Office Hours:

Monday
10:00 - 11:00 & 12:00 - 13:00

Wednesday and Friday
10:00 - 11:00

Or by appointment
 

COURSE OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to research methods useful to criminological research. Emphasis will be placed on the development of a general understanding of why and how research can be and is conducted in our discipline.

The course will prove helpful in understanding research conducted by others. Thus, it will assist students in their other course work in criminal justice and criminology. It is anticipated that the course will also improve student's critical reasoning abilities. In addition, this course should establish the foundations on which interested students may build. For those continuing their studies at the graduate level, it should provide basic research skills. For future administrators, it should provide a basis for the evaluation of current or proposed programs.

TEXT

The following book is mandatory reading for the course;

Wolfer, Loreen (2007). Real Research: Conducting and Evaluating Research in the Social Sciences. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.

It is required that student's have a hand calculator that can perform basic math functions. Students must complete the registration process for the web-based material by the end of the second week. Failure to complete this requirement within this timeframe will result in a grade of "F" being assigned for the course.

If a student does not have the prerequisite classes (LEJA 101 and Stat 171 or Math 102 or Math 128 or Math 131), they need to drop the course. If you have questions about this, please discuss the issue with Dr. Clontz.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Students are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class on the week indicated and be prepared to participate in meaningful discussion of the subject matter.  Information about the class will be posted to the professor's web site (http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfkac). Students are expected to check this site before each class and to bring the class notes and handouts with them to class.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

There will be three examinations given during the course. Students will have 1 hour and 50 minutes to complete the final examination. The final examination will be comprehensive. Each previous examination will encompass the material analyzed during that portion of the course and the final examination will cover material presented during the entire course. Each test will consist of multiple-choice, true-false items, and short-answer questions.

There will be a series of homework exercises that will consist of analytical, statistical, and computer problems. No homework problems will be accepted outside of class either on or after their due date. Therefore, exercises left in my mailbox or presented to me outside of class will not be accepted and will receive a grade of zero.

All students are expected to take all examinations at their scheduled times and dates. In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an accommodation. For the instructor to provide the proper accommodation(s) you must obtain documentation of the need for an accommodation through Disability Support Services and provide it to the instructor. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to the instructor's attention, as he/she is not legally permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e. fire, tornado, etc.) should contact the instructor as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Contact Disability Support Services at 298-2512 for additional services. Failure to do so will result in you not being able to use Disability Support Services for that assignment or test. 

Students arriving late for an examination will not be permitted to take the exam and will receive a zero for that test. No make-up exams will be given without a written doctor's excuse or other appropriate documentation. Students who miss the scheduled exam but has a documented excuse approved by the instructor must take the test within two weeks of the original test date. If a student fails to make-up an examination during this period, a grade of zero will be given for that test. Extra-credit projects, such as book reviews or term papers, are not acceptable substitutes for an undesirable grade.  If a student cannot do the regularly required work in this course, what would the point be of giving them more?

All work, including homework assignments, article critiques, and take home exercises, are to be done on your own. Work assignments are not to be done by a group (2 or more persons), nor are answers to be copied from another. You are to receive no help from anyone except the instructor. Any cheating or plagiarizing on an assignment or test will result in a "F" being entered as your grade for the course.

The final grade for the course is based on the following:

Each test is worth 25% of the final grade. All of the written exercises and homework assignment are worth 25% of the final course grade. The grading scale for the course is given below:

It is solely the responsibility of the student to determine whether or not she or he needs to drop the course.  The instructor may or may not suggest that course of action to the student, but it is the individual's obligation to make the determination of whether or not they need to take this step.  "The instructor did not tell me to drop the course" is not a valid argument and will not result in a change of grade.

CLASS ATTENDANCE and ETIQUETTE

Western Illinois University states that "attendance is mandatory in all class sessions, including lab." A daily roll will be taken (see the Western Illinois Student Handbook). Each student may sign in only him or herself. Signing the roll for another student is a violation of the academic honor code. On random days, attendance will be taken and roll called. Anyone's name that appears on the sign-up attendance roll who is not physically present in class when roll is called receives an automatic "F" for the course. Absences are counted from the first day of classes. 

The expressed policy of this instructor is to allow students to miss up to 6 days for any reason (excused or unexcused, for example: football games, university activities, sickness, court appearances, etc.).  Excused absences are being in court for more than 1 week, being ill for more than 1 week, military duty that exceeds one week. When appropriately documented with written materials these days will not be counted toward the 6 allowable days.  Being sick for a couple of days, being out for University functions, going to court, etc. are the reason that this instructor allows students to miss 6 days without penalty.    IF A STUDENT MISSES 7 OR MORE DAYS FOR ANY OTHER REASONS THAN THOSE DISCUSSED ABOVE, HE OR SHE WILL RECEIVE AN "F" FOR THE COURSE.  Students who come in after the roll has been called or passed around will be counted absent for the class. You are responsible for keeping track of your absences and your grades.  Do not ask me how many absences you have.  If you are already aware that you will miss more days than are permissible for any reason, including extracurricular university athletic activities, DROP THE CLASS.  Arranging to make up work missed because of legitimate class absence is the responsibility of the student.  Please check the student rights and responsibilities web page for information about academic dishonesty and other issues.

For the few to whom it applies, there are some basic rules for classroom behavior.  Students are to refrain from talking or reading newspapers or other materials when the instructor is giving the lecture.  Computers may only be used for note-taking purposes during class.  Sending or reading e-mail, playing computer games, watching DVDs, or any computer activity other than note-taking during class time will result in a course grade of "F."  Being late for class and walking in after the class is in session is both disruptive and rude.  Students are expected to be on time.  Tardy student will be counted absent for the day.  If a student needs to leave the class early, he or she must inform the instructor before class begins, and sit near an exit so as not to unduly disturb the class when leaving.  Simply getting up and exiting class and returning during a lecture is not acceptable--this is a live lecture, not television.  All portable phones and pagers are to be turned off prior to entry into the classroom.  If you are required by an employer to remain on call, or there is an emergency necessitating leaving such an article activated, turn it to its silent mode of operation, if possible, and inform this instructor immediately (obviously this means before the device might go off).  Otherwise, a ringing phone or beeping pager will result in the deduction of 1 day as an absence. I am certain a majority of you already know these guidelines, but recent experience has proved to me that not everyone has gotten the message on proper classroom behavior.  It became necessary to formally present it in writing.

All material submitted in fulfillment of course requirements will conform to the Honor Code and to the usual academic standards governing appropriate behavior. More specifically, it is expected that all students will refrain from plagiarism and cheating. If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing, you will receive an "F" for the course. Use of any electronic device during a test period, be it cell phone, cell video phone, PDA, etc. in any mode- audio, text messaging, or scanning- will result in an automatic "F" for the class.  It is also held to be a violation to turn in one paper you have written to two or more different classes without all the instructors' express permission. It is the student's responsibility to find out what is meant by plagiarism and cheating (see the Western Illinois Student Services Academic Calendar). For the few that this section applies to, you will fail yourself by cheating. Please do not embarrass yourself this way. Remember, a plea of ignorance is not an acceptable defense.

IMPORTANT DATES