Research Methodology Session 1 Dr Huma

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

Research Methodology Session 1 Dr Huma

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