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Summary SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY NOTES FROM THE BOOK - ALAN BRYMAN
These are notes from the book Social Research Methods - Alan Bryman
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1|PageSOCIAL RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
NOTES FROM THE BOOK -
ALAN BRYMAN
PART ONE: THE RESEARCH PROCESS
CHAPTER 1: THE NATURE AND PROCESS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH
INTRODUCTION
The book ‘Social Research methods’ by Alan Bryman is concerned with the conduction of
social research in all its phases. The book discusses the formulation of research objectives,
choosing research methods, securing research participants, collecting, analysing and
interpreting data, and disseminating findings to others. Understanding social research
methods is important for two reasons: (1) to guard unexperienced people within the field of
social research from making common mistakes. (2) An understanding of social research
methods and the familiarity with its potential pitfalls is important for the critical view on the
research of others.
, 2|Page
WHAT IS SOCIAL RESEARCH?
Research is done in order to give answers to questions. It can be done to enlarge general knowledge
or to solve some sort of problem. Theories are used in research as analytical tools for understanding
and explaining a subject matter. Theory has logical non-contradictory propositions, is testable and
has an explanatory mechanism.
Social research denotes academic research on topics relating on topics relevant to the social
scientific fields. Social research involves research that draws on the social sciences, such as
sociology, human geography, social policy, politics and criminology. Research may be
provoked by developments and changes in society, such as the rise in worries over digital
security or about how ebikes change the Dutch street scene.
WHY DO SOCIAL RESEARCH?
There are several reasons for social research. Usual reasons are: A gap in the literature, an
inconsistency between a number of studies, an unresolved issue in the literature or a
development in society that provides an interesting point of departure for a research
question.
THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS
Social research and its associated methods do not take place in a vacuum. Bryman mentions
several factors that form the context of social research.
• Existing theories on topics that are influencing investigated topics and the interpreting
of findings;
• Existing knowledge about a research topic forms an important part of the background
of the research. It is important to acquire enough information on the topic to avoid
research on what already has been researched;
• Relationships between theories and research. One approach is to use theory to
formulate a hypothesis which can be tested. An other approach is to view theory as
an outcome of research. Chapter 2 focusses on the relationship between theory and
research further.
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