LIST AND BRIEFLY ELABORATE UPON THE FIVE MAJOR DATA-GATHERING STRA...

65. List and briefly elaborate upon the five major data-gathering strategies that typify researchin the field of criminology. Difficulty: 3 Page-Reference: 23-24

Applications-4th-Edition-by-Schmalleger

Answer : The five major data-gathering strategies that typify research in the field of criminology include survey research, case studies, participant observation, self-reporting, and secondary analysis. Survey research typically involves the use of questionnaires and respondents may be interviewed in person, over the telephone, or queried via email or fax. Case studies are built around in-depth investigations into an individual case, perhaps that of a notorious offender. Participant observation involves a variety of strategies in data gathering in which the researcher observes a group by participating, to varying degrees, in the activities of the group. Some participant observers may act undercover while others may decide to make their presence and purpose known from the very beginning of the research. Self-reporting is a subjective data-gathering technique whereby an individual uses self-reports to investigate aspects of a problem not otherwise amenable to study. An example of this technique may be when a subject is asked to record and report an otherwise secretive behaviour. Lastly, secondary analysis involves the reanalysis of existing data — that is, second-handanalysis of data that were gathered for another purpose.