Qualified students will be prepared to enter a doctoral program in the area of research
Objective
Quality Research Proposals
MA students will develop a full-fledged original research proposal that discusses various elements of a hypothetical research project.
Indicator
Research Proposal Criteria Guidelines
Research Proposals developed in CJ 592- Survey of Research Methods will be appraised by six components, 1) Introduction and purpose of proposal, 2) Theoretical framework and hypothesis statement, 3) Review of Literature, 4) Research Design/Methodology, 5) Ethical concerns, 6)Summary/Discussion.
Criterion
Score Of 80% In All Areas Of Guidelines
Student will score 80% in all areas of research proposal guidelines exhibiting methodology learned in writing and presenting a comprehensive research proposal.
Finding
All Students In CJ592 Scored 80% Or Above
All students in CJ592 scored 80% or above in all areas of the research proposal guidelines displaying a good knowledge of the assignment. Weaknesses noted were 1) due to their lack of research experience, students could not detail the measurement scales in a more specific way, 2) for some students, the literature review was not thorough enough to cover the topic under study or parts of the review were somewhat irrelevant to the topic under study, and 3) some students had difficulty finding a suitable topic that would allow them to operationalize their idea into a doable research project.
Action
More Detail On Literature Review
Students will be instructed on the importance of the literature review and the relevance it plays in the research proposal. Of course, this course is about teaching the ways to do research, the priority of the literature to the paper, and finding a topic that is appropriate. More emphasis will be put on these weaknesses.
Goal
Thesis Research
Master-level candidates will complete thesis research.
Objective
Competence In Conducting Research
Students preparing to graduate with a Master or Arts in criminal justice and criminology will demonstrate competence in conducting original research.
Indicator
Thesis Rubric
Theses are evaluated by a committee of three faculty members using a common faculty-developed rubric.
Criterion
Score Of "3" Or Higher
Students defending their theses will score a "3" or higher, indicating "meets expectations" or "exceeds expectations."
Finding
100% Of Students Met Or Exceeded Expectations On Thesis Rubric
100% of students defending their thesis received a score of "3" or higher on all assessments of problems by committee. The most common areas of weakness identified by the rubric on the theses were Choice of Problem and Contributuion to the Field. The theses' choice of problem were somewhat favorable or somewhat significant. Contribution to the field were somewhat important or noteworthy.
Action
Student Competence On Thesis Will Continue To Be Assessed.
Student outcomes met faculty committee expectations. Faculty will continue to review and assess theses using evaluation rubric. Areas of weakness will be addressed by thesis committee by helping students select problems that are more critically significant. However, not all thesis problems can be weighty or meaningful to all audiences. In the area of Contribution to the Field, students will be encouraged to delve more into current or hot topics that are not routine but are crucial in today's criminal justice field.