SocSci 220

Chapter 1

·  Identify different methods of acquiring knowledge

o   Intuition experience, observation, authority, scientific method, rationalism, tenacity, and empiricism.

·  Describe benefits and drawbacks of each method of acquiring knowledge

o   Intuition- Benefit: quick decision making; Drawbacks: prone to biases

o   Authority- benefits: easy access to information; drawbacks: may not always be reliable, info can be outdated.

o   Rationalism- benefits: structured approach; Drawbacks: can rely on valid premises

o   Empiricism- benefits: grounded in real world data, allows for direct verification; drawbacks: subject to personal biases, may not capture all aspects of a phenomenon.

o   Scientific method- benefits: most reliable method, minimizes bias; drawbacks: can be complex to design experiments, may not be applicable to all situations. 

·  Identify definition of science and fundamental features of science

o   Science: is a systematic approach to understanding the natural world through observation, experimentation, and analysis.

o   Features: Empirical Evidence, Reproducibility, Testability, Falsifiability, Objectivity, Systematic Approach, Provisional Nature, Quantification, Predictability, and Universal Application.

·  Define and/or provide example of ‘pseudoscience’

o   Pseudoscience- refers to a body of knowledge, methodologies, or practices that claim to be scientific but lack the empirical evidence or legitimate science. (Ex. Astrology)

·  Describe goals of science

o   Science aims to achieve several interconnected goals that contribute to understanding, explaining, and improving the natural world.

o   These goals are Description, Explanation, Prediction, Control, Understanding, Improvement of Human Life, and Communication.

·  Describe difference between basic and applied research

o   Basic Research: Focuses on expanding knowledge and understanding fundamental principles without immediate concern for practical applications.

o   Applied Research: Aims to solve specific, practical problems by applying existing knowledge. It addresses “what can be done” questions.

·  Describe difference between quantitative and qualitative research

·  Explain role of common sense and skepticism in the social sciences

·  Define heuristics and confirmation bias

Chapter 2

·  Identify the parts of the general model of scientific research

·  Explain common sources of inspiration for research ideas

·  Identify questions related to reviewing research

·  Describe and/or provide examples of common professional publications

·  Describe and/or provide example of a ‘double-blind’ peer review

·  Identify possible search engines/databases

·  Describe concept of ‘empirically testable’

·  Identify ways to generate good research questions

·  Identify ways to evaluate research questions (interestingness, feasibility, etc.)

·  Distinguish between theory and hypothesis

·  Distinguish different types of variables (independent, dependent, etc.)

·  Describe basics of sampling, validity, and reliability

·  Distinguish between types of research

·  Identify basic descriptive statistics

·  Identify correlation coefficients

·  Describe concept of ‘significance’

·  Describe and/or provide examples of questions to answer in drawing conclusions

·  Identify possible methods for reporting results

Chapter 3

·  Describe and/or provide examples of ‘weighing risks and benefits’

·  Describe and/or provide examples of ‘acting responsibly with integrity

·  Describe and/or provide examples of ‘seeking justice’

·  Describe and/or provide examples of ‘respecting rights and dignity’

·  Identify main components and/or purpose of various ethics codes

·  Explain concepts of informed consent, deception, confidentiality, and debriefing

·  Explain issues related to nonhuman subjects

·      Describe and/or provide examples of methods for putting ethics into practice