Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewUsing an excellent blend of methods, statistics, and theory, the Ellis, Hartley, and Walsh research methods book is a remarkable text that will definitely be valuable to beginning and advanced researchers. I applaud them for their ability to successfully apply research methods to real-world problems, while at the same time use research examples from a vast array of academic disciplines and topics worldwide. Their book should certainly be one that research methods instructors should consider adopting so that students have an all-encompassing methods experience! -- Chris Gibson, PhD., University of Florida
Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Criminology takes a subject matter that most students find inherently boring and makes it engaging, interesting, and inspiring. Their use of interdisciplinary examples puts a fresh spin on the standard cookie-cutter examples typically used in the explanation of research methods. Ellis, Hartley, and Walsh have created a book that explains difficult and complex material in a way that is easy to comprehend. I recommend this book to all students learning about research methods and to all professors who are teaching this challenging topic. -- Kevin M. Beaver, Florida State University
The authors offer an interdisciplinary approach of research that anchors on a broader spectrum of interests in methodology than most textbooks. Instead of solely focusing on criminal justice research, this book introduces the major social/behavioral science disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, economics, geography, and their relationship with criminal justice and criminology. I think it is a smart and thoughtful approach given the facts that majorities of research methods applied in CJ are borrowed from those closely related disciplines and I have no doubt that they will have continuing influence in CJ research. -- Ling Ren, Ph.D, Sam Houston State University
Table of ContentsChapter 1 PART I: GETTING STARTED Chapter 2 Chapter 1 - The Scientific Method and Criminal Justice as a Social Sciences Chapter 3 Chapter 2 - Formulating Scientific Questions and Locating Background Research Chapter 4 PART II: THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS Chapter 5 Chapter 3 - Univariate Statistics and the Concept of Statistical Significance Chapter 6 Chapter 4 - Bi/Multivariate Statistics: The Concept of Correlation Chapter 7 PART III: DOCUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT Chapter 9 Chapter 5 - Research Report Structure and Styles for Citing and Referencing Chapter 10 Chapter 6 - The Concepts of Reliability, Validity, and Precision in Measurement Chapter 11 PART IV: TYPES OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DATA Chapter 12 Chapter 7 - Data Based on Self-Reports: Guidelines for Constructing Questionnaires Chapter 13 Chapter 8 - Direct Observations: Qualitative and Quantitative Data Chapter 14 Chapter 9 - Archival Data Analysis and Meta-Analysis Chapter 15 Chapter 10 - Measuring Crime and Criminality Chapter 16 PART V: SELECTING THOSE TO BE STUDIED Chapter 17 Chapter 11 - Surveying and Sampling Chapter 18 Chapter 12 - The Human Side of Sampling and the Reliability of Self-Reports Chapter 19 PART VI: PROBING FOR CAUSAL EXPLANATIONS Chapter 20 Chapter 13 - Theories, Models, Hypotheses, and Empirical Reality Chapter 21 Chapter 14 - Controlled Experimentation Chapter 23 Chapter 15 - Quasi-Experimentation Chapter 24 PART VII: AVOIDING HARM AND DOING GOOD 25 Chapter 16 - Ethical Issues in the Social Sciences 25 Chapter 17 - Evaluation and Other Applied Research Chapter 26 Chapter 18 - Epilogue
