CRIM 220 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Data Analysis, Operationalization
18 Jan 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Crim 220 - lecture 2 - scientific inquiry & foundations of social science research. Scientists have certain criteria to be met. Assertion must have both logical & empirical support. Things we consider real b/c we have been told they are real & everybody believes they are real. How useful info is depends on quality of source. Assuming that few events are evidence of general pattern. Noticing events supporting our beliefs & ignoring others. Has to do w/ what is & why, not what should be. What should be depends on policy/decision makers. Inferences about social regularities - based on probabilities. Identified pattern does not have to include 100% of cases. Scientists use theory to develop research questions that can be examined through observations. Specification of steps, procedures, operations to identify & measure variables. Look at world systematically, develop theoretical expectations, measure. Systematic explanation for observed facts proposing relationships among. Abstract ideas around which we do research.
