Characteristics of Social Science Research

What is Social Science?
“Social science is, in its broadest sense, the study of society and the manner in which people behave and influence the world around us” (Economic and Social Research Council)
Specifically, study of Human behavior (what people do) Characteristics (who people are) Value (what people prefer)

Social Science cont…
Subjects Anthropology, Communication studies, Criminology, Economics, Geography, History, Political science, Psychology, Social studies, and sociology ethnicity and gender, employment and leisure, recreation & tourism, population health, lifestyle & wellbeing just to name a few

What is Social Science Research?
“Social research is a scientific undertaking which by means of logical methods, aim to discover new facts or old facts and to analyze their sequences, interrelationships, casual explanations and natural laws which govern them.” (www.scribd.com) It applies scientific method to social inquiry on  Human beings and their life contexts  Philosophical questions relating to the • Nature of knowledge (epistemology), • Values (axiology) and • Being (ontology) (Somekh, 2005)

Objectives of social research
1) To facilitate the understanding of human behavior 2) It seeks to find explanation to unexplained social 3)

4)
5) 6)

phenomena To identify functional relationship existing in a social phenomena To find out the natural laws that regulate or direct social phenomena To standardize the society concept, e.g. culture, generation gap, social distance etc. To formulate solution to social problems.

Objectives of social research cont..
7) To maintain social organization,

remove social tension, misconception 8) Helps clarify doubts and correct misconceptions about facts of life

Characteristics of Social Science Research
1) Both theory (library) and field research are essential

Field work helps the social scientist comes to grips with the subject. 3) A need for current information that leads to heavy use... [continues]

Read full essay