Research and methods in action
Based on your group research project carried out across the year, write a 4,000 word report (+10% max) which presents:
1) an overview of your research question/topic;
2) key academic literature which frames that question/topic;
3) a discussion of the design and methodology of the project;
4) the results of the project; and
5) an interpretation of those results in the context of the wider academic literature.
While you will be drawing upon the same data as other members of your group, each report must be individually written and will receive an individual mark based on its quality. Although the original design is important, your work will be assessed primarily on the basis of your report rather than the design itself. As such, it is important that you produce a clear, well-justified account of your question, methods, results and conclusions and tie these together in a cohesive fashion.
Although significantly shorter than a real academic publication, you should use the conventional format of a journal article as a way of structuring your own work.
The following can be used as a guide:
An introduction, presenting:
1) a brief overview of the topic under investigation;
2) a short literature review highlighting the main debates related to the topic and the kinds of theories, concepts or processes that might relate to your results;
3) a rationale explaining why the topic is of relevance to sociology or criminology; and
4) the specific aim(s)/question(s) that your project is concerned with (~800 words).
A methodology section, presenting:
1) an outline and discussion of your sampling and recruitment strategy;
2) a discussion of your chosen method(s) of data collection, including your reasons for selecting these methods and justification of specific choices or decisions made in using them;
3) a similar discussion of your chosen method(s) of analysis; and
4) a discussion of the ethical issues related to the project and how you engaged with/mitigated them (~800 words).
A results section, which should present the main findings/results of your research along with:
1) an interpretation of these results; and
2) a discussion of these results in the context of wider literature. This section should be structured around a central argument or contention related to the question(s)/aim(s) of the project. As such, you will need to be selective about the results that you present and whatever you focus on should be clearly related to your stated aim(s)/question(s) (~1800 words).
A conclusion, which should:
1) summarise the report;
2) explicate succinctly how the research question(s)/aim(s) have been addressed by your project;
3) outline and reflect on the major weaknesses or problems with your research design as a whole; and
4) draw out implications for the wider literature and future work (~600 words).
Academic references should be used as appropriate to support your work. In particular, you are expected to draw upon academic publications to inform your introduction/literature review and to return to these in your concluding discussion.
You are also expected to draw upon methodological literature to inform your methodology section. Failing to do this is a good way of missing marks.
All substantive aspects of your report count towards the word limit, which includes tables, graphs and quotes/excerpts from qualitative data. The title page and bibliography do not count.
