will be assessed through testing and through a hands-on research project.
1. Types and purposes of research and associated vocabulary
2. Conceptualization and operationalization,
3. Instrument validation and reliability,
4. Scientific sampling methods
5. Methods of data gathering
6. Experimental designs,
7. Hypothesis testing – to determine causation
8. Introduction to statistical analysis.
9. Statistical analyses using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).
10. Reporting research results
11. Ethics in research
Text: Chambliss, D. (2012) Making Sense of the Social World (with SPSS Student Edition). Fourth Edition.
Sage Publications. California. Note – This is a special edition which has the statistical program included
for your use on your personal computer.
Student evaluation: The best two of three semesters exams @25% each. Comprehensive final exam
@25%. Research Report at 20%. Quizzes will be provided as a means of practice and self-assessment.
You may retake any quiz up to three times and those three scores will be averaged to create your score
for that quiz. All quizzes will be averaged and that average will contribute 5% of your course grade. The
vocabulary flash cards through the web site are recommended.
Note that learning research methods is a cumulative process. What you learn today is necessary for
understanding tomorrow’s material. Regular, even perfect class attendance is your best opportunity for
success.
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Tentative Schedule listed by week.
Before Class Read:
Text: Chapter One
Blackboard for Week One:
http://www.livescience.com/33507-origins-of-superstitions.html
Hart intro lecture
Consumer’s Reports on MP3 Players
Rise of the Evidence Based Practice Movement and New Opportunities for Criminal Justice Research
Drug Treatment article – Forever Free
(1) August 25
Discussion of Chapter one and assigned readings.
Errors of Reasoning
Importance of research based decision making
Before next week read:
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Harvard’s Burglary Rates
Hart Notes on Operationalization
(2) September 1 is a holiday
September 3 & 5
Discussion of Chapter Two and Chapter Four
Measurement Validity and Reliability
Deductive v. Inductive
Cross-sectional v. Longitudinal
Quantitative v. Qualitative
Operationalization
Hypothesis Construction – Alternate and Null Forms
Levels of Measurement
(Learning Objectives 1, 2 and 3)
(Take Quizzes 1, and 2)
(week 2 continued) September 8
Reread Chapter 4
Practice operationalization
Homework: TURN IN: Operationalize two of the following concepts: Best Vacation; Good
Employee; Serious crime; indigent person. Then choose one of those terms and create a
hypothesis. You can choose any other variable for the second variable.
Read: SMART – Writing Objectives
Read: The Effect of Name Introduction on Tipping
Homework: TURN IN: (a) Identify the variables in the article about restaurant tipping. (b) What
were the independent and dependent variables? (c) What was the hypothesis? (d) What is the
level of measurement of the dependent variable? (e) is the measurement valid? (f) is it reliable?
Justify your response
Read: Campaign Promises. Can you operationalize the promises?
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Before next week:
Read Chapter 5
Read: Why the 1936 Literary Digest Poll Failed
Read: Hart Lecture Notes: Sampling
(3) September 15 Discussion of Chapter 5 on Sampling
Review of operationalization and hypothesis construction
Probability v Non probability sampling
Representation for generalizability/external validity
Read page 7 of “Establishing the Internal and External Validity of Experimental
Studies” - randomization process and establishing generalizability.
(take Quizzes for chapters 4 and 5)
(Learning Objective #4)
(4) September 22 Review for Exam one – Chapters 1, 2, 4 & 5
September 24 Exam #1
For next week:
Read Chapter 7 – Survey Research
Read supplement power point on questionnaire construction
Read: http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/02/opinion/gingrich-public-confidenceamerica/index.html
(5) September 29 Discussion of Survey Research
Introduction of Class Project – Survey of UT Tyler students about Obstacles to a
college education
Review Outline for Research Report
(Take Quiz for Chapter 7)
(Learning Objective #5)
For next week:
Read Chapter 6 – Causation and Experimental Design
Hart Lecture note: The Three Rules of Causality
Hart Lecture note: Experimental Design
Hart Lecture note: Internal Validity
For fun - https://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/404.htm
Obtain 20 copies of class survey: Each survey will receive a coding number.
(6) October 6
Discussion of Experimental Design
Threats to Internal Validity
Review of Research Report Components
(Take Quiz for Chapter 6)
For next week:
Read Chapter 8 – Analysis
(Learning Objectives #6 and 7)
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(7) October 13
Introduction to Statistics
Read: Handout – Introduction to Statistics
Review of Research Report statistics
(Learning Objective #8)
Crime Analysis :
http://www.iaca.net/dc_about_ca.asp
http://www.iaca.net/dc_analyst_role.asp
Compare 2012 Crime Data for Tyler and for Longview. What might the two Chiefs be considering?
Texas UCR
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/pages/ucr.htm
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/crimereports/12/citCh2.pdf
(Take quiz for Chapter 8)
(8) October 20
Review for Exam #2 – Chapters 7,6, & 8
October 22
Exam #2
October 24
Bring completed surveys to class for data entry. Laptops will be furnished or
you may bring your own with the SPSS program installed.
Read: SPSS Tutor
(Learning Objective #9)
(9) October 27
Discussion and assistance with research report.
Read Chapter 12
Homework: Develop two original hypotheses to test from the class survey data. TURN IN: Mini
literature review complete with citations and reference page in APA format.
TURN IN: copies of your two hypotheses in both alternative and null forms for instructor approval Conduct
the data analysis for your research report from the class survey data.
(Learning Objective #10)
For next week
Read Chapter 9
Read: Hart Lecture note: Qualitative Field Research.
(10)November 3
Discussion of Chapter 9 Qualitative Methods
Review: Power Point shared from web.
http://www.slideshare.net/tilahunigatu/qualitative-data-analysis-11895136#
For Next Week
Read Chapter 10 – Qualitative Data Analysis
Read Chapter 11 – Evaluation Research
(11)November 10 Discussion of Chapter 10 and Chapter 11
(12)November 17
November 19
Review for Exam #3 Chapters 9, 10, 11 & 12
Exam #3
(13)November 24 -28 – Thanksgiving Holiday
For next week
Read Chapter 3
Complete Research Report
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(14)December 1
Discussion of Ethics
(Learning Objective #11)
TURN IN RESEARCH REPORT
Review for Comprehensive Final plus new material from Chapter 3 - Ethics
(15)December 8
Final Exam week
POLICIES THAT MUST APPEAR IN EACH COURSE SYLLABUS
Statement Regarding Academic Dishonesty
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