Page 58 - DLIS407_INFORMATION AND LITERATURE SURVEY IN SOCIAL SCIENCES

Reena Kapoor, Lovely Professional University Unit 8: Types of Social Science Research

Unit 8: Types of Social Science Research Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
8.1 Pure Research or Fundamental Research
8.2 Applied Research
8.3 Exploratory Research
8.4 Diagnostic Study
8.5 Evaluation Studies
8.6 Action Research
8.7 Summary
8.8 Keywords
8.9 Review Questions
8.10 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
y Know the different types of social science research
y Describe the objectives and scope of different social science research.

Introduction

Social science research will help in finding out causes to problems of illiteracy, unemployment,
poverty, etc., thereby, assisting the government to formulate legislations and policies, schemes, and
programmes for the eradication of illiteracy. Social science research is oriented toward building
knowledge. It describes the methods by which results are known; it sets up the inquiry process so that
evidence from all sides of a problem can be examined; it generalizes knowledge more broadly beyond
the specific instances that are examined. Research is one possible way through which knowledge can
be generated.
The following are the key types of social science research that are undertaken:
y Pure Research or Fundamental Research
y Applied Research
y Exploratory Research
y Diagnostic Study
y Evaluation Studies
y Action Research
In the following sections we will study the different types of social science research.

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