Lee Ellis is semi-retired after over thirty years as professor of sociology at Minot State University.

Richard D. Hartley is professor in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice at University of Texas at San Antonio.

Anthony Walsh is professor emeritus of criminal justice at Boise State University. The authors have varied and extensive experience with research methods in criminology and criminal justice as well as in sociology and corollary social/behavioral sciences. All authors have doctoral degrees in Criminology or Criminal Justice, and all have taught research methods courses for criminology and criminal justice as well as sociology. The authors have published in a variety of academic journals from various disciplines and all have published books in the past.