WELCOME RSC 2601 HEIDI VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Cell: 082 824 2056 Email: hvdwesthuizen12@gmail.com

Tutorials PLEASE: Turn off your cell phone Be on time for the class Attend regularly Come prepared

DATES OF TUTORIALS 3 SEPTEMBER 2012 MONDAY 8H30 – 10H30 4 SEPTEMBER 2012 TUESDAY 8H30 – 10H30 5 SEPTEMBER 2012 WEDNESDAY 11H00 – 13H00 6 SEPTEMBER 2012 THURSDAY 8H30 – 10H30 7 SEPTEMBER 2012 FRIDAY 8H30 – 10H30

OVERVIEW OF CHAPTERS Strategies of discovery The role of theory in research Scientific research Ethics in research Research design Sampling Data collection Quantitative data: description and interpretation Qualitative data: analysis and interpretation Writing and evaluating research reports

CHAPTER 1: STRATEGIES OF DISCOVERY

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW What research is about Sources of knowledge Errors in human enquiry Scientific norms Stages in research Ontological and epistemological questions Approaches to scientific research Theory definitions Concepts in theory Scope of theory Deduction and induction Theory and research

KEY ACTION WORDS Learning outcomes Key words Activities Test yourself

WHAT IS REASEARCH ABOUT? In practice, certain questions arise. To answer these questions, data has to be collected. This is called research. For ex. You are in practice for yourself and you work a lot with children who presents with anxiety. You want to understand the underlying dynamics of this anxiety, in order to create a treatment programme. For this you need to collect data from the relevant parties, i.e. the school, the family, the client, occupational therapist, speech therapist, psychiatrist. Rules guiding research is called methodology, it is like a roadmap to help and guide you to get to your destination

The scientific approach to social research Science is a process of inquiry (observing and thinking) Scientific thinking is logical, has a reference (observed evidence) and gives an explanation (theory) for what we observe. Scientific research means we systematically examine and think about a question.

Sources of knowledge Tradition Authority Religion Common sense Media myths

Errors in human enquiry Safeguard Inaccurate observation Use measurement devices Over generalization Involve a sufficient large sample of observations Replication (repeating a study) Selective observation Using a research design that specifies the number and kind of observations we need before making a conclusion Ego involvement Testing the hypothesis in a systematic manner Premature closure of inquiry A thorough review of literature on the research topic

Scientific norms (rules of conduct) Universalism: research is only to be judged on the basis of scientific merit Organized scepticism: All evidence should be questioned and challenged by the researcher Disinterestedness: Researchers must be impartial and neutral Communalism: Scientific knowledge must be shared with everyone Honesty: Honesty in all research is demanded

Definitions Theory: a framework of ideas that provides an explanation of something Value free: scientific enquiry should not be influenced by the values scientists hold dear Assumption: a basic premise that we believe is true

STAGES IN RESEARCH 4. Communicating results 2. Obtaining information 1. Defining the problem 2. Obtaining information 3. Analysing and interpreting information 4. Communicating results

STAGES OF RESEARCH STAGE 1: DEFINING THE PROBLEM - Design or plan - Research problem - Literature review Theory Assumptions Hypothesis - Research questions

STAGES OF RESEARCH STAGE 2: OBTAINING THE INFORMATION - Sampling - Data collection STAGE 3: ANALYSING AND INTERPRETING INFORMATION - Describing and interpreting quantitative data - Describing and interpreting qualitative data STAGE 4: COMMUNICATING RESULTS - Writing the research report

ONTOLOGICAL AND EPISTEMOLOGICAL QUESTIONS Ontological: view of social reality (our world) what researchers think exists and is real Epistemological: approach to knowledge how we can know and explain something

APPROACHES TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 1. Positivist approach Interpretive approach View of social reality (world) Social reality can be discovered Approach to knowledge (how they gain knowledge) Using standardized procedures Use a value free approach, free from bias View of social reality Social reality is inherently meaningful People interpret situations and decide how to act on it Approach to knowledge Be sensitive to the context in which meaning is produced Pay attention to common sense

APPROACHES TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 3. Critical approach 4. Feminist approach View of social reality There are more dimensions to social reality that initially appear to us (multi-layered) Approach to knowledge Use the logic and reasoning of theories View of social reality Gender is a key factor of social reality Approach to knowledge Researchers collaborate with subjects

APPROACHES TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 5. Postmodern approach 6. Postcolonialism View of social reality There is no such thing as an absolute truth Approach to knowledge Rejects reason as a foundation of knowledge View of social reality It sees the colonial experience of conquest and domination as central to our understanding of social reality Approach to knowledge They question the current knowledge in social sciences, says it is biased

theory

Theory definitions Theory is A conceptual framework that provides an explanation of certain occurrences or phenomena Systematic and gives precise definitions 2. Concepts Identify and describe phenomena Just as a language consists of words, so does a theory consist of concepts

HOW ARE CONCEPTS USED IN THEORY Identify and describe phenomena Is the starting point of a theory Together, these clusters of concepts build the sentences of theory Abstract concepts – give the big picture, but not much detail Concrete concepts – presents a close up view and focus on details

THE SCOPE OF THEORY Refers to how much the theory explains, or how many different contexts the theory can explain. The scope of theory is linked to level of abstraction. The higher the level of abstraction (the big picture), the more the theory can be generalized. The wider the scope of the theory, the more it can be generalized

Generalisability Empirical generalisations Classify, summarise and organise observations 2. Middle range theory Organise empirical observations in a way that it explains the relationships between them in more general terms 3. Theoretical perspectives Gives an overall explanation A particular study only provides partial evidence to support perspectives

DEDUCTION AND INDUCTION Both are reasoning processes we use to develop theories Deduction Going from general to specific Using general principles to suggest specific outcomes 3. Induction Using a number of specific observations to formulate general principles

THE LINK BETWEEN THEORY AND RESEARCH The relationship is reciprocal: empirical studies are based on theory, and theory are based on empirical studies. Theory guides research, while the information obtained through research builds theory.