The Nature and Process of Social Research

(From Social Research Methods, 4th Edition by Alan Bryman, Chapter 1)

1. Introduction

Social research involves a systematic approach to investigating social phenomena. It includes:

• Formulating research objectives: Defining clear purposes and goals.
• Choosing research methods: Selecting appropriate tools and techniques.
• Data collection, analysis, and interpretation: Gathering and making sense of information.
• Disseminating findings: Sharing results to contribute to knowledge or practice.

Importance of Social Research Methods:

1. Avoiding pitfalls: Such as mismatched research questions and methods or ethical missteps.
2. Critical evaluation: Enables readers to scrutinize published research.

2. What is Meant by ‘Social Research’?

• Social research focuses on academic investigations relevant to fields like sociology, social policy, and politics.
• It draws from social sciences for theoretical and conceptual inspiration and involves:
  • Identifying gaps or inconsistencies in literature.
  • Responding to societal developments (e.g., the impact of mobile technology on social interaction).

3. Why Do Social Research?

• Academic curiosity: To address unresolved questions or contradictions in literature.
• Societal relevance: To explore and understand new developments or issues affecting society.

4. Context of Social Research Methods

Social research is influenced by the following factors:

a. Theory:

• Guides what is researched and how findings are interpreted.
• Can either drive data collection (deductive) or emerge from data analysis (inductive).

b. Literature:

• Acts as a foundation, helping researchers avoid duplicating previous work and critically engage with existing studies.

c. Epistemology:

• Raises questions about how the social world should be studied.
• Divides researchers into those favoring a scientific approach and those supporting interpretive methods.

d. Ontology:

• Concerns the nature of social phenomena—whether they are fixed entities or constructed through interaction.

e. Ethical Considerations:

• Ethical guidelines influence what, how, and who can be studied.
• Examples include requiring participant consent and avoiding harm to vulnerable groups.

f. Practical Purpose:

• Many researchers believe social research should solve real-world problems, especially in fields like social policy.

g. Political and Personal Influences:

• Funding bodies may prioritize applied research with measurable outcomes.
• A researcher’s personal background and training can shape their approach to topics and methods.

5. Elements of the Process of Social Research

These elements are common across most social research projects:

a. Literature Review:

• Identifies key theories, concepts, methods, and controversies.
• Connects research to existing knowledge and demonstrates its contribution.

b. Concepts and Theories:

• Provide a framework for understanding social phenomena (e.g., cultural capital, social control).
• Concepts can guide research or emerge from data analysis.

c. Research Questions:

• Must be clear and focused to guide the study.
• Serve as a foundation for:
  • Literature searches.
  • Research design, data collection, and analysis.
  • Writing and presenting findings.

d. Sampling Cases:

• Involves selecting participants, objects, or events that are relevant to the research.
• Approaches vary between seeking representativeness (e.g., opinion polls) and purposive sampling (e.g., case studies).

e. Data Collection:

• Methods range from structured approaches (e.g., surveys, interviews) to open-ended techniques (e.g., participant observation).
• Quality of data collection is crucial to the overall reliability and validity of the research.

f. Data Analysis:

• Involves organizing and interpreting raw data, often using coding or statistical techniques.
• May focus on primary data (collected by the researcher) or secondary data (analyzing existing datasets).

g. Writing Up:

• Essential for disseminating findings.
• Common structure includes:
  1. Introduction: Research area and significance.
  2. Literature Review: Overview of existing studies.
  3. Methods: Explanation of research design and tools.
  4. Results: Presentation of findings.
  5. Discussion: Interpretation and implications.
  6. Conclusion: Summarizing the study’s contributions.

6. The Messiness of Social Research

• The research process is often non-linear, involving false starts and unforeseen challenges.
• While textbooks provide a structured guide, researchers need flexibility and perseverance.
• Reports often sanitize these complexities, presenting streamlined accounts.

7. Key Points

1. Social research is influenced by broader theoretical, ethical, and practical contexts.
2. It follows a systematic process, including literature review, sampling, data collection, and analysis.
3. Methodological principles are crucial but require adaptation to real-world challenges.