UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

May/June 2022

SEP3707

Criminal Justice Research Methodology

100 Marks Duration: 48 Hours (2 days)

First examiner: Mrs S Kader

Second examiner: Prof K Pillay
External examiner: Dr L Makgopa

This paper consists of (four) 4 pages.

Instructions:

1. The examination question paper counts 100 marks.

2. It consists of one (1) question with 5 sub-questions which must be answered in an essay format. Answer
ALL of the questions.

3. The duration of the examination is 48 hours (2 days). Your portfolio must be submitted via the myUnisa
platform (under Assessment 3) on 15 June 2022 at or before 16h00 (South African Standard Time).

4. This is an open-book examination. You may consult your prescribed study material during the
examination. You SHOULD use at least FIVE additional sources. DO NOT copy directly from the
study guide or additional sources and do NOT share answers with other students. No marks will be
awarded for work that was copied (plagiarised).

5. This examination is not proctored (or invigilated).

6. The cover page to your exam must include your name, student number and the module code.

7. It is preferred that your exam is typed. However, handwritten submissions will also be accepted. If the
portfolio exam is typed, the maximum length is 10 pages (which includes the cover page and the list of
references). If the portfolio exam is handwritten, the maximum length is 20 pages (which includes the
cover page and the list of references).

8. Whether your answers are typed or handwritten, your submission on the myUnisa platform must be made
in the form of one PDF document.

8.1 The exam answer file that you submit must not be password protected or uploaded as a “read only”
file.

8.2 Your examination answer file will not be marked if:

8.2.1 you send your examination answer file via email.

8.2.2 you submit the incorrect examination answer file.
8.2.3 you submit your exam answer file on an unofficial examination platform.
8.2.4 you submit your examination answer file in the incorrect file format.
8.2.5 you submit a password-protected document.
8.2.6 you submit your examination answer file late.
 CONFIDENTIAL
2
SEP3707
May/June 2022

8.3 The mark awarded for an incomplete examination answer file submission will be your final mark. You
will not be allowed to resubmit after the scheduled closing date and time of the exam.

8.4 The mark awarded for an illegible examination answer file submission will be your final mark. You will
not be allowed to resubmit after the scheduled closing date and time of the exam.

9. If your answers are typed, ensure that the following requirements are adhered to. Items 9.3-9.4 applies
to written assignments as well.

9.1 The text must be typed in Arial font, size 12 with single line spacing within the paragraph, and double
line spacing after the paragraph.

9.2 The text must be justified.

9.3 All of the pages must be numbered in the right-hand corner at the bottom of the page.

9.4 All margins must be 2.5cm or “Normal”.

9.5 South African English and not American English should be used. For example, the correct spelling is
“Labour” and not “Labor”.

9.6 Do not use abbreviations or SMS language.

9.7 All quotes that are two lines long (or less), must form part of the main text, be written in italics, and be
bracketed by quotation marks. Where a quotation is longer than two lines, it must be typed in a separate
paragraph in italics in size 11 font and must be indented by 1 cm. No quotation marks are required when
the quotations stand alone. Use quotations very sparingly. In this take-home exam, a maximum of
5% of the text may be quoted.

10. When answering the exam questions, remember that an open-book exam is a test at a higher level than
the usual type of exam, where memory is tested as much as insight. In an open-book exam, you need
not memorise any information. You are expected to prove that you can use information, rather than
merely repeat it. In brief, what is being tested is factual knowledge, understanding and the correct
application thereof, not memory skills. For this reason, you do not earn marks by merely detailing a list
of all the information that you think might be relevant to the question. This gives no indication that you
know what information is applicable in a specific context. You are expected to identify precisely what
information applies, and then explain why you think so.

10.1 Also, because you have the guide available when answering questions, we do not give marks for direct
quotations from the guide. You are therefore assessed on your level of understanding of the
methodological principles by looking at how well you applied the principles to the questions.

10.2 PLEASE DO NOT CUT AND PASTE ANSWERS FROM THE STUDY GUIDE (OR ANY OTHER
SOURCE).

11. The arguments that you make must be logical, well-structured and substantiated by all of the relevant
methodological principles applicable to the question. You are given 48 hours (not 2 hours) to complete
the take-home exam. Use the time given wisely.

11.1 Substantiate your answers by referring to (citing) relevant sources. All information presented in your
answers must be source referenced.
.
 CONFIDENTIAL
3
SEP3707
May/June 2022

11.2 Question 1 is an essay type question. You must therefore follow the essay format. That is, you must
include an introduction, definitions of the key concepts, headings/sub-headings in accordance with the
question, as well as a conclusion and a list of references.

11.3 Several students lose marks because they do not approach problem-type questions correctly. When
answering such questions, it is important to first clarify for yourself the methodological principles being
tested and where the information can be sought. Once you have done this, set out the framework for
your answer

12. By ticking the Honour Pledge, you confirm that you have read (i) the University’s Policy on Copyright
Infringement and Plagiarism and the Student Disciplinary Code, which are both available on
myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/unisarules, and (ii) the information relating to student values and plagiarism
that is found at https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/myunisa/default/Study-@-Unisa/Student-values-and-
rules.

12.1 Students suspected of dishonest conduct during the examination will be subjected to disciplinary
processes. UNISA has zero tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you experience technical problems of any kind on the day(s) of the examination (including network or load
shedding challenges) and your examination answers are not submitted by the cut-off time, please apply online
for an aegrotat exam within 3 days of the examination session. Include supporting documentation with your
application.

Students experiencing technical challenges may contact the SCSC on 080 000 1870 or email
Examenquiries@unisa.ac.za or refer to Get-Help for the list of additional contact numbers.
 CONFIDENTIAL
4
SEP3707
May/June 2022

QUESTION 1

Security company X employs 100 security guards. Of the 100 security guards employed at Company X,
10 are females. You have been tasked with conducting an extensive study on the security guards’
experiences of the working conditions at Company X. Additionally, you will be required to conduct an in-
depth study on the lived experiences of the 10 women employed as security guards at company X. Your
research will, therefore, make use of both the qualitative and quantitative research approaches. As such
you must compare and explain the various stages of research in each phase.

Use the information presented in the case study to compile your Portfolio of Evidence. Your Portfolio of
Evidence should include the following:

1.1 Provide a comparative analysis on the purpose and approach to research in the qualitative versus
quantitative approaches. (18)

1.2 Discuss the different sampling procedures and techniques that you will apply to the qualitative and
quantitative phases of the study. (18)

1.3 Determine and discuss what data collection methods will be applied to each phase. (18)

1.4 For each data collection method mentioned in question 1.3, develop appropriate data collection
instruments. (18)

1.5 Explain in detail how the different forms of qualitative and quantitative data will be analysed and
interpreted. (18)
Essay format: (5)
Research (use of additional literature sources) and referencing: (5)

In answering this question, take note of the following:

• This is an essay question. You are required to follow the prescribed essay format.
• Refer to point 7 above for maximum number of pages required. Your essay should not be less
than 3000 words.
• When writing an essay, do not write in point form.
• Use at least 5 sources other than your study guide to substantiate your discussions.
• Provide a full list of references. Refer to tutorial SCHJALL/301/4/2022 for guidelines on
referencing.
• Cite all information used from sources within the text.
• DO NOT copy and paste.
• Where no sources are cited, marks will not be allocated.

Total marks: 100

©
UNISA 2022