Research Methods In Criminal Justice –

cja433

(3 credits)

Students learn and demonstrate knowledge of research methodology within the criminal justice system and become acquainted with the range and scope of quantitative and qualitative tools available to the criminal justice researcher.

This undergraduate-level course is 5 weeks. To enroll, speak with an Enrollment Advisor.

Topics and Objectives

Introduction to Research in Criminal Justice
- Explore the scientific approach to criminal justice research.
- Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative research.
- Differentiate between pure and applied research.
- Specify the various functions of the research process.
- Summarize the meaning of research ethics and examine the codes of ethics in criminal justice research.
- Assess the nature and diversity of ethical dilemmas in criminological research.
- Explore the meaning of statistics and the basic ideas behind any statistical study
Research Designs and Data Collection Methods
- Differentiate between types and functions of research designs.
- Explore internal and external variable-related validity factors.
- Describe the various classical experimental research designs.
- Identify the major types of unobtrusive methods.
- Distinguish between probability and nonprobability sampling plans.
- Examine the features, functions, construction, and administration of questionnaires, and their strengths and weaknesses.
- Assess features and functions of observation and its strengths and weaknesses as a data-gathering tool.
Statistics in Criminal Justice Research
- Explore different statistical measurement types and levels.
- Compute the mean, median, and mode of statistical data.
- Identify the properties of the normal distribution.
- Examine the role of probability in statistics and statistical significance.
- Describe the fundamentals of hypothesis testing.
Analysis and Evaluation
- Describe the functions of data management.
- Discuss graphic presentation and its value as a descriptive tool in criminological research.
- Examine the determination and measurement of validity.
- Define reliability and the different kinds of reliability checks.
- Examine various scaling and index construction methods.
- Classify common errors in presenting and interpreting research findings.
Research Application in Criminal Justice
- Discuss the importance of project replication.
- Identify how findings will be utilized.
- Defend major research issues and how they affect the conduct and quality of research.
- Extrapolate on issues surrounding the collection, analysis, and utilization of research.
- Describe how to write a research report.
- Examine proposal writing and various funding criteria.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.
While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. Please check with a University Enrollment Advisor.
Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

Research Methods In Criminal Justice –

cja433

Introduction to Research in Criminal Justice

Research Designs and Data Collection Methods

Statistics in Criminal Justice Research

Analysis and Evaluation

Research Application in Criminal Justice

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