This assignment was locked 12 May 2018 at 0:59.
Most quantitative research methods modules at other universities provide students with an existing statistical data set that students have to analyse for their assignment. The approach on this module is different: you will generate the statistical data by designing and disseminating (sending out) a survey. You will begin your route to completing your assignment by formulating, with others in a group, a hypothesis. Then you will work together to formulate questions that will test the hypothesis. You will write these questions into an online survey programme. The combined questions from the various groups will form a single questionnaire. The online questionnaire will be sent to and completed by all students on the module. When the data is in, you will analyse it individually by using the Statistical Programme for Social Science (SPSS). When you have done this you will be able to answer (confirm or reject) your hypothesis with some degree of certainty.
The subject of the survey – the subject that we will examine on this module - is the relationship gender and the fear of crime. The guiding research question is ‘Is there a relationship between gender and the fear of crime?’.
To be clear, the first part of the assessment for this module worth 20% (the hypothesis and survey questions) you will do within a group and you will be assessed as a group. The membership of the groups and the particular aspect of fear of crime (i.e. the type of crime allocated to your group) to be investigated will be detailed in the workshop session. The second part, the writing of a research report worth 80% of the assessment, will be your individual responsibility.
This is how your research report of 3400 words should be broken down:
1. Title of the research report (for all students): An evaluation of the quantitative method used and data analysis involved in researching the topic: ‘Is there a relationship between gender and the fear of crime?’. In addition you should state the particular hypothesis you tested, i.e. your group hypothesis.
2. Quantitative research in the social sciences. In this section you should discuss the background postulates of the use of quantitative method in the social sciences, issues of reliability, validity, the role of ethics and the strengths and limitations of this methodological approach.
3. Literature review on fear of crime and gender. In this section you should discuss:
1. The articles and books (academic literature) you looked at on fear of crime and gender + group topic specific.
2. You should also discuss and indicate evidence of your use of the
National Data ArchiveLinks to an external site.
to find literature from previous studies.
3. Discuss, using references and evidence of use of the British Crime Survey/National Survey for England and Wales. 1) the measurement of fear of crime (what is this measure, how has it changed, critique etc.) and 2) findings from a recent survey re. your group topic/crime, including gender differences. Also 3) read and use the paper on CANVAS by Lynn and Elliot (2000) ‘The BCS: A review of methodology’.
4. Formulation of the research hypothesis and survey questions. In this section you should outline the thinking behind and the practical process of how your group arrived at your hypothesis and survey questions. You can discuss how you recoded your original question(s) here in preparation for the Chi Square analysis conducted in the results section where applicable.
5. The sample in this survey (number and percentage of sample demographics) and its implications given its size and nature. Further, you should comment on the survey sample used: what are the implications of it for the survey results etc.
6. Results of your research. In this section you should display the findings from the SPSS tables you produced for your two questions (you can make your own tables in word to do this), discuss the findings. You should also report the Chi-square test for each question. In the light of this (i.e. the above results), indicate whether and to what degree your hypothesis is confirmed or denied.
7. Conclusion and final reflection. In this final section you should first return to the general theoretical issues underlying your research: fear of crime and gender. Second, you should discuss the experience of doing the research project: what you might do differently if you were to do it again, your perception of the value of quantitative research in the social sciences, whether any ethical issues arose and so on?
8. Complete bibliography. An alphabetical listing of all sources used on methodology, fear of crime using the
University bibliographical system.Links to an external site.