research methodology session 1 dr huma
TRANSCRIPT
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8/13/2019 Research Methodology Session 1 Dr Huma
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S S C 1 5 4
F A L L 2 0 1 2
DR HUMA BAQAI
Research Methods in the Social
Sciences
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Course Assignments and Readings
2 hourlies (1 theoretical, one research draft)
4 lab sessions for SPSS
Research Project to be carried out and completed
by the end of the semester, in teams or individually,in lieu of final exam
Recommended Text:o Bryman, Alan. Social Science Research, third
edition (available in the library)
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Course Aims and Expectations
All students must come to class having completedthe assigned reading and prepared to contributemeaningfully to the class discussion based on what
they have read. By the end of this semester you will be able to
design your own research project, carry it out anddiscuss yours--and others'--research
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What are the Social Sciences?
The Social Sciences are a branch of knowledge concernedwith the systematicstudy of human life.
o human individuals, groups and their interactions form themain subject of inquiry for the various social sciences.
Thus, any discipline which deals with the social andcultural aspect of human behaviourcan be termed asocial science.
Examples of disciplines within the social sciences include:
o Economics, sociology, political science, anthropology,psychology
o Each discipline has its own rich history and particular lenswith which to understand the human condition
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Why is this aScience?
'Science' is a term used to refer to a reliable body ofknowledge which can be logically and rationallyexplained.
Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Formal Sciences
Like the natural sciences, social science too follows theScientific Method. Scientific inquiry must be:
Consistent Falsifiable
Observable Generalizable
Pertinent Reproducible
Parsimonious
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The Scientific Method
1. Ask a Question
a. The question must include both a manipulated andresponding variable
2. Background Research
3. Formulate a Hypothesis
4. Test the Hypothesis and Analyse the Data
5. Draw A Conclusion
6. Repeat if necessarya. Hypotheses can often be wrong. If so, its time to go back to
the drawing board and start again!
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The Subjects of Scientific Study
While social science also adheres to the scientificmethod more commonly associated with naturalsciences like chemistry or biology, there must
necessarily be several basic differences because ofthe nature of the subject of inquiry
Human subjects cannot be studied the exact sameway as non-living or inanimate objects
Hence, social science too must adapt the scientificmode of inquiry to suit the subject
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Limitations of the Scientific Method
Practical experiments to prove theories areimpossible
o huge numbers of humans cannot be placed in sterile labs tostudy interaction
Less control over external variables: all raw datamust be collected "in the field"
Humans are self-aware and adapt their
behaviour and thought as they see fit Internal thought processes can only be judged by
external indicators
The researcher is as human as his/her subject
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The Empirical Divide
The first controversy in social sciences relationship withthe Scientific Method took place over questions ofobjectivity andempiricism.
Early social scientists like Emile Durkheim, AugustComte, up to Talcott Parsons, believed that theresearcher and the subject of research can stayindependent of one another, and there are observable,universal laws of human behaviour.
These views were later rejected by post-positivists, whobelieve that human knowledge is not based onunchallengeable, rock-solid foundations, but rather uponhuman conjectures.
This divide still informs methodological options in socialresearch today
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Positivism
August Comte: founder of positivist social science.
The goal of knowledge is simply to describe thephenomena we experience
It is impossible to scientificallydiscuss that whichwe cannot physically observe and measurehenceanything beyond that is unknowable Emotions, thoughts, beliefs, attitudes are not directly
observable or measurable. Positivists placed them beyond therealm of the knowable
Empiricism formed the core tenet of positivism
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The Move Toward Post-positivism
There was a growing rejection of positivismsemphasis on only observable phenomena
Critical realism: there is a reality independent ofour observation of it that science can study
Constructivism: we each constructour view of theworld based on our perceptions of it. Both perceptionand observation, and hence our constructions, areusually imperfect. Human bias is hence always
to be expected, even in researchers. Objectivity is not achieved individually; it is an
inherently social phenomenon. Hence critique andacademic reviews become important
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Applying the Empirical Divide to Your Research
Your approach to epistemologywill influence yourapproach to the reality your research seeks todescribe
Figuring out your stance on the divide (most social
scientists today acknowledge the importance of post-positivism)
Can often influences whether your research will bemore quantitative or qualitative
Influences the questions you ask, how you ask them,and the methods you choose for your analysis
Qualitative/Quantitative Approaches
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The Methodological Divide
Social scientists remain divided on how best to
methodologically adapt their research designs
to these differences.
Some attempt to ensure due scientific rigour intheir work by using mathematical models(quantitative methods). These methods aremore conducive to positivism
Others insist that more descriptive and analyticalmethods must be used to account for theconstructed nature of social reality (qualitative
methods)
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The Methodological Divide
The quantitative/qualitative divide is the mostimportant disciplinary issue in social researchmethodology.
It also distinguishes social science disciplines fromone another
Quantitative Methods: Structured Interviews,Surveys, Dataset Analysis, Mathematical Models
Qualitative Methods: Ethnography, ParticipantObservation, Oral Histories