NCJ Number
55440
Date Published
1977
Length
158 pages
Annotation
A PROCESS MODEL FOR CONDUCTING EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IS DEVELOPED AND APPLIED TO A COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROJECT IN CHICAGO, ILL.
Abstract
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED WHEN THERE EXISTS A LACK OF INFORMATION OR PRIOR EXPERIENCE RELEVANT TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND, A LACK OF ABILITY OR RESOURCES TO LOCATE RELEVANT FACTS BECAUSE OF THE DIFFUSE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, OR A LIMITED NEED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM. THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY TO OVERLOOK THE NEED TO CONDUCT EXPLORATORY RESEARCH SYSTEMATICALLY. IN LIGHT OF THIS OVERSIGHT, A MODEL OF THE EXPLORATORY PROCESS IS SET FORTH. THE MODEL EMPHASIZES DIAGNOSIS, RESEARCH PURPOSES, SURVEYS, REFINEMENT TECHNIQUES, AND REPORTING. IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH TO ATTACK PROBLEMS OF SELECTION, FORMULATION, TECHNIQUE, AND OBJECTIVES IN EXPLORATORY RESEARCH. ACCOMPANYING THE MODEL IS A CHECKLIST OF POINTS TO BE COVERED BY EXPLORATORY RESEARCHERS WHO WISH TO ENHANCE THE CREDIBILITY OF THEIR WORK. THE CHECKLIST ENCOMPASSES THREE STAGES OF EXPLORATORY RESEARCH: EARLY (TEASING OUT OF RELATIONSHIPS); MIDDLE (SELECTIVE EXAMINATION OF SPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS); AND LATE (DIRECT PREPARATION FOR PROPOSITION TESTING). THE STAGES AND COMPONENTS OF THE MODEL ARE ILLUSTRATED IN THE CONTEXT OF A CHICAGO PROJECT AIMED AT PROMOTING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES. THE PROJECT BROUGHT CITIZENS TOGETHER IN SMALL GROUPS TO VIEW AND DISCUSS TELEVISION PRESENTATIONS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBLEMS. THE REPORT ALSO INCLUDES TWO LITERATURE REVIEWS: ONE ON EXPLORATORY RESEARCH, PROCESS MODELS, FORMS OF INQUIRY, PROBLEM SELECTION AND FORMULATION, AND PROPOSITION TESTING AND A SECOND, MORE SPECIFIC EXAMINATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE EXPLORATORY PROCESS. A 23-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)