Comprehensively analyze two peer-reviewed articles concerning the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program and critique the authors’ research designs drawing on readings and class lectures from the beginning part of this semester.

How Great is G.R.E.A.T.?

Comprehensively analyze two peer-reviewed articles concerning the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program and critique the authors’ research designs drawing on readings and class lectures from the beginning part of this semester. Additionally, one of your primary tasks will be to contrast the methodologies of the different iterations of the program – the original iteration — G.R.E.A.T. I (Esbensen et al., 2001)— and its redesigned version — G.R.E.A.T. II (Esbensen et al., 2011). You need only read the assigned articles to inform your critique – just be sure to provide the cited page number within your answers of your essay. There is no citation style. I do prefer Chicago style.

I anticipate that you will need to write at least 3 pages from each section, double-spaced using 12pt font (Times New Roman). I encourage you to structure your response by question – I’ve designed that the first and last questions already act as an Introduction and Discussion – the questions in between are equivalent to the “body” of a typical essay (just be sure to clearly identify the question you are answering – subtitles are encouraged!). Responses must be submitted electronically through Canvas by midnight on April 8th.

 

Questions:

  1. Provide a brief summary of the G.R.E.A.T. I and G.R.E.A.T. II program designs (about 1 to 1 ½ pages) and then comment on the theory informing the program, the causal mechanism implied by the intervention strategy, and whether this causal mechanism is consistent with program design. For this last part, you should ask yourself whether, at face value, the intended outcome of the program is plausibly linked to the intervention strategy (but save more specific comments/critiques for a later question about internal validity). You should also discuss any relevant differences between the different iterations of the G.R.E.A.T. program as they may relate to the programs’ theory and causal mechanism.

 

  1. Describe the measures collected by the researchers – how are these variables conceptualized (if at all)? How are they then operationalized? Is conceptualization consistent with operationalization for all, some, or few of the variables in this study? To what extent may results from each intervention be weakened by disparities between conceptualization and operationalization that you have identified? Finally, identify specific issues with types of measurement validity – i.e., do some measures suffer from weakened content validity (in your opinion) while others lack face validity? Be sure to also discuss any relevant differences between the different iterations of the G.R.E.A.T. as they relate to how important concepts are conceptualized and operationalized.

 

 

 

Required Readings

Esbensen, Finn-Aage, D. Wayne Osgood, Terence J. Taylor, Dana Peterson, & Adrienne Freng. 2001. How great is G.R.E.A.T.? Results from a longitudinal quasi-experimental design. Criminology & Public Policy, 1(1):87-118.

Esbensen, Finn-Aage, Dana Peterson, Terence J. Taylor, Adrienne Freng, D. Wayne Osgood, Dena C. Carson, & Kristy N. Matsuda. 2011. Evaluation and evolution of the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. Journal of School Violence, 10(1): 53-70.