Deck 1: Introduction

Question 1

What is evidence-based practice?

Answer 1

Responsible use of current research to identify policies and programs that are effective.

Question 2

What is the practitioner's role in promoting evidence-based practice?

Answer 2

Adopting only policies/programs that are effective and discontinuing those that are ineffective.

Question 3

How does a theory differ from a hypothesis?

Answer 3

Theory is a possible explanation of reality. A hypothesis is a prediction of a relationship between variables.

Question 4

Name one form of applied research.

Question 5

What is operationalization?

Question 6

Why are "common sense" approaches to criminal justice policy, such as Scared Straight and D.A.R.E., ineffective?

Question 7

All of the following are elements of the scientific method, as conceived by Wallace (1971) EXCEPT:

A) Observations
B) Hypotheses
C) Theory
D) Sampling

Question 8

If we start research with observations, then move to generating a theory, we are utilizing the ___________.

A) Deductive approach
B) Hypothesis theory
C) Scientism
D) Inductive approach

Question 9

For a deductive approach to research, the appropriate order would be:

A) Observation, generalization, hypothesis, theory
B) Theory, hypothesis, observation, generalization
C) Generalization, theory, hypothesis, observation
D) Hypothesis, observation, theory, generalization

Question 10

Which type of research generally requires a large sample size?

A) Quantitative
B) Qualitative
C) Focus groups
D) Interviews

Question 11

______ is the natural science approach to research, while _________ is much more common in the humanities.

A) Historicism, scientism
B) Positivism, historicism
C) Scientism, positivism
D) Historicism, positivism

Question 12

Which type of research sets out to improve our knowledge base?

A) Basic
B) Applied
C) Evaluation
D) Policy analysis

Question 13

A police chief calls you to do research to find out if the new community policing program is effective. What type of research is this?

A) Applied research
B) Program evaluation
C) Pure research
D) A and B

Question 14

The term for who or what we plan to study is ____________

A) Population
B) Unit of analysis
C) Hypothesis
D) Sample element

Question 15

A ________ is a vague, abstract term that needs to be further defined before researchers attempt to measure it.

A) Operationalization
B) Sample
C) Concept
D) Term

Question 16

Which type of research is ideal for generating grounded theory?

A) Evaluation research
B) Qualitative research
C) Deductive research
D) Applied research

Question 17

What population is harmed by the use of common sense approaches to criminal justice policy?

A) Victims
B) Communities
C) Offenders
D) All of the above

Question 18

Evidence-based practice has been used regularly throughout the history of criminal justice.

Question 19

Deductive approaches often produce grounded theory

Question 20

A distinguishing feature of qualitative research is its emphasis on numbers.

Question 21

Qualitative research has a long tradition in urban anthropology.

Question 22

Those who ascribe to scientism believe that all events are unique and warrant chronicling.

Question 23

Positivism is closely associated with quantitative research.

Question 24

Concepts are specific items that are easily measurable.

Question 25

Program evaluation is a process of finding solutions to current or future problems.

Question 26

Quantitative researchers commonly seek to spend extensive amounts of time with the people they are researching.

Question 27

The scientific method does NOT require researchers to adhere to a strict set of rules.

Question 28

Explain exactly how researchers and practitioners can work together to promote evidence-based practice. What does each group need to do?

Question 29

Describe five differences between qualitative and quantitative research.

Question 30

A theory that is generated based on observation is called ________________ .

Question 31

_______ is more common in criminal justice and is based on numbers and trends.

Question 32

____________ is a forward-looking exercise where we attempt to solve a problem.

Question 33

________ focuses on words and observations of a small sample to gain a full understanding.

Question 34

_________ is the process of carefully defining concepts to make them measurable for data collection.

Question 35

The __________ is a systematic procedure for doing research.

Question 36

The _________ is who or what we are studying.

Question 37

_____ research uses large sample sizes and statistical analysis, while __________ focuses on small sample sizes, observation, and interviews.

Question 38

Program evaluation tends to focus on __________ issues, while policy analysis focuses on ________ issues.