Page 8 - DSOC404_METHODOLOGY_OF_SOCIAL_RESEARCH_ENGLISH

Methodology of Social Research

notes groups , organizations , societies and social relations are not considered sciences. People think that
studies of protons, electrons, atoms, molecules, meteors, planets, rocks, organisms, skeletons are only
sciences. this is a myth only. in fact science in itself is not a subject but an organized knowledge
obtained through scientific methods. Knowledge collected by compiling facts using scientific methods
and then these changed into forming principals will be called science .
Stuart Chase wrote clarifying the meaning of science: “science is related to method and not to subject
matter.”
According to carl pearson: “All the sciences are united in their methods and not in their subject
matter.”
According beasons and beasons: “this is methods and not a subject matter which is a challenge for
science.”
According to lundberg: “To try to define Science as a subject matter creates confusion.”
landis states that science is science whether it is Physics or sociology.

Did You Know? Bernards has defined science as six processes: Testing, Verification,
Definitions , Classifications , organization and orientation; these also include
Prediction and Application.

Pherfe has stated that scientific knowledge should be defined as an organized Science which is certain,
logical and normal up to a limit.
All the statements of these scholars make it clear that Science is not related to any specific type of
subject matter but a gradual and organized knowledge obtained by Scientific methods.

1.2 Main Elements (Characteristics) of Science

Martidel and Mounachesi has written clarifying different elements of science that science is a way of
thinking and it rises as an answer of all the problem of various thoughts. science needs to have these
different elements:
1. observation: Gude and Hate have written on the importance of science that science start
with observation and to validate one has to come back to observation, A socialist should
strain himself to observe carefully. young has named observation a “purposeful study of
eyes”. A researcher minutely studies the incident, subject and the facts at the place of incident.
observation is very important in science.
2. Verification and Classification : Verification is testing the facts . In other words verification
is to authenticate the facts and result. For verification a similar situation is taken and if both
are found similar in nature then it can be said that the obtained facts are verified.
3. generalization: this is an important feature of science. it means to get a general law or nature
on the basis of obtained facts. the results thus found are implemented on the universe. for
example, on the basis of studies on some students representatives the obtained results are
implemented not only on all students but on all the students of total area.
4. prediction: A main feature of science is to have ability to predict. if on the basis of results,
the future occurrences can be predicted it will be called a science. if results obtained after
research and studies, are verified then in future too they will remain facts. Thus Science has
this ability of prediction.

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