Lesson 2. Doing Research in the Social Sciences Group 9: Leader: Maceda, Mary Ann Secretary: Ursua, Teresa Reporter: Gallos, Jaissen
ICEBREAKER
CENSMTRIROEU
PENO METSSY
SITIPOVISM
TAVETILIQUA HODTME
TAVETIANTIQU TMEHOD
FLEVITYXIRE
CIENSFICIT DOTHME
ALSOCI RCESEHRA
SCIENCE AND COMMON SENSE
Science and Common Sense ●
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Common sense is considered to be the bedrock of science. Science starts with common sense, but goes beyond common sense. Philosophers of science point out that in order to observe scientifically one has to learn the culture of science (Chalmers 1997, p. 27) In most cases, the scientific method debunks common sense. One of the examples is the geocentric or Ptolemaic theory (named after the famous Alexandrian astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (c. AD 90 - c. 168). Later, Galileo Galilei and other astronomers showed the falsity of this theory by substituting it with the heliocentric theory. This trend applies equally to the social sciences. For instance, it was generally believed that women are incapable of higher education because of their weak intellectual and physical nature. Today, however, such claim is considered as discriminatory against women.
THE EMANCIPATORY POTENTIAL OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Emancipatory Potential of the Social Sciences ●
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By using scientific method, the social sciences can contribute to the elimination of prejudices against certain groups of people such as racism, sexism, and cultural ethnocentrism. By studying events scientifically, people may come to realize that society can be controlled to a certain degree. It is transformative insofar as it allows the social scientists to imagine an alternative way of life or direction for the future. In this sense, social sciences like the natural sciences are revolutionary. They challenge the common sense beliefs and refuse to follow unexamined traditions and claims based on authority (Bhaskar 2002)
THE OPEN SYSTEM OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Open System of the Social Sciences What constitutes the scientific method? ●
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Scientific method does not mean the rigid application of the methods of physical sciences such as physics and chemistry. Unlike the natural sciences, social sciences are confronted with an open system- that applies to society, politics, culture, and the world. Open systems refer to systems that interact with other systems or the outside environment. Closed systems refer to systems having relatively little interaction with other systems or the outside environment.
The Open System of the Social Sciences ●
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The diversity of culture and social structures that define human meanings make it challenging for social scientists to study culture, society, and politics. They prefer the more humanistic tradition that sees society, culture, and politics as unique in their own right. Today, social scientists recognize that social sciences cannot be as hard and rigorous as the natural sciences. The humanistic side of the social sciences are shown in their capacity to emphasize the particular, the admission of probabilistic generalization, the acknowledgement of the role of values and ethical considerations as well as the power in formulating and interpreting social scientific findings.
TWO BASIC METHODS IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
Two Basic Methods in the Social Sciences Quantitative Method
According to Jeanette Garwood (2006), quantitative method refers to “research involving the collection of data in numerical form of quantitative analysis. The numerical data can be durations, scores, counts of incidents, ratings, or scales. Quantitative data can be collected in either controlled or naturalistic environments, in laboratories or field studies, from special populations or from samples of the general population. The defining factor is the numbers result from the process, whether the initial data collection produced numerical values, or whether non-numerical values were subsequently converted to numbers as part of the analysis process, as in content analysis” (Jupp 2006, p. 251).
Two Basic Methods in the Social Sciences
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Quantitative research allows the researcher to familiarize herself with the problem or concept to be studied, and perhaps generate hypotheses to be tested. A quantitative researcher attempts to delimit phenomena into measurable or common categories that can be applied to all of the subjects or wider and similar situations.
Two Basic Methods in the Social Sciences
Qualitative Method
According to Maggie Sumner (2006), a qualitative research method refers to “Research that investigates aspects of social life which are not amenable to quantitative measurement. Associated with a variety of theoretical perspectives, qualitative research uses a range of method to focus on the meanings amd interpretation of social phenomena and social processes in the particular contexts in which they occur”. ●
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The goals of qualitative research are to understand processes, experiences and meanings people assign to things. There are a variety of methods that include interviews, participant observations, focused group discussion, textual and discourse analysis, oral history, biographies, and other forms of humanistic techniques.
ETHICS AND POLITICS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH