Research Methodology Chapter 3

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Questions and Answers

What is the main purpose of a conceptual definition?

To offer a clear and precise working understanding of a concept (correct)

To summarize statistical data related to the concept

To describe the specific context in which a concept is applied

To provide a straightforward method of data collection

Which of the following statements best describes chronic homelessness?

Individuals experiencing homelessness for less than three months continuously

Individuals who have temporarily stayed in shelters without a permanent solution

Persons living without a fixed residence for six months or longer (correct)

Families who have changed residency multiple times within a year

What operational definition accurately describes homelessness as per the content provided?

Families frequently moving between temporary accommodations

Persons who lack a permanent and adequate night-time residence (correct)

Individuals who regularly use shelters for various reasons

Individuals facing temporary personal hardship requiring a night shelter

Which of the following is NOT an empirical indicator used to measure homelessness?

Surveys about personal financial status Signup and view all the answers

What is the key aspect to consider when developing an operational definition?

Clarity in what is being measured and how Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of unsheltered homelessness?

People sleeping in places unfit for human habitation. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following types of shelters is NOT classified as sheltered homelessness?

Abandoned buildings. Signup and view all the answers

How is harm conceptualized in the context of crime?

As the negative consequences resulting from organized crime. Signup and view all the answers

What does the operational definition of harm include?

The monetary cost of damage and associated responses to crime. Signup and view all the answers

What role do variables play in research according to the content?

Variables offer measurable characteristics for concepts. Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant aspect of operationalizing harm?

Determining specific measures and indicators. Signup and view all the answers

What is a methodological approach to assessing harm mentioned in the content?

Using surveys of business owners on losses to crime. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the process of conceptualizing harm is true?

It involves specifying meaning through multiple dimensions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the first preliminary step in the measurement process?

Articulating the topic Signup and view all the answers

Which type of logic is associated with Skogan's study on crime concerns and confidence in police?

Deductive logic Signup and view all the answers

Qualitative purpose statements primarily aim to achieve which of the following?

Describe and understand concepts Signup and view all the answers

What influences the measurement challenges associated with defining crime?

Historical, cultural, and social factors Signup and view all the answers

The process of defining an abstract concept to detect it empirically is known as what?

Measurement process Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a null hypothesis (H0)?

To state that there is no effect or relationship Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a criteria for establishing a causal explanation?

Correlation does not equal causation Signup and view all the answers

What does reliability in quantitative research refer to?

The consistency of results obtained from repeated measurements Signup and view all the answers

Which form of validity ensures that a measure reflects the intended construct accurately?

Construct validity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of qualitative research in understanding causality?

Exploration of belief systems influencing behavior Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about operational definitions is true?

They provide a precise measurement of abstract concepts. Signup and view all the answers

Which method is NOT considered a test of reliability?

Qualitative analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of an intervening variable in research?

To explain the relationship between independent and dependent variables Signup and view all the answers

What best defines a categorical variable?

A variable assigned into particular categories. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an ordinal variable?

Rank in a police department Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes interval variables?

They specify the exact distance between points. Signup and view all the answers

What is true about composite measures?

They combine multiple variables to measure complex concepts. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following criteria must be met when choosing the level of measurement?

Uni-dimensionality in measurement. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes ratio variables from interval variables?

Interval variables lack a true zero point. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following scales is commonly used in criminology and criminal justice research?

Guttman scale Signup and view all the answers

Which variable type is best exemplified by IQ scores?

Interval variable Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 3: Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement

This chapter covers the process of quantitative and qualitative measurement.

The Preliminary Steps of Measurement

Measurement involves four preliminary steps:
- Articulating the research topic
- Determining the research problem
- Identifying a purpose statement
- Developing research questions

Reasoning in the Scientific Process

Deductive logic: Example: Skogan's (2009) study of the relationship between crime concerns and police confidence.
Inductive logic: Example: Dunham and Alpert's (2009) study of police-citizen interactions.

The Research Question Drives the Method

Qualitative purpose statements: Describe, develop, understand, and discover.
Quantitative purpose statements: Identify a theory and potentially state the directional relationship between concepts.

The Measurement Process

Conceptualization: Process of specifying meaning.
Conceptual definition: Working definition of a concept.
Operationalization: Description of how a concept is measured.
Operational definition: Includes indicators and dimensions.

Defining Crime

Crime varies across time and locations.
There are multiple precise ways to define crime.
Crime has real-world effects.

Measurement Challenges

Crime is socially constructed.
Crime varies over time and place.
Historical, cultural, and social factors influence crime.
Power, class, gender, and race affect crime measurement.
Precise and careful processes are needed for accurate measurement.

Measurement Process

Abstract concept: Empirically detecting.
Technique or process: Defining a concept.
Imprecision or conciseness: Measuring abstract concepts.
Specifying meaning.

Conceptual Definition

Explicit and working definition of a concept.
Specific and clear.
Precise and thorough depiction of the concept.
Includes certain aspects while excluding others.
Example: Homelessness as persons living on the streets or without a shelter, or without a usual place of residence.

Operationalization

Translating a concept into something measurable.
Determining what and how to measure.
Ensuring common understanding among researchers.

Operational Definitions

Homelessness (1): Persons without night-time shelter last night or expecting to be without housing tonight.
Chronic homelessness (2): Six or more months of homelessness.
Episodic homelessness (2): Three or more episodes lasting less than six months.
Unsheltered homelessness (1): Sleeping in places unfit for humans (streets, alleys, parks, transit stations, etc.).
Sheltered homelessness: Emergency shelters, extreme weather shelters, violence against women (VAW) shelters, and transitional shelters.

Operational Definitions and Homelessness

Empirical indicator: Use of shelters nightly.
Surveys: Determining who to include/exclude.
Research design: Choosing suitable methodologies.
Homelessness (II): Individuals or families without a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.

Setting Priorities

Police investigation priorities: Harm concept, negative consequences from crime, organized crime groups, and usefulness to police.

Conceptualizing Harm

Defining "harm".
Specifying meaning.
Recognizing multiple dimensions of harm.
Exploring alternative conceptual definitions.

Operationalizing Harm

Defining harm and understanding its negative consequences.
Deciding on factors for measurement.
Making specific choices for measurement.
Example: Harm as the monetary cost of damage from crime and related responses.

Concept to Variable

Abstract to empirically observable concepts.
Determining empirical indicators.
Example: Survey of business owners on crime losses.
Ensuring appropriate research choices.
Different levels of measurement.

Variables

Variables: Measurable characteristics of a concept or numerical value.
Dependent variable.
Independent variable.
Control variable.

Hypotheses

Hypotheses are untested statements that show relationships between concepts.
Alternative hypothesis (H1).
Null hypothesis (H0).

Criteria for a Causal Explanation

Causal explanation criteria: Empirical association, temporal order, non-spuriousness.
Confounding variable.
Intervening variable (Z).

Causality in Qualitative Research

Understanding outcomes in context.
Focus on situations, events, and behavior within beliefs of individuals observed.

Reliability & Validity

Focus on assessing the reliability and validity of measurements.
Assessing accuracy.

Quality

Qualitative/quantitative criteria for soundness (truth value/credibility, internal validity, applicability/transferability, external validity, consistency/reliability, neutrality/bias, objectivity/confirmability).

Reliability in Quantitative Research

Reliability: Extent to which repeated testing produces similar results.
- Test-retest method
- Cross-test method
- Split-half method
- Inter-rater testing

Validity

Truthfulness
Measures align with concepts
What is measured matches definitions.
- Example: Homelessness (II): Individual or family lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence.

Validity in Quantitative Research

Validity (general): Measurement accuracy and construct alignment.
Eight validity forms:
- Face validity
- Content validity
- Criterion validity
- Concurrent validity
- Predictive validity
- Construct validity
- Convergent validity
- Discriminant validity

Operationalizing Fear

Multifaceted ways to interpret "fear".
No universal consensus on definition.
Operational definition based on survey questions.
Fear threshold factor.

Operationalizing Gangs

Delinquent activity as a prerequisite?
Gang organizational structures.
Self-nomination as a factor.
Involved illegal activities (?).
Level of organization (?).

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research rigor assessments.
Dependability
Trustworthiness

Level of Measurement

Different levels of measurement (Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, Ratio).

Quantitative Variables

Two types of quantitative variables:
- Categorical (discrete):
  - Nominal
  - Ordinal
- Continuous:
  - Interval
  - Ratio

Summary

Categorical variables classify into categories.
Continuous numerical measurements are made.
Higher-level variables can be turned into lower-level ones.
Lower-level variables cannot be turned into higher-level ones.

Choosing Level of Measurement

Criteria for appropriate level of measurement:
- Mutually exclusive
- Exhaustive
- Uni-dimensional

Composite Measures

Composite measures combine variables to measure complex concepts.
Index
Scales
Example scales: Likert, semantic differential, Guttman, Bogardus social distance, Thurstone.

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Description

This quiz focuses on Chapter 3, which explores quantitative and qualitative measurement processes. It covers the preliminary steps of measurement, reasoning in scientific processes, and how research questions influence methodologies. Understanding these concepts is crucial for effective research design.