This module is designed for students of Criminology. Criminological research may be conducted on government responses to crime, public policies, politicisation of crime, the criminal justice system, and criminal behaviour. Criminological research is grounded in criminological theory, itself linked to many social scientific disciplines. It also seeks to influence social policy and inform our understanding of criminal justice practice. The core research methods discussed in the module are common across many disciplines, including Criminology, Politics and Sociology, for example.

The module introduces students to the main research methods used by criminologists. Lectures will give students an understanding of different research philosophies that underpin research design. We will discuss the merits of various research methods, including desk-based research, quantitative methods, and qualitative methods. Students will be introduced to concepts like reliability, validity, and causality.

Any aspect of this module may be changed in any given academic year, subject to the discretion of the module lecturer.

* Please note, students should NOT take LW227 if they have previously taken PO224 as the content is the same in both modules *