Critical Thinking Questions

Chapter 4

1. Please think of a research question that you would like to study that you could study using random sampling. What is your question, and how would you go about sampling randomly for this type of study?
2. Please think of a research question that might lend itself well to using random sampling procedures, but which might be difficult to study using random sampling procedures. What question did you come up with and what sampling would you choose that closely mimics random sampling procedures?
3. What do you make of the concept of sampling error? Does this idea make intuitive sense to you? Why or why not? What do you think would happen to a sample if sampling error was not included?

Chapter 5

1. What do you think of the UCR? Do you like how it measures crime, why or why not? Do you think the improvements to the UCR made in the creation of NIBRS have helped? Why or why not?
2. What do you think of NIBRS? Based on what you have read in the text, why do you think it is has not been widely adapted across the country? Do you think it will eventually replace the UCR or only act as a supplement to it?
3. Do you think there are certain types of crime that lend themselves better to one type of measurement than another? If so, give examples of which types of crimes are best measured by the UCR, NCVS, and NIBRS.

Critical Thinking Questions

A4

Chapters 6 and 7

Chapter 6

1. In the perfect world of research what type of survey administration method do you think is the best? Please explain your answer and cite information from the text as to why your method of choice is the best.
2. What do you see as some of the more salient (important) factors that might affect response rate? As a researcher besides from what has been discussed in the text, what do you think you can do to positively affect response rates? Can you do anything?
3. What do you think of questionnaire design? Do you really think that it is important? Why or why not? Please explain your answer in detail.

Chapter 7

1. What do you see as some of the inherent advantages of performing research with secondary sets of data? What are some of the weaknesses? Please think critically on this issue.
2. Which type of data technique with secondary data interests you more? Content analysis or Meta-analysis? Why?
3. What do you make of the argument between official data and self-report data? Which type of data do you see as being more valuable as a secondary data source? Why?