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Unit-3: Basic Concepts : Fact, Concept, Theory and Hypothesis

But this indicates less towards definition and more towards methodological base while defining, note
Pauline young has not limited ‘fact’ to only the ‘still’ or ‘material’ things but has included thought
and feelings too as ‘facts’ especially in reference to social science.
in short, Goode and P.K Hatt have accepted ‘fact’ as an ‘ experience proved reliable observation/
inspection.
May brodbeck—While specifying the meaning of fact, Brodbeck has written that any fact pinpoints
to a particular ‘thing’ like any situation,type of situation, proportion of house masters etc. According
to him the presentation of facts help us to confirm our assumption or thoughts.
The second viewpoint of defining ‘fact’ is of those people who present fact only in reference to social
context. Their logic is that it is used while researching on social facts only. To confirm this view, the
explanation by Durkheim has been given in the beginning.
By keeping,both the views we could mention the views of Fairchild related to the definition of facts,
which depicts universal viewpoint.
According to Fairchild— ‘fact’ is any subject that could be presented or published in any form or
level.’fact’ is that situation in which observations and measurements there is a common agreement
by other people.
according to social World bank—Fact has been defined as- One ‘fact ’ is the true presentation of
any certified situation that can be confirmed and proven by experience. Fact science are the results
of experiments. those statements are only ‘facts ’ that can be proven on experienced related to any
problem or situation.
On the basis of above given definitions following are the general qualities of ‘fact’ –
1. in social research context, we will accept that only as ‘fact’ whose inspection/ observation
is possible in subjective form. in other words that whose subject is self-proven.
2. ‘facts’ are not of individual identity and in most of the times many ‘facts’ are interrelated.
We analyse them according to the need of research and context.
3. fact is that form of ‘truth’ which is either present or past but is very much in existence . thus
we can say it is empirical.
4. ‘fact’ can be visible or material and even invisible i.e., it can be present in physical and
still form of body or it can even be an abstract feeling or thought. thus fact may be ‘ senses
perception’ or even ‘extra senses perception’.
5. ‘fact ’ can be achieved by lonely experiences also but their reliability and validity should be
able to be checked by someone else too. then only we can accept it as ‘pertinent facts ’, thus
it should be able to examine too.
6. Facts are helpful in creating any hypothesis too and should be able to confirm it too. Thus
they should be multi-oriented. they should also prove as an important link in the chain
process of theory building.
After discussing the above characteristics of facts it is quiet clear that facts are collected, studied,
observed and analyzed in a scientific manner. While writing about the features and qualities of facts,
one very important aspect has been kept aside or kept as secondary though it is equally important.
Gideon sjoberg and roger Net have pointed in this direction. they have discussed that fact may be
positive as well as negative and both have equal importance and social activities. Generally, in any
type of study or research the positive facts are given more importance whereas the negative facts have
equally important aspect in any study. Any social scientist cannot just ignore the second type of facts.
Being non active or showing no action in itself is an action e.g., if a person does not stand up while the
National Anthem is sung is actually is an action of negative aspect . though it is not being performed
but this ‘fact’ is of great importance in any study related to national feelings or patriotism.

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