Research Methods in Criminal Justice
Operationalizing variables is an important part of many studies when a phenomenon cannot be observed directly. Although a physical variable like a person’s height or Orlando’s average temperature during the month of February can be directly measured, social science research frequently requires us to investigate social or theoretical constructs that can only be indirectly captured with carefully designed methods. In criminal justice research, for example, measures of socio-economic status could be measured at the individual-level or in the aggregate; they often incorporate education, income, employment, home ownership, and neighborhood of residence. A more “theoretical” example is a construct such as self-control, which incorporates components such as temper, impulsivity, and risk-seeking that are typically measured at the individual-level using surveys.
Consider a variable of your choice that appears in published criminal justice research which represents some social construct, rather than being observed directly. Then, locate two peer-reviewed journal articles from criminology/criminal justice that feature this variable.
Research Methods in Criminal Justice
- Discuss how this variable is operationalized in each of the two example articles you have selected. In your paper, ensure you comment on the following:
- What elements or components combine to represent this construct? (Consider the SES and self-control examples mentioned above.)
- How is measurement accomplished in your chosen examples? For instance, are the variables captured at the individual-level or the aggregate-level? Do the study’s author(s) use surveys, secondary data, or some alternative method of data collection?
- What concerns can you identify with the reliability and validity of these approaches to operationalization?
- Remember to identify the source of your example CJ journal articles using proper APA-style citations, where appropriate.
Research Methods in Criminal Justice
Operationalizing variables is an important part of many studies when a phenomenon cannot be observed directly. Although a physical variable like a person’s height or Orlando’s average temperature during the month of February can be directly measured, social science research frequently requires us to investigate social or theoretical constructs that can only be indirectly captured with carefully designed methods. In criminal justice research, for example, measures of socio-economic status could be measured at the individual-level or in the aggregate; they often incorporate education, income, employment, home ownership, and neighborhood of residence. A more “theoretical” example is a construct such as self-control, which incorporates components such as temper, impulsivity, and risk-seeking that are typically measured at the individual-level using surveys. APA.
