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Descriptive Statistics Masters Degree in Criminal Justice CJ 630 Breyer State University Instructor: Charles "Chuck" Fields, Ph.D. SYLLABUS COURSE OVERVIEW: Descriptive Statistics, a graduate-level course in the Master of Science in Criminal Justice Degree curriculum, is designed to provide you with a working knowledge of statistical techniques and data interpretation relative to a wide variety of criminal justice applications. Prior to enrolling in this course, you are expected to have a fundamental knowledge at the undergraduate level of basic social research methodology and analysis. If you feel that you are not adequately prepared, please obtain and study the recommended textbook below to help you. Don't let the idea of statistics scare you. In this course, we are more interested in the comprehension and interpretation of information, rather than computation. It is much more important that you understand the basic foundations of statistical techniques and their application for evaluation or problem-solving, than merely calculating. TIME FRAME: This is a four (4) semester hour course. The course and all exams and/or assignments must be completed within ten weeks. The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course or the day that you advise me that your textbooks have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame as extensions are very rare without special circumstances. Upon successful completion of this course you will be awarded four (4) semester hours of credit. You may accelerate and finish the course prior to the ten-week mark, but not in less than five weeks. There is no mandate to accelerate; it is simply an option if you are able to devote extra time to this course. TEXTBOOKS: There is (1) required textbook and one (1) recommended textbook for this course: (Required) Book 1: Understanding Social Statistics. Fielding, Jane L., and G. N. Gilbert. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. (2000). ISBN : 978-412910545. (Recommended) Book 2: Interpreting Quantitative Data. Byrne, David Thousand Oaks , CA: Sage Publications (2002). ISBN : 076196262X. Additionally, there may be some material you must obtain via the internet (download and print; no charge to you) that I may assign over the course of the semester. Please obtain these textbooks as soon as possible. They may be found at your local bookstore and if they are not in stock, they can be easily ordered by the bookstore, or you may find them at one of the following sources: Amazon.com at: Barnes and Noble at: Borders Books at: ASSIGNMENTS: By the fifth week of class, you should have read the assigned text and the internet materials, and be prepared for the exam. By the tenth week, you must have completed your project. EXAMINATION/FINAL PAPER: There is a midterm examination (completed by the fifth week) and a final project (completed during week 10). The midterm exam will consist of several (18-20) short essay questions that demonstrate your understanding of the assigned readings from the texts and internet sources. Upon your request, I will e-mail the examination to you and once you complete it (within one week from the time I send it to you), send it as an e-mail attachment back to me (address below). The project is due by the tenth week of class (send to me also via e-mail attachment). Both the midterm and final project be graded within one week of my receiving them. The final project will consist of your critique (from a methodological/analysis standpoint) of a published current research article dealing with some aspect of crime and delinquency. I will choose the article and forward (via regular mail) to you (with instructions) by the fifth week of class or upon request. GRADING: Final grades for this course will be computed as follows: 90-100% - A Midterm Exam (50% of final grade) ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: In addition to teaching in the program at Breyer State University , Charles Fields is a Professor of Criminal Justice at Eastern Kentucky University where his teaching interests include penology, drug policy, and comparative and international criminal justice. He has a B.A. (Political Science, 1980) & M.A. (Political Science, 1981) from Appalachian State University and a Ph.D. (Criminal Justice Theory, 1984) from Sam Houston State University . His previous teaching posts include Saginaw Valley State University (MI), Appalachian State University (NC), California State University , San Bernardino (Department Chair of Criminal Justice), and Eastern Kentucky University (Department Chair of Correctional and Juvenile Justice Studies). He has also been a visiting lecturer at the University of Lapland and the Police College of Finland. Professor Fields is the author or co-author of four edited books, over thirty articles, book chapters and reviews, and numerous technical reports and monographs. Current research interests include international drug policy, comparative criminal justice systems, and outlaw motorcycle gangs. COURSE OBJECTIVES: After completing this course, you will be able to: 1). Understand the basic techniques of data analysis in social research. INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may contact the instructor at chuck.fields@eku.edu.
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