Qualitative Research Methods in Criminology

Crim 321 - Fall 2026

[Last updated 12 September 2026]
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Week 1 14 September	Organizational Meeting * Course Syllabus * Term Research Project Guidelines * The first tutorials will be held starting Wednesday * Read Chapter 1 from the text: “Introduction to the Book”
Week 2 21 September	Understanding Qualitative Approaches * Read text Chapter 2: "The Nature of Qualitative Research and Our Approach" * Study questions for Chapter 2 * Watch or read Silver Blaze (video or text) before class
Week 3 28 September	Understanding Qualitative Approaches cont’d * Read text Chapter 3: “Qualitative Research Design” * Study questions for Chapter 3 * Read Becker: “How I learned what a ‘crock’ was” * Study questions for Becker's "crocks" article Research Ethics * Read text Chapter 5: " Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research" * Study questions for Chapter 5 * What to include in your ethics proposal due next week
Week 4 05 October	Sampling & Recruitment * Read text Chapter 6: “Sampling and Participant Recruitment” * Study questions for Chapter 6 * Read Palys (2008): Purposive sampling * Your oral history ethics proposal is due today
Week 5: 12 October	Thanksgiving Day * All classes cancelled and university closed
Week 6: 19 October	Oral History * Read Hesse-Biber & Leavy (2011): "Oral History" * Study questions for Hesse-Biber & Leavy * Read Borland (1991): That’s Not What I Said * Study questions for Borland * An example by Aaren Ivers
Week 7: 26 October	Mid-Term Exam based on lectures from beginning of semester to end of 19 October plus Chapters 2, 3, 5, and 6 from text plus Becker and Palys readings but not the Ivers reading Tutorials cancelled for this week
Week 8: 02 November	Interviews * Read text Chapter 7: "In-Depth Interviews" * Study questions for Chapter 7
Week 9: 09 November	Focus Groups * Read text Chapter 8: "Focus Group Discussions" * Study questions for Chapter 8
Week 10: 16 November	Analyzing Your Data * Read text Chapter 10: “Data Preparation and Developing Codes” * Study questions for Chapter 10 * Introduction to NVivo
Week 11: 23 November	Ethnographic and Participatory Approaches * Read text Chapter 9: "Observation" * Study questions for Chapter 9 * Read text Chapter 4: “Designing Participatory Research” * Study questions for Chapter 4
Week 12: 30 November	Writing a Qualitative Research Report * Read text Chapter 13: “Academic Writing of Qualitative Research”
Week 13: 07 December	Catch-up and review? Anything Goes… Term Research Project due. Late papers lose 5% per day. Oral History Term Project Template
TBA Exam Period is Dec 9-20	Final Exam based on lectures from 02 November to end of 07 December plus Chapters 7, 8, 10, 9 and 4 (but NOT chapters 11, 12 or 13) from the text.