Concepts of and Approaches to Social Research

Manwar Hossein Malla

Deputy Director (Senior Assistant Secretary) BPATC, Savar, Dhaka 1343, Bangladesh E-mail: manwarhm@yahoo.com Cell: 01711013554

Introduction
In this session we will talk about The definition of Research; Meaning of knowledge, belief, truth; Ontology and Epistemology in relation to research; Definition of social research; scope and utility of social research; Various approaches of social research- inductive and deductive; subjective and objective; positivist and Interpretivist; structuralist and poststructuralist; and feminist approach to social research.

What is Research?
Research in common parlance refers to search for knowledge. Research can be define as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic (Kothari 1999, p.1). Research is a systematic search for knowledge. It is a sincere and devoted attempt of finding the truth (Abedin 1996, p. 11).

What is Knowledge?
Greek philosopher Plato defined knowledge as justified belief . There are three features in the definition of knowledge belief, truth and justification.
What is a belief? A belief portrays the world to be a certain way, and we believe in this portrait of the world or accept this account of the facts. What is truth? Truth is to do with the accuracy of the account of the world.

About Knowledge
Ontology is the fundamental beliefs individuals hold about the nature of something. Epistemology is the study of knowledge. Epistemology is concerned with (a) what are the necessary and sufficient conditions of knowledge; (b) what are its sources; (c) what is its structure; and (d) what are its limits.
The ontological position: What we want to find out? The epistemological position: How we want to find out?

Defining Social Research

A systematic method of exploring, analysing, and conceptualising social life in order to extend, correct, or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aid in the construction of a theory or in practice of an art (Slessinger and Donald 1930, p. 330).
A scientific undertaking which, by means of logical and systematised techniques, aim to: 1) discover new facts or verify and test old facts; 2) analyse their sequences, interrelationships, and causal explanations, which were derived within an appropriate theoretical frame of references; 3) develop new scientific tools, concepts and theories which would facilitate reliable and valid study of human behaviour (Young and Schmid 1988, p.30).

Scope and Utility of Social Research

Add new knowledge, test old knowledge on society. Assist policy formulation, planning and management of development activities. Assist decision making on social issues. Assist to develop methods and techniques of social investigation.

Approaches to Social Research

Inductive Approach: Scientific research proceeds from observations to theories. Scientists begin with experiments, finding out what happens in specific cases and then use the results of these experiments to develop general theories about what happens in all cases. Deductive Approach: Reasoning from the general to the specific. The process involves the evaluation of generalisations by generating hypotheses which can be tested using appropriate data. Deductive research is cumulative and involves the constant refining of hypotheses.

Approaches to Social Research

Subjective Approach: The view of the researcher is considered on a social reality or truth on society. Researchers biasness may be occurred in this approach. Objective Approach: In this approach the view of the researcher is not dominant. Biasness is not occurred in this approach.

Approaches to Social Research

Positivist Approach: Advocates the application of natural science methods and techniques to study the social reality. Reality consists of what is available to the senses and inquiry should be based upon scientific observation. The natural and human sciences share common logical and methodological principles, dealing with facts and not with values. Interpretivist Approach: Argues against the theme of positivism as the social phenomena can be studied by applying scientific methods. Interpretivism is based on the observation that there are fundamental differences between the natural and social world. The aim of interpretivism is to know the subjective experience of the social realities being studied, their way of actions and reactions, thoughts and feelings of people about the social reality in the normal course of the human behaviour.

Approaches to Social Research

Structuralist Approach: Emphasises that elements of culture must be understood in terms of their relationship to social system or structure. It works to uncover all the structures that trigger all the things that humans do, think, perceive, and feel. Structuralism is the belief that phenomena of human life are not understandable except through their interrelations. Post-structuralist Approach: It is the extension of structuralism, originated from several of its criticisms. Put emphasis on the interpretation of the relationships or structure. It considers human agency as it says that without humans, the social relationships has no meanings.

Approaches to Social Research

Feminist Approach: Share the recognition of the significance of gender in the organisation of social life, of asymmetries of power in gender relations and political commitment to revealing and negating womens subordination.

Summary
In this session we talked about Research; Knowledge, belief, and truth; Ontology and epistemology; Social research; and Several approaches to social research as inductive and deductive; subjective and objective; positivist and Interpretivist; structuralist and poststructuralist; and feminist approach to social research.

References
Abedin, M. Z. (1996) A Handbook of Research for the Fellows of MPhil and PhD. Dhaka: Book Syndicate. Blaikie, N. (2000) Designing Social Research, 1st ed. Cambridge: Polity Press. Bryman, A. (2012) Social Research Methods, 4th edition. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. Chisholm, R. (1982) The Foundations of Knowing. Minneapolis, MN, USA: University of Minnesota Press. Crotty, M. (2003) The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in Research Process. London: Sage Publications Limited. Gary, D. E. (2004) Doing Research in the Real World. London: Sage Publications Limited. Henn, M. et al. (2006) A Short Introduction to Social Research. London: Sage Publications Limited. Kothari, C. R. (1999) Research Methodology. New Delhi: Wishwa Prakashan. Mason, J. (2002) Qualitative Researching, 2nd Edition. London: Sage Publications Limited. Mouton, J. (1996) Understanding Social Research. Pretoria, South Africa: Van Schaik Publishers. Silverman, D. (2010) Doing Qualitative Research, 3rd Edition. London: Sage Publications Limited. Slessinger, D. and Stevenson, M. (1930) Social Research, Encyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, Vol. IX. New York: The Macmillan Company, pp. 330. Young P. V. and Schmid, C. F. (1988) Scientific Social Surveys and Research. New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Private Limited.

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