Download - HSRC Press

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zainstruments and data-collection methods can be used? How should thecollected data be analyzed? What does the findings mean and how do theyrelate to the original formulation of the problem? Methodology, then, isdefined as the logic of the application of scientific methods to the investigationof phenomena. According to this definition methodology refers to the logic ofthe decision-making process in scientific research. We would therefore agreewith Kaufman’s statement that research methodology is the theory of correctscientific decisions (1944: 230).Because the decision-making process is so complex, and as there are manytraps for the unwary, the field of research methodology is defined as a study ofthe research process in all its broadness and complexity, the various methodsand techniques that are employed, the rationale that underlies the use of suchmethods, the limitations of each technique, the role of assumptions andpresuppositions in selecting methods and techniques, the influence ofmethodological preferences on the types of data analyses employed and thesubsequent interpretation of findings, and so on. As indicated in the previousparagraph, one of the fundamental epistemological assumptions in this book isthat, because it is a human decision-making process, social sciences research isintrinsically fallible. Seen against this background, the major aim ofmethodological analysis is to develop a more critical orientation on the part ofresearchers by eliminating obviously incorrect decisions and, in so doing, tomaximize the validity of research findings. Consequently, the basic approachadopted in this book is embodied in the question: How can scientific researchbe planned and executed to ensure that the findings would be most valid? Atentative answer to this question was suggested in the working definition ofsocial sciences research presented earlier, in which we stated that scientificresearch is characterized by attempts to ensure that it is objective. It is for thisreason that the main thesis of this book is that it is only possible to generatevalid findings in the social sciences if the research is objective. We would,however, hasten to add that our interpretation of objectivity is neitherpositivistic nor objectivistic. “Objective” ought not to be identified with“neutral” or “universally valid”. During the course of our discussion, we shall,for example, indicate that there are times when objective research inevitablyrequires a considerable degree of empathy on the part of the researcher. In thesame manner that the criteria of rationality, reliability, and validity are alwayscontext dependent, it is impossible to conceive of objectivity in adecontextualized manner. In other words, objectivity is dependent upon thetype of research design employed.In the preceding pages we have attempted-to explain the key concepts of ourworking definition of social sciences research. The five dimensions of socialsciences research which we have distinguished are the following:• social sciences research is a collaborative human activity;• social sciences research is a study of social reality;16
• social sciences research aims at understanding social reality;• social sciences research is a study aimed at a valid understanding of socialreality; and• social sciences research is objective research.In the following section we look at these five dimensions, very briefly, fromtwo very different contexts: the more abstract context of scientific disciplinesas against the more concrete context of a specific research project.The disciplinary and project contexts of researchAs we have already indicated, the main focus in this book is on the researchprocess as it is executed by individual researchers. However, it is of coursetrue, that even individual research projects are conducted within the broadercontexts of particular paradigms and disciplines. Individual researchers aretrained as researchers within a given research tradition or paradigm and thisFIGURE 1.2DISCIPLINARYCONTEXTPARADIGMATICCONTEXTFree download from www.hsrcpress.ac.zaRESEARCHPROJECTtraining usually has a lasting effect on the theoretical and methodologicalpreferences of the researcher. It also implies that particular assumptions aboutthe nature, domain, and structure of research are shared with other researchers.If this is viewed within an even broader context, it becomes evident that eachdiscipline in the social sciences consists of a variety of paradigms. Thisobviously implies that different research models, theories and ontologies will17
Page 2 and 3: HSRC SERIES IN METHODOLOGYSeries Ed
Page 4 and 5: All rights reserved. No part of thi
Page 6 and 7: PART 3Appendix 1M Ferreira — A so
Page 8 and 9: Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac
Page 10 and 11: important methods of operationalizi
Page 18 and 19: Introduction: The scientific langua
Page 34 and 35: inevitably be found in the discipli
Page 36 and 37: At the project level, three general
Page 38 and 39: FIGURE 1.3Free download from www.hs
Page 42 and 43: context of a particular research tr
Page 44 and 45: Introduction: Social sciences resea
Page 48 and 49: all the factors which may pose a th
Page 50 and 51: (3) Conceptualization and operation
Page 52 and 53: negative influence on the person’
Page 56 and 57: CONDITIONS ORIENTATIONS ACTIONSINDI
Page 62 and 63: to indicate a causal relationship b
Page 64 and 65: flict with a point of view in which
Page 68 and 69: Our discussion of problem formulati
Page 72 and 73: IntroductionConcept and meaningConc
Page 74 and 75: ductivism, refers to the belief tha
Page 82 and 83:
Social isolation1. Sometimes I feel
Page 84 and 85:
manifestations of alienation, it ou
Page 86 and 87:
Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac
Page 88 and 89:
found between theoretical and conce
Page 90 and 91:
IntroductionSources of data, reacti
Page 92 and 93:
that they have tradition, culture,
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
categories. Finally, the research c
Page 98 and 99:
affiliation, or presumed affiliatio
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
pectancy effects was conducted by R
Page 104 and 105:
ticipant’s perception of his or h
Page 106 and 107:
(v) Questionnaire length effects(vi
Page 108 and 109:
We have, in an earlier section, dra
Page 110 and 111:
example of the double blind experim
Page 112 and 113:
CONSTRUCTIVE REPLICATIONIn conclusi
Page 114 and 115:
IntroductionAn example: The Reiger
Page 116 and 117:
Coloured youths were fatally wounde
Page 118 and 119:
ehaving violently towards some of t
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
multivariate techniques are much mo
Page 124 and 125:
tial validity. A closer inspection
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
validity (as a rule we will not use
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
CONTEXT EFFECTSIs it reasonable to
Page 138 and 139:
analysis, text analysis, and case s
Page 140 and 141:
IntroductionConceptsStatementsConno
Page 142 and 143:
The schematic representation also g
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
DICHOTOMOUS, POLYTOMIC AND CONTINUO
Page 148 and 149:
People therefore, depending upon th
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
higher than the mean scores on meth
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Source ofinformation Sender Recipie
Page 158 and 159:
of the modellandum which are deemed
Page 160 and 161:
phenomena or variables and, for thi
Page 162 and 163:
i.e. from a collection of mutually
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
system, the Aristotelian theory of
Page 168 and 169:
IntroductionThe spectrum of the soc
Page 170 and 171:
• How do scientist study underlyi
Page 172 and 173:
the scope is more likely to be unde
Page 174 and 175:
A number of comments will serve to
Page 176 and 177:
ConceptsIn figure 7.2 below, qualit
Page 178 and 179:
A research report is usually a logi
Page 180 and 181:
to be found between qualitative and
Page 182 and 183:
at which people are placed towards
Page 184 and 185:
The different levels can probably b
Page 186 and 187:
proach should be canonized and anot
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Goals of this chapterIntroductory r
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
is written, the wise researcher wou
Page 196 and 197:
Some of the characteristics that ar
Page 198 and 199:
falls within more than one discipli
Page 200 and 201:
earlier on. The aim of the project,
Page 202 and 203:
Example 3Title of projectAtlas of l
Page 204 and 205:
IntroductionThe context of reportin
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
METATHEORETICAL GUIDEIINESIt is gen
Page 210 and 211:
the researcher’s views, insuffici
Page 212 and 213:
Suggestions for further reading:Bes
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
2. THEORETICAL ORIENTATIONMedical s
Page 218 and 219:
particular outpatient centre experi
Page 220 and 221:
3. METHODOLOGICAL STRATEGYSymbolic
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
the organisation). Secondly, a larg
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
Page 232 and 233:
tations of the subjects; it is conc
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Although costly, videotaping of the
Page 238 and 239:
16. First half of 1981.17. Gold (19
Page 240 and 241:
Page 242 and 243:
Page 244 and 245:
Page 246 and 247:
Page 248 and 249:
2. How is value-orientation defined
Page 250 and 251:
Page 252 and 253:
in practice. In contrast, pragmatis
Page 254 and 255:
ian style of management result in l
Page 256 and 257:
Quality of supervision of stoping g
Page 258 and 259:
TABLE IIIANALYSIS OF VARIANCE FOR M
Page 260 and 261:
FIGURE 2 — SECOND ORDER INTERACTI
Page 262 and 263:
A further consideration in the choi
Page 264 and 265:
gangs with supervision that was ass
Page 266 and 267:
percentage of transfers not being m
Page 268 and 269:
for all the relevant factors. Discu
Page 270 and 271:
Page 272 and 273:
Page 274 and 275:
Page 276 and 277:
WHITE, V.P. (ed.). 1983. Grant prop
Page 278 and 279:
connotation 58ff, 126ff- convention
Page 280 and 281:
hermeneutics 21heuristic function,
Page 282 and 283:
Naive inductivism 57naturalistic re
Page 284 and 285:
esearcher image 82-83researcher ori
show all

Download - HSRC Press

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?