How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation in Criminology

This book provides a guide for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice students undertaking their final year dissertation.

Auteur

Suzanne Young is an Associate Professor in Criminal Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds, UK.

Contenu

Introduction

Chapter 1. What is a dissertation?

1. Chapter Overview

1.1. Aims of a dissertation

1.2. The Role of Your Supervisor

1.3. Types of Dissertations in Criminology

1.4. Complexities of Criminology Dissertations

1.5. Stages of a Dissertation

1.6. What an undergraduate dissertation looks like

1.7. Preparing for your Dissertation

1.8. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 2. Designing Your Criminology Dissertation

2. Chapter Overview

2.1. Problematic Criminology Dissertation Proposals

2.2. Choosing Your Dissertation Topic

2.3. Narrowing Down your Dissertation Topic

2.4. Devising your research question

2.5. Types of Research Questions

2.6. From Research Questions to Research Methods

2.7. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 3. Access and Ethical Issues in Criminology Dissertations

3. Chapter Overview

3.1. Ethical Obligations

3.2. Accessing Criminal Justice Institutions

3.3. Vulnerability and Sensitive Topics

3.4. Assessing Risk in Research

3.5. Devising Alternative Research Projects

3.6. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 4. Literature Reviews

4. Chapter Overview

4.1. What is a literature review?

4.2. The Distinctiveness of Literature Reviews

4.3. Identifying Relevant Sources

4.4. Effective Reading

4.5. Common Literature Review Questions

4.6. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 5. Utilising Secondary Data

5. Chapter Overview

5.1. Advantages of Using Existing Data

5.2. Limitations of Using existing Data

5.3. Accessing Statistical Data

5.4. Existing Qualitative Data

5.5. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 6. Collecting Primary Data 59

6. Chapter Overview

6.1. Advantages of Collecting Primary Data

6.2. Limitations of Collecting Primary Data

6.3. Designing your data collection approach

6.4. Designing the research tool

6.5. Sampling and Recruitment

6.6. Collecting your data

6.7. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 7. Writing A Methodology Chapter

7. Chapter Overview

7.1. The Importance of a Methodology Chapter

7.2. Methodology Chapters in Library-Based Dissertations

7.3. Methodology Chapters in Secondary and Primary Data Analysis

7.4. Preparing to write your methodology chapter

7.5. Tips for writing your methodology chapter

7.6. Chapter Summary and Checklist

Chapter 8. Findings and Discussion

8. Chapter Overview

8.1. Developing Your Academic Voice

8.2. Findings and Discussions in Library-Based Projects

8.3. Findings and Discussions in Empirical Projects

8.4. Planning Your Findings and Discussion Chapters

8.5. Chapter Summary and Checklist 85

Chapter 9. Writing Up and Presenting Your Dissertation

9. Chapter Overview

9.1. Writing Up Process

9.2. Writing Your Introductory Chapter

9.3. Writing Your Concluding Chapter

9.4. Structuring Your Dissertation

9.5. Presenting Your Dissertation

9.6. Chapter Summary and Checklist