This course is designed to provide an understanding of descriptive statistics, probability theory, and inductive statistics. In a more limited way, it introduces correlation and regression analyses. It also provides an introduction to computer use in criminal justice, including basic use of word processing and statistical applications and the internet. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to conduct basic data analysis. More specifically, you will be able to manipulate data, compute statistics, explain their meaning, produce and interpret computer output, and interpret analyses presented in academic articles and research reports.

Texts: George W. Dowdall, Earl Babbie, and Fred Halley. 1997. Adventures in Criminal Justice Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge.

Fred Pyrczak. 1995. Making Sense of Statistics. Los Angeles: Pyrczak.

A pocket calculator. At a minimum, it must have a square root key, a memory, and be able to handle
scientific notation.

One 1.44 MB 3 «" computer diskette.

On Reserve at the main library: Hubert M. Blalock. 1979. Social Statistics. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Additional readings will be available on reserve at the main library.

As you know, this course meets for 2 hours and 45 minutes on Wednesdays. These classes will include lecture, occasional in-class assignments, and computer use. To help keep your brains from melting during these rather lengthy class periods, we will likely take a short break about halfway through. On days that a homework assignment is due, the last 45 minutes of the class will be used to review the assignment. I recommend that you xerox your answers and make any necessary corrections to your copy at this time. You should keep each assignment as a partial study guide for the exams. In addition to the regularly scheduled office hours listed above, I will be available to answer questions before and after class, and by appointment (you should arrange appointments directly with me--not through the main office--if they are not during my posted office hours). As an additional resource for you, all of the assignments (and maybe some other materials) will be posted on my World Wide Web site. The address is at the top of this page.

This course will include two examinations: a mid-term and a final. Each will consist of several short answer questions. You will also be required to complete six homework assignments. Each assignment will be graded in two parts. One-fourth of your grade will be based on whether you completed the entire assignment. There will be times that you will be stuck. When this happens, do not quit. You are responsible for using the resources available to you (the book, me, your classmates) to make sure you finish the assignment. The remaining three-fourths of your assignment grade will be based on whether your answers to three randomly selected questions are correct. For these assignments, I expect that (1) you will type all narrative answers (i.e., everything except computations), (2) you will answer each question as completely as possible, (3) you will show all of your work for computations or computer assignments (partial credit is possible only if I can determine that you are partially correct). Finally, you will be graded on your completion of and performance on in-class assignments and your overall participation in the class. Success in this course demands that you actively participate in your learning.

The final grade will be based on the above requirements, weighted as follows: