PC3D020 - Evidence-Based Research Project 01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2031 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PC3D020
Module Title: Evidence-Based Research Project
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Operational Policing
Faculty Sub Group: Operational Policing
Module Leader: Bethan Shellard-Dedman, Barry Murphy
Module Team: Rebecca Voice, Gordon Blake, Claire Evans, Leanne Thomas, Roger Phillips, Victoria Wall, Joanne Mercurio, Michelle Lamont, Kirsty Hyland, Neil Harvey, Kevin Bushby, Paul Searle, Jack Moss, Christijan Boyle, Tina Avey-Hebditch, Richard Law, Colette Chilcott, Rezbi Duffield, Michael Chard, Rachael Lugg, Tiffany O'Connor, Fiona Webb, Barry Murphy, Sarah Jones
First Intended Intake: JAN 2025 Final Year of Intake: 2031
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 40 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100486 - policing
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Jan 2025
Valid To 31 Dec 2031

Module Aims

To develop students’ ability to effectively research policing interventions designed to tackle specific issues, evaluate and develop them into recommendations relevant to their employers.

Content Summary

In this module students will carry out research to identify and understand an emerging issue or problem in a specific policing area and formulate an ethically sound research question. 

The Evidence-Based Research Project should include research on the identified issue or problem, along with the proposals for tackling it. Students should consider how their findings align with Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) / Chief Constable (CC) priorities.  

Appropriate topics for the research project are agreed between the force, student officer and University. Research Projects should always directly relate to the role of PC and wherever possible contribute to force objectives.   

Students will then plan an intervention to tackle the identified issue/ problem and formulate this work into a significant piece of formal academic writing

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 16
Project Supervision 4
Work-based Learning 330
Directed Study (Including online independent learning) 46
Groupwork 4
Total Hours Selected 400

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Identify a policing issue and analyze the underlying cause(s), establishing potential solutions using a problem-solving approach

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Dissertation / Major Project 1 Evidence-Based Research Project 0 8000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1
Dissertation / Major Project 1

Reading List

Bell, J. & Walters, S. (2014) Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers. 6th Ed.Berkshire.?

Betts, M. (2017). Investigation of Fraud and Economic Crime. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Bryman, R 2012. Social research methods (4th edition), Oxford.? 

Connor, P et al (2023). Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual 2024. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Connor, P. (2024). Blackstone's Police Investigators' Q&A 2024. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Connor, P et al. (2024). Blackstone's Police Manual Volume 3: General Police? 

Duties 2025. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Connor, P et al. (2024). Blackstone's Police Manual Volume 1: Crime 2025. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Crawford, A. and Evans, K. (2012). Crime Prevention and Community Safety. In: Maguire, M? 

Morgan, R and Reiner, R. (2012). Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Dickinson, J. (2019). Evidence-based Investigative Interviewing: Applying Cognitive Principles. UK: Routledge.? 

Evans, R., and Lewis, P. (2014). Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police. UK: Guardian Books.? 

Gray, D. (2013) Doing Research in the Real World. London, Sage.? 

Heuer, R. and Pherson, R. (2014). Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis. 2nd edition. London: SAGE.? 

HM Government. (2018). Serious and Organised Crime Strategy. London.? 

Hutton, G et al (2024). Blackstone's Police Manual Volume 2: Evidence and? 

Procedure 2025. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

James, A. (2016). Understanding police intelligence work (Key themes in policing). Bristol: Policy Press.? 

Lowe, D. (2016). Policing Terrorism: Research Studies into Police Counterterrorism Investigations. London: Taylor and Fracnic Gorup.? 

Maguire, M., Morgan, R and Reiner, R. (2012). Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Marrin, S. (2015). Revisiting Intelligence and Policy: Problems with Politicization and Receptivity. Abingdon: Routledge? 

Mei Leong, A. (2016). The Disruption of International Organised Crime. London: Routledge.? 

National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) National Roads Policing Strategy (2022). [online] Available at: https://library.college.police.uk/docs/NPCC/Roads_Policing_Strategy_2022.25.pdf?? 

O’Neil, M. (2018). Key Challenges in Criminal Investigation. Bristol: Policy Press.? 

Robson, C. and McCartan, K. (2016) Real world research: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings. Fourth edition. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.? 

Rogers, C. (2012). Crime Reduction Partnerships. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Rogers, C. (2016). Plural Policing. Bristol: Policy Press? 

Rogers, C. & Gravelle, J. (2014) Researching the police in the 21st century: international lessons from the field. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.? 

Smart, H., and Watson, J (2019). Blackstone's Police Q&A 2019: Volume 3: Road Policing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Watson, J (2019). Blackstone's Police Manual 2019: Volume 3: Road Policing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.? 

Wood, D et al (2022) Blackstone’s Handbook for Policing Students 2023. Oxford: Oxford University Press.