Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2The Logic and Method of Sociological Inquiry

What is Sociological Inquiry?

Sociological Inquiry (SI) is committed to the exploration of the human condition in all of its social and cultural complexity. Its papers challenge us to look a new at traditional areas or identify novel areas for investigation. SI publishes both theoretical and empirical work as well as varied research methods in the study of social and cultural life.

What is Sociological Inquiry?

Sociological inquiry is like any scientific activity, or like playing a game.

It has goals to achieve, Rules to follow, And strategies to work out in order to

obtain a high probability of success.

The Participants

Participants are people or group of people that are involve in a certain activity.

Sociological inquiry, or the activity itself has a 2 groups of participants, the players and the spectators.

The Participants

THE PLAYERS THE SPECTATORS

The Scientist The Scientist

Assistants Other Workers

Are the recipients of the results.

The Spectator is either interested or disinterested, appreciative or inappreciative, benefited or unbenefited.

Social Action

Is the way by which human beings interact with each other in social units such as the family, the school , and the factory.

Is the prime concern of sociological inquiry.

This concern goes beyond the study of face-to-face contact; it is also the systematic motivations and behavior of individuals within groups.

The Basic Goal of Sociological Inquiry

The basic goal of Sociological Inquiry is to obtain an understanding of the observable social world.

To understand the aspects of this world, one has to observe phenomena in relation to particular points of time and place and realize how they were, how they are, and how and why they have or have not changed.

Fundamental Procedures in Sociological Inquiry

To pursue the game, sociological inquiry abides by certain fundamental procedures. The researcher thus:

1. Defines the problem

Our social world is made up of broad and complex phenomena. Above all else, researchers have to locate and evaluate what is already known about this prospective area of inquiry. Thereafter, it is necessary for them to delimit the scope and breadth of the problem and to define the phenomena to focus on.

Thus, in defining a sociological problem, data is gathered and eventually, in the analysis of the data, a conceptual scheme or theoretical framework is set up.

Bernard Barber (1952)

Sociological inquiry is the collection and ordering of facts in terms of a conceptual-theoretical model, this model is being subject to reconstruction as its application result in new or different findings.

Through sociological inquiry, researchers are guided by concept, hypothesis, theory, and fact.

Concept, Hypothesis, Theory, and Fact

A concept is a general term that refers to all cases of particular class of objects, events, persons, relationships, processes, and ideas.

A hypothesis is a proposition or assumption stating what is to be resolved.

A theory is a statement of logical relationships between facts. It is a set of interconnected concepts and propositions presenting a systematic view of phenomena.

A fact is an observable experience that can be repeated and verified.

2. Gathering of the data

In order to meet the fundamental aim of sociological inquiry, a more immediate goal is to provide a simulation or a model that can be shown to correspond to certain principles, a sample of the total population to represent the whole as accurately as possible.

The researcher also chooses the techniques to identify and record the data to be studied.

3. Analysis of data

This involves the testing of the hypothesis or answering questions or assumptions with facts that have been gathered.

Measurements are yardsticks which sociologists create and endow with meanings.

This is a test of the validity of the measurement. If the measurement is taken at different times or by different individuals and the same results are yielded, the measurement is deemed reliable.

The introduction summarizes all the main findings expected, which are checked against the originally stated hypothesis.

Pictures, tables, charts, and graphs can be used as effective aids for easier understanding of the results.

Citation of original sources in footnotes, bibliographic entries, and suggested readings are useful guides for in-depth reading.

4. Verification

Further checking and verification of findings are necessary.

Methodological designs, Techniques and Tools in Sociological Inquiry

Certain research methods, techniques, and tools may be used single or in varied combinations during one or all of the procedures. The most commonly used methods in research designs are the experimental method, the sample survey, and the case study.

1. The Experimental design

The experimental design may be used with a factory, office, school, or prison as a laboratory for carrying out the experiment,

A number of variables are used, holding them constant except one, the effect of which can vary or change.

Two sets of subjects – the experimental and control groups – are matched to resemble each other as closely as possible.

2. The Sample Survey Method

The sample survey method involves a sample which would closely represent a universe or a particular population from which it was chosen, like barrio, province, region, housing project, university, hospital, or apartment complex.

A Statistician may be consulted in setting up the sampling techniques and tools to be used so that the margin of conclusion drawn will be valid for the whole population with a very small margin of error.

3. The Case Study method

Intensive examination of a specific group over a long period of time is carried out in the case study .

Careful recording of significant events and the consequent evaluation of these against the original set of hypotheses are necessary.

Case study do not necessarily lead to conclusive generalizations, but they are rich sources of fresh and deep insights for further researches.

Techniques for Case Study method

The techniques used may be qualitative or quantitative.

Qualitative Technique

The Qualitative techniques do not involve the intensive use of universal values in the research process.

The data derived through qualitative techniques can be analyzed quantitatively through the use of statistics which deal with a mass of data and permit more precise statements of their relationships.

Quantitative Technique

This technique involves the classification and enumeration of data, analyses of the quantitative relationships involved, and assignment of numerical values to their relationship.

Observation and Interviewing

Observation and interviewing may also be used as a technique.

Observation may be non-participatory or participatory. In non-participant observation, the researcher enters the situation as a third party as he or she actually observes and records what is being studied. In participant observation, the research takes part as a member of the group being studied.

The researcher also obtains data by interviewing people.

If the interview is non-structured, the researcher leaves it to the interviewee to guide the conversation.

In structured or directed interview, the researcher follows a relatively more definite order of questions.

A questionnaire is a tool for securing answers to questions written down. It may provide space for the respondent’s written answer or allow him or her to choose and check his or her response from a listed series of possible answers.

Participatory Research

This method utilizes the people who are the actual targets of developments in the research process. The program is presented to the people themselves, and so the research is done in the context of people-centered development.

This type of research can be used for the accumulation of knowledge, as well as for social action, evaluation of the program, and extension work.

Hollnsteiner

According to Hollnsteiner (as cited by Abad) participatory research involves the people’s conscious reflections on what action and goals they consider possible and desirable. Thus, the research becomes meaningful to them and they can mobilize their resources to attain their ends.

Unity of all sciences

The universality and continuity of scientific inquiry lies in its function as a method, be it in the physical, biological, or social areas.

Karl Pearson stated that “The unity of all science consists alone in its method, not in its material. The man who classifies facts of any kind whatever, who sees their mutual relation and describes their sequences, is applying the scientific method and is a man of science”

Patterns of Behavior Required for Sociological Inquiry

Social Scientist should posses a good grasp of the basic premises of their field.

Social Scientist must realize that sociological inquiry is more rigorous and more systematic than common sense.

Social Scientist should be aware of two predominant traditional thoughts that have preoccupied sociologists regarding the treatment of their data.

**One of the traditional thoughts is closely associated with the idea of Max Weber who advocated the use of Verstehen. Weber believed that objective measurements are not sufficient.

**Another traditional thought is Positivism, expounded by Auguste Comte, which claims that the methods of the physical and the biological sciences can be applied to the study of the human being.

Social scientist must be objective. The sincere desire to be objective does not necessarily result in complete objectivity.

The social scientist may be biased without being aware of it.

Skeptical receptivity

Skeptical receptivity is also necessary for sociological inquiry. Although researchers have to be open-minded about new and unique ideas, they need to be sufficiently skeptical to reserve conclusions about these ideas unless and until they have derived tested answers to fundamental questions about them.

Persistent Critical spirit

A persistent critical spirit is important in sociological inquiry if it is to go beyond common sense or presumptive speculation. It should not be bound, limited, or encapsulated by traditional wisdom or conventional knowledge.

*Scientific behavior also requires cooperation, honesty, and liberalism

Social researchers may also develop some sensitivity that people in the community where they work manifest towards scientists and their work.

SUMMARY

Sociological inquiry is intended to provide an understanding of our observable world, and to increase our understanding of ourselves and our groups.

There are certain fundamental procedures to be followed in SI, such as the definition of problem, gathering of data, analysis of data, checking and verification of results

The commonly used methods in research design are the experimental method, sample survey, and case study method.

Sociologists are involved in SI, in their work, they should have attempted to show objectivity, a critical spirit, skeptical receptivity, communality, and liberalism.

Thank you for listening!

Prepared by:Mark Adrian A. IntalIavin Montemayor

Jaime Ozayta