Social research strategies: quantitative research and qualitative research
An inductive theory is one that:
Involves testing an explicitly defined hypothesis
Does not allow for findings to feed back into the stock of knowledge
Uses quantitative methods whenever possible
Allows theory to emerge out of the data
Allows theory to emerge out of the data
A deduction is a conclusion drawn logically from an argument or a discussion of things previously established or known. Deductions can be expressed as hypotheses which can then be tested, so answer (a) must be incorrect. However, when we have gathered and analysed the research data, the research findings can be fed back into our existing knowledge, which is a form of induction. This is because induction means moving from the particular to the general. So answer (b) cannot be correct either. The usual application of inductive theory, however, is to allow theory to emerge from our findings. We find an interesting question, we gather data on it and we ‘theorise’ from our findings. It may be that these ‘theories’ are, in reality, simply ‘interesting insights’ rather than ‘grand theories’ but they can be valuable for all that. The methods used are “neither here nor there” although it may be more likely for deductive theory to use quantitative methods and for inductive approaches to use qualitative methods.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 22-24
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 22-24
Allows theory to emerge out of the data A deduction is a conclusion drawn logically from an argument or a discussion of things previously established or known. Deductions can be expressed as hypotheses which can then be tested, so answer (a) must be incorrect. However, when we have gathered and analysed the research data, the research findings can be fed back into our existing knowledge, which is a form of induction. This is because induction means moving from the particular to the general. So answer (b) cannot be correct either. The usual application of inductive theory, however, is to allow theory to emerge from our findings. We find an interesting question, we gather data on it and we ‘theorise’ from our findings. It may be that these ‘theories’ are, in reality, simply ‘interesting insights’ rather than ‘grand theories’ but they can be valuable for all that. The methods used are “neither here nor there” although it may be more likely for deductive theory to use quantitative methods and for inductive approaches to use qualitative methods.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 22-24
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 22-24
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The qualitative research strategy places a value on:A. Using numbers, measurements and statistical techniques
B. Generating theories through inductive research about social meanings
C. Conducting research that is of a very high quality
D. All of the above
The constructionist ontological position suggests that:
A. Social phenomena and their meanings are constantly being accomplished by social actors
B. Individuals are born into a world of rules and structures that they cannot change
C. Building and construction work presents an ideal opportunity to exercise the sociological imagination
D. Social facts and objects have an external reality, independently of the people who perceive them
What is the epistemological position held by a positivist?
A. There is no substitute for an in-depth, hermeneutic understanding of society
B. Scientific research should be based on value-free, empirical observations
C. Events and discourses in the social world prevent us from having direct knowledge of the natural order
D. It is important to remain optimistic about our research, even when things go wrong
Which of the following is an ontological question?
A. Should I use questionnaires or interviews in my project?
B. What can (and should) be considered acceptable forms of knowledge?
C. How long is it since I last visited the dentist?
D. Do social entities have an objective reality, external to social actors?
What does an empiricist believe?
A. We should not apply natural science methods to social science research
B. It is the sociologist’s aim to understand the meaning of social action
C. Knowledge, in the form of ‘facts’, should be gained through sensory experience
D. Research conducted within the British empire was biased and unreliable
What is a ‘grand theory’?
A. One that was proposed by one of the major theorists in the sociological tradition
B. One that is highly abstract and makes broad generalizations about the social world
C. An intermediate level explanation of observed regularities
D. A particularly satisfactory theory that makes the researcher feel happy
Which of the following is an example of value-free research?
A. Conscious partiality
B. Sympathy for the underdog
C. Unstructured interviewing
D. None of the above
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