Quantitative Methods

Code:

C109

Acronym:

METQ

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Scientific Research Methods

Instance: 2008/2009 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Criminology

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The program is meant to give an introduction to the formal thinking applied to social themes and problems, especially those related with crime and criminal justice. The students must be able to acquire training in reading and understand scientific works carried out in the quantitative Criminology domain.

Program

1. “The meaning of quantify”: quantitative methods in human and social sciences; applying mathematics to human and social sciences.
2. General steps of quantitative research: observing behaviour; defining the problem; methods of data collection; interpreting the results; applying quantitative research to Criminology.
3. Quantitative research methods
3.1. Cross-sectional studies, longitudinal studies (panel and cohort studies); time series.
3.2. Surveys: measurement scales; population and sampling; survey using opinion polls (type, characteristics and limits of opinion polls); questionnaires (defining the research question, the hypothesis and the conceptual framework; the process of questionnaire construction; categories and format of questions, considering the evaluation of attitudes, representations, opinions and behaviours; strategies to administrate questionnaires); applications to criminological research (e.g. personality questionnaires, evaluating anti-social behaviour, etc.).
3.3. Data analysis: hypothesis validation; interpretation of the results; introduction to meta-analysis; meaning of the data toward the criminological reality.

Mandatory literature

Bushway Shawn 340; Quantitative methods in criminology. ISBN: 0-7546-2446-3

Complementary Bibliography

Hagan, F. ; Research methods in criminal justice and criminology, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon, 5ª ed. , 2000
Fink Arlene; How to conduct surveys. ISBN: 1-4129-1423-X
Moreira João Manuel; Questionários. ISBN: 972-40-2142-4
Bachman Ronet; The^practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. ISBN: 978-1-4129-5032-9
Campbell Donald T.; Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. ISBN: ISBN 0-395-30787-2
Foddy William; Como perguntar. ISBN: 972-8027-54-0
Quivy Raymond; Manual de investigação em ciências sociais
Byrne David; Interpreting quantitative data. ISBN: 0-7619-6262-X
Leong, F.T.L. & Austin, J.T. ; The psychology research handbook: a guide for graduate students and research assistants, Thousand Oaks: Sage, 1996
Ghiglione Rodolphe; O^inquérito. ISBN: 972-8027-70-2
Vicente, P., Reis, E. & Ferrão, F. ; Sondagens, a amostragem como factor decisivo de qualidade, Lisboa: Sílabo, 2001
Fowler, F.J.; Survey research methods, Thousand Oaks: Sage, 3ªed., 2002
Vaus, D. ; Research design in social research, London: Sage , 2001. ISBN:
King, R. & Wincup, E. ; Doing research on crime and justice, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000
Peterson Robert A.; Constructing effective questionnaires. ISBN: 0-7619-1641-5
Cherulnik, P.D.; Methods for behavioral research: a systematic approach, Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2001

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical and practice/laboratorial classes.
Theoretical classes are used to describe and discuss the main contents of the discipline. Practice/laboratorial classes are used to training and making practical exercises applied to the criminological field.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Eligibility for exams

See general rules.

Calculation formula of final grade

See general rules.

Classification improvement

See general rules.