Research as ‘organised scepticism’ (Newman 2011)
- systematic
Orderly and methodological
Research as ‘organised scepticism’ (Newman 2011)
- Questioning
Challenges assertions & assumptions
Research as ‘organised scepticism’ (Newman 2011)
- Empirical
Drama upon data to construct knowledge
Research as ‘organised scepticism’ (Newman 2011)
- Objective
concerned with truth and not politics
Research as ‘organised scepticism’ (Newman 2011)
- inter-subjective
Grounded in mutual understanding
Methods in social research
Methods for producing data in social research are broadly classified as ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ data
Statistical data
Observations and measurements we have collected and classified as numerical data
Statistical analysis
Techniques for summarising and finding patterns in numerical data
Positivist social research
A version of statistical data which is a consequence of measurable quantities, systems and structures.
Objective measurement using mathematical techniques offers an objective basis for finding patterns and identifying casual relationships
Quantification
How much of something is there?
Association
Does one thing tend to occur with another thing
Prediction
How much of one thing is caused by another
Generalisation
Are results valid beyond sample data
3 main basic classifications of statistics:
- descriptive statistics
Summarise data by indicting how frequent and how typical or atypical particular qualities are
3 main basic classifications of statistics:
- explanatory statistics
Identify patterns in data which might imply causal relations between one factor and another
3 main basic classifications of statistics:
- inferential statistics
Indicate how confident we can be in drawing conclusions from sample data about a population
Replicability
It is possible to accurately repeat research so to verify it’s results? Confirms objectivity, allows researchers to confirm results if not convinced
Reliability
If you repeated the study would you get the same results? Also underpins objectivity as if gives inconsistent results cannot be trusted
Measurement validity
Do measures effectively grasp the concepts they are measuring? Different ways to measure one thing, which is best for what we looking for? Is the measurement likely to correspond to the real world?
Internal validity
The extent to which you’re able to say that no other variables apart from the independent variable, caused a change in the dependant variable.
Are the conclusions free from other plausible explanations?
Dependant variable
Variable being measured through the use of the independent variable (I.e in water experiment this would be lifespan length)
Independent variable:
Variable being manipulated (i.e water experiment this would be drinking the glass of water)
The independent variable must be the only thing….
Effecting the dependant variable or it is not internally valid
