Social research strategies: quantitative research and qualitative research
What does an empiricist believe?
We should not apply natural science methods to social science research
It is the sociologist’s aim to understand the meaning of social action
Knowledge, in the form of ‘facts’, should be gained through sensory experience
Research conducted within the British empire was biased and unreliable
Knowledge, in the form of ‘facts’, should be gained through sensory experience
How do we actually know the things we know? People told us some of them, we read about some of them and others we saw, or felt for ourselves. This is at the heart of empiricism – we acquire knowledge through our sensory perceptions. It follows that the empiricist approach to research is to gather information through observation of the ‘real’ world and let theory emerge as a kind of conclusion. We should not start out with a theory, an empiricist might say, and find facts which seem to suit. Now, although this discussion might seem a bit too philosophical for some and consequently, a bit esoteric, most social research depends on ’empirical’ data. What this means is that most research studies include quite a bit of primary data gathering, and are not just limited to musings about what others have said.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 20
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 20
Knowledge, in the form of ‘facts’, should be gained through sensory experience How do we actually know the things we know? People told us some of them, we read about some of them and others we saw, or felt for ourselves. This is at the heart of empiricism – we acquire knowledge through our sensory perceptions. It follows that the empiricist approach to research is to gather information through observation of the ‘real’ world and let theory emerge as a kind of conclusion. We should not start out with a theory, an empiricist might say, and find facts which seem to suit. Now, although this discussion might seem a bit too philosophical for some and consequently, a bit esoteric, most social research depends on ’empirical’ data. What this means is that most research studies include quite a bit of primary data gathering, and are not just limited to musings about what others have said.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 20
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 20
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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 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
An inductive theory is one that:
A. Involves testing an explicitly defined hypothesis
B. Does not allow for findings to feed back into the stock of knowledge
C. Uses quantitative methods whenever possible
D. Allows theory to emerge out of the data
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