STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
CANTON, NEW YORK
MASTER SYLLABUS
JUST 347 – RESEARCH METHODS IN CRIMINOLOGY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Created by: Michelle L. Currier, PhD
Updated by: Michelle L. Currier, PhD
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, HEALTH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
FALL 2020
A. TITLE: Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology
B. COURSE NUMBER: JUST 347
C. CREDIT HOURS: 3
D. WRITING INTENSIVE COURSE: n/a
E. GER CATEGORY:
F. SEMESTER(S) OFFERED: Fall and Spring
G. COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course introduces students to the practices of
consuming and producing research of publishable quality in the disciplines of criminal justice
and criminology. Students explore the elements of the research process and the scientific
method, paying special attention to ethical considerations in conducting research. Analyzing the
processes and principles of the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches to
research, students critically evaluate published literature in the field, analyze and interpret data
and findings, and consider the usefulness of criminal justice/criminological research to the
conceptual understanding of, and field-based practice within, the disciplines.
H. PRE-REQUISITES:
a. 45 credit hours or permission of instructor;
b. Pre-requisite(s): CI, LEL, HS, FC, CA, CYBR, EADM majors only.
I. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Course Student Learning PSLO GER ISLO
Outcome [SLO]
ISLO #3 – Foundational Skills
a. Select an appropriate PLO 4 – [subsets: Information
research design, among Demonstrate Management; and Quantitative
qualitative, quantitative and fluency in Literacy and Reasoning]
mixed-methods approaches, to locating,
explore the answer to a criminal evaluating and
justice or criminological using
criminological
research question.
research, evidence
and data.
b. Interpret the validity, PLO 5 – Recognize ISLO #3 – Foundational Skills
[subsets: Information
reliability, impact, or usefulness and interpret Management; and Quantitative
of published criminal graphical and tabular Literacy and Reasoning]
justice/criminological research data sets.
data or conclusions.
c. Describe the ethical PLO 6 – Apply 4. Social
considerations for conducting standards of ethical Responsibility [E]
research in criminal justice or behavior in evidence-
criminology. based practice in
criminal justice
contexts.
KEY Institutional Student Learning Outcomes [ISLO
1 – 5]
ISLO ISLO & Subsets
#
1 Communication Skills
Oral [O], Written [W]
2 Critical Thinking
Critical Analysis [CA] , Inquiry & Analysis [IA] ,
Problem Solving [PS]
3 Foundational Skills
Information Management [IM], Quantitative
Lit,/Reasoning [QTR]
4 Social Responsibility
Ethical Reasoning [ER], Global Learning [GL],
Intercultural Knowledge [IK], Teamwork [T]
5 Industry, Professional, Discipline Specific
Knowledge and Skills
J. APPLIED LEARNING COMPONENT: Yes______ No_X_____
K. TEXTS:
Fallon, M. (2016). Writing up quantitative research in the social and behavioral
sciences. Rotterdam: SensePublishers. [library e-text]
Gadd, D., Messner, S. F., & Karstedt, S. (2011). The SAGE handbook of criminological
research methods. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. [library e-text]
Saldaña, J. (2011). Fundamentals of qualitative research. New York: Oxford University
Press. [library e-text]
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Research methods knowledge base. Web Center for Social
Research Methods. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/.
Vito, G. F., Tewksbury, R. A., & Kunselman, J. C. (2014). Introduction to criminal
justice research methods : An applied approach. (3rd).
Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas. [library e-text]
L. REFERENCES: n/a
M. EQUIPMENT: FLEX technology
N. GRADING METHOD: A-F
O. SUGGESTED MEASUREMENT CRITERIA/METHODS:
• Assignments
• Essays
• Projects/reports
P. DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE:
I. Introduction to Research Methods
A. The Purpose of Criminal Justice/Criminological Research
B. Formulating Research Questions
II. Elements of Research
A. Literature Review
B. Methodology
C. Findings
D. Discussion/Conclusions
III. Ethical Considerations in Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice
A. Human Subjects Research
IV. Research Designs and Approaches
A. Quantitative
B. Qualitative
C. Mixed-Methods
V. Interpreting and Analyzing Data and Conclusions
A. Reliability and Validity
B. Generalizability/Usefulness
C. Impact
