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METATHEORETICAL GUIDEIINESIt is generally accepted in philosophy of science today that no scientific findingcan be conclusively proved on the basis of empirical research data. In differentstages of the scientific research process and for different reasons the researcheris compelled to make assumptions justifying specific theories, methodologicalstrategies, etc. that are not tested in the specific study. One important categoryof such assumptions is metatheoretical (or metaphysical) assumptionsunderlying the theories/models/paradigms that form the definitive context ofthe study.The argumentative (and public) nature of scientific communication demandsthat this often tacit dimension of scientific practice should be made explicit.More effective scientific communication and, in the long run, better research,is promoted by the explication of the metatheoretical assumptions underlyingthe use of one theory rather than another and one methodological approachthan another.GUIDELINE 3The scientist should clearly explicate the metatheoretical assumptions(or commitments, (pre)suppositions, beliefs) applicable to his or herresearch.Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaMETHODOLOGICAL GUIDELINESThe quality of research findings is directly dependent on the accountability ofthe research methodology followed. For this reason, researchers should fullydescribe the way in which their research has been planned, structured andexecuted in order to comply with scientific criteria.The most important steps in the research process, viz statement of the researchproblem, research design, data collection, analysis and interpretation should beincorporated in the specification of methodological guidelines.Research problemIn empirical research the research hypothesis directs the investigation whilethe central theoretical thesis serves this purpose in theoretical research. Inaddition, it is necessary that core concepts in the statement of the problemshould be clearly defined and (in empirical research) also be operationalized.GUIDELINE 4The research hypothesis/central theoretical thesis should be clearlyformulated.192
Research designA research design is an exposition or plan of how the researcher decided toexecute the formulated research problem. The objective of the research designis to plan, structure and execute the project concerned in such a way that thevalidity of the findings are maximized.Three aspects are usually included in the research design, namely the aim ofthe research, data/information sources and considerations of validity andreliability.The aim of the research: The researcher should in the first place state what theaim of the project is: exploratory, descriptive, explanatory, analytical orpredictive. Other variations of the aim are hypothesis-generating as opposed tohypothesis-testing. The methodological requirements relating to the differentobjectives naturally differ.GUIDELINE 5The research report should specify the aim/objective(s) pursued.Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaData I information sources: A variety of data sources are available for socialsciences research: physical sources, documentary sources, indirect and directobservation. The use of questionnaires, interviews, scales, tests, etc. is includedin indirect observation. Irrespective of the sources of his data, the researchershould also report on the• nature, credibility and relevance of the sources (especially in the case ofdocumentary sources),• representativeness of the sources. In empirical research in whichindividuals are studied, representativeness refers to the problems related tosampling. In these cases the researcher is required to provide adequateinformation on the techniques of sampling, the demographiccharacteristics of the sample, etc.GUIDELINE 6Information should be provided on the nature, credibility, relevance andrepresentativeness of data and information sources.Reliability and validity: In the research design stage researchers should alreadyconsider the different factors which could prevent them from making validinferences. In theoretical research this problem emerges as a problem ofobjectivity: the selection of only those views and arguments supporting193
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HSRC SERIES IN METHODOLOGYSeries Ed
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All rights reserved. No part of thi
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PART 3Appendix 1M Ferreira — A so
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important methods of operationalizi
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Introduction: The scientific langua
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inevitably be found in the discipli
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At the project level, three general
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FIGURE 1.3Free download from www.hs
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context of a particular research tr
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Introduction: Social sciences resea
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all the factors which may pose a th
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(3) Conceptualization and operation
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negative influence on the person’
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CONDITIONS ORIENTATIONS ACTIONSINDI
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to indicate a causal relationship b
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flict with a point of view in which
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Our discussion of problem formulati
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IntroductionConcept and meaningConc
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ductivism, refers to the belief tha
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Social isolation1. Sometimes I feel
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manifestations of alienation, it ou
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found between theoretical and conce
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IntroductionSources of data, reacti
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that they have tradition, culture,
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categories. Finally, the research c
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affiliation, or presumed affiliatio
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pectancy effects was conducted by R
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ticipant’s perception of his or h
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(v) Questionnaire length effects(vi
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We have, in an earlier section, dra
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example of the double blind experim
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CONSTRUCTIVE REPLICATIONIn conclusi
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IntroductionAn example: The Reiger
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Coloured youths were fatally wounde
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ehaving violently towards some of t
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multivariate techniques are much mo
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tial validity. A closer inspection
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validity (as a rule we will not use
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CONTEXT EFFECTSIs it reasonable to
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analysis, text analysis, and case s
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IntroductionConceptsStatementsConno
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The schematic representation also g
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DICHOTOMOUS, POLYTOMIC AND CONTINUO
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People therefore, depending upon th
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higher than the mean scores on meth
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Source ofinformation Sender Recipie
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Page 166 and 167: system, the Aristotelian theory of
Page 168 and 169: IntroductionThe spectrum of the soc
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TABLE IIIANALYSIS OF VARIANCE FOR M
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FIGURE 2 — SECOND ORDER INTERACTI
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A further consideration in the choi
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gangs with supervision that was ass
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percentage of transfers not being m
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for all the relevant factors. Discu
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WHITE, V.P. (ed.). 1983. Grant prop
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connotation 58ff, 126ff- convention
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hermeneutics 21heuristic function,
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Naive inductivism 57naturalistic re
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esearcher image 82-83researcher ori
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