Calumet College of St. Joseph

SYLLABUS:  RESEARCH METHODS/DATA ANALYSIS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

 

Term:  Summer, 2002 (013)           

Course Number: LEA 520

Instructor:   Dr. Mary Riley

Office:  Room # 510

Office Phone: (219) 473-4264

Home Phone: (312) 421-8710

E-mail: mriley@ccsj.edu

Course Dates:  Thursday Mornings and Evenings, 4/18/02 – 5/30/02

Course Time: 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Room 204

 

Instructor Background: Dr. Riley was awarded the B.A. in Anthropology at Beloit College and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology at Tulane University.  She is currently the Director of the Urban Studies Program at Calumet College of St. Joseph, and is teaching courses in urban studies, sociology and law enforcement.

 

Course Description: This course assists students to develop the ability to utilize applied research techniques in law enforcement settings. Emphasis will be placed on problem identification, the collection and analysis of primary data, and the writing of research reports. A research paper on a selected topic will be required.

 

Prerequisites:  N/A

 

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

 

Students in this course will:

 

·         Develop skills that are fundamental to conducting research, critical thinking, synthesizing information and communicating research results to their peers.

·         Demonstrate and practice the basic principles of research organization as they work from topic selection, hypothesis formation and research design, literature search, and data collection, to data analysis, interpretation, report writing and delivery of research results.

·         Be able to present research results via oral presentation (in classroom) and written presentation (via Final Report). 

 

Textbooks:

 

The Practice of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Ronet Bachman and Russell K. Schutt, 1st Edition.  Pine Forge Press, 2001.

 

Using SPSS for Windows: Analyzing and Understanding Data, Samuel B. Green, Neil J. Salkind, and Theresa M. Akey, 2nd Edition.  Prentice-Hall Publishing, 2000.

 

Learning Strategies: Group Discussions, Individual Projects (Final Papers), Collaborative Learning, Lectures, and Student Presentations.

 

 

 

Assessment:

Topic Exercises/Assignments (SPSS and Otherwise)                                30% of grade

Mid-Term Exam                                                                                  10% of grade

Class presentation and participation                                                             30% of grade

Final Research Report                                                                      30% of grade

 

Class Policy for Assignments:  Written assignments must be completed and delivered to the instructor on the due date.  Should a student fail to complete and deliver an assignment in a timely manner, the grade may be lowered.  More information concerning the written assignment will be forthcoming.

 

Grading Scale: 

 

A: 92-100                A-: 90-91               B+:  88-89     B: 82-87         B-:  80-81    C+: 78-79

C: 72-77                 C-: 70-71              D+:  68-69     D: 62-67         D-:  60-61    F:  59 & below

 

Class Policy on Attendance: It is a serious matter when a student misses even one session due to the accelerated format of the program.  If the student misses more than one session, the student is required to withdraw form the module by contacting the Academic Advisor and their instructor.

 

Class Policy on Electronic Devices:  All electronic devices (cell phones, beepers, pagers, etc.) will be turned off during the class period, unless the student has a compelling reason for keeping it on during class.  It is advised that students refrain from responding to their electronic devices unless it is an emergency.

 

Course Outline:

 

Class Dates:                                                                                                       Topics/Assignments:

 

4/18 (Week One)                                                                                                Course Introduction and Overview

Chapters 1 and 2 in Bachman & Schutt

                                                                                                                Hmk: Research Topic and Proposal

 

 

4/25 (Week Two)                                                                                                Conceptualization, Measures, Sampling

“From Concept to Variable” Exercise                                       Chapters 3 and 4 in Bachman & Schutt

Scales/Indices Exercise                                                                 **Research Topic & Proposal Due!**

Sampling Techniques Exercise                                                  Hmk: Operationalize Concepts (Variables)

 

                                                                               

5/02 (Week Three)                                                                             Causation, Research Design, Experiment

                                                                                                                Chapters 5 and 6 in Bachman & Schutt  

SPSS Lessons 1-4                                                                            Hmk: Finish Research Design

                                               

                                                                                                                ** TAKE-HOME MID-TERM EXAM **

 

 

5/09 (Week Four)                                                                               Survey Research and Qualitative Methods

Chapters 7 and 8 in Bachman & Schutt

Survey Exercise (Scales/Indices Revisited)                           ** TAKE-HOME MID-TERM EXAM DUE **

SPSS Lessons 5-7                                                                            Hmk: Begin Collecting Data

 

                                                                               

 

 

5/16 (Week Five)                                                                                                Triangulation and Evaluation Research 

                                                                                                                Chapters 9 and 10 in Bachman & Schutt

SPSS Lessons 8-10                                                                          Hmk: Collect Data; Start Writing Report

                                                                                                               

 

5/23 (Week Six)                                                                                   Data Analysis and Reporting Results   

                                                                                                                Chapters 11 and 12 in Bachman & Schutt

SPSS Lessons 11-14, 18-20                                                           Hmk: Finish Data Analysis/Writing Report                                                                                            

 

5/30 (Week Seven)                                                                            The Wrap-Up 

                                                                                                                CLASS PRESENTATIONS ON RESEARCH

FINAL REPORT DUE

 

 

Class Participation: Class participation is crucial to obtaining the most benefit from this course.  Students are responsible for reviewing and analyzing the assigned readings and MUST be prepared to discuss them in class.  The very heart of criminal justice research deals with the complexities of doing research in the real world.  Therefore, I require critical thinking and participation from the students, regarding the issues discussed in class.  Also, students will be engaged in classroom discussion by working through a variety of in-class exercises – I intend for these exercises to be fun.  You do not have to worry about whether what you contribute to the class discussion is always “100% correct” or not.  The object here is to stimulate thought and gain competency in concepts relating to research methodology and to discuss them openly and freely.

 

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

 

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)

 

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.).  All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore.  These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

 

Withdrawal from Classes Policy: Please see the Degree Completion Program’s Student Handbook for withdrawal policy.  All withdrawals are completed through the Degree Completion Academic Advisor’s office.