Sociology 2172A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Scientific Method
13 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Formal research is a mode of investigation and enquiry which is planned and systematic rather than ad hoc or taken for granted. Involves a question to which it seeks an answer. Aims to obtain knowledge surrounding the subject in question. Reflects on the world around us raises the problem that there is not one right way in which to see the world. Our personal perspectives are influenced by the culture in which we live, the religions with which we identify, our age, and our upbringing. Our view of the world is our paradigm. The practice of research is governed by theoretical choices. Qualitative methods: interested in meaning rather than measurement, ex: feelings, opinions, perceptions; gaining insight into the ways in which people make sense of the world; genuinely engaged in their topic of research. Quantitative methods: focused upon measurement; aims to reach statistical conclusions; collects empirical data in order to describe a population through statistical analysis.
