Introduction to Social science methods learning objectives
Week 1: Introduction to Social Science Research -> Lecture 1 Learning objectives and
explanation
Distinguishing between ordinary and scientific knowledge;
Research -> Looking and finding information in a systematic way in answer to a question.
Social research -> In relation to Social Reality
Social Science Research -> Science = Research + Theory
Identifying the relation between theory and empirical data in scientific research
You need a theory to know what kind of data you want to get by means of an empirical
experiment or something like that. -> There are two ways of doing that.
Describing and recognizing the different steps in the empirical cycle (both deductively and
inductively);
1. Deduction
From theory to empirical data
•Expectation on basis of theory (hypothesis)“people with a low brow are less intelligent”
•Collecting data (doing observations)
•Testing theory : a. Observations in line with hypothesis -> Confirmation b.
Observations contrast hypothesis -> Falsification
2. Induction
From empirical data to theory
•Collecting data (doing observations)
“which people are more intelligent?”
•Interpreting findings
•Theory building by synthesis of findings
-> grounded theory
, Induction Deduction
- You need to know what/where to - Theory does not come out of the
observe blue
Some theory is prerequisite Based on prior research or
You might have some unsystematic observations
expectations about what you will In case of falsification, theory
find needs inductive adjustment
Empirical cycle Empirical cycle
Question -> Observation -> Interpretation -> Theory -> Question -> Hypothesis ->
Theory -> Question (und so weiter) Observation -> Testing -> Evaluation ->
Theory (und so weiter)
Describing and recognizing the different ontological and epistemological views (following
the course ‘Academic skills’)
Ontology Epistemology
So what is social reality? And how can we understand t?
What is reality? Give a conception of social reality, how
can we gain understanding of it?
- Age-old philosophical debate
- How should we consider the being of - What is the nature of knowledge?
things? - And when is this knowledge
scientific? -> What is the proper
What is social reality? way to study things?
- Is there such a thing as social reality? Two positions:
- Is this reality external to us?
- Positivism -> Social reality is
Two positions: like physical reality. Therefore
social sciences should operate
- Objectivism -> Social reality is real/ It like natural sciences.
is a social fact and objective/External Human behaviour is regular and
to us, groups are not just collections of the research is to capture and test
individuals. regularities. -> Searching for
Social reality has an impact on our universal laws.
behaviour, thinking, we cannot control - Interpretivism -> People are not
social reality. just natural elements, because
- Constructionism -> Is constructed. they make sense of their
Only real in people’s surroundings. -> Social sciences
minds/interpretations, perceptions/ I are totally different from natural
Our behaviour thinking has an impact on sciences
social reality. Gender roles etc are the ‘Verstehen’ – Weber,
outcomes of how we think. Understanding behaviour
, Week 2: Causality & Research designs ->Lecture 2 Learning Objectives and
Explanation
Identifying the criteria of replicability, reliability and validity.
Replicability Question: Is it possible to do - Basis principle of
the study again? scientific research,
but in practice
replications are rare
- Criterion mostly
enforced through the
demand of
replicability:
Systematic and
transparent
procedures
Observations not
bound to
individual
researcher
It could be done
over … even if it
quite likely won’t
be.
Reliability Question: Are the results - Very much related to
stable and not mere replicability has to
coincidence? do with procedures,
reliability with
outcomes.
- Reliability is an
often-misunderstood
concept. Don’t
compare it to
reliability in people:
Trustworthy (tool) ->
Trust that it will do
what you expect, that
it will continue to
work.
Validity 1. Measurement 1. Does an IQ test
validity -> Are the capture intelligence?
measures that are
used right?
2. Internal validity ->
Are the causal Validity often a
relations that are compromise, optimal rather
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