1. The Basics of Social Research 2/e
Babbie

2. Chapter 1 Human Inquiry and Science
Looking For Reality
The Foundations of Social Science: Logic and Observation
Some Dialectics of Social Research

3. How We Know What We Know Direct Experience and Observation
Personal Inquiry
Tradition
Authority

4. Looking for Reality Two Criteria Logical support - must make sense
Empirical support - must not contradict actual observation.

5. Errors in Personal Inquiry
Inaccurate observations
Overgeneralization
Selective observation
Illogical Reasoning

6. Views of Reality Premodern - Things are as they seem to be.
Modern - Acknowledgment of human subjectivity.
Postmodern -There is no objective reality to be observed.

7. Aspects of the Scientific Enterprise
Theory - deals with logic.
Data collection - deals with observation.
Data Analysis - deals with the comparison of what is logically expected with what is actually observed.

8. Social Regularities Patterns in social life Examples:
Only people aged 18 and above can vote.
Only people with a license can drive.

9. Aggregates The collective actions and situations of many individuals.
Focus of social science is to explain why aggregated patterns of behavior are so regular even when the individuals change over time.

10. Variables and Attributes
Age
young, middle aged, old
Gender
female, male
Occupation
doctor, laborer, teacher
Social Class
upper, middle, lower