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Offer semester
Lecture time
Lecture venue
Credits awarded

1st semester

Tuesday

19:00 - 21:50

CPD-2.45

6

  • This is an introductory course designed to equip students with essential skills in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant to criminology. The course aims to develop students’ abilities to critically consume, evaluate, and conduct social scientific research. By the end of this course, students will be able to understand and apply key research methodologies in criminology, collect and analyse data, and critically evaluate research studies in criminology and related fields.


    Throughout the course, students will explore various research methods and prepare for the practical application of their skills in their dissertations. Students will also learn how research findings inform—and sometimes misinform—criminal justice policies and practices, emphasising the real-world impact of criminological research.


    As the course progresses, students will consider possible projects in preparation for their dissertations and develop an understanding of the importance of ethics in social research. Collaborative work will be encouraged through the formation of dissertation groups. Finally, students will develop skills in effectively presenting and communicating their research findings.

    1. Develop advanced research skills: Students will acquire comprehensive knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods used in criminology. They will learn to design robust research projects, collect and analyse data, and critically assess research findings from the field of criminology.

    2. Critical evaluation of criminological theories and methods: Students will be able to critically evaluate various criminological theories and research methods. They will gain the ability to synthesise theoretical knowledge and apply it to practical research problems, ensuring a thorough understanding of the strengths and limitations of different research approaches.

    3. Ethical and practical application of research: Students will be equipped with the skills to conduct ethical research in criminology. They will learn to address ethical issues in research design and implementation, ensuring that their studies adhere to ethical standards.


  • Tasks

    Weighting

    Preliminary Research Proposal

    30%

    Reflections on Groupwork

    10%

    Group Presentation

    30%

    Examination

    30%


    1. Crivelli, P.      (2004). Aristotle on truth. Cambridge University Press.

    2. Laozi, &      Wang, B. (2003). A Chinese reading of the Daodejing : Wang Bi’s      commentary on the Laozi with critical text and translation. State      University of New York Press.

    3. Mede, N.,      Schäfer, M., Ziegler, R., & Weißkopf, M. (2020). The “replication      crisis” in the public eye: germans’ awareness and perceptions of the      (ir)reproducibility of scientific research. Public Understanding      of Science, 30(1), 91-102.

    4. Sanches, C.,      Gouveia-Pereira, M., Marôco, J., Gomes, H., & Roncon, F. (2016).      Deviant behavior variety scale: development and validation with a sample      of Portuguese adolescents. Psicologia, Reflexão e Crítica, 29(1).

    5. Porterfield, A.      L. (1943). Delinquency and Its Outcome in Court and College. American      Journal of Sociology, 49(3), 199–208.

    6. Hindelang, M.      J., Hirschi, T., & Weis, J. G. (1979). Correlates of Delinquency: The      Illusion of Discrepancy between Self-Report and Official Measures. American      Sociological Review, 44(6), 995–1014.

    7. Wolfgang, M.      E., Figlio, R. M., & Sellin, T. (1972). Delinquency in a birth      cohort. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    8. Park, R., & Burgess, E. (1921). Introduction to the science of sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    1. Rynes, S. L.,      Bartunek, J. M., & Daft, R. L. (2001). Across the Great Divide:      Knowledge Creation and Transfer between Practitioners and Academics. Academy      of Management Journal, 44(2), 340–355.

    2. Brown, P.      (2018). Ethical challenges to research in the criminal justice      system. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 28(1),      5–12.

    3. Grasmick, H.,      Tittle, C., Bursik, R., & Arneklev, B. (1993). Testing the core      empirical implications of Gottfredson and Hirschi General-Theory of      Crime. The Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 30(1),      5–29.

    4. Zgoba, K. M.,      Jennings, W. G., & Salerno, L. M. (2018). Megan’s Law 20 Years Later:      An Empirical Analysis and Policy Review. Criminal Justice and      Behavior, 45(7), 1028–1046.

    5. Krohn, M. D.,      Thornberry, T. P., Gibson, C. L., & Baldwin, J. M. (2010). The      Development and Impact of Self-Report Measures of Crime and      Delinquency. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 26(4),      509–525.

    6. Tracy, P. E.,      & Kempf Leonard, K. (1996). Continuity and discontinuity in      criminal careers. Plenum Press.

    7. Tewksbury, R., Dabney, D. A., & Copes, H. (2010). The Prominence of Qualitative Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice Scholarship. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 21(4), 391–411.

Offer Semester
Lecture Day
Lecture Time
Venue
Credits awarded
1st semester
Tuesday
19:00 - 21:50
CPD-2.45
6
Dr Yujing Fun

Part-time Lecturer

Dr Yujing Fun
Course co-ordinator and teachers
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