The Basics of Social Research

Chapter One.  Human Inquiry and Science

Preview

LOOKING FOR REALITY
    Ordinary Human Inquiry
    Tradition
    Authority
    Errors in Inquiry and Some Solutions
    What’s Really Real?
THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
    Theory, Not Philosophy or Belief
    Social Regularities
    Aggregates, Not Individuals
    A Variable Language
SOME DIALECTICS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE
    Idiographic and Nomothetic Explanation
    Inductive and Deductive Theory
    Qualitative and Quantitative Data
    Pure and Applied Research
Enhancement Module: Attributes and Variables