{"id":38,"date":"2019-05-10T17:22:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T21:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/?post_type=chapter&p=38"},"modified":"2019-07-23T11:20:45","modified_gmt":"2019-07-23T15:20:45","slug":"1-summary","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/chapter\/1-summary\/","title":{"raw":"Summary","rendered":"Summary"},"content":{"raw":"While it is true that we are always doing research, whether it is formal or informal, undertaking a research is complex, time consuming, and a lot of work.\u00a0 As you will see in the following chapters, there are many research decisions to be made and steps to be undertaken before one can even begin to collect data. The purpose of this chapter has been to slowly introduce you to some of the key umbrella terms and concepts necessary to understand research methods.\u00a0 We have also discussed where research ideas come from in this chapter.\r\n\r\nThere is one final matter that should be addressed in this introductory chapter and that is to acknowledge that knowledge and power are highly related.\u00a0 Those who have the power usually also have the knowledge, and vice versa.\u00a0\u00a0 Those who have the power can influence what research is undertaken, how it is undertaken, how the findings are reported, if at all, and to whom they are reported.\u00a0 [footnote]Michel Foucault is a French philosopher and historian.\u00a0 He is considered one of the most influential and controversial scholars from the post-world War II era.\u00a0 See https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Michel-Foucault and http:\/\/routledgesoc.com\/category\/profile-tags\/powerknowledge[\/footnote]Michel Foucault, an influential and controversial scholar from the 20th century, is recognized for articulating this perspective on power and knowledge.\u00a0 When considering research, it is important to recognize that research often goes where the money goes.\u00a0 Thus, those with the power often control what knowledge we gain.\r\n
\r\n

Key Takeaways<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nResearch methods<\/strong> are a systematic process of inquiry applied in such a manner as to learn something about our social world.\r\n\r\nApplied research<\/strong> makes a contribution by shaping social life.\r\n\r\nBasic research<\/strong> makes a contribution to sociological theories for knowledge, without having a specific application as a goal.\r\n\r\nResearch ideas<\/strong> come from a variety of sources, and usually start with a general question of how or why.\r\n\r\nOntology<\/strong> is concerned with the what is <\/em> or the nature of reality. There are who main classifications of ontology: Objectivism and subjectivism.\r\n\r\nObjectivism<\/strong> means that social entities exist externally to the social actors who are concerned with their existence.\r\n\r\nSubjectivism<\/strong> means that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and actions of the social actors who are concerned with their existence.\r\n\r\nEpistemology<\/strong> has to do with knowledge. Rather than dealing with questions about what is<\/em>, epistemology deals with questions of how<\/em> we know what is. In sociology, there are many ways to uncover knowledge.\r\n\r\nA paradigm <\/strong>is a way of framing what we know, what we can know, and how we can know it.\r\n\r\nPositivism<\/strong> assumes that society can and should be studies empirically and scientifically. It calls for a value-free sociology in which researchers aim to abandon their biases and values in a quest for objective, empirical, and knowable truth.\r\n\r\nInterpretivism<\/strong> assumes that is is necessary for researchers to understand the differences amongst humans as social actors. The emphasis is on conducting research among people, as opposed to objects.\r\n\r\nSocial constructionism<\/strong> posits that \"truth\" is a varying, socially constructed, and ever-changing notion. Key to the social constructionist perspective is the idea that social context and interaction frame our realities.\r\n\r\nCritical paradigm<\/strong> is focused on power, inequality, and social change and posits that social science can never be truly objective or value-free. This paradigm operates from the perspective that scientific investigation should be conducted with the express goal of seeking social change.\r\n\r\nPostmodernism<\/strong> is difficult to define, because to do so would actually violate the postmodernist\u00b4s perspective that there is no definite terms, boundaries, or absolute truth. A postmodernist would also claim that we can never really know such truth because, in the studying and reporting of others\u2019 truths, researchers put their own truth on the investigation.\r\n\r\nInductive<\/strong> approaches to research begin with observation to look for patterns, from which a tentative hypothesis is developed, to create a theory.\r\n\r\nDeductive<\/strong> approaches begin with a theory to develop hypotheses. \u00a0Observations then lead to confirmation or refutation of the hypotheses.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n

References<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n

Aylesworth, G. (2015). Postmodernism<\/a>.<\/em> Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/postmodernism\/<\/p>\r\n

Macmillan Dictionary. (2018). Paradigm<\/em><\/a>. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.macmillandictionaryblog.com\/paradigm<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Palys, T., & Atchison, C. (2014). Research decisions: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches.<\/em> Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education Ltd.<\/p>\r\n

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research methods for business students<\/em> (5th ed.). Essex, England: Pearson Education Ltd.<\/p>\r\n

Schmitz, A. (2012). Principles of sociological inquiry; Qualitative and quantitative methods<\/em> [PDF]<\/a>.<\/em> Washington, DC: Saylor Academy. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.saylor.org\/site\/textbooks\/Principles of Sociological Inquiry.pdf<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

While it is true that we are always doing research, whether it is formal or informal, undertaking a research is complex, time consuming, and a lot of work.\u00a0 As you will see in the following chapters, there are many research decisions to be made and steps to be undertaken before one can even begin to collect data. The purpose of this chapter has been to slowly introduce you to some of the key umbrella terms and concepts necessary to understand research methods.\u00a0 We have also discussed where research ideas come from in this chapter.<\/p>\n

There is one final matter that should be addressed in this introductory chapter and that is to acknowledge that knowledge and power are highly related.\u00a0 Those who have the power usually also have the knowledge, and vice versa.\u00a0\u00a0 Those who have the power can influence what research is undertaken, how it is undertaken, how the findings are reported, if at all, and to whom they are reported.\u00a0 [1]<\/sup><\/a>Michel Foucault, an influential and controversial scholar from the 20th century, is recognized for articulating this perspective on power and knowledge.\u00a0 When considering research, it is important to recognize that research often goes where the money goes.\u00a0 Thus, those with the power often control what knowledge we gain.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

\n

Research methods<\/strong> are a systematic process of inquiry applied in such a manner as to learn something about our social world.<\/p>\n

Applied research<\/strong> makes a contribution by shaping social life.<\/p>\n

Basic research<\/strong> makes a contribution to sociological theories for knowledge, without having a specific application as a goal.<\/p>\n

Research ideas<\/strong> come from a variety of sources, and usually start with a general question of how or why.<\/p>\n

Ontology<\/strong> is concerned with the what is <\/em> or the nature of reality. There are who main classifications of ontology: Objectivism and subjectivism.<\/p>\n

Objectivism<\/strong> means that social entities exist externally to the social actors who are concerned with their existence.<\/p>\n

Subjectivism<\/strong> means that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and actions of the social actors who are concerned with their existence.<\/p>\n

Epistemology<\/strong> has to do with knowledge. Rather than dealing with questions about what is<\/em>, epistemology deals with questions of how<\/em> we know what is. In sociology, there are many ways to uncover knowledge.<\/p>\n

A paradigm <\/strong>is a way of framing what we know, what we can know, and how we can know it.<\/p>\n

Positivism<\/strong> assumes that society can and should be studies empirically and scientifically. It calls for a value-free sociology in which researchers aim to abandon their biases and values in a quest for objective, empirical, and knowable truth.<\/p>\n

Interpretivism<\/strong> assumes that is is necessary for researchers to understand the differences amongst humans as social actors. The emphasis is on conducting research among people, as opposed to objects.<\/p>\n

Social constructionism<\/strong> posits that “truth” is a varying, socially constructed, and ever-changing notion. Key to the social constructionist perspective is the idea that social context and interaction frame our realities.<\/p>\n

Critical paradigm<\/strong> is focused on power, inequality, and social change and posits that social science can never be truly objective or value-free. This paradigm operates from the perspective that scientific investigation should be conducted with the express goal of seeking social change.<\/p>\n

Postmodernism<\/strong> is difficult to define, because to do so would actually violate the postmodernist\u00b4s perspective that there is no definite terms, boundaries, or absolute truth. A postmodernist would also claim that we can never really know such truth because, in the studying and reporting of others\u2019 truths, researchers put their own truth on the investigation.<\/p>\n

Inductive<\/strong> approaches to research begin with observation to look for patterns, from which a tentative hypothesis is developed, to create a theory.<\/p>\n

Deductive<\/strong> approaches begin with a theory to develop hypotheses. \u00a0Observations then lead to confirmation or refutation of the hypotheses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

References<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

\n

Aylesworth, G. (2015). Postmodernism<\/a>.<\/em> Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https:\/\/plato.stanford.edu\/entries\/postmodernism\/<\/p>\n

Macmillan Dictionary. (2018). Paradigm<\/em><\/a>. Retrieved from http:\/\/www.macmillandictionaryblog.com\/paradigm<\/a><\/p>\n

Palys, T., & Atchison, C. (2014). Research decisions: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches.<\/em> Toronto, Canada: Nelson Education Ltd.<\/p>\n

Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research methods for business students<\/em> (5th ed.). Essex, England: Pearson Education Ltd.<\/p>\n

Schmitz, A. (2012). Principles of sociological inquiry; Qualitative and quantitative methods<\/em> [PDF]<\/a>.<\/em> Washington, DC: Saylor Academy. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.saylor.org\/site\/textbooks\/Principles of Sociological Inquiry.pdf<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

  1. Michel Foucault is a French philosopher and historian.\u00a0 He is considered one of the most influential and controversial scholars from the post-world War II era.\u00a0 See https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Michel-Foucault and http:\/\/routledgesoc.com\/category\/profile-tags\/powerknowledge ↵<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":103,"menu_order":7,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-38","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/38","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/103"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/38\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":540,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/38\/revisions\/540"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/38\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=38"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=38"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/researchmethods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=38"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}