1. Chapter 4: The Meanings of Methodology
MAN-10
Research Methods
Instructor
Erlan Bakiev, Ph.D.
Chapter 4: The Meanings of Methodology

2. Philosophical Foundations
Ontology
Epistemology

3. Methodology
A system of broad principles or rules from which specific methods or procedures may be derived to interpret or solve different problems within the scope of a particular discipline. Unlike an algorithm, a methodology is not a formula but a set of practices.

4. Three Approaches
Paradigm (similar to a methodology in that it is also a constructive framework(
Positivist social science
Interpretive social science
Critical social science

5. 10 Questions

6. Positivist Social Science
1) What is the purpose of social scientific research?
Causal laws
2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality?
Predict behavior
3) What is the basic nature of human beings?
Mechanical model of man

7. Positivist Social Science
4) What is the view on human agency?
Determinism
5) What is the relationship between science and common sense?
Separate ways of knowing – scientific jargon
6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality?
Nomothetic
Covering law model

8. Positivist Social Science
7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false?
Replication and not logical contradictions
8) What does good evidence look like?
Intersubjectivity - Set out to disprove science
9) What is the use of science?
Instrumental orientation
Technocratic perspective
10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science?
Value free and objective

9. Positivist Social Science
How would PSS approach the following sociological concepts?
Family dynamics
College entrance
Federal interest rates
Armed robbery
College romance
Primary elections
Grocery store produce
Corporate welfare

10. Interpretive Social Science
1) What is the purpose of social scientific research?
Meaningful social action
2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality?
Constructionist orientation
3) What is the basic nature of human beings?
Creating flexible systems of meanings

11. Interpretive Social Science
4) What is the view on human agency?
Voluntarism
5) What is the relationship between science and common sense?
Natural attitude
6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality?
Idiographic
Typification

12. Interpretive Social Science
7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false?
Postulate of adequacy
8) What does good evidence look like?
Bracketing
9) What is the use of science?
Practical orientation
Transcendent perspective
10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science?
Relativism

13. Interpretive Social Science
How would ISS approach the following sociological concepts?
Family dynamics
College entrance
Federal interest rates
Armed robbery
College romance
Primary elections
Grocery store produce
Corporate welfare

14. Critical Social Science
1) What is the purpose of social scientific research?
Transform social conditions
2) What is the fundamental nature of social reality?
Dialectic
3) What is the basic nature of human beings?
Creative but  reification

15. Critical Social Science
4) What is the view on human agency?
Bounded autonomy
5) What is the relationship between science and common sense?
False-conciousness
6) What constitutes an explanation or theory of social reality?
Abduction
Explanatory critique

16. Critical Social Science
7) How does one determine whether an explanation is true or false?
Praxis
8) What does good evidence look like?
Facts are not value free
9) What is the use of science?
Reflexive-dialectic orientation
Transformative perspective
10) Where do sociopolitical values enter science?
Activist orientation

17. Critical Social Science
How would CSS approach the following sociological concepts?
Family dynamics
College entrance
Federal interest rates
Armed robbery
College romance
Primary elections
Grocery store produce
Corporate welfare

18. Feminist and Postmodern Research
Feminist Research
Postmodern Research

19. Common Features of All Approaches
Empirical
Systematic
Theoretical
Public
Self-reflective
Open-ended process