SOSC 3800 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: International Development, Thesis Statement
4 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Social scientists assume humans are rational beings - behaviors can be observed systematically through methods and techniques, and we are able to observe patterns for generalizations. Scienti c method of knowledge - mainstream and hegemonic. Scienti c method is based on theories, proceeds by nding relations, antecedents and previous explanations to problems. Theories, hypothesis, explanations, relations, observations, research methods and techniques. Hypothesis = an educated guess, starting point for more in-depth investigation, common sense reasoning, a prediction based on facts and principles, similar to a thesis statement, an important guideline for the research process. Scienti c knowledge is based on the assumption that the world can be known only as experience is processed through human intelligence. Interpretation and understanding of what we observe in order to nd patterns, generalizations. Observe -> interpretation and understanding -> patterns -> generalizations. Eg. changes in smoking habits over time -> data/statistics, questionnaires, surveys, interviews.
