16. During participant observation, the researcher’s primary role becomes that of a member of
the group he or she is observing.
a. True
b. False
17. Politicians frequently consult with criminologist when developing new crime legislation.
a. True
b. False
18. A meta-analysis is a study of other studies.
a. True
b. False
19. It is not necessary for a researcher to present research limitations in the final research report.
a. True
b. False
20. Most refereed professional journals discourage simultaneous submissions.
a. True
b. False
Chapter 2 Fill in the Blank
Fill in the correct answer for each of the following.
1. Evidence-based criminology is founded on the ___________ method.
2. The Golden Age of __________ was a time when data on crime were gathered and evaluated
independent of any particular ideational framework
3. A(n) ______ is an explanation that accounts for a set of facts and that can be tested by further
investigation.
4. A(n) ____ is tested by how well it describes and predicts reality.
5. Most criminological research today is intended to explore issues of __________.
6. Rival explanations or competing hypotheses are known as __________.
7. Properly selected control groups help criminology researchers eliminate threats to
__________.
8. A case study focusing on a single subject is known as a __________.
9. Because research subjects generally do not know that they are being studied, secondary
analysis is said to be __________.
10. _________ research methods produce subjective results.
11. ________ such as researcher preconceptions and biases enter into all stages of the research
process.
12. ___________ is a strategy used to overcome many ethical issues inherent in criminological
research by telling research subjects about the research and their role in it.
13. Ideally, criminological research should have an impact on politicians who formulate crime
control ________.
14. In a research report, a discussion of relevant previous research is usually found in the section
___________.
15. __________ journals use peer reviewers to determine the quality of manuscripts submitted to
them
Chapter 2 Matching
1. Place the steps in the theory-building process in the proper order
1. The Hypothesis is Tested
a. Step 1
2. A Correlation is Observed
b. Step 2
3. A Theory is Proposed
c. Step 3
4. Theory-Based Understanding is Achieved
d. Step 4
5. Questions are Raised about Causes
e. Step 5
6. A Theory-Based Hypothesis is Developed
f. Step 6
7. Theory-Based Social Policies Result
g. Step 7
2. Match the type of research with its definition
1. Applied research
a. Research undertaken simply for the sake of
advancing scientific knowledge
2. Pure research
b. Research based on scientific inquiry that is
designed and carried out with practical
applications in mind
3. Primary research
c. Research based on new evaluations of
existing information that has been collected
by other researchers
4. Secondary research
d. Research characterized by original and
direct investigation
3. Place the stages in the scientific research process in order
1. Review of findings
a. Step 1
2. Development of research design
b. Step 2
3. Problem identification
c. Step 3
4. Choice of data collection techniques
d. Step 4
Objective: What is the role of criminological research in theory building? What is internal
validity? External validity? How can threats to internal and external validity be addressed?
Page number: 34
Level: Intermediate
4. Identify the threats with the type of validity they threaten
1. Pretest effects
a. Internal validity
2. History
b. External validity
3. Reactivity
4. Self-selection
5. Maturation
6. Instrumentation
7. Experimenter bias
8.Multiple-treatment interference
9. Statistical regression
10. Experimental mortality
Objective: What is the role of criminological research in theory building? What is internal
validity? External validity? How can threats to internal and external validity be addressed?
Page number: 36-37
Level: Intermediate
5. Match each threat to the validity of a research design with the appropriate example
1. Pretest effects
a. A researcher selects subjects based on their
extreme scores on a personality test. When
the subjects are tested again later, their scores
are less extreme.
2. History
b. A researcher brings subjects into a lab to
conduct a study. The subjects are aware that
they are being studied and may not behave
normally.
3. Reactivity
c. During the process of a study, subjects
become tired, affecting their responses
4. Self-selection
d. A researcher conducts an experiment in a
prison to determine the effect of a new
treatment program. During the experiment, a
large number of the inmates in the control
group are released on parole, although no
inmates in the experimental group are paroled
during the course of the study.
5. Maturation
e. A researcher conducts an experiment in an
elementary school to determine the
effectiveness of an anti-drug education
program. As there are an equal number of
boys and girls in the school, the researcher
finds it easier to assign all the boys to the
experimental group and all the girls to the
treatment group
6. Instrumentation
f. Instead of randomly selecting students to
participate in a study on campus, the
researcher asks students to volunteer. As a
result, only students who are interested in the
study participate.
7. Experimenter bias
g. A specific event takes place between the
first and second observations in a study that
may affect measurement.
8.Multiple-treatment interference
h. The researcher applies two different
treatments to the experimental group in a
research study.
9. Statistical regression
i. During a large-scale study in which crime
victims are interviewed, two interviewers
resign and must be replaced.
10. Experimental mortality
j. Prior to experiencing a treatment, subjects
in a study take a pretest. This sensitizes them
to the topic of the study. They may react
differently to the treatment than would
subjects who did not take the pretest first.
11. Differential selection
k. While interviewing subjects during an
experiment, the researcher does not treat the
subjects in the experimental and control group
identically.
Objective: What is the role of criminological research in theory building? What is internal
validity? External validity? How can threats to internal and external validity be addressed?
Page number: 36-37
Level: Difficult
6. Match the data collection technique to its definition
1. Participant observation
a. An in-depth investigation into a single
subject or group
2. Secondary analysis
b. Individuals are asked to keep a journal
about their frequency of involvement in a
specific activity
3. Case studies
c. The use of questionnaires to gather data
4. Surveys
d. Examining pre-existing data in new ways
5. Self-reporting
e. The researcher joins a group to gather data
on the group’s activities
Objective: What is the role of criminological research in theory building? What is internal
validity? External validity? How can threats to internal and external validity be addressed?
Page number: 38-40
Level: Intermediate
7. Match the element of a research report to its features
a. A brief summary of the report’s findings
b. A discussion of relevant works of other
researchers and prior research
c. Bibliography of all materials used in
planning the study and preparing the research
report
d. A statement of what is being tested in the
research study
e. A discussion of any shortcomings in the
researcher so that readers may assess their
impacts on the reported results
5 *a
Objective: What sections might a typical research report contain?
Page number: 49-50
Level: Intermediate
Chapter 2 Essay
Answer the following questions.
1. Identify the four eras of criminology and discuss how they have influenced the current field of
criminology today.
2. What is a theory? What is the role of theories in the field of criminology?
3. Define the two types of validity and explain some of the factors that may threaten validity in
research designs. ? How can threats to the two types of validity be addressed?
1. Explain how theory building develops in the field and contributes to social policy in
criminology. Please provide examples.
2. What are some of the values and ethics that criminologists must consider when conducting
research? How are they addressed?