Research Article Assignment Instructions
Assignment:
Students will read one peer-reviewed research journal article from the criminology and/or criminal justice research field. Please read your assigned article carefully. From the reading, you will answer specific questions about the research methodology used in the article. Answers should incorporate the concepts and material from textbook readings, and/or other course context material. This assignment is meant to assist students in becoming familiar with reading current research, understanding how research is conducted, and the necessary components of a research proposal.
Requirements:
- 5 ½ -7 pages; double-spaced; 1-inch margins
- Times New Roman, 12-point font
- APA format, including reference page. Be sure to reference the article you use for the assignment, and the textbook if you use it as an additional source. No other outside sources are necessary for this assignment.
- Full length of assignment is required, but do not go over assignment length
- Use the required outline below for formatting purposes and be sure to address all of the key questions about the article listed below.
Suggested Outline & Key Questions:
- Objective (½ -1 page)
- What exactly is the purpose of the study?
- Why is it worth studying?
- Does the study contribute to our general understanding of crime or policy responses to crime?
- Does it have practical significance?
- Literature Review (1 page)
- As we discussed in the text for this class, research begins by reviewing what others have said about the topic.
- From this study’s literature review, what do we already know about this research topic?
- What don’t we know from prior research or what is the gap in existing knowledge?
- In this study, is this literature review adequate, why or why not?
III. Research Questions (1 page)
- What specific questions did the research try to answer? Given what others have found, as stated in the literature review, what new information do the researchers expect to find?
- What is the independent and dependent variable(s)?
- What conceptual definition is used in this study?
- Subjects for Study (½ page)
- Whom or what will the researchers study in order to collect data?
- Identify the subjects in general terms and the unit of analysis.
- Is it appropriate for the researchers to select a sample? If so, how will the researchers do that?
- If there is any possibility that the research will have an impact on those studied, how would the researchers ensure that they are not harmed by the research?
- Measurement (1-1½ page)
- How do the researchers operationalize the key concepts they want to study?
- What are the key variables in the study?
- How will the researchers define and measure them?
- Do their definitions and measurement methods duplicate or differ from those of previous research on this topic?
- Data Collection Methods (½ page)
- How will the researchers collect the data for their study (or describe the data sets the researchers use in their analysis)?
- Will they observe behavior directly or conduct a survey?
- Will the researchers undertake field research, or will they focus on the reanalysis of data already collected by others?
VII. Limitations (½ -1 page)
- What limitations of the study do the researchers discuss?
- Can you identify any other threats to internal or external validity? Is so, what are they?
VIII. Discussion (½ page)
- In two paragraphs, give your overall opinion of the research methodology used and the findings of this study.