Course Title: Methods of
Criminological Research
FROILAN D. MOBO,
DPA, Ph.D., MSCS, MBA, MASOCSTED (CAR), DSSE, LPT, CRP, CHRA
Professor
Email: froilanmobo@[Link]
Affiliations:
Full Professor II, Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
Managing Director, FSH-PH Publications, Philippines
Editor, IGI Global Publishing, USA
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Multidsciplinary; Applied Business and Education Research, Indonesia
EDUCATION
• Doctor of Philosophy in Development Education -
CLSU
• Doctor in Public Administration – UCU
• Diploma in Social Studies Education – UP
• Master of Arts in Social Studies Education – Bicol
University (Thesis Writing)
• Master of Science in Computer Science - PRMSU
• Master of Business Administration – BulSU
• Certificate for Professional Teaching - NEU
• BS Information Technology - NCBC
• Associate in Information Technology – NCBC
DESCRIPTION:
• This course introduces students to the research methods
commonly used in criminology and criminal justice.
Students will learn the principles of scientific research,
including how to design, conduct, and evaluate
criminological research. The course will cover both
quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, with
a focus on data collection, analysis, and ethical
considerations. By the end of the course, students will be
able to apply various research techniques to investigate
criminological issues and contribute to policy-making.
Course Objectives
• By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Understand and apply key research methodologies used in criminology.
2. Develop research questions and hypotheses related to crime and criminal
justice.
3. Design a research project, including sampling, data collection, and analysis
techniques.
4. Conduct basic statistical analyses using criminological data.
5. Evaluate and critique research studies in the field of criminology.
6. Understand ethical issues in criminological research.
Course Outline:
• Introduction to Criminological Research
Overview of criminological research methods
The role of research in understanding crime
and criminal justice
Basic research terminology
• Research Design and the Scientific Method
Developing research questions and hypotheses
Independent and dependent variables
Types of research designs (e.g., experimental,
quasi-experimental, correlational)
• Ethics in Criminological Research
Informed consent and confidentiality
The role of Institutional Review Boards
(IRBs)
Ethical dilemmas in criminological research
• Sampling Techniques
Probability and non-probability sampling
Sampling error and bias
Choosing an appropriate sample for
criminological research
Quantitative Research Methods I:
Surveys and Questionnaires
Survey design
Types of questions and scales
Administering surveys
• Quantitative Research Methods II:
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs
The experimental method
Field experiments in criminology
Issues in internal and external validity
• Qualitative Research Methods I: Interviews
and Focus Groups
In-depth interviews
Focus groups
Analyzing qualitative data
• Qualitative Research Methods
II: Case Studies and
Ethnography
Case study research
Ethnographic research in
criminology
• Data Collection and Measurement in
Criminological Research
Operationalizing concepts
Scales of measurement (nominal, ordinal,
interval, ratio)
Reliability and validity in criminological research
• Analyzing Quantitative Data
Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics (e.g., t-tests, chi-
square tests, correlation)
Introduction to SPSS or R
• Analyzing Qualitative Data
Coding qualitative data
Thematic analysis
• Software for qualitative data analysis
• Mixed-Methods Research in
Criminology
Combining quantitative and qualitative
methods
Benefits and challenges of mixed-methods
approaches
Examples of mixed-methods research in
• Writing and Presenting Criminological
Research
Structure of a research report
Writing literature reviews and methods
sections
Presenting findings
Final Presentations
Student presentations of
research proposals or projects
Required Texts and Materials:
Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2020).
Research Methods for Criminal Justice and
Criminology. Cengage Learning.
Additional journal articles and research
studies (available on the course website).