Pol Sci Methods and Methodology Lecture 1 PDF

What is research? What is Research? The purpose of research is to generate new knowledge The goal of the social scientists is to gather new and useful knowledge about the world They must also educate the world about this new knowledge, how it was acquired and why it is valid...

What is research? What is Research? The purpose of research is to generate new knowledge The goal of the social scientists is to gather new and useful knowledge about the world They must also educate the world about this new knowledge, how it was acquired and why it is valid Early research was seen to about wisdom, knowledge and truth and was mainly seen as the concern of philosophers and theologians Early Research The Greeks Issac Newton, William Petty and Francis Bacon (using observation to explain social phenomenon) C19th sees the emergence of widespread social problems (poverty, inequality, urbanisation) and social research had to adapt if it wanted to explain the changes Information needed by authorities to suggest new policies Compte, Quetelet Positivism paradigm becomes more widespread and is dominating research approaches in first half of C20th Positivism Based upon foundationalist ontology (world exists independently of our knowledge about it) Scientific approach (hypotheses, empirical testing, objective approach) Aim to make and establish causal statements about social phenomena Ability to separate out normative questions The Twentieth Century Research becomes more systematic and scientific Positivism establishes itself as the dominant research paradigm in many countries (USA) Criticisms emerges in the mid C20 which questions the principles of positivism What is the meaning of social life??? Scholars focused on the way in which positivists collected information, not everything can be measured or observed. Theory is subject to fashion trends. Ideas can be popular for a time before being replaced by another model. (Kuhn 1970) Social science is different to physical science Contemporary Research Diverse and pluralistic Qualitative Research (understand, critique, suggest, empower) Quantitative Research (explore, explain, evaluate, predict, develop/test theories) Mixed methods Goals of Social Research Sarantakos (12) identifies different categories of goals General Goals: understanding for its own sake Theoretical Goals: verification, falsification, modification or discovery of a theory Pragmatic Goals: Solution of social problems Political Goals: Development of social policy, evaluation of programmes and practices, and social criticism, social change and reconstruction, empowerment and liberation Motives of Social Research Sarantakos (13) also identifies the motives of social research  Educational: To educate and inform the public Magical: to offer credibility to views held by researchers and/or their sponsors Personal: to promote the academic status of the researcher Institutional: to enhance the research quantum of the institution for which the researcher works Political: to provide support for political plans and programmes Tactical: to delay decision or action for as long as the investigation is under way. The Production of Knowledge Knowledge is power Research creates knowledge Does it follow that if you control research you control power??? How can you use your control of research? Bias in Research Choosing topics that will support your agenda and ignoring others Focus only on supportive literature ignoring dissenting authors Aiming to prove personal convictions Choosing indicators that bias the research in a particular direction Choosing research collection procedures which will bias the outcomes Fabrication of data Falsification of data Consequence of Power Ethics are vital in research  Laws have been enacted to ensure correct research practice Codes of ethics focus on: physical and mental harm to research participants, covert or hidden research, invasion of privacy, violation of anonymity and confidentiality, coercion, plagiarism and fabrication and concealment of findings.