Syllabus CRJU 3601 Research Methods Summer 2020

If you need this document in another format, please email Stu Batchelder at Stu.batchelder@ung.edu or call 706-531-6399.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA

DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COURSE SYLLABUS

Summer 2020 – Research Methods for Social Sciences (CRJU 3601 OLA - CRN 3048)

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

Title: Research Methods for Social Sciences - - CRJU 3601 OLA

Instructor: John Stuart Batchelder, 309 Hansford Hall, 706-864 1907 (office)

College: Arts and Letters E-mail: stu.batchelder@ung.edu

Department: Criminal Justice Home Phone: 706-867-8174

Course Number: CRJU 3601 Cell phone: 706-531-6399

All Batch Classes Summer 2020

CRN SUBJ CRSE SEC TITLE DAYS TIMES BLDG ROOM

3048 CRJU 3601 OLA Res Meth in Social Sciences MTWRF 9:00am-09:50am Newton Oakes X013

Final Exam is Friday 19 June

1026 CRJU 7003 - OLA Stat Anal in Criminal Justice MTWRF 10:00am-10:50am Newton Oakes X013

Final Exam is Friday Jul 31, 2020

Final Exam Schedule

CRN Class Name Days Class Meets Exam Day Exam Time

5316 Res Meth in Social Sciences MWF 08:00am-08:50am Monday 04 May 08:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

5317 Res Meth in Social Sciences TR 09:30am-10:45am Thursday 07 May 08:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

5318 Stat for Social Sciences TR 08:00am-09:15am Tuesday 05 May 08:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

5319 Stat for Social Sciences MWF 09:00am-09:50am Wednesday 06 May 08:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

5577 Advanced Quantitative Methods OLA Online

Office Hours

Monday -- 9:00 to 12:01 pm

Tuesday -- 9:00 to 12:01 pm

Wednesday -- 9:00 to 12:01 pm

Thursday -- 9:00 to 12:01 pm

Friday -- 9:00 to 12:01 pm

2. OPTIONAL TEXT AND OTHER MATERIALS -- All you need is here: Link to Batch2L

Optional Text Book: Fritsch, Eric; Trulson, Chad; and Blackburn, Ashley (2014). Applied Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology, 1^st Edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-802641-6

Link to Information Technology Website: http://ung.edu/information-technology/index.php

3. COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introductory research methods class that is designed to familiarize students with the language, important concepts, and processes of social science research. In this course, we will explore quantitative and qualitative research methods. We will also investigate the data collection methods used in each method. Students will acquire skills for understanding and analyzing research studies, designing a research project, and becoming a more critical observer and skeptical inquirer. Students are expected to read and apply the readings to chapter activities and discussions. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: MATH 2400 (MATH 1401) -- Elementary Statistics

4. COURSE OBJECTIVES AND EXPECTED MEASURABLE OUTCOMES

* Formulate a testable hypothesis, and design a research methodology and that relates to policy and procedure in criminal justice case studies.

* Analyze the strength and weaknesses of data collection methods, and use quantitative data to make inferences about a specified population based on statistics from a sample.

* Evaluate potential ethical issues in scientific research, and assess qualitative research for scholarship, validity and reliability

* Apply data-analysis techniques on specific populations to test hypotheses applicable to policy-formulation in the criminal justice sciences.

* Apply the use of theory in designing research methods in a scientific study

* Apply an understanding of data collection methods, including the strengths and weaknesses of each method

* Evaluate potential ethical issues in scientific research, including scientific values that guide social research

* Understand the ability to design a research methodology that relates to policy and procedure in criminal justice

* Apply qualitative and quantitative research for scholarship, validity, and reliability

* Apply crime data to describe a specific population through the use of statistics, tables, and graphs

* Understand quantitative data techniques that are used to make inferences about a specified population based on statistics from a sample

* Evaluate natural phenomena through the use of specific procedures to test hypotheses and formulate policy decisions in the social sciences

* Understand the use of elementary and advanced statistical analysis on criminal justice data

5. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture, Group Study, and Self Study on World Wide Web

1) The “Exams” are an evaluation of your learning. There will be an “Evaluation” (Exam) given approximately each week including a “final exam.” They are all weighted equally. The exams consist of essay and short-answer questions taken from the lectures and readings. Points are based on the exams, attendance / participation, and presentations. Each student’s final grade will be based on the total amount of points that individual acquires throughout the semester. Missed exams cannot be made up, they will result in a grade of -0-. Your lowest exam score will be dropped. Exception -- Final Exam score cannot be dropped.

No Makeup exams – You must take all exams in class, on the date they are administered -- Only rare exceptions to that policy are allowed.

Final exam must be taken at the appointed time. Requests to take the final exam earlier or later cannot be honored. No exceptions to this university policy are made under any circumstances. If you cannot be in attendance to take the final exam at the above time, it is suggested that you drop now, and retake this course during a different semester.

2) The Paper assignment is to be accomplished by using peer-reviewed journal articles as source material that expresses that you understand a specific aspect or issue in criminal justice. See rubric below.

The Paper assignment is based on the 5 points of Information Literacy -- Know, Access, Evaluate, and Use in an Ethical manner:

A. Know: Your submitted work will have an thesis statement in the Introduction stating basically (1) what is already known on the topic, and (2) we have yet to discover. The reader should believe she or he knows status of the present knowledge, knows a reason why future exploration and growth is needed, and where this knowledge may be projected to logically follow in the future. It states what is lacking in the research, and how this paper will fill that gap.

B. Access: The Literature Review demonstrates the extent to which the topic has been investigated. The reader should believe they have a complete background or history of the topic through not only an adequate number of sources, but a variety of sources that includes a balance of supporting arguments and criticisms of particular viewpoints.

C. Evaluate: The Methods section crystallizes how the data will be gathered.

D. Use: The Summary demonstrates that an organized plan is envisioned, which re-articulates the thesis statement or research question, provides an answer to that question (findings), and why the paper constitutes a viable contribution to the overall literature.

E. Ethical / Legal: The author has made use of APA citation style, avoided plagiarism, and given a summary of information without overusing quoted text.

I care about your future. I want to help and serve you. That is my personal goal. Please have no reservations about calling me anytime (even after hours) if you need help. Every student is strongly encouraged to visit or phone my office, or call my cell phone to obtain answers, clarification, and moral support 24/7/365.

My personal goal is to help and serve students; you can call me 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, weekends and holidays included. Please have no reservations about calling me if you need help. If you call and there is no answer at my cell, office or home phone, it is only because I can’t answer. please leave a message and try again later, or await my return call. EVERY STUDENT IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO VISIT MY OFFICE, or call my cell phone TO OBTAIN Instant ANSWERS, CLARIFICATION, AND MORAL SUPPORT -- Any Day, Any time.

Grading Rubric for Writing Assignment

A (4)

B (3)

C (2)

D/F (1/0)

Focus and main idea

Purpose is clear, presents a main idea, and supports it throughout the paper.

Shows awareness of purpose, presents a main idea, and supports it throughout some or most of the paper.

Shows limited awareness of purpose, vague sense of a main idea, and is weakly supported.

No awareness, no main idea.

Organization: Overall

Well-planned and well-thought out. Includes title, introduction, statement of main idea, discussion, and conclusion.

Good overall organization, includes the main organizational tools.

There is a sense of organization, although some of the organizational tools are used weakly or missing

No sense of organization

Content

Exceptionally well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, well-developed, supported with specific evidence & facts, as well as examples and specific details.

Well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, developed and supported with evidence and details, mostly specific.

Content is sound and solid; ideas are present but not particularly developed or supported; some evidence, but usually of a generalized nature.

Content is not sound

Conforms to APA Research

Specifications

Sources are exceptionally well-integrated, supported, or argued. Quotations and Works Cited conform to APA specs.

Sources are well integrated and support the paper’s claims. There may be occasional errors, but the sources and Works Cited conform to APA specs.

Sources support some claims made in the paper, but might not be integrated well within the paper’s argument. Some errors in APA style.

The paper does not use adequate sources or sources are not integrated, cited, or listed correctly (as per APA specs.

Style and Grammar: Sentence structure

Sentences are clear, and grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation are excellent.

Sentences are clear but awkward with a few punctuation, grammar, spelling, or syntax errors.

Sentences are generally clear but thoughts disconnected or several errors attributable to overall lack of proof-reading.

Sentences aren’t clear

6. COURSE GRADING

Grades:

Points Grading Scale for Course

Tests (approximately) = 90 A = 89.50 – 100.00

Final Paper (approximately) = 10 B = 79.50 - 89.49

Total Points = 100 C = 69.50 - 79.49

D = 60.00 - 69.49

(1) Attendance: The student is responsible for all material presented in class and for all announcements and assignments. Excessive absences result in withdrawal. University policy: If the total number of a student’s absences exceeds 14%, the student may be dropped from the class roll with a WF. MFW Class meets 45 times. 14% of 45 = 7. TR Class meets 30 times. 14% of 30 = 5 classes)]. MTWR Class meets 21 times. 14% of 21 = 3.

IF YOU MISS Five (5) TR CLASSES, YOU MUST REPEAT THE COURSE

IF YOU MISS Seven (7) MWF CLASSES, YOU MUST REPEAT THE COURSE

IF YOU MISS Three (3) MTWR CLASSES, YOU MUST REPEAT THE COURSE

(2) Class Participation: Each student is responsible for all material presented in class and for all announcements and assignments. The semester starts with all students having 100% class participation points. Points are deducted for lack of participation as the semester progresses. All students are expected to participate. Class participation score is a subjective measure that is effected by each and all of the following: (a) attendance in class, (b) presentation on material from outside sources, (c) class discussions, (d) attentiveness to what others are saying, (e) courtesy, and (f) professional conduct (as one would be expected to do in a professional setting).

(3) Individual and Collaborative Work Policy: Although Students are encouraged to study together and seek assistance by studying in groups, assignments that are duplicates will receive a grade of –0-.

(4) No late writing assignments will be accepted. Please note: Computer or printer failures are not acceptable excuses for late papers. Make sure you schedule plenty of time to complete and successfully print your assignment.

(5) Students are expected to view this class as a learning experience. Someday you will be a criminal justice professional with a supervisor. You will be expected to demonstrate your value to the organization through written reports and oral expressions. Many of these expressions end up in permanent court files, institutional files, police files, and in other files deemed as public record. It is imperative that criminal justice professionals realize the importance that their communications play in the apprehension, trial, and confinement of offenders. Therefore, it is important to habituate effective written and oral communication in every activity from now until the day you die. I am here to assist in that effort.

Students with special needs should see the instructor during the first week of classes for accommodations.

(6) The instructor will make every effort to follow the syllabus as printed. However, reasons beyond the instructor’s control may occur and cause some deviation from the printed syllabus. The syllabus may be subject to change without prior notice.

You can call me 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, weekends and holidays included. Please have no reservations about calling me if you need help. Call my cell phone. EVERY STUDENT IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO call my cell phone TO OBTAIN Instant ANSWERS, Or VISIT MY OFFICE, FOR CLARIFICATION, AND MORAL SUPPORT -- Any Day, Any time.

7. SUPPLEMENTAL SYLLABUS

Students are expected to refer to the Supplemental Syllabus for the following information:

Academic Exchange, Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Success Plan Program, Class Evaluations, Course Grades and Withdrawal Process, Disruptive Behavior Policy, Inclement Weather, Smoking Policy, Students with Disabilities

Link: http://ung.edu/academic-affairs/policies-and-guidelines/supplemental-syllabus.php