CRIM 250Research Methods in Criminology

3 credits · Criminology · Penn State

The purpose of this course is to engage students in the social scientific research process used by criminologists to answer empirical research questions. Students learn to use social science research methods through instructor-led demonstrations and applications of research methods, data analysis exercises, and critical reading of published research. Students apply their research knowledge and skills to various assessments that might include examinations, quizzes, and/or writing assignments. After completion of this course, students will have acquired the ability to: (1) Generate a research question and effectively and efficiently search and review the relevant research literature. (2) Identify and justify the selection of appropriate social science research methods and designs to address specific research questions. (3) Strategically read published research articles to extract different types of information. (4) Differentiate between inductive and deductive reasoning in the research process. (5) Interpret written summaries of quantitative and qualitative findings by identifying key patterns, themes, or statistical results and explaining their implications. (6) Evaluate the validity and reliability of research claims related to crime and social response by identifying methodological strengths and weaknesses in published studies. (7) Identify potential ethical issues in social science research scenarios and propose strategies to address them based on established ethical guidelines.