Note: This Powerpoint will be revised
continually through the semester.
Written and Revised by Scott Fritz,
Ph.D. on August 29, 2015 at 2:35 pm
METHODOLOGY
THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
WHAT IS METHODOLOGY?
• “A systematic procedure, technique or mode of
inquiry employed by …a particular discipline.”
(Webster’s Dictionary 1967)
• “A systematic plan followed in presenting materials
for instruction.” (Webster’s Dictionary 1967)
• Analysis: “The process of breaking a complex topic
or substance into smaller parts to gain a better
understanding of it.” (Wikipedia)
ANALYTICAL THINKING
• Hypothesis
• Educated Guess
• Tentative assumption based on observed data, but not
proven empirically
• Thesis
• Analysis of fact and their relationship to one another
• Facts prove hypothesis  turns into Theory
EXAMPLES OF HYPOTHESIS/THEORIES
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Class Stratification
Gender Inequality
Environmental Destruction
World System Theory
• Can you come up with an example?
INDUCTIVE V. DEDUCTIVE REASONING
• Inductive Reasoning
• Specifics to general
• Deductive Reasoning
• General to specifics
QUALITATIVE V. QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
• Qualitative Research
• Used to understand ‘why’ and ‘how’
• Good for individual case studies
• Infer that case study reflects larger trend, but this needs to be
proven through quantitative research
Qualitative Research studies humans behavior
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How do people decide?
Where does certain behavior occur?
When do actions occur
Why do people act the way they do?
Differs from Quantitative Research because much of the
data of qualitative methods is non-numerica
• Used to prove an assertion or hypothesis
• Use of numbers, data, etc.
EPISTEMOLOGY
• “Branch of philosophy concerned with the nature
and limits of knowledge.” (Wikipedia)
• What is knowledge?
• How is knowledge acquired?
• To what extent is it possible for a given subject to be
know?
• How do we know what we know?
THE OBJECTIVITY QUESTION
• Qualitative researchers question the ability
to study in an objective way
• Do scientists ‘filter’ their research through their
personal worldview?
• Should researchers understand their own biases?
• Example:
• Historians’ interpretation of the past can reflect more of
themselves rather than an accurate reconstruction of the
past
TOPIC DEVELOPMENT
TOPIC V. THESIS
• The topic of this paper is _______________________.
• In this paper I will argue ________________________.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Lists books, articles, and sources that will be used or
might be used
• Each source is summarized
• Make sure that you summarize it and explain how it
is going to apply to you paper topic
• The goal is to discover what has not been
researched in your discipline (or topic).
EXAMPLE OF AN ANNOTATED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and
Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1995. Print.
Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its
insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer,
the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything
from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own
internal critic. In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both
productive and fun.
• Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting
by in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich
attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a
minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service,
and a Wal-Mart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her
relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES
• Primary Sources
• Is a term used in a number of disciplines to describe source
material that is closest to the person, information, period, or
idea being studied
• Newspaper articles, study results, etc.
• Secondary Sources
• Is a document or recording that relates or discusses
information originally presented elsewhere.
• Article in a professional journal, a book, etc.
TYPES OF ESSAYS
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Analysis Essays
Argumentative Essay
Persuasive/Persuade
Cause and Effect Essays
Comparison and Contrast Essays
Definition Essays
Narrative & Descriptive Essays
Division & Classification Essays
PAPER PROPOSAL
• A standard research paper proposal should not in general be
longer than ten per cent of the total length of your planned
paper
• A standard research paper proposal contains:
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the topic,
the thesis,
the outline of planned research written in proper academic style,
the outline must demonstrate that you have researched preliminary
sources in your topic and have analysed your paper
• Additionally, a research proposal has to present a list of
annotated bibliography describing the main significance of
each source for the paper and advisably a list of further
sources which you intend to use in addition to the main
literature.
PRINCIPLES OF
PROFESSIONAL WRITING
• Make sure that you write somewhere in your essay that
this is a “senior thesis paper”
• W.C.=Word Choice
• U.C. = Upper Case; L.C. = Lower Case
• Awk. = awkward
• Spell-out acronyms the first time
• Spell-out abbreviations, particularly the first time
• When using dates write it like 1900s, not 1900’s
• Spell out contracts, like “don’t” to “do not” or “won’t”
to “will not”
• Use page numbers
• Do not be redundant in your use of the same word
• Change pronouns to nouns
PRINCIPLES OF PROFESSIONAL
WRITING
• Read out loud to yourself your sentences to see
where the “flow” of your sentences hesitate
• When you do this, you will catch yourself saying the
sentences in a more pleasing way, and revise the
sentence accordingly
• Be concise, and whenever you can say an idea
with fewer words, do so
• One way that you can reduce the number of
words, write in the active voice (lets now talk about
writing in the active voice)
WRITING IN THE ACTIVE VOICE
• To the house the dog went.
• The dog went to the house.
• It was the summer that we went to the beach.
• We went to the beach in the summer.
• To think that it was bad was the proclivities of the
group.
• The group thought that it was bad.
WRITING IN THE ACTIVE VOICE
YOU TRY
• It was the ship that ran aground.
• __________________________________.
• Walking through the streets of Istanbul was our
objective.
• ___________________________________.
• The destination of Odessa was that which our tour
guide thought was best for us.
• ___________________________________.
WRITING IN THE ACTIVE VOICE
YOU TRY
• The best food in the trip that we had was in
Quebec.
• _________________________________________.
• It was through hard word that we accomplished the
goal.
• ______________________________________________.
• To see the mosque was the goal of the group.
• ___________________________________________.
META-DISCOURSE USED TO FILTER-OUT
ONE’S OWN PERSONAL BIAS
• Researchers examines themselves within the subject
that the facts are about
• Do I as a researcher have a socially or culturally
constructed bias that could skew my interpretation
of the facts?
• Does our worldview provide a superior model
interpretation?