SYG-1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Scientific Method, Dependent And Independent Variables, Operational Definition
22 Feb 2019
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
The real purpose of scientific method is to make sure. Nature hasn"t misled you into thinking you know something you actually don"t. Common sense vs. empirical: subjective personal experiences vs. systematic establishing a theory and structured collection and analysis of data. Normative vs. empirical: normative is making a decision on beliefs of right and wrong or what should be. decisions are based on religion, habits, or traditions. Scientific evidence: absolute necessity to be considered a science. Scientific method (steps): (it usually is a deductive process. ) Explanatory how/why data is related (explain why event occur): theory - review of prior theoretical explanation and research, hypothesis expected, hypothetical relationship between concepts, variables measurable concepts. From this you develop the research design (what is the unit, how measured: time frame, longitudinal, cross-section (most common, data collection, sampling. Qualitative: data collection approach (research method specific technique to gather research data, survey. Unstructured (open-ended, interview leads decisions for next step: field research.
