The nature and process of social research

We will probably not be able to do a complete review of all possible contributions to our field of research because of time constraints. It is crucial, therefore, to identify the key books and articles on the topic, in part by finding out who the most influential contributors are. This is an area where supervisors should be able to help because they are possibly working in that area themselves. It is a waste of time to ‘go over old ground’ and, in any event, we want to show we are up-to-date with the research area. Naturally, we are not interested in just doing a ‘copy and paste’ job on what we read but, rather, reading critically to find out the various points of view on offer and any possible disagreements or controversies that may exist.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 6

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 (b) must be correct. 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, meaning answer (c) cannot be correct. The usual application of inductive theory, however, is to allow theory to emerge from our findings, so answer (a) cannot be correct, either. Finally, although it is more likely for deductive theory to use quantitative methods and for inductive approaches to use qualitative methods, we will see later in the book that the methods can be mixed to good effect.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 6

Later chapters go into the precise details of many data-collection methods, including those shown in answers (b), (c) and (d). Interviewing implies asking questions to get answers – data – , whether structured or unstructured. Clearly, questionnaires are designed with the same intention in mind. Participant observation means, usually, that a group of people is studied by a ‘member’ of that group, again with the intention of gathering data. The problem with answer (a), although correct, is, as Bryman says “…that we use the same word – question – for both research questions and the kind of questions that are posed in questionnaires and interviews”.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 10

When we look at all the data gathered, we then need to group similar bits of qualitative data into categories and themes, and quantitative data into tables and averages, so that we can see it more clearly. Literally, we make sense of the data in a process called ‘data reduction’. Answer (c) is incorrect, because the repetition of responses across the sample might prove to be, itself, very interesting. Most research suffers from having too little data, rather than too much, at least of the desired kind. Finally, exceeding the sample size can never be bad if the additional cases satisfy the selection criteria (see chapter 8).
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 11

The importance of theory in social research is to help us to understand more clearly how we see the world. The more we think about this the more we realize how impractical it is to ignore ‘theory’. Having an open mind is essential when it comes to analysing our data, but which data? Familiarity with the literature on the topic is important because it helps us to figure out our research questions and consequently, the kind of data we need. Doing a pilot study is highly recommended once we have established a research plan, not before.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 4

It depends on your point of view. Focusing on theory or research represent the two main points of view in social research. Both viewpoints are felt deeply, even passionately, by their holders and it is virtually impossible to declare a winner, as it were. For some researchers, formulating and testing hypotheses is at the heart of science, whereas for others, what may be true for the physical sciences is almost certainly not appropriate to the social sciences. The question is meaningful, since the strategies and methods followed in research stem directly from it. Even the research results can be regarded as more, or less, reliable depending on the point of view. As with many other aspects of human endeavour, outside the world of research the question can be seen as yet another “chicken and egg” situation.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 6,7

Bryman (page 7) says that “a hypothesis is in a sense a form of research question” but which is not formulated as a question. In a way, it provides the basis for research questions, of which seven types are suggested in Key concept 1.1. These include Denscombe’s (2010) list, including answers (a), (b) and (c). The research question forces us to think about what we want to find out precisely, as well as attempting to prove or disprove the hypothesis. A hypothesis that something can be changed leads naturally to research questions like ‘how can it be changed’, ‘to what extent can it be changed’ and perhaps ‘under which circumstances might it be changed’.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 7, 8

Answer (a) is the correct answer, according to Townsend and Burgess (2009b, cited on page 16) because of the unpredictability of the research process. Key interviewees become unavailable or play ‘hard-to-get’, response rates prove too low to be usable, a new publication reveals significant development in the research topic and so on. We hope supervisors will always be sympathetic to your problems but it is your research, your dissertation, not theirs and it is, therefore, your responsibility to discharge it properly. Extra cash can be a help, from time to time, but is unlikely to resolve the problems outlined. Knowing when and how to change course is important, as is knowing when not to quit!
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 14

Social research is mostly conducted on people but not exclusively. Newspaper articles and television programmes can also supply useful research data, as can commercial firms and public institutions, for example. A ‘case’ is the general, collective word used for the unit of analysis. Sampling frames are essential if we want to make claims for the general population from our sample, by making sure that each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample. That means answer (b) is not just incorrect for this question but for almost every other, unless we mean people who have the appropriate criteria for our research. And as for the brief-case…what, no laptop?
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 9

Different types of research may be written up slightly differently, just as different publishers have different requirements. Your own institution has almost certainly specified a required (or at least a recommended) layout and you must follow this absolutely. Bryman’s point is that most dissertations, theses and research articles have an identifiable common core, as outlined in answer (d). The other answers are, therefore, ‘wrong’ relatively speaking. All academic reporting must reference sources fully; such reference lists, transcripts of interviews, full tabulations of quantitative data, may be seen as appendices.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 12, 13