2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LAW2286 Researching Crime and Criminal Justice (for undergraduates)

20 creditsClass Size: 115

Module manager: Dr Laura Bainbridge
Email: L.Bainbridge@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is mutually exclusive with

LAW2680

Researching Law

Module replaces

LAW2285 Criminological Research Methods

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module seeks to introduce the main empirical research methods used in the discipline, discuss the different opportunities they afford, the limitations to which they are subject, and provide basic practical experience in their real-world application.

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
- Foster a critical understanding of the manner in which knowledge about crime and criminal justice is generated;
- Examine the strengths and weaknesses of the main quantitative and qualitative research methods used in the disciplines;
- Apply some of those methods independently.

Learning outcomes
By the end of this module, students will be able to:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of the manner in which knowledge about crime and criminal justice is generated;
- evaluate the appropriateness of research strategies, when applied to a particular research question;
- analyse a variety of data sources, both qualitative and quantitative in nature;
- undertake their own research and present the findings.

Skills outcomes
Subject specific skills:
- Ability to identify and critically assess the methods used in criminological research projects;
- Basic skills in planning and undertaking criminological research projects.

Syllabus

Introduction to research methods + Qualitative and quantitative research
Social surveys and questionnaire design
Secondary data
Descriptive statistics and graphs
Inferential statistics
Experiments + ethics
Interviewing and focus groups
Qualitative data analysis
Ethnography + document analysis
Sampling methods
Designing a research study + undertaking a literature review

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
On-line Learning	5	1.00	5.00
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Seminar	5	1.50	7.50
Private study hours			176.50
Total Contact hours			23.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

The online learning element is broken down into 15 minute tasks, there will be 20 x 15 minute tasks overall.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

A formative assessment opportunity will be provided.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Research Proposal	3,000 word research plan	90.00
Online Assessment	Online test	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Students MUST attempt both components of assessment and gain a mark of over 40% in each element. Where a student receives a mark of 39% or less for either assessment they will not be awarded the credits for the module and must resit the failed assessment(s) to achieve these credits. Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:15:25

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