Hale et al: Criminology 2e 
Glossary
Test bankHale et al: Criminology 2e
Chapter 5
Methods of social research are often an area that students new to academic criminology find a daunting prospect: what is the difference between qualitative and quantitative methods? What are the strengths and weaknesses of using, for example, focus groups instead of postal surveys? How do we assess the relative merits of a particular method of investigation in comparison to alternative methods? Will a particular method help me to find out what I want to know? This chapter introduces students to various methods of criminological and social research and provides an introduction to understanding how to critically assess the published academic work they encounter through the course of their studies. In a similar vein to chapter 4, where students have been introduced to the wide range of theoretical possibilities within Criminology, Chapter 5 seeks to introduce students to the varying methodologies employed by criminologists to illuminate the social spaces they immerse themselves in.
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