Introduction and Research Questions in Social Science Flashcards
Explain what empirical and normative research study respectively
Empirical = studies world as it is
Normative = studies what SHOULD be. Ideologically linked.
What is ontology? What is epistemology?
Ontology is the study of what is known. Epistemology is the study of what can be known.
Explain the ontology, epistemology, goals and methodological assumptions of POSITIVISM
ONTOLOGY - there is objective reality in social world that exists independently of us
EPISTEMOLOGY - can only be observed through our senses. World can only be known through observation. EMPIRICISM.
EPISTEMOLOGICAL GOALS - find law-like generalisations, cause to effect relationships that work like clockwork.
METHODOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS - observation is possible, facts can be seen without the interference of ideology and values. This is objective.
Explain the ontology, epistemology, goals and methodological assumptions of INTERPRETIVISM
ONTOLOGY - no objective reality, people see things differently and therefore it cannot be observed in a singular way
EPISTEMOLOGY - scientific knowledge can only be gained by interpreting the phenomena we see
EPISTEMOLOGICAL GOALS - need to find reasons for phenomena… generalisations cannot be found that are LAW LIKE
METHODOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS - direct, objective observation cannot be undertaken. We must interpret the social world in our own way, informed by how we see things.
What is positivism? What is interpretivism?
Positivism sees social world as same as the natural world… can be studied with strong scientific rigour, natural laws can be drawn out following observation of social world.
Interpretivism believes the social world is different from natural world, people see things differently. Observation cannot take place universally.
Explain how logical positivism, scientific realism and postpositivism each diverge from classical positivism respectively.
Logical positivism: believes deduction can be possible
Scientific realism: believes unobserved parts of the social world can be researched
Postpositivism: researchers are influenced by the social world
Describe qualitative research. Does this tend to be positivist or interpretative in nature?
Qualitative: less standard data… analyses a small number of cases through content analysis/discourse analysis/process tracing. It is usually interpretivist in nature.
Describe quantitative research. Does this tend to be positivist or interpretative in nature?
Quantitative research is typically analysis of numerical data, looking at methods such as linear regression and analysing a large number of cases. It is typically positivist in nature.
Explain reasons why research questions are important
First step in process but crucial throughout…
Make it clear what you will focus on and what you will exclude
RQ guides theory, variables, methods, etc.
Grounds research in relevance for social sciences
What types of research question are there?
Descriptive (looking at what something is), Explanatory (explaining a relationship between variables), Normative (looking at how world SHOULD be), Prescriptive (looking at solutions to issues) or Predictive (forecasting future events)
What makes a good research question?
It has to be RESEARCHABLE, not definitively answered, be socially relevant (have implications for world and people’s lives) and have scientific relevance (have implications for existing research).
What makes a research question RESEARCHABLE?
It must be sufficiently narrow and topic-focussed, be able to provide a valid answer, able to be researched within capabilities, avoid false dichotomies, etc.
Explain what a literature review is - how do these assist and justify novel academic research?
Literature reviews are assessments of existing literature on a certain topic… where a topic is well researched and finds valid answers, as well as gaps in research that can inform future study. They are analytical.
What is theory?
A theory is an attempt to make sense of a complex world, generalisations that allow us to understand events. They can be applied to the future and are informed by evidence.
How are concepts important for a theory?
Concepts have value to theories as they usually define a certain idea and provide labels for things that are seen to be alike. They must be clearly defined and provide the bedrock for a theory.
