Religious Inquiry & Learning Skills Flashcards
How can you practice ethical scholarship?
- Being honest about the source of info used
- Acknowledging the words/ideas of others
- Referencing sources used
How can you practice ethical scholarship when conducting research by survey or interview?
Respecting each person’s right to
- make informed decisions about taking part
- confidentiality or anonymity
- cultural sensitivities
- Presenting results honestly - avoid bias
How does analysing a source begin?
By using sources to identify the origin, purpose and context of particular reasons
What needs to be considered when identifying the origin of a source?
- Authorship
- Date
- Nature of the source (primary/secondary)
- Format (interview/news article/novel/photo)
- Literary style (editorial/academic argument)
What needs to be considered when identifying the purpose of a source?
- intended audience
- intended/state purpose
- intended message(s)
What needs to be considered when identifying the context of a source?
- Historical, political, religious, social, cultural, and geographical context.
- ‘in text’ context of the text
- context of the text
- context of the user
Provide 3 examples of questions to consider when analysing a source
- What values and beliefs are expressed?
- How does it compare with other sources?
- Is the information free of bias?
What is reliability?
The degree to which a source accurately expresses the views it claims to represent.
How can the reliability of text material be tested?
- Is it authoritative?
- Who sponsored it?
- Who is the author?
- Is it consistent or contradictory?
How can the reliability of survey data be tested?
- Was the sample large enough?
- Did it represent the population?
- Was the methodology consistent with research principles?
- Was the data comprehensive enough to reflect the views of the population?
What is usefulness?
The degree of relevance or the degree to which the source serves the intended purpose.
How can usefulness be tested?
- Is it informative?
- Is it meaningful?
- Is it relevant?
What is contestable nature?
The degree to which particular interpretations are open to debate - may be due to differing points of view or insufficient evidence.
How can contestability be evaluated?
- Does it critically question a held position?
- Do alternative views on the matter exist?
- Is there professional disagreement or a diversity of views on the subject?
