This brief introduction to research methods combines accessibility and a conversational writing style with Michael G. Maxfield's expertise in criminology and criminal justice. In fewer than 400 pages, the text introduces you to the basics of criminal justice research utilizing real data and featuring coverage of such key issues as ethics, causation, validity, field research, and research design.
Table of Contents
1. Criminal Justice and Scientific Inquiry. 2. Theory in Criminal Justice Research. 3. General Issues in Research Design. 4. Concepts, Operationalization, and Measurement. 5. Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs. 6. Overview of Data Collection and Sampling. 7. Survey Research and Other Ways of Asking Questions. 8. Field Research. 9. Agency Records, Content Analysis, and Secondary Data. 10. Evaluation Research and Policy Analysis. 11. Interpreting Data.