Section 1 intro to research methods Flashcards
What is ontology?
The nature of the social world and it’s basic elements
What is epistemology?
The study of ideas and knowledge - is structured as to what is possible to learn from the social world
What is methodology?
The methodization of how we can obtain knowledge from the social world.
What does methodology seek to explain?
The tools of inquiry which can be used to understand the social world
What are the three modern approaches of political science?
Positivism
Interpretivism
Critical Theory
Describe positivism
A approach that views the social world as the natural world. Meaning that the social scientists that adopt the positivist method tend to utilize the techniques that natural scientists use.
Is Postivism Empirical?
Yes, as positivist tend to create laws to generalize social phenomena and derive them from tested hypothesis
What is Naturalism? is it positivist in nature?
Yes, as it is a term that describes that there exists no fundamental difference between social and natural science.
What is Empiricism? Is it positivist?
Yes, as it it states that what we know originates from tested hypothesis and quantifiable data.
What is the most common research approach in Political science?
Positivism
What are the philosophies of interpretivism?
Makes a distinction between the social world and the natural world. Highly Interpretive.
What are the core tenants of interpretivis?
Human behaviour is the product of the meanings and intentions employed by actors
interpretive methods must be used to understand these said intonations
What data does interpretivism favour?
Qualitative research
Ethnographic studies
Lack of hypothesis.
What three things are used by critical theory to explain oppressive power structures?
Practical, normative, and explanatory considerations.
What are the core tenants of Positivism?
Empiricism
Naturalism
The development of law like generalizations. (Similar to laws of nature
