Many university students stumble when it comes to the analysis and interpretation of research data because they do not understand how to tackle the process. Because of this, in research related assignments they fail to provide well considered results.
I designed The Eccy Road Smash and Grab as a first step in giving students the experience of organising and assessing evidence, deciding what is significant and what can be ignored, and offering interpretations. Student teams undertake a problem solving exercise using a simplified model or simulation of a crime that participants can grasp quickly and complete successfully in one session.
The task capitalises on the popularity of crime dramas and crime investigation documentaries and it uses a familiar situation that students can relate to easily in terms of the location, characters and context. Set in Sheffield, somewhere on Ecclesall Road (an area of the city where many university students live in rented houses), the scenario focuses on house mates who suffer a break-in and theft. A detailed booklet describing the background to the crime and statements from key suspects, together with a box of crime scene images and other useful items are provided.
Having weighed up the evidence, teams use a specially prepared ‘phrase wizard’ containing common research terms and phrases to write a concise statement of their findings. This final element enables students to become familiar with the use of appropriate language and, later, to have greater confidence and success when they move on to research using academic sources.
