SC4003 Criminology: Exploring Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

This report explores various aspects of criminological research, including qualitative and quantitative methods, research ethics, and essential skills for students. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research methods like surveys, highlighting their cost-effectiveness and potential for gathering data from large populations, while also acknowledging limitations such as inflexible design and validity concerns. The report also addresses critical ethical considerations for criminologists, such as informed consent, intrusion, and confidentiality, emphasizing the importance of protecting participants and maintaining research integrity. Furthermore, it outlines key differences between quantitative and qualitative research, focusing on data expression, question types, and data collection methods. The report concludes by identifying essential skills for students developing research, including time management, communication, and analytical abilities, and suggests effective strategies for developing these skills.

Researching Crime
and Deviance

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
1. Choose one of the research method common with a qualitative research and discuss its
strengths and weaknesses.......................................................................................................3
2. What are research ethics? Discuss some ethical issues that the criminologist must consider
when undertaking any research..............................................................................................4
3. Key difference between quantitative and qualitative research...........................................5
4. Key knowledge and skill which students require when developing research in final year.
How these skills can be developed effectively.......................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Crime is an act which is of illegal nature that is being made punishable under the law.
Criminological research mainly pertains to the scientific study which is done in relation to he
topic relating to crimes and criminality like behaviours and causes of committing crime, etc. It is
generally focused on the issues which relates to consequences and causes of the crime,
victimization and delinquency (Evenson and McKinsey, 2019). This report will raise its
discussion on various questions which includes research method common in qualitative research,
difference between quantitative and qualitative research, ethical issues pertaining to it and
knowledge and skill required for initiate research.
MAIN BODY
1. Choose one of the research method common with a qualitative research and discuss its
strengths and weaknesses.
The qualitative research mainly involves collection and analysation of the data which is
the non-numerical form in order to make understanding of the opinion, concept and experiences.
There are many research methods being used in the qualitative research wherein the most
common form is survey.
It involves making use of variety of methods relating to data collection with a most
common form being interviews or questionnaires. It involves making distribution of
questionnaires with the open ended questions which is aimed to collect the data from the
predefined group of respondents in order to gain insight and information of research topic. It may
be done either through online or offline mode but online surveys are mostly preferable.
Advantages:
 It is a best way to collect a lot of information from large population as it is cost effective
method. It involves sending the mail to large population with survey questionnaire and
making its analysis in an easy manner as there is online registration of respondents.
 It is a reliable form of inquiry as it is standardized in the same questions which is
phrased exactly in the same manner as are posed to the participants (Farrington and et.
al., 2019).
Disadvantages

 One of its weakness is that it has inflexible design wherein the researcher cannot change
the method of administration throughout the whole process of gathering of data. It has to
work on the same survey which is being prepared at the beginning.
 Validity is one of the issue in survey as its questions are standardized and it may be
difficult to ask anything other than the general question. This may result in invalid result
being obtained which will allow researcher to examine the topic more.
2. What are research ethics? Discuss some ethical issues that the criminologist must consider
when undertaking any research.
The research ethics are an application of the fundamental moral principles to the research
which governs as to how researcher must carry out their research. These ethical principles are
mainly used in order to shape the regulation of research which is agreed by concerned authorities
such as communities, government, etc. When carrying out the research, there are many ethical
issues which may be faced by the criminologist which includes the following- Informed consent: It is essential for the criminologist to explain the respondents
regarding what research is about, why it is undertaken, what is financing and undertaking
it and how the findings of the research is to be disseminated. After explaining the aim and
details of the research, the researcher must take the consent from respondents so that
there is informed consent obtained from it. Intrusion: Intruding in the lives of respondent is omni-person in conducting the
criminologist research so one ethical issue is intruding and countering the arm which may
result from it. The researcher must opt for simple practical measures like warning the
participants about potential intrusive content and opting for lest intrusive method of
questions when designing it so that there is no ethical harm caused to participants.
 Disclosure and confidentiality: The researcher must take care of the fact that the
information obtained from participants are not disclosed to other people and
confidentiality is maintained such as information relating to offences committed or
revealing something which may cause harm to others (Pauwels, 2017).
Hence, a researcher must take care of all the above ethical issues which may arise while
undertaking any criminology research as it may harm the basis of the research.

3. Key difference between quantitative and qualitative research.
When any data is collected and analysed, the quantitative research deals with the statistics
and numbers while the qualitative research deals with meanings and words. There are many
differences between the two which are discussed below-
Basis Quantitative research Qualitative research
Focus Its main focus is on testing
hypothesis and theories.
Its focus lies on formulating
hypothesis and theory and exploring
the ideas.
Mode of expression The data gathered from this
research is expressed in the form of
tables, graphs and numbers.
The information collected from this
research is expressed in the words.
Type of questions It involves closed ended questions
which may include multiple choice.
It engages open ended questions for
collecting the data or information.
Data collection
methods
There are many methods engaged
in collecting the data from this
research which includes surveys
which has multiple choice or closed
ended questions. Next is
questionnaire wherein closed
ended questions are included which
has multiple choice. Then is
experiments wherein the situation
in which the variables are
manipulated and controlled in order
to establish cause and effect
relationship. Fourth is observation
which involves observing the
subject in natural environment
wherein variable cannot be
controlled and quantifying it in
There are mainly four methods in
qualitative research which includes
firstly the interviews which involves
asking the open ended questions
orally to the respondents. Next is
focus groups which involves
discussion with group of people
regarding topic in order to collect
opinion for research objectives.
Third is ethnography which
engages participating in the
organization or community to
observe the behaviour and culture
closely for extended time period.
Fourth is literature review which
involves gathering survey of the
published work by some other

numerical form (Bryman, 2017). authors. Survey which involves
open ended question is also
qualitative form of research wherein
quality data is collected and is
analysed.
4. Key knowledge and skill which students require when developing research in final year. How
these skills can be developed effectively.
A student is required to possess certain skill and knowledge while undertaking any
research so that it can carry out in an effective manner. Some of them are discussed below- Time management: It is one of the most requisite skill which is required to be possessed
by the student so that it can undertake and complete the research well on time. It is
important to have this skill as it helps in achieving the research aims and objectives on
time. This skill can be acquired by the student by managing its work against the time
allotted to it so that it can inbuilt the habit of completing all task on time.
 Communication: This skill is most important among all as without this, the student
cannot gather the data and information. Communication is an ability to understand the
data which is received by researcher and present it to other in the manner which is
understandable. It requires the student to be active listener, speaker and observer. This
can be developed by reading articles and books of expert authors and undergoing course
to become proficient in communicating.
 Ability to analyse information: A student must possess the knowledge of analysing the
data and information which is being collected from many sources so that it can draw
valid outcome from it. This knowledge helps in achieving the research objectives as it
engages in making appropriate analysis of the data. This may be developed by the student
by way of practice and learning methods of analysation (Remko, 2020).

CONCLUSION
It is concluded from this report that criminology research involves exploring various
aims and challenges in order to make improvement in the practices and policies which is used in
this field. There are mainly two types of research which includes qualitative and quantitative.
The survey is one of the best method to gather qualitative data as it is reliable and cost effective
method. Further it is added that a student must possess the skill and knowledge of
communication, time management and many others to carry out the research.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bryman, A., 2017. Quantitative and qualitative research: further reflections on their integration.
In Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research (pp. 57-78). Routledge.
Evenson, R.E. and McKinsey, J.W., 2019. 6. Research, Extension, Infrastructure, and
Productivity Change in Indian Agriculture. In Research and productivity in Asian
agriculture (pp. 158-184). Cornell University Press.
Farrington, D.P., and et. al., 2019. Advancing knowledge about replication in
criminology. Journal of Experimental Criminology. 15(3). pp.373-396.
Pauwels, L., 2017. Key methods of visual criminology: An overview of different approaches and
their affordances. Routledge international handbook of visual criminology, pp.62-73.
Remko, V.H., 2020. Research opportunities for a more resilient post-COVID-19 supply chain–
closing the gap between research findings and industry practice. International Journal
of Operations & Production Management. 40(4). pp.341-355.