CC 102: RESEARCH

METHODOLOGY
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH

METHODS

Method
is
technique
collection
information
relevant
to
study

a
of
of
a

METHODOLOGY

Methodology is a
study of those
Methods .

KEY CONCEPTS:

Research: Social Science Research

Characteristics & Aims of Research
Scope of Research
Brief Introduction to Theory
Theory building
Problems of Objectivity in Social
Research
----------------------------------Types of Research

ASKING QUESTIONS

WHAT IS RESEARCH?
a procedure of study and analysis
systematic/organized,

methodical/arrangement

ethical/fair/just/impartial/honest;
it can help solve practical problems and
enhance the existing body of knowledge.
-----------------IT IS A METHODICAL AND OBJECTIVE
ATTEMPT TO STUDY A PROBLEM AT HAND .

Research is a careful & exhaustive/extensive

investigation/study/inquiry of a
phenomenon/fact/happening/observable
fact/experience/trend with an objective/goal/purpose
of advancing/increase knowledge..

Social Science: scientific study of human society and

social relationships

Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Law,

Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Business
Studies, Journalism etc .

Inter-disciplinary
areas
as
Management also allows a lot
researching into human behavior.

Environmental
of scope for

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH:

- INVESTIGATES HUMAN BEHAVIOR
- WORKS TO ANSWER MANY OF THE QUESTIONS
WE HAVE ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR
- SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE HOWS AND WHYS
OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

SCIENTIFIC METHODS MUST BE UTILISED IN CONDUCTING

RESEARCH THAT WILL MAKE THE RESEARCH SCIENTIFIC

What is
SCIENCE?

What is Science: A Systematic Study

through
Observation
and
Experimentation

What is Scientific:
Methodical

build a body of scientific knowledge

through observation, experimentation,
generalization and verification .

Systematic

and

SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

. Involves techniques that involves

empiricism/practical, observable,
experimental
objectivity/independence/impartiality,
accuracy/exactness/precise and
systematization/methodical/organized
.

Various ways of conducting a

research:

Library Research: in Library Situation

Historical Research/Biographical Research:
study of history
Social Research: study of human groups/
social interaction
Scientific Research: building of knowledge
through the collection of empirically
verifiable facts
Empirical Research: based on observable
facts or interaction with people

POSITIVISM

Mid 19th Century social science discussions

were mainly on speculation/ guess work/
assumptions/unfounded information/ &
theology/ religious studies
Auguste Comte: French Philosopher: 1st
Philosopher of Science
Discipline of Sociology & Doctrine of
Positivism
Base of Social Research should be SOCIETY
& SOCIAL RELATIONS.
1848: A General View of PositivismPositive Method in Social Research:
Appropriate tool for Social Research

POSITIVISM: DELINEATED

Rejected speculation & Science is the valid

knowledge
Rejected philosophical approach philosophy
does not possess a method different from science
Focused
on
gathering
of
empirical/experiential/observable/pragmatic/
realistic data fact is the object of knowledge
Positivist Methodology: Descriptive, Experimental
Utilized similar methods as employed by natural
sciences
Task of philosophy is to find the general
principles that would be common to all branches
of knowledge
General Principles guides human conduct
social beings

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL
RESEARCH

..related to Social Life

..investigates & verifies facts about

the society & social interaction &
analyzes social phenomenon

. frames laws in regards to various

social phenomena & facts reflects
societal situations

. establishes scientific knowledge

AIMS OF SOCIAL RESEARCH

To understand the functioning of

society

To study individual behavior and social

action

To evaluate social problems, their

effects on society and to find out
possible solution

To develop theories

SCOPE OF SOCIAL RESEARCH

A SIMPLE QUESTION: OF WHAT IS A

NEW BORN CHILD?

Immense Scope, huge potentialities

Knowledge Building
Study of Social Problems
Theory Building & Policy
Making

KNOWLEDGE BUILDING

brings about new knowledge

to point out certain gaps in the

existing body of knowledge &
bridge these gaps. i.e. correcting
the errors in it.

bounds of knowledge get

enlarged not just quantitatively
but also qualitatively

J.C. MERRIAM: MUCH OF THE

DIFFICULTY
WE
ENCOUNTER
TODAY IS DUE TO IGNORANCE.
THE CURE FOR THESE SITUATIONS
IS
NEW
KNOWLEDGE.

STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS

The key to the solution of social problems is

their accurate & unbiased analysis & thereby
to understand the causal factors responsible
for them.

The analysis of an untrained observer is not

dispassionate & precise.

Social scientists have successfully analyzed the

dimensions of regionalism, casteism, linguism,
communalism, terrorism etc.

THEORY BUILDING & POLICY

MAKING

New knowledge may be put to two

possible uses:

a) Theoretical

b) Practical

SO WHAT IS A THEORY?

Theory is some type of CONCEPT,

IDEA, THOUGHT, BELIEF, VIEW
POINT.
Atheoryis
a generalization about a
phenomenon, an explanation of how or why
something occurs.
E.g.
Disorganized families produce more crime
The Helio-Centric Theory
The Cell Theory
Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection
Theory of General Relativity

THEORY BUILDING

Research will give rise to lot of

empirical/practical/experiential/real
istic facts, however facts alone do
not constitute a science.

The
new
Knowledge
acquired
through research may be used for
THEORY BUILDING.

CONCEPTS & IDEAS about a class

of thing or phenomena governed
by a specified set of conditions. BASIC/PURE RESEARCH.

Applied
Making

Researches

Policy

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGIST

PROBLEMS OF OBJECTIVITY

Objectivity
is
investigation.

goal

of

scientific

Objectivity is a frame of mind so that

personal
prejudices,
preferences
or
predilections of the social scientists do not
contaminate the collection of data &
analysis of data.

Scientific investigations should be free

from prejudices of race, color, religion,
sex or ideological biases.

WHAT IS SUBJECTIVITY?

how someones judgment is shaped by personal

opinions and feelings instead of outside influences.

E.g. We expect judges to put aside their

subjectivity and make decisions based on
objectivity.

how a person's own uniqueness influences

(change/effect/manipulate)
their
perceptions
(opinions/viewpoints/assessment/sensitivity/
outlook)
Subjectivity is a form of bias and also individuality.

Subjectivity is the opposite of

objectivity, which is based
purely on the facts and is not
personal.

Subjectivity depends on past

experiences too.

Interview sometimes carries

subjectivity.

CHANCELLOR, NEHU

FIELD LIMITATIONS: ANDRE BETEILLE STUDY OF SRIPURAM VILLAGE IN TANJORE WHERE THE
BRAHMINS DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO VISIT THE UNTOUCHABLE LOCALITY AND ASK THEIR POINT
OF VIEW.

Thus
complete
objectivity
continues to be an elusive goal.

ITALIAN JOURNALIST, AUTHOR, AND

POLITICAL INTERVIEWER: ORIANA
FALLACI

SOCIAL FACTS MUST BE TREATED AS

THINGS AND ALL PRECONCEIVED
NOTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL FACTS MUST
BE ABANDONED.

EMILE DURKHEIM: FRENCH

SOCIOLOGIST

GERMAN SOCIOLOGIST, PHILOSOPHER:

SOCIOLOGY MUST BE VALUE FREE

RADCLIFFE BROWN ENGLISH SOCIAL

ANTHROPOLOGIST
TRANSCEND ETHNOCENTRIC AND EGOCENTRIC BIASES

BRONISAW MALINOWSKI,
POLISH SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGIST: TROBRIAND ISLAND:
ADVOCATED CULTURAL RELATIVISM

GUNNAR MYRDAL: SWEDISH

ECONOMIST
: TOTAL OBJECTIVITY IS AN
ILLUSION WHICH CAN NEVER BE
ACHIEVED

THE VERY CHOICE OF TOPIC IS

INFLUENCED BY PERSONAL
PREFERENCES AND
IDEOLOGICAL BIASES OF THE
RESEARCHER

WHAT IS OBJECTIVITY?

Ideal - guides all inquiry.

Requirements - precise, unbiased, open,

honest, receptive to criticism, and so on.

- being aware and honest about how

one's own beliefs, values, and biases
affect the research process.

TYPES OF RESEARCH

Exploratory : no information or little

information available
E. g: Students Unrest, Corruption among
Political Elite, Police Harassment,
Rural
Poverty

Descriptive: describes social situations,

social events, social systems, social
structure
E. g. : Drug Abuse, Alcoholism, Caste System
in India, Racism in the USA, The Political
System in India, Census in India, Impact of
Broken Family on Children

Causal:
Explains
Phenomena

causes

of

Social

E.g: describing the magnitude & nature

of crimes committed by women in India,

Pure:
Basic
Research:
quest
for
knowledge, knowing more about a
phenomena, theory building, testing
hypotheses.
E.g: developing a concept about group
dynamics, functioning of group mind

Applied: uses scientific knowledge to

solve practical problems, analyses &
solves social & real life issues. Large Scale
& Expensive
E.g:
Govt. Policies, UNO, World Bank,
UGC, ICSSR, public corporations, Banks
etc.
Quantitative: uses statistical tools for analyzing
data and information.
E.g: What % (percentage) of medical students
do drugs and uses alcohol?
What is the divorce rate in India?
How many Man-Days have been lost due to
strikes & lockouts in India?

Qualitative: Non Quantitative type

analysis, it describes reality as
experienced by groups, communities,
individuals etc.

E.g: How does structure & organization of wallless prisons (minimum security jails) differ from
that of the district & central jails (maximum
security jails) & contribute to the reformation
and re-socialization of criminals..

What has been the party wise stand on

womens reservation in parliament and state
assemblies.

Comparative:
the
similarities
&
dissimilarities
of
among/between
different units or cultural or social
groups are studied.

E.g: Comparing marriage systems of

different religious communities in India,
customs and social practices of rural
people with urban dwellers, Differences
between joint family & nuclear
family.

Longitudinal: studying or
investigating/ researching a
phenomenon over a period of time.
over long periods of time, often many
decades.
track the same people and so the
differences observed in those people
are less likely to be the result of cultural
differences across generations.

ASSIGNMENT QUESTION

What is Research? Illustrate

the focus areas of the Scope of
Social Science Research. How
does Objectivity affect the
outcomes in a research?