crim 220 3

Drawing Conclusions and Sharing Results

  • The research process culminates in drawing conclusions and sharing results with the broader community.

Research Question

  • Definition: An empirical question that motivates conducting a scientific study.

    • The answer is pursued through the collection and analysis of data.

    • Importance: The research question lays the foundation of a study; design choices should focus on their ability to answer the research question.

Examples of Research Questions

  • "If police could get more guns off the street, would there be a decrease in gun crime?" (Sherman, Shaw, & Rogan, 1995: 1)

  • "When is a criminal history record relevant to employment decisions?" (Kurlychek, Brame, & Bushway, 2006: 498)

Characteristics of Good Research Questions

Empirical

  • Good research questions must be empirical, meaning they can be answered through making observations, collecting, and analyzing data.

  • Examples of empirical questions:

    • "How did online news media talk about the shooting of Tamir Rice in 2014?" (Stone & Socia, 2019)

    • Surveying college students regarding their pornography consumption.

Non-Empirical Question Example

  • "Is pornography morally wrong?"

    • Explanation: This question is NOT empirical, as morality pertains to philosophical discourse rather than scientific measurement.

Feasibility of Research Questions

  • A good research question must be feasible, which means the study can be conducted ethically and with the available resources.

  • Example: Surveying college students about their views on pornography can be conducted feasibly as it is ethical and resource-aware.

Social Importance

  • A good research question should be socially important, producing studies that provide meaningful information about social policy or societal improvement.

Scientific Relevance

  • A good research question should contribute to the knowledge base within the field:

    • Assess whether we already know the answer.

    • Consider whether the question relates to ongoing debates within the scholarly community.

Sources of Research Questions

Internal Interests

  • Research questions may stem from researchers' personal values and interests.

External Influences

  • Current pressing social problems or crime issues may influence the development of research questions.

Developing Your Research Question

Two Crucial Considerations:

  1. Translating Research Interests

    • Convert your interests into a researchable (testable) question.

  2. Operationalization

    • Consider how key terms in the question can be defined and measured.

    • Identify the units of analysis, independent variables, and dependent variables.

Research Strategies

  • Start with personal ideas and experiences driven by natural curiosity.

  • Conduct literature reviews via libraries and the internet to understand prior work on the topic.

Identifying Research Questions

  • Independent and Dependent Variables:

    • Examples of research relevant scenarios:

    • The impact of body-worn cameras on police misconduct.

    • The effect of gun control laws on murder rates.

    • The correlation between marijuana legalization and cannabis use.

Definitions of Variables

Dependent Variable

  • Defined as the outcome hypothesized to vary depending on or under the influence of another factor or variable.

    • Example: In an experiment assessing test scores, the dependent variable would be the test scores themselves.

Independent Variable

  • Defined as the cause hypothesized to influence another variable.

Researchable Questions

  1. Specificity and Focus

    • Formulate questions that guide and concentrate your research; avoid broad 'why' questions.

    • Aim to explain or evaluate a particular phenomenon.

  2. Refinement of Questions

    • Continuous refining of your research question to ensure clarity and focus.

Conclusion

  • The journey of creating a solid research question involves iteration, where researchers refine and shape their inquiries while considering empirical, feasible, socially important, and scientifically relevant aspects of their questions.