This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.
LESM A304
Research Methods in Law Enforcement and Security Studies
Welcome to LESM A304 Research Methods in Law Enforcement and Security Studies. This is a higher level, two-semester, ten-credit course developed by HKMU. There is no textbook. Instead, set readings are specified in the units as text readings. This Course Guide introduces you to the structure and requirements for the course.
About the course
LESM A304 Research Methods in Law Enforcement and Security Studies provides you with an understanding of the major strategies and methods of social research. Its aim is to provide you with a systematic grounding in the various theories and methods by which evidence can be brought to bear on policy issues of relevance to a wide range of activities, including policing. You will be made aware of the various philosophical underpinnings of conceptions of social science and the social research methods they have given rise to.
The course is a full year, ten-credit, higher level course. It is an elective if you are seeking a Higher Diploma or a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Law Enforcement and Security Management. It is a compulsory course if you are seeking a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Law Enforcement and Security Management. And if you are majoring in sociology and political science within the Social Sciences programme, you will find it helpful in broadening your knowledge of how social research can be undertaken in the criminal justice and security fields.
The course prescribes four assignments, all of which are required for course assessment. There will be ten two-hour tutorial classes, two three- hour day schools, one two-hour day school, and a three-hour final examination.
This section sets out the course aims and objectives and gives you an overview of the general thrust of this course.
Course aims
LESM A304 Research Methods in Law Enforcement and Security Studies aims to:
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course, you should be able to:
This section provides you with details of the structure of this course, arrangements concerning course assessment and other related issues.
Course materials
Printed materials
There is no set textbook for this course. Instead, readings from books, professional journals, research findings and the like are used both to introduce you to particular research approaches and methods and to illustrate the use of such methods in actual research projects.
Study units
The study units in LESM A304 are as follows:
Assignment File
To find out the assessment for LESM A304, you should first read the section later in this Course Guide devoted to it. You can also take a look at the course Assignment File, which is included in your course materials.
Presentation Schedule
The Presentation Schedule is available on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). It gives you the dates for completing assignments, attending tutorials, and so on.
Computer and online access
The units on quantitative research methods require you to have access to the computer. Unit 9, which concerns research on the Internet, requires you to have access to the Internet. The tutorials on these various units will be held at HKMU's computer labs for this purpose. If you have your own access to the computer and the Internet, you can of course practise at home; otherwise, you can use HKMU's computer facilities.
Assessment
The course carries two formal activities in student assessment: assignments and a final examination. Please note that in LESM A304, the assignments serve as the continuous assessment component within the study period and contribute 60% of the total course mark. The other 40% is evaluated through a final examination.
Assignments
LESM A304 has four set assignments, all of which are required for the continuous assessment. These assignments serve three purposes:
Assignments, after being marked by your tutor, will be returned to you so that you can be aware of areas for improvement and clarify any misunderstandings. In addition, you can broaden your perspectives through your tutor's feedback.
Assignments focus and schedule
| Focus | Time | |
| 1 | Issues in the philosophy of social research | at the end of Unit 2 |
| 2 | Issues in qualitative methods | at the end of Unit 5 |
| 3 | Issues in quantitative research | at the end of Unit 8 |
| 4 | Issues in researching the internet | at the end of Unit 9 |
Assignments for LESM A304 are structured to meet the specific assessment needs of this course, i.e. they give you the chance to put into practice what you have learned about doing research in the field.
Assignment 01, using essay-style questions, asks you to show you've grasped the philosophical underpinnings of social research.
Assignment 02 asks you to work on a mini research project of your own. You will choose a research area and use qualitative research instruments to investigate that area.
In assignment 03 you will continue to apply your research skills in a specifically online environment.
In assignment 04 you will design quantitative research instruments to investigate a chosen research area, which may or may not be identical to the area you've chosen for assignment 02.
Given the particular need to assess your learning in an articulated, coherent way in LESM A304, all four assignments are required.
Examination
At the end of the course, you are required to attend a final examination. The examination aims to test your understanding of all areas of study covered in the course. The examination will be a three-hour, closed book written exam.
The total score of the examination paper contributes 40% of the total course mark.
Summary of course assessment calculation
The following table shows the scores distribution for the final course mark:
| Assessment type | Marks |
| 4 out of 4 assignments | 4 X 15% = 60% |
| Examination | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
You must obtain a score of 40% in the continuous assessment component and a score of 40% on the final examination to pass the course; that is, you must pass both assessment components. The overall pass mark is 40% or greater.
Course organization
The following chart gives you an overview of the organization of LESM A304:
| Unit | Title | Weeks | Assessment activity |
| 1 | The philosophy of social research: the positivist project and its problems | 5 | |
| 2 | Interpretative philosophies, social realism and research methods | 5 | Assignment 01 |
| 3 | The nature of qualitative research | 4 | |
| 4 | Types and methods of qualitative research | 4 | |
| 5 | Collection and analysis of qualitative data | 4 | |
| 6 | The process of quantitative research | 4 | Assignment 02 |
| 7 | Quantitative research methods | 4 | Assignment 03 |
| 8 | Collection and analysis of quantitative data | 5 | Assignment 04 |
| 9 | Internet research | 1 | |
| Revision | |||
| TOTAL | 36 |
This course differs from most social research methods courses in two main ways. First, it places considerable emphasis on the philosophical issues of social research. This emphasis is for clarifying a lot of very common misunderstandings concerning social research. Second, it provides many case studies, in part or in full, of actual research in the criminal justice and related fields to illustrate how to conduct social research in these areas. In addition to the above, the activities in the units are integral to understanding the issues and concepts explained in the units, so it is important that you work through the activities. You should read the CC's first letter to the students carefully, concerning how you should approach this course.
Tutors and tutorials
Your tutor will conduct face-to-face non-compulsory tutorial sessions over the course presentation, as per the tutorial schedule. At these sessions, key course concepts are reviewed and reinforced, group and individual exercises conducted, topical issues discussed, student questions answered, and assistance provided in relation to the assignments.
Your tutor will also be available for weekly telephone contact at a time and phone number arranged. In addition to the tutorial work and telephone tutoring, your tutor will mark your assignments according to marking criteria provided by your course coordinator.
There will be ten two-hour tutorials evenly spaced over the duration of the course. As noted, tutorial attendance is not compulsory, though you are strongly encouraged to attend.
The course will be supported by online learning environment (OLE) that you can use throughout your study. This learning environment will provide a discussion board, notices, and other helpful tools.
LESM A304 is not an easy course, but your CC and tutor will do their utmost to guide you through the various units. By the end of the course, you will appreciate that the efforts that you have made to get through the course have been very well spent. Finally, I wish you the best of luck in completing the course.
Professor John Hughes is Professor of Sociological Analysis at Lancaster University and has lectured at Birmingham University, Exeter University and Lund University in Sweden. He holds a PhD from Lancaster University. Over the past 30 years, Professor Hughes has published many books and articles on social sciences philosophy and theory and has conducted research into a range of topics; most recently, he's focused on virtual organizations.
Dr Allan Y Jiao is the chair and an associate professor of the Department of Law and Justice Studies at Rowan University in New Jersey, USA. He holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from Lewis & Clark College and a PhD in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. He has more than ten years' college teaching experience and has been engaged in law and justice research with specialization in policing since 1992. He has conducted police studies in the US, China, Hong Kong and Brazil and provided consulting services to many police agencies in the US and around the world.
Dr. Ruth Mei-tai Fan received her PhD from the Department of Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is the developer of SOSC A313 Principles of Social Research and SOSC A313C.
Mr Steven Li is a working Webmaster with a background in social sciences research. He holds a BSSC in Sociology and an MPhil in Sociology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is an experienced Web designer and researcher who has worked on academic research projects in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Dr Raymond Lau teaches at the School of Arts and Social Sciences, HKMU. He publishes widely, ranging from social theory to China's political economic development. Since joining HKMU in 2000, he's begun researching into the area of policing.
