Research Process.pptx

CC 102: research methodology
Unit I: Introduction to Research
Italian journalist, author, and political interviewer: Oriana fallaci
social facts must be treated as things and all preconceived notions about social facts must be abandoned.

EMILE DURKHEIM: FRENCH SOCIOLOGIST
German sociologist, philosopher: sociology must be value free
Field Limitations: Andre Beteille study of Sripuram village in Tanjore where the Brahmins did not allow him to visit the untouchable locality and ask their point of view.




Thus complete objectivity continues to be an elusive goal.
Chancellor, NEHU
Subjectivity is the opposite of objectivity, which is based purely on the facts and is not personal.

Subjectivity depends on past experiences too.

Interview sometimes carries subjectivity.


The new Knowledge acquired through research may be used for THEORY BUILDING.

CONCEPTS & IDEAS about a class of thing or phenomena governed by a specified set of conditions. - BASIC/PURE RESEARCH.

Applied Researches – Policy Making




American Psychologist
Problems of Objectivity
Objectivity is a goal of scientific investigation.

Objectivity is a frame of mind so that personal prejudices, preferences or predilections of the social scientists do not contaminate the collection of data & analysis of data.

Scientific investigations should be free from prejudices of race, color, religion, sex or ideological biases.
What is Subjectivity?
… how someone's judgment is shaped by personal opinions and feelings instead of outside influences.

E.g. We expect judges to put aside their subjectivity and make decisions based on objectivity.

… how a person's own uniqueness influences (change/effect/manipulate) their perceptions (opinions/viewpoints/assessment/sensitivity/
outlook)

Subjectivity is a form of bias and also individuality.




Radcliffe Brown – English social anthropologist

transcend ethnocentric and egocentric biases




Bronisław Malinowski,
polish social Anthropologist: trobriand island:
advocated cultural relativism


gunnar myrdal: swedish economist
: total objectivity is an illusion which can never be achieved
Qualitative: Non – Quantitative type analysis, it describes reality as experienced by groups, communities, individuals etc.

E.g: How does structure & organization of wall-less prisons (minimum security jails) differ from that of the district & central jails (maximum security jails) & contribute to the reformation and re-socialization of criminals…..

What has been the party wise stand on women's reservation in parliament and state assemblies….

Comparative: the similarities & dissimilarities of among/between different units or cultural or social groups are studied.


E.g: Comparing marriage systems of different religious communities in India, customs and social practices of rural people with urban dwellers, Differences between joint family & nuclear family….


Longitudinal: studying or investigating/ researching a phenomenon over a period of time.
… over long periods of time, often many decades.

… track the same people and so the differences observed in those people are less likely to be the result of cultural differences across generations.
Assignment Question
What is Research? Illustrate the focus areas of the Scope of Social Science Research. How does Objectivity affect the outcomes in a research?
Applied: uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems, analyses & solves social & real life issues. Large Scale & Expensive
E.g: Govt. Policies, UNO, World Bank, UGC, ICSSR, public corporations, Banks etc….
Quantitative: uses statistical tools for analyzing data and information.
E.g: What % (percentage) of medical students do drugs and uses alcohol?
What is the divorce rate in India?
How many Man-Days have been lost due to
strikes & lockouts in India?

Causal: Explains causes of Social Phenomena

E.g: describing the magnitude & nature of crimes committed by women in India,

Pure: Basic Research: quest for knowledge, knowing more about a phenomena, theory building, testing hypotheses.

E.g: developing a concept about group dynamics, functioning of group mind
Types of Research
Exploratory : no information or little information available
E. g: Student's Unrest, Corruption among Political Elite, Police Harassment, Rural Poverty

Descriptive: describes social situations, social events, social systems, social structure
E. g. : Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Caste System in India, Racism in the USA, The Political System in India, Census in India, Impact of Broken Family on Children

What is Objectivity?
Ideal - guides all inquiry.

Requirements - precise, unbiased, open, honest, receptive to criticism, and so on.

- being aware and honest about how one's own beliefs, values, and biases affect the research process.

the very choice of topic is influenced by personal preferences and ideological biases of the researcher
Theory Building



Research will give rise to lot of empirical/practical/experiential/realistic facts, however facts alone do not constitute a science.
Theory is some type of "CONCEPT", "IDEA", "THOUGHT", "BELIEF", "VIEW POINT".
A theory is a generalization about a phenomenon, an explanation of how or why something occurs.
E.g.
Disorganized families produce more crime
The Helio-Centric Theory
The Cell Theory
Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
Theory of General Relativity


Methods
methodology
Method is a technique of collection of information relevant to a study
Methodology is a study of those Methods .
What is SCIENCE?


What is Science: A Systematic Study through Observation and Experimentation

What is Scientific: Systematic and Methodical

… build a body of scientific knowledge through observation, experimentation, generalization and verification ….



So what is A theory?
SCIENTIFIC METHODS MUST BE UTILISED IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH that will make the research scientific

Social Science Research:

- investigates human behavior

- works to answer many of the questions
we have about human behavior

- seeks to understand the hows and whys of human behavior.

Key Concepts:

Research: Social Science Research
Characteristics & Aims of Research
Scope of Research
Brief Introduction to Theory – Theory building
Problems of Objectivity in Social Research
-----------------------------------
Types of Research

ASKING QUESTIONS
WHAT IS RESEARCH?

… a procedure of study and analysis …systematic/organized, …methodical/arrangement …ethical/fair/just/impartial/honest;
… it can help solve practical problems and
… enhance the existing body of knowledge.
------------------

IT IS A METHODICAL AND OBJECTIVE ATTEMPT TO STUDY A PROBLEM AT HAND ….


Research is a careful & exhaustive/extensive investigation/study/inquiry of a phenomenon/fact/happening/observable fact/experience/trend with an objective/goal/purpose of advancing/increase knowledge…..

Social Science: scientific study of human society and social relationships

Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Business Studies, Journalism etc ….

Inter-disciplinary areas as Environmental Management also allows a lot of scope for researching into human behavior.
Various ways of conducting a research:

Library Research: in Library Situation
Historical Research/Biographical Research: study of history
Social Research: study of human groups/ social interaction
Scientific Research: building of knowledge through the collection of empirically verifiable facts
Empirical Research: based on observable facts or interaction with people

SCIENTIFIC METHOD:


…. Involves techniques that involves empiricism/practical, observable, experimental
objectivity/independence/impartiality, accuracy/exactness/precise and systematization/methodical/organized ….
J.C. Merriam: "Much of the difficulty we encounter today is due to ignorance. The cure for these situations is new knowledge".


Study of Social Problems
The key to the solution of social problems is their accurate & unbiased analysis & thereby to understand the causal factors responsible for them.

The analysis of an untrained observer is not dispassionate & precise.

Social scientists have successfully analyzed the dimensions of regionalism, casteism, linguism, communalism, terrorism etc.
Theory Building & Policy Making
New knowledge may be put to two possible uses:

a) Theoretical

b) Practical
Scope of Social Research
A SIMPLE QUESTION: OF WHAT IS A NEW BORN CHILD?

Immense Scope, huge potentialities

Knowledge Building
Study of Social Problems
Theory Building & Policy Making

Knowledge Building
… brings about new knowledge

… to point out certain gaps in the existing body of knowledge & bridge these gaps. i.e. correcting the errors in it.

… bounds of knowledge get enlarged not just quantitatively but also qualitatively
Characteristics of social research
…..related to Social Life

…..investigates & verifies facts about the society & social interaction & analyzes social phenomenon

…. frames laws in regards to various social phenomena & facts – reflects societal situations

…. establishes scientific knowledge

Aims of Social Research
To understand the functioning of society

To study individual behavior and social action

To evaluate social problems, their effects on society and to find out possible solution

To develop theories

To explore social reality and explain social life

Positivism
Mid 19th Century social science discussions
were mainly on speculation/ guess work/ assumptions/unfounded information/ &
theology/ religious studies …
Auguste Comte: French Philosopher: 1st Philosopher of Science
Discipline of Sociology & Doctrine of Positivism
Base of Social Research should be SOCIETY & SOCIAL RELATIONS.
1848: A General View of Positivism-Positive Method in Social Research: Appropriate tool for Social Research
Popularized in 1930's in the USA & other countries
POSITIVISM: Delineated
Rejected speculation & Science is the valid knowledge
Rejected philosophical approach – philosophy does not possess a method different from science
Focused on gathering of empirical/experiential/observable/pragmatic/
realistic data – fact is the object of knowledge
Positivist Methodology: Descriptive, Experimental
Utilized similar methods as employed by natural sciences
Task of philosophy is to find the general principles that would be common to all branches of knowledge
General Principles – guides human conduct – social beings
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