Page 10 - DSOC404_METHODOLOGY_OF_SOCIAL_RESEARCH_ENGLISH

Methodology of Social Research

notes it is written in encyclopedia Britannica, "Scientific method is group which expresses various processes
through which science is formed. Any research process which helps to gain scientific af organized
knowledge is Scientific method. Clearly any subject becomes science with the help of collected
information through this method.

1.4 Characteristics of Scientific Methods
Followings are the main characteristics of Scientific Methods:
1. Scientific Method is the base of Knowledge: Sociologists use different scientific methods to
learn existing and non existing facts. for example to collect facts sociometery, observations
method, questionnaire method, social inspection method, personal life study method,
statically method, interview method, historical method etc. while studying social incident
one or more of these methods are used.
2. Facts are Collected through Observation: A researcher himself visits the site of incident and
himself studies and collected facts. there is no scope for imaginary or philosophical views.
if a sociologist has to to research about juvenile crime or prostitution or behaviour of crowd,
he will collect the information with his own observation.
3. facts are categorized and analyzed: it is not possible to come to a conclusion with
disorganized data. it is important that obtained facts is organized in a proper manner. for
this facts are bifurcated into different categories. facts are then analyzed. to consider any
subject as science this is important that to reach the conclusion facts are categorized and
analyzed.
4. “What” is Described: Scientific methods focus on the factual happenings. Science does not
classified as what is good or bad, or what should be done and what should not be done. It
depicts reality only, the form they are in. for example science explained Joint family or cast
system in society the way they are, it does not tell they are good or bad.
5. Relation between Work and Purpose: Scientific methods tries to find about work and purpose
behind any incident , facts and problems. It tries to find out reasons of problem. It says that
behind any incident there are certain factors responsible not any magic or miracle. To find
the reason is responsibility of a scientist. Carl Marx theory of Class struggle and Durghems
theory of suicide describe relation between work and purpose.
6. Theories are Established: Scientific methods help in understanding relationship between
facts and incidents, work and purpose analysis, categorization and finding our results. ON
the basis of these results scientific laws and theories are formed.
7. reexamination is possible: social science can also reexamine its methods and theories as
physics or chemistry. In this facts recollected through scientific methods and these can be
verified. Its possible to reexamine theories in social science. For example the conclusion that
broken families are majorly responsible for juvenile crime can be examined and reexamined
at various places.
8. Universal Theories: social scientists use various methods and theories which are universal
in nature. this means that if the conditions remain same these theories will be applicable in
various societies in different eras. for example, it has been universally found that broken
families are based on broken societies.
9. ability to predict: Any subject is considered a science if it has the ability to tell “what will
happen” on the basis of “what is”. in other world on the basis of knowledge obtained through
scientific methods , science has ability to predict. For example a social Scientist can tell on the
basis of changes occurring in the present society that what will be the form of social system

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