SOCL 2211 Chapter : Methods
Document Summary
What is social research: collection of methods and methodologies systematically applied to prove scientifically based knowledge about the social world. Objective: understand and describe human behavioral and social phenomena. Methodologies: broader term encompassing theoretical, philosophical and political considerations of researcher. Errors in personal experience: overgeneralization, going far beyond what is justified by the data, selective observations, picking observations, seeing only certain cases, premature closure, assuming you already have all the answer, halo effect, believing those with prestige. Science: systematic observation and collection of data, data, info we gather according to established procedures, empirical, based on senses. Scientific method: it is unique because, almost anyone can learn it, assesses truth through observations of nature and life, open to public scrutiny, potential for falsification of any conclusion/belief. Scientific norms: universalism, research judged on scientific merit, organized skepticism, null hypothesis, disinterestedness, neutrality, communalism, knowledge belongs to everyone, honesty. Basic research: designed to advance fundamental knowledge about how the world works.
