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Unit-1: Elements of Scientific Methods and Various Steps in Social Research

5. Scientific Attitude: the subject is called science if the student collects related facts keeping notes
scientific attitude in mind. Gilin and Gilin have considered the Scientific Attitude very
important and given five characteristics of the same:
(i) Objectivity: the student remains unbiased and depicts the incidents in their real forms. it
means he is influenced by his individual choice, attitude, interest, tendencies and fears.
(ii) Patience: A researcher has to be under tremendous pressure to gather the facts, to study
them quickly and to finish the work and to present a report, but her should never observe
or conclude under-pressure in hurry. these require patience.
(iii) Hard Work: to understand mysteries of nature and the social happening of the world is a
hard task, one should have lots of dedication and willingness to work hard.
(iv) Attitude of Inquisitiveness: Researcher should continue to find out about various facts with a
positive approach till he gets all the facts regarding the subject and verifies them.
(v) Creative Thinking Power: it is not enough for scientist to collect facts but they should be
inquisitive about their meanings, what could be the results and what principals can be
formed on the basis of these facts. A creative band of mind in necessary to find about new
methods.
it is clear so far that for any subject to be called a science these factors are important:
1. Scientific methods are used to collect the information.
2. observation method is used.
3. the facts are presented as they are and what they are.
4. subjects and purpose should clearly mentioned.
5. The conclusions are verified.
6. the conclusions should be generalized.
7. the results should be strong enough for predictions.

1.3 Meaning of Scientific Method

After learning the meaning of Science it is important to know what are scientific methods are how
it helps in study. Generally, scientific method is the one wherein the student studies any subject,
problem or incident in an unbiased manner. He observes and collects facts through a questionnaire,
a list or any other such module, he categorizes and grades; analyses and describes; find the relation
between the fact and reason; generalizes, draws a scientific conclusion and verifies. It increases the
prediction ability.
Lundberg has written in relation with Scientific method “In a broader manner Scientific method is ,
observation, categorization and interpretation of facts” somewhere else he has written that “social
scientists have this belief that the problems they encounter, can be possibly solved through intelligent
and organized observation of facts and their verification , categorization and analysis. This is called
Scientific Method in its original form.

Notes Bawoulf has written.”in expended form any researched method which creates
and expands science is called scientific method.”

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