GSU Library Research Guides: CRJU 3020: Research Methods In Criminal Justice: Research Assignment and Writing

Quick Poll

Which show more accurately portrays using research and scientific/physical evidence to close cases?

Research Assignment

Create an abridged literature review for a research proposal

Identify a single research question or a set of research questions
Find scholarly articles
Summarize research

Why a literature review? You are trying to determine what evidence exists on your research idea.

A literature review is a component of the research process in which the author summarizes or synthesizes the ideas and arguments made by scholars. In the social sciences a literature review can be organized in a number of ways including by topic, chronological, or by methodology. The more focused your research topic the more straightforward the literature review will be.

Remember that the literature review (a.k.a. the lit. review) is, in essence, a paper in and of itself. It has an introduction; a body and a conclusion. It is NOT an annotated bibliography.

The introduction informs the reader how you have organized your literature review.

The body is the presentation of the resources you have reviewed.

The conclusion is your statement about your review. What does the literature tell you? What perspective are you going to argue for?

Caution: Make sure that the choices you make in writing a literature review reflect the requirements of your assignment. Be sure to consult with your Professor.

Writing in Criminal Justice

Writing literature reviews : a guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences by Jose L. Galvan
Call Number: REF H61.8.G3 2006 (Library North, floor 2 and 5)
2nd circulating copy is available @ the same call number on Library North, floor 5

The Criminal Justice Student Writer's Manual by William A. Johnson; Richard P. Rettig; Gregory M. Scott; Stephen M. Garrison
Call Number: Atlanta Library North 4: HV9950 .C74323 2011
The Criminal Justice Student Writer's Manual, Fifth Edition is designed to help students learn how to research and write in criminal justice and improve their writing skills. Taking a comprehensive approach, it discusses the writing process, the mechanics of writing, the importance of research and how to cite sources. Now expanded to six parts, this edition includes a new chapter on writing probation and parole reports. Combining both guidelines and samples, it prepares students to write a variety of criminal justice papers, from condensed presentations to complex reports.
Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals by Larry S. Miller; John T. Whitehead
Call Number: Atlanta Library North 4: HV7936.R53 C693 2015
The criminal justice process is dependent on accurate documentation. Criminal justice professionals can spend 50-75% of their time writing administrative and research reports. Report Writing for Criminal Justice Professionals, Fifth Edition provides practical guidance--with specific writing samples and guidelines--for providing strong reports.
Professional writing for the criminal justice system / Jill Harrison, PhD, Daniel Weisman, PhD, and Joseph Zornado, PhD.
his user-friendly guide to effective writing for the justice system teaches readers to write cogently and accurately across the spectrum of criminal justice-related disciplines. With an examination of common writing problems that interfere with good reporting and documentation, the book's content underscores the importance of skilled written communication as a cornerstone of competent practice within criminology.

Research Method

The Scientific Method is not one single thing. It refers to the ideas, rules, techniques, and approaches that the scientific community uses.

Introduction to Criminal Justice Research Methods by Gennaro F. Vito; Julie C. Kunselman; Richard Tewksbury
This third edition is designed as an introduction to research methods in criminal justice techniques. The detailed information that is generated by research is a management tool that has become a significant part of criminal justice operations. The text discusses the purposes, process, and uses of research that focus on identifying what information is already known about a particular topic or question.
Criminological and Criminal Justice Research Methods
This concise text introduces students to the fundamental methodologies of research in criminology and criminal justice, with an emphasis on the application of research methods directly relevant to the real world of criminal justice. By using storytelling that draws on actual field experiences to engage students' interest, Criminological and Criminal Justice Research Methods, Second Edition takes a unique approach compared to other textbooks on the market. Regardless of students' career goals, this text engages their interest while imparting current information on and approaches to the most important and useful criminological and criminal justice research methods.
Methods of Criminology and Criminal Justice Research by Mathieu Deflem (Editor); Derek M. D. Silva (Editor)
The eleven chapters in this volume of Sociology of Crime, Law and Deviance discuss a variety of issues of methodological significance in research in the fields of criminology and criminal justice studies. The authors in this volume demonstrate the methodological maturity and diversity of current empirical research in criminology and criminal justice in a number of areas, such as general trends of crime, criminal networks, violence against women, sex work, elder financial exploitation, school safety, immigrant detention, extremism on the internet, and human trafficking. Presenting a state-of-the-art overview of criminological and criminal justice methodologies today, this book is of interest to a wide range of scholars and students in the fields of criminology, sociology, justice policy, and criminal justice.