Res Meth

This course presents an overview of the research process, with the goal of providing students sufficient fluency to comprehend the essentials of empirical research that is published in scholarly journals. Students learn to frame research questions, formulate hypotheses, collect, analyze and display data, arrive at supportable conclusions and present their findings. Students are exposed to measurement issues and concepts, learn to use descriptive statistical techniques and are introduced to sampling and hypothesis testing.

Fitzgerald, Jack D. and Steven M. Cox. Research Methods and Statistics in Criminal Justice: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Wadsworth, 2001.

1. An inexpensive, solar-powered calculator with no special functions except a square root key (available for $5-10)

2. An assortment of coins, including pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters -- at least five of each. This is an invaluable learning aid for creating "distributions."

Please keep these items handy so that they can be used when called for and displayed for credit.

Cell phones are fine if kept on silent mode. If you need to make or answer a call please step outside. You may return when you are done.

As you know I use PowerPoint slides in class. Many have graphics and video clips. I also use standalone DVD's, videos and handouts. There may also be online links and pages with supplemental materials. Everything, including discussion, is "fair game" for exams. Here's the best rule: if it's mentioned in class, it's important.

Some students rarely come to class, choosing to rely strictly on the book and the online version of the slide shows. Online versions are not like what's shown in class, as they lack graphics and video clips. They also miss discussions, thus miss knowing what I consider most important. Some who do come don't take notes, so they wind up forgetting what's important. That's chancy, but it's your decision.

About the website. There is no guarantee that it will always be "up." Technology is a fickle thing. One semester the website went down for most of the day prior to an exam. If you use the online slide shows or supplemental materials, print them in their entirety well in advance. Be sure to get the "final" versions, which may not be posted until the day of the corresponding class.

Exams are prepared with those who come to class in mind. Neither an exam date nor grading will be adjusted because the website went down.

If you cannot take an exam on the scheduled date, e-mail (telephone if you cannot e-mail) and leave a message. For classes held on the main campus, a makeup exam will be left in your name in the "makeup exam" basket in the Political Science division office, UH-511, tel. (714) 278-3521. Makeups must be taken in the Political Science division office, during normal office hours, by the end of the week following the week in which the regular exam was administered. For classes held at Irvine makeup exams must be taken during the next regularly scheduled class session.

Only ONE of the two midterms can be "made up." Makeups are not allowed for the final exam. Please see me if you wish an "I"ncomplete. These must be requested and require instructor approval.

Each exam is a mandatory component of the course. To earn a grade higher than "F" every exam must be taken.

Participating in a team and making a presentation on the date scheduled are required components of the course. Failure to do so will result in failure of the course and a term grade of "F".

100 points can be earned - 20 for each exam, 30 for the participating in a panel and making a presentation (individually graded) and 10 for showing up with BOTH components of the "kit" mentioned above, to be checked five times during the term. At the end of the term, grades will be assigned, "curving" the conventional scale (A=90, B=80, C=70, D=60, F=59 or lower) as necessary to reflect class performance.

Any instance of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism or cheating, will result in a grade of zero or "F" for that activity and a term grade of "F".

Please note: It is the instructor´s policy to grade from student ID numbers only and not to change grades except for a computational error. Students who wish a good grade or plan to attend law school or graduate school are encouraged to work as hard as possible. Please do not ask for special consideration.

* I do NOT use +/- grades. For this course to count towards Criminal Justice degree requirements students must earn a grade of "C" or above.

Note: Text Chps. 5, 6 and 12 are also assigned, to be read on your own. They are applicable throughout the semester.

Week 1 -- 1/22, 24 -- Research process, concepts, variables -- Chps. 1, 3 (pp. 62-68), 13

Week 2 -- 1/29, 31 -- Journal articles, selecting topics for the oral presentation. Mandatory meetings -- "adds" will be given the places of students not present.

Week 3 -- 2/5, 7 -- Research designs -- Chp. 3 (pp. 68-end), handout. Note: We will use the research designs terminology in the handout.

Week 5 -- 2/19, 21 -- Measurement and central tendency -- Chap. 7 (pp. 144-158).

Week 9 -- 3/18, 20 -- Examining relationships through correlation and regression -- Chap.9

Week 12 -- 4/8, 10 -- Introduction to inferential statistics - Chap. 7, pp. 167-174

Week 14 -- 4/22 -- TEAMS 1-3, 7 MEET WITH INSTRUCTOR. Please bring a copy of the article and a flash drive with your draft PowerPoint presentation.

Week 14 -- 4/24 -- TEAMS 4-6, 8 MEET WITH INSTRUCTOR. Please bring a copy of the article and a flash drive with your draft PowerPoint presentation.

Week 15 -- 4/29 -- Hypothesis and significance tests (Student's t) -- Chap. 11 (pp. 238-245) -- TEAMS 1, 2 PRESENT

Week 15 -- 5/1 -- Hypothesis and significance tests (cont´d) -- Chap. 11 (pp. 246-end) -- TEAMS 3, 4 PRESENT

Week 16 -- 5/6 -- Hypothesis and significance tests (cont´d) -- TEAMS 5, 6 PRESENT

Week 16 -- 5/8 -- Hypothesis and significance tests (cont´d) -- TEAMS 7, 8 PRESENT

Week 17 -- Thurs. 5/15 -- 5:00-6:50 pm -- FINAL EXAM (weeks 12-16)
NOTE EARLY START TIME!

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