LW2RES: Criminological Research Methods

Module code: LW2RES

Module provider: School of Law

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Rosa Walling-Wefelmeyer , email: r.walling-wefelmeyer@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 14 July 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module introduces students to perspectives on social science research and as applied to the study of crime and justice. It will provide students with an introduction to qualitative and quantitative research methods and to the relationship between methods and theory. It will also offer students an introduction to the planning and undertaking of criminological research as well as how to analyse data.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the range of strategies for research design, ethical guidelines, data collection and analysis in the conduct of social research.
2. Understand the relationship between theory, method and research question.
3. Understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative research methods, data and data analysis tools.
4. Understand how to plan a research project.
5. Analyse a dataset.

Module content

In any year, topics may include: Research approaches in Criminology and the study of criminal justice, questionnaire construction, asking questions, conducting ethnographic and observation research, content analysis and archival research, quantitative data collection and analysis, research ethics, researching vulnerable groups, planning research projects.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module uses lectures, workshops and tutorials. Lectures provide overviews of the literature and perspectives on topics. Workshops provide the space to explore the topics in more detail and to focus on the applied aspects of the topic. Seminars provide opportunities for students to test their knowledge about specific readings and their understanding of the topic in smaller groups. Lectures, workshops and seminars will also be used to provide students with input about assessments and requisite research and study skills. 

Study hours

At least 37 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Level 3 (i.e. foundation modules for Part 0) and Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Plan for summative assessment.

Reassessment

Additional costs