Natural Sciences

• Everything outside of human culture

• try discovering laws, and assume laws ALWAYS have the same effect

• Positivism: data governed by lead, not human interference

• Data = objective representation of an undisputable reality

Focus on a phenomenon, not on outside influences

Social Science

• symbolic phenomena

  • try to establish meaning

  • subjective

  • It depends on social, spatial, and historical realities

Problem: ex. How can we measure love?

• Researchers attempt to measure objectively (but subjectivity is inescapable)

• No obvious/ best way to measure things

Comparisons

• Nat. Sci.: quantitative data & cause-effect relationships b/w variables

• Soc. Sci.: can’t establish cause-effect, though tries when possible

  • recognizes biases are possible

Research Basics

• Theories

  • Explanation of phenomenon

• Research question: 1st step of testing theories

  • see what is already known

• Operationalizing:

  • clearly define variables & how will measure them

    • otherwise misunderstandings, differing interpretations

• Then: Hypothesis

  • prediction of what will happen (educated guess)