ACS 301

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ACS 301September 4, 2008

Introduction to Social Research

ACS 301

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About Me

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Key themes

• Theory and research• Ontology• Epistemology• Research Strategies

– Qualitative or quantitative?

• Asking research questions

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What’s wrong with social theory?

“Let them renounce their practice of taking in each other’s washing…”

Herbert Blumer

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Types of social theories

“The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life…”

Dialectical Materialism

“The control of humans over the labour process turns into its opposite and becomes the control of the labour process over the mass of humans..”

Labour Process Theory

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Deductive versus Inductive

“People born into religious countries will be more religious than those born into secular countries.”

Deductive

“My participants said they don’t like ‘traditional’ bar scenes. This means, raves are about rejecting the traditional.”

Inductive

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Deductive versus Inductive

I start with theory.

I confirm a hypothesis.

I tend to do quantitative research.

Deductive

I start with data.

I infer conclusions from my data.

I tend to do qualitative research.

Inductive

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Ontology

What do you think reality actually is?

What do you think reality actually is? That’s a good

question. I guess I should know before I

start doing research!

That’s a good question. I

guess I should know before I

start doing research!

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Objectivism

I think the social world is something outside of us,

something that exists before we even are born.

I think the social world is something outside of us,

something that exists before we even are born.

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Constructionism

Well I think the social world is something we create everyday. We make it

through talking, writing and interacting.

Well I think the social world is something we create everyday. We make it

through talking, writing and interacting.

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Epistemology

Well how did she find that out?

Well how did she find that out?

I found people like pets in my research.

I found people like pets in my research.

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Positivism

I am completely objective

in my research.

I am completely objective

in my research.

I suppose you also

avoid “should”

statements

I suppose you also

avoid “should”

statements

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Interpretivism Ah… Ich verstehe!

Ah… Ich verstehe!

I think people are different

than molecules.

I think people are different

than molecules.

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Critical Realism

…………

… ….. …….. ……

… ….. …….. ……

I’m pretty sure I’m observing something real here but I don’t think I could predict what will happen in the future.

I’m pretty sure I’m observing something real here but I don’t think I could predict what will happen in the future.

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Research strategy

Quantitative Qualitative

Role of theory in research

Deductive, testing of theory

Inductive, generating theory

Ontological orientation

Objectivism Constructionism

Epistemological orientation

Natural science model

Interpretivism