The Foundations of Social Research by Dr. Norbert Elliot

7/31/2019 The Foundations of Social Research by Dr. Norbert Elliot

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The Foundations of Research

An Introduction to Inquiry in

Communication


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The Enlightenment

Galileos 1633 trial

Frances Bacon, First Book of Aphorisms (1620)

There are and can be only two ways of searching into

and discovering truth. The one flies from the senses andparticulars to the most general axioms, and from theseprinciples, the truth of which it takes for settled andimmovable, proceeds to judgment and the discovery ofmiddle axioms. And this way is now in fashion. The

other derives from axioms from the senses andparticulars, rising by gradual and unbroken assent, so thatit arrives at the most general axioms last of all. This isthe true way, but as yet untried.


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The Enlightenment

Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method

(1637)

The Cartesian Mind and Hypertext: David JayBolter, Writing Space

John Locke, Essay Concerning Human

Understanding (1690)

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)


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The Great European Sociologists

Karl Marx (1918-1883)

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Max Weber (1864-1920)


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The Philosophy of PositivismRichard Lipsey, Positivist Economics (1963)


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Quantitative Methods

The legacy of Comte

The legacy of Karl Pearson (1857-1936)

The scientific method is the surest way toproduce efficient knowledge.

The effective use of knowledge could be used

to bring about social reform and the

improvement of human lives.


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The American Social Surveys

Jacob Riis (1849-1914)

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

W.E.B. DuBois (1868-1963)


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The Chicago School

Robert Park (1864-1944)

The city as a social laboratory

Human ecology


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Qualitative Methods

Claude Levi-Strauss, The Savage Mind

(1966)

a bricoleur(a professional do-it-yourselfperson) produces a bricolage (a close-knit set

of practices that provide solutions to problems

in concrete situations


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The Reaction against Positivism

Ferdinand C. S. Schiller (1864-1937)

Since the contents of science are the produces

of human thought, reality and truth could not

be external to human consciousness

William Dilthey (1833-1911)

The methods of the physical sciences are not

appropriate for humans.


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Qualitative MethodsNorman K. Denzen and Yvonne S. Lincoln. The Landscape of Qualitative Research: Theories and

Issues (1998)

Qualitative research is an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary,and sometimes counterdisciplinary field. It cross-cuts thehumanities, the social sciences, and the physical sciences.Qualitative research is many things at the same time. It ismultiparadigmatic in focus. Its practitioners are sensitive to the

value of the multimethod approach. They are committed to thenaturalistic perspective and to the interpretive understanding ofhuman experience. At the same time, the field is inherentlypolitical and shaped by multiple ethical and political positions.

Qualitative research embraces two tensions at the same time. Onthe one hand, it is drawn to a broad, interpretative, postmodern,feminist, and critical sensibility. On the other hand, it can also bedrawn to more narrowly defined positivist, postpositivist,humanistic, and naturalistic conceptions of human experience andits analysis.


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Qualitative Methods

Multimethod in focus

an interpretative, naturalistic focus (studies behavior in itsnatural environment)

use of a variety of empirical materials observational

case study

narrative

interviews historical

biographical

visual materials


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Qualitative MethodsNorman K. Denzin and Yvonna S. Lincoln. Introduction: Entering the Field of Qualitative Research.1-34

Arthur J. Vidich and Stanford M. Lyman. Qualitative Methods: Their History in Sociology and Anthropology. 41-110

Traditional (1900-1950)

Malinowski in New Guinea (1914-1918)

The Chicago School and Robert E. Parkslice of life; represent the ills of society

Modernist or Golden Age (1950-1970)

Glaser and Strauss, The Discovery of

Grounded Theory (1967)

to give voice to those at risk


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Qualitative Methods

Blurred Genre (1970-1986)

Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (1973)

and Local Knowledge (1983)

Crisis of Representation (1986-1990)

Clifford, The Predicament of Culture:

Twentieth-Century Ethnography, Literature,

and Art (1988)

The Postmodern Present (1990-Present)


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The Tradition Today:

The Modern Researcher

Research Traditions

Theory and Models

Empiricism Measurement

Behaviorism

The Limits of Knowledge


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Research Traditions

The Social Sciences

contribute to an understanding of the forcesthat modify the conduct of individuals, control

their behavior, and shape their lives

The Humanities

contribute to an understanding of the unique

aspects of human culture and are concernedwith our attempts to express values and todiscover meaning


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Research Traditions

Natural Science

the natural environment in which humans live

physics and chemistry: the laws of matter,

motion, space, mass, and energy

the biological sciences

Engineering

that field of technological activity devoted toorganizing the design, production, andoperation of technology in order to meetpractical human needs.


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Research Traditions

Interdisciplinary studiesScience, Technology,

and Society: explores the foundations and impact of science and

technology by examining the values, language, history,politics, and economics of modern technological society

examines the interrelated worlds of the scientist, engineer,

politician, and citizen

develops ethical awareness and public responsibility through

global, multicultural, and environmental perspectives prepares the student to integrate the scientific and technical

disciplines with the humanities and social sciences


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Research Traditions

Communication

The use of signs

The study of the ways that communities use signs

Rhetorical Theory: The construction of language in culture Literary Theory: The interpretation of texts in the academy

Composition Theory: The construction of written texts in theacademy

Technical Writing Theory: The construction of written texts

in nonacademic settings. Mass Communication: The impact of information on

everyday life

Hypertext Theory: The impact of computers and thereinterpretation of print


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Theory and Models

Theory

Establish a universal typology

Yield insight due to the typology

Postulate sequence

Postulate relationship

Address operational issues

ModelA prediction rule


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Empiricism

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

William James (1843-1910)

The use of logic aided by observation and

measurement

Positivism: any approach which applies scientific

method to human affairs conceived as belonging to a

natural order open to objective enquiry.

Empirical reasoning: evidence based on observation.


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Measurement

Karl Pearson (1857-1936)

Robert M. Yerkes (1876-1956)

Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949)


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Behaviorism

B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)

Behavioral Science

A term that encompasses disciplines in whichempirical inquiry is used to study motivation,

cognition, and behavior


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A Student Orientation

Phase 1: Situate the Research Tradition

Phase 2: Define the Research Problem

Phase 3: Limit the Research Problem

Phase 4: Define the Occasion of Inquiry Phase 5: Define the Mode of Inquiry

Phase 6: Define the Measurement Process

Phase 7: Identify Problems and Solutions

Phase 8: Begin Research Phase 9: Conduct Research

Phase 10: Report Research: Updates and Final Report


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Characteristics of the Student

Researcher Authenticity

Enthusiasm

Consistency and care about details

Planning

Commitment

Ability to tolerate rejection and persevere

Good sense Role taking ability

Desire to learn how to do research


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For Further Reading

Earl R. Babbie. The Practice of Social Research

Fred N. Kerlinger, Howard B. Lee. Foundationsof Behavioral Research

Ralph L. Rosnow, Robert Rosenthal. BeginningBehavioral Research: A Conceptual Primer

William M. K. Trochim. The Research MethodsData Base

H. Russell Bernard. Social Research Methods:Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Robert S. Lockhart. Introduction to Statistics andData Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences


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For Further Reading

Janice M. Lauer, J. William Asher. Composition

Research: Empirical Designs

Lynette R. Porter, William Coggin. Research

Strategies in Technical Communication


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To Remember

Do not accept value dualism

In the relationship between theory andresearch

In research orientation

In selection of methods

Accept a tendency toward empiricism and

method Acknowledge the limits of knowledge

Documents

The Foundations of Social Research by Dr. Norbert Elliot