WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY
college of social and behavioral sciences
Department of Criminal Justice
MCJ 6110 CRS #31650
Research Methods
Spring 2008
Professor:
Dr. Scott R. Senjo, JD, Ph.D.
Class Location:
Room 210, Davis Campus, Layton
Class Time:
Mondays 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Office Hours:
MWF 1:00 - 2:00 pm (Davis Campus, Room 321); T R
12:45 - 1:45 pm (Ogden Campus, Room 298); or by
appointment
Office Location:
Social Science Bldg. Rm. 298 (Ogden Campus)
Phone:
(801) 626-7851
ELECTRONIC COURSE RESOURCES
Instructor Email Address
ssenjo@weber.edu
Course Materials
http://ereserve.weber.edu
http://online.weber.edu
WSU Home Page
http://weber.edu
Student Gradebook
http://online.weber.edu
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Course Description ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Course Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Expected Outcomes........................................................................................................................................ 3
Services for Students With Disabilities.......................................................................................................... 4
Required Text ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Test and Assignment Grading ........................................................................................................................ 4
Grade Scale .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Course Schedule .......................................................................................................................................... 4-6
Final Exam ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Midterm Examinations (3) ............................................................................................................................. 6
Quizzes (2) ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Article Critique............................................................................................................................................... 7
Video Quiz ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
FAQs .............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Appendices .............................................................................................................................................. 10-11
A. Article Critique Grade Form ...................................................................................................... 10
B. Course Bibliography................................................................................................................... 11
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COURSE DESCRIPTION
This Master of Science degree course is a combination of the study of research methodology and data
analysis in formal, empirical research projects where the main point of emphasis is on methodological
technique. The course begins with a review of the principles of research methods including variable
creation, measurement, and operationalization. The literature review and role of theoretical development
are also primary points of emphasis in the first part of the course. The course progresses into a study of
various data collection techniques such as survey instruments, participant observation, or interviewing in
a research study. It concludes with a focus on statistical applications including measures of central
tendency, dispersion, and correlation including a look at probability theory and the role of statistical
significance. Students will review various styles of multivariate analysis in peer-reviewed scholarly
literature authored by the course instructor.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. To explore the various research methodologies possible in empirical studies of various scales and
magnitudes.
2. To discuss the different types of theory such as inductive, deductive, grounded, and axiomatic theory.
3. To understand and become aware of the subject of measurement, reliability and validity in research
and the crosstabulation of combinations of research variables.
4. To become familiar and comfortable with data collection strategies such as observation, secondary
data analysis, interviewing, and survey questionnaires.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
1. The student should demonstrate the ability to cogently and intelligently convey the processes and goals
of descriptive, exploratory, and explanatory research designs.
2. The student should be able to identify ethical issues in scholarly research as well as the methodological
shortcomings of scholarly, peer-reviewed empirical studies and explain the impact of those shortcomings
on the research findings.
3. The student should demonstrate an understanding for the differences between qualitative and
quantitative, theoretical and descriptive research, research and null hypotheses, variable
operationalization, coding, and independent and dependent variables.
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SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Any student who may need accommodations or services due to a disability can contact Services for
Students with Disabilities (SSD) in Room 181 of the Student Services Center, WSU Ogden Campus.
SSD can arrange to provide various course materials (such as examinations or this syllabus) in alternative
formats where needed. For SSD policies and procedures, please visit www.weber.edu/ssd
REQUIRED TEXTS
1. Champion, Dean John (2006). Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology. Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. ISBN: 0-13-118928-X
TEST AND ASSIGNMENT GRADING
Final Examination
Midterm Examination #1
Midterm Examination #2
Midterm Examination #3
Quiz #1
Quiz #2
Video Quiz
Article Critique
10%
20%
20%
20%
10%
10%
05%
05%
GRADING SCALE
100-93% (A); 92.9-90% (A-); 89.9-87% (B+); 86.9-83% (B); 82.9-80% (B-); 79.9-77% (C+); 76.9-73% (C);
72.9-70% (C-); 69.9-67% (D+); 66.9-63 (D); 62.9-60% (D-); 59.9-0% (E).
COURSE SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
January 7 - Course Introduction. Champion, Ch. 1. The Research Enterprise in Criminal Justice and
Criminology. Theory Testing. Close-Up on Empirical Research: Senjo, Scott R. and Leslie A. Leip
(2001). “Testing and Developing Theory in Drug Court: A Four-Part Logit Model to Predict Program
Completion.” Criminal Justice Policy Review, vol. 12, no. 1, 66-87.
WEEK 2
January 14 – Holiday. No Class Scheduled.
WEEK 3
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January 21 – Champion, Ch. 2. Frames of Reference and Problem Formulation. Literature Reviews.
Close-Up on Empirical Research: Senjo, Scott (2005). “Trafficking in Meth: An Analysis of the Differences
Between Male and Female Dealers.” Journal of Drug Education, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 59-77
WEEK 4
January 28 – Champion, Ch. 3. Research Designs. The Classic Experimental Design. Qualitative and
Quantitative Research. Close-Up on Empirical Research: Flemming, R.B., Nardulli, P.F., &
Eisenstein, J. (1992). The Craft of Justice: Politics and Work in Criminal Court Communities.
Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. Introduction, pps. 1-20. Kholos-Wysocki, Diane
(2001). “Let Your Fingers Do the Talking: Sex on an Adult Chatline.” Found in, Readings in Deviant
Behavior by Alex Thio and Thomas C. Calhoun (2001), 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Champion, Ch. 4. Data Collection Strategies: Sampling Techniques, Purposes, and Problems.
WEEK 5
February 4 – Midterm Examination #1. Davis Campus Testing Center, Davis Campus, Layton, Second
Floor, Room 215. Phone: (801) 395-3495. You can take the exam anytime during the day or evening, but
only two hours are allowed to complete the exam. Call the Test Center for hours open. This is a closedbook exam.
WEEK 6
February 11 – Class Cancellation. National Cybercrime Symposium. Long Beach, CA. Feb. 11-14.
WEEK 7
February 18 – President’s Day Holiday. No Class Scheduled.
WEEK 8
February 25 – Champion, Ch. 5. Data Collection Strategies II: Questionnaires. Close-Up on Empirical
Research: Senjo, Scott (2004). “Computer Crime: Comparing Police Officer Perceptions With Empirical Data.”
The Security Journal, vol.17, no.2, pp. 55-71. Champion, Ch. 6. Data Collection Strategies III: Interviews.
Champion, Ch. 7. Data Collection Strategies IV: Observational Techniques and the Use of Secondary
Sources. Champion, Ch. 8. Measurement of Variables in Criminal Justice and Criminology. Close-Up
on Empirical Research: Senjo, Scott and Leslie Leip (2000). “Testing Therapeutic Jurisprudence
Theory: An Empirical Assessment of the Drug Court Process.” Western Criminology Review, vol. 3, no.
1.
WEEK 9
March 3 - Midterm Examination #2. Davis Campus Testing Center, Davis Campus, Layton, Second
Floor, Room 215. Phone: (801) 395-3495. You can take the exam anytime during the day or evening, but
only two hours are allowed to complete the exam. Call the Test Center for hours open. This is a closedbook exam.
WEEK 10
March 10 – Spring Break. No Class Scheduled.
WEEK 11
March 17 - Champion, Ch. 9. Validity and Reliability of Measures. Champion, Ch. 10. Data Coding,
Presentation, and Description Techniques. Close-Up on Empirical Research: Heward, Michelle and Scott
Senjo (2007). “Correlating Police Shifts, Second Jobs and Sleep Deprivation to Police Accidents" (under review).
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WEEK 12
March 24 - Champion, Ch. 11. Hypothesis Testing and Theory Verification. Champion, Ch. 12. Ethics
in Research. The IRB. The Milgram Experiment and Other Examples of Unethical Research.
WEEK 13
March 31 - Midterm Examination #3. Davis Campus Testing Center, Davis Campus, Layton, Second
Floor, Room 215. Phone: (801) 395-3495. You can take the exam anytime during the day or evening, but
only two hours are allowed to complete the exam. Call the Test Center for hours open. This is a closedbook exam.
WEEK 14
April 7 – Ethics in Social Research Cont'd. Quiz #1. Close-Up on Empirical Research: Copes, Heith,
Kent R. Kerley, Karen A. Mason and Judy Van Wyk (2001). “Reporting Behavior of Fraud Victims and
Black’s Theory of Law: An Empirical Assessment.” Justice Quarterly, vol.18, no.2, 343-363.
WEEK 15
April 14 - Quiz #2. Close-Up on Empirical Research: Bernberg, Jon Gunnar and Thorolfur
Thorlindsson (2001). “Routine Activities in Social Context: A Closer Look at the Role of Opportunity
in Deviant Behavior.” Justice Quarterly, vol.18, no.3, 543-567.
WEEK 16
April 21 - Video Quiz: Kinsey (video to be shown in class; quiz to follow immediately after the video)
WEEK 17 Final Examination Period: Saturday April 26 - Thursday May 1.
Final Examination:
Davis Campus Testing Center, Davis Campus, Layton,
Second Floor, Room 215. Phone: (801) 395-3495. You can take the exam anytime during the day or
evening, but only two hours are allowed to complete the exam. Call the Test Center for hours open. This
is a cumulative, closed-book exam.
Final Examination.
The final examination is a cumulative essay examination. You will be asked to explicate everything that
you have learned during the course from the first day forward. Everyone in the class will be handed the
same hypothetical research problem and be asked to indicate how to formulate a research project based on
the principles discussed in the course throughout the semester. As an example, what if a prison warden
wants you to conduct a study of inmate violence? How would you do it? What procedures and
techniques would you use and why?
Midterm Examinations (3). The three midterm examinations are identical in format and in difficulty.
They are comprised of approximately 16 true/false and 17 multiple choice questions for a total of 33
questions per midterm. Each question is worth three points (one point is given as a default), making the
exam worth a total of 100 points. The exams only cover material specific to the exam, and are not
cumulative. You have two hours in which to use to take the exam. The class meeting which follows the
exam is used to review the exam questions, answers, and results. This is a very good class to see which
items of the test you may need to study more carefully for the final examination. A final note: since the
midterm examinations are answered on a SCANTRON answer sheet, it is important to be careful about
erasing answers. This means that when an answer is erased, it is often marked WRONG accidentally. This
is to say, try not to erase, but if you do, double-check to see that the answer you erased was not incorrectly
marked wrong.
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Quizzes (2).
Two quizzes are scheduled for this course. The quizzes consist of 10 multiple choice questions per quiz,
and hence are relatively short. Each question is worth ten points making each quiz worth 100 points total.
The quiz material is located in the Course Reader. The Course Reader material consists of numerous
peer-reviewed, scholarly research studies of recent publication. Please see the course schedule for the
week in which a specific article is assigned and the subject of a quiz.
Article Critique.
For this assignment, each student is required to obtain one formal research article (an actual study
of a particular phenomenon) of their choice and critique it while standing/sitting before the class. The
goal of this exercise is to examine a research article for flaws and shortcomings in the article’s ability to
convey what it intends to convey. Items to look for, examine, and subsequently critique include, but are
not limited to statistical speciousness (where the numbers may lie, be misleading, or are otherwise
incomprehensible), small sample sizes, undefined terms, flaws in logic, or any other type of inconsistency
or discrepancy.
Any type of scholarly or semi-scholarly criminal justice-related article will be acceptable. A noncriminal justice related article may be used with instructor consent. Ideally, the article will be taken from
a scholarly journal and have been published very recently. The length of the article is also of relatively
minor importance, but must be several pages long at a minimum. The main goal when studying the
article is to discover flaws in the research. Internet articles are acceptable but discouraged because they
are very likely not peer-reviewed and hence of relatively poor quality. Similarly, articles or reports from
newsletters, bulletins, or periodicals such as Newsweek or Time magazine are unacceptable. Please
attempt to locate your article from a print source. It should be an article where data (statistics) have been
collected by the author in order to support or refute one or more particular phenomenon or hypotheses.
For example, maybe the article has data on prison deaths to use for a discussion of prison gangs or prison
management. Or maybe the article has data on community policing to use to discuss the relationship
between community policing and the rate of crime.
Each student will be assigned a date on which to present their article critique to the class for
discussion. The student must be prepared to identify the major issues presented in the article, and again,
note the article’s strengths and weaknesses. The student must also be prepared to field questions from the
class and instructor after their presentation.
There is only one material requirement for this assignment. The student must provide the class
and instructor with a summary of the article’s main points, called the Article Summary Sheet. A sample
of one is located on ereserve. You must develop your own, but it does not have to be complex or
sophisticated. Your Article Summary Sheet must simply inform everyone in the class as to the basic
ideas presented in the article. It must also provide background information such as the title of your article
and the name of the author.
Grading will be based on the relevancy of the article to the field of criminal justice, the complexity
of the article, and the degree to which the student examined and hence came to an understanding of the
empirical study presented in the article. In addition, grading is also based on the mistakes that were
identified and critiqued. The grade form that is used to grade this assignment is called the Article Critique
Grade Form and is located in the Appendix of this syllabus.
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Video Quiz Assignment
In this course, one video is assigned to be viewed. The purpose of viewing the video is to examine the
course material from a different perspective, that of a film. A quiz of the film is assigned on the syllabus.
Please check the course schedule for the exact date of the quiz. Please make a careful note of when the
video quiz is scheduled. On the assigned date, at the start of class, everyone will take a quiz on the
substantive content of the film, and asked to relate the film to certain aspects of the course. This
assignment is identical to reading an assigned article, then taking a quiz in class on the content of the
article.
The quiz is a “fill in the blank/short answer” format consisting of approximately 10 questions. The
questions combine factual questions, such as, what decade did the story take place in?, with conceptual
questions, such as, what was the purpose of this or that episode . . . ? Each question is worth ten points,
making the entire quiz worth 100 points.
Miscellaneous Details:
 You can view the video anytime you wish during the semester, but need to be prepared for the
quiz on the date that the quiz is assigned. (There is a possibility that the video will simply be
shown in class with the quiz to follow immediately after the showing of the video).
 If you have already seen the video, please consider viewing it again so it will be fresh in your
mind.
 Sometimes your local video store may be out of the video. Call around in advance to make sure it
is available where you live.
 If you can, consider enjoying the video with a spouse or friend in a relatively peaceful
environment. The more comfortable that you are, and the absence of bothersome distractions
greatly enhances your ability to absorb the film’s content.
 Let me know if you have any suggestions for other videos that would be appropriate to view for
the class.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)




No extra credit opportunities are available this semester.
Students who miss class bear the responsibility for getting caught-up; the instructor is unable to
re-teach classes to absent students. The question: "I wasn't in class today; what did I miss?" is
answered with: "Please obtain the notes from someone in class and please let me know if you
have any questions about the material."
The instructor needs to reserve the right to modify the syllabus to meet unexpected changes
throughout the semester period.
Regarding the two unannounced quizzes for the class, any make-up quiz must be taken the very next
class meeting. After that day, the quiz is closed for the semester. If you have to take a make-up
quiz, the quiz material consists of whatever material is listed on the syllabus for the day you take
the quiz. If you sit for the quiz on a day that the syllabus indicates the class is studying chapter
three, for example, then the quiz is on chapter three.
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Appendix A
Article Critique Grade Form
_________________________________________
Name of Student:
Date of Presentation:
Course and Term:
_________________________________________
Title of Article:
Publication Name, Number, and Date:
_________________________________________
I. Preliminary Requirements (30 points possible)
1. Article summary sheet provided to the entire class? Yes _____ No ____
2. Copy of article provided to the instructor? Yes _____ No _____
3. Did the student arrive to class on time, and prepared to participate in the Article Critique assignment
s/he was scheduled for? Yes _____ No _____
II. Content of the Presentation (60 points possible)
1. Scholarship of the article/study (quality of the article chosen for the presentation) ________
2. Understanding/comprehension of the ideas, concepts, reasoning, logic and theories _______
3. Understanding/comprehension of the statistics, charts, tables, graphs, and figures ________
4. Critique of article’s flaws, omissions, shortcomings, errors, biases, and mistakes ________
III. Question and Answer Session (10 points possible)
1. Quality and breadth of answers provided during Q&A session at end of presentation _______
IV. Grade:
Instructor: Scott Senjo
Dept. of Criminal Justice
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Appendix B
Course Bibliography
1. Copes, Heith, Kent R. Kerley, Karen A. Mason and Judy Van Wyk (2001). “Reporting Behavior of Fraud
Victims and Black’s Theory of Law: An Empirical Assessment.” Justice Quarterly, vol.18, no.2, 343-363.
2. Bernberg, Jon Gunnar and Thorolfur Thorlindsson (2001). “Routine Activities in Social Context: A Closer
Look at the Role of Opportunity in Deviant Behavior.” Justice Quarterly, vol.18, no.3, 543-567.
3. Kholos-Wysocki, Diane (2001). “Let Your Fingers Do the Talking: Sex on an Adult Chatline.” Found in,
Readings in Deviant Behavior by Alex Thio and Thomas C. Calhoun (2001), 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Allyn and
Bacon.
4. Flemming, R.B., Nardulli, P.F., & Eisenstein, J. (1992). The Craft of Justice: Politics and Work in Criminal
Court Communities. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. Introduction, pps. 1-20.
5. Bazemore, Gordon and Scott Senjo (1997). “Police Encounters With Juveniles Revisited: An Exploratory Study
in Themes and Styles in Community Policing.” Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategy and
Management, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 60-82.
6. Senjo, Scott and Leslie Leip (2000). “Testing Therapeutic Jurisprudence Theory: An Empirical Assessment of
the Drug Court Process.” Western Criminology Review, vol. 3, no. 1.
7. Senjo, Scott and Leslie Leip (2001). “Drug Treatment Court and Therapeutic Jurisprudence: A Four-part Logit
Model to Predict Program Completion.” Criminal Justice Policy Review, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 66-87.
8. Senjo, Scott (2001). “Goal Consensus and Implementation in Drug Court: An Empirical Assessment of
Program Completion.” The Justice Professional, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 239-267.
9. Senjo, Scott (2004). “Computer Crime: Comparing Police Officer Perceptions With Empirical Data.” The
Security Journal, vol.17, no.2, pp. 55-71.
10. Senjo, Scott and Stephen Haas (2004). “Perceptions of Effectiveness and Actual Use of Technology-Based
Methods of Instruction: A Study of California Criminal Justice and Crime-Related Faculty.” Journal of Criminal
Justice Education, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 263-285.
11. Senjo, Scott (2005). “Trafficking in Meth: An Analysis of the Differences Between Male and Female
Dealers.” Journal of Drug Education, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 59-77.
12. Senjo, Scott, Stephen M. Haas and Eugene E. Bouley, Jr. (2006). “Predicting Use of Technology-Based
Methods of Classroom Instruction.” (under review by the Journal of Criminal Justice Education).
13. Senjo, Scott (2006). “An Examination of SORN data: Comparing and Contrasting Characteristics of a
Random Sample of 400 Sex Offenders.” (in progress).
14. Senjo, Scott (2007). “Females and Meth: A Descriptive Analysis of Demographics and Patterns of Use" (in
progress).
15. Heward, Michelle and Scott Senjo (2007). “Correlating Police Shifts, Second Jobs and Sleep Deprivation to
Police Accidents" (under review).
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