Results of the 2013 online survey
Behind the article:
Koubaridis (2014, n.p.), a crime news reporter for News Limited, states that ‘1 in 5 Australians have been victims of identity crime [due to] computer hacking, [and] online banking and shopping [are] to blame’. Koubaridis (2014) based the article’s research on a study conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology. Russell G. Smith and Alice Hutchings from the Australian Institute of Criminology conducted this study in September 2013 (Smith and Hutchings 2014).
Research data embedded within the article:
Within the media article, there were five components that directly related back to the published research. Koubaridis (2014, …show more content…
Walter (ed. 2010, p. 236) states that ‘working with samples that enable inferences to be drawn about wider populations’ is one of many strengths of quantitative data analysis. However, Walter (ed. 2010, p. 236) argues that ‘quantitative data analysis runs the risk of becoming disconnected from where the action is in the broader social research field.’ Firstly, Smith and Hutchings (2014, p. 1) clearly identified the aim of the study, which was to ‘undertake a national survey to determine the extent and impact of identity crime and misuse in Australia.’ The randomised sample size consisted of 4,995 participants, across all ages (above age fifteen), genders, states and territories in Australia. This aim acted as the overall research question for the investigation, despite the study using an online questionnaire as the quantitative research …show more content…
2010). Smith and Hutchings (2014, p. 8) argues that ‘despite these limitations, the results of the survey provide valuable information to inform policymakers and the public about the current extent and nature of identity crime and misuse in Australia.’
Alternative methods for data collection:
Brannen, Creswell and Plano Clark (cited in Wisdom et al. 2012, p. 722) suggest that ‘mixed methods can be a better approach to research than either quantitative-only or qualitative-only methods’. Mixed methods can assist researchers gather an in-depth understanding of the study by combining strengths from both methods (Walter ed. 2010). Smith and Hutchings (2014, p. 46) proposed that ‘qualitative research through the use of in-depth interviewing would help to understand and explain the findings presented in [the identity crime and misuse in