(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:
- Avoiding pitfalls: Such as mismatched research questions and methods or ethical missteps.
- 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:
- Introduction: Research area and significance.
- Literature Review: Overview of existing studies.
- Methods: Explanation of research design and tools.
- Results: Presentation of findings.
- Discussion: Interpretation and implications.
- 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
- Social research is influenced by broader theoretical, ethical, and practical contexts.
- It follows a systematic process, including literature review, sampling, data collection, and analysis.
- Methodological principles are crucial but require adaptation to real-world challenges.