HSOC 408 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Literature Review, Inductive Reasoning, Human Geography
18 Nov 2016
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[chapter 1: the nature and process of social. Social research is academic research that draws upon ideas, theories, and concepts from a field of social science (psychology, sociology, human geography). Social research is conducted when our understanding of a certain societal phenomena is incomplete or contentious (ie. controversial). Certain elements of the context in which social research takes place must be considered: existing theories: only a certain amount of theoretical positions can be taken while conducting research and interpreting research data. The chosen theories may significantly influence the way the topic is explored (or which topics are explored): existing knowledge: research areas that have already been covered are unlikely to be covered again in future research. Unexplored research areas are more likely to be subject to new research. Thus, existing knowledge plays a role in determining where research takes place: researcher"s view on the relationship between theory and research:
