Social Science Inquiry Model

Scientific inquiry has 5 steps Identify a problem Develop a hypothesis Gather data Analyze the data Draw conclusions

Identify the problem or question Initial investigation of topic of interest Conduct preliminary research We call this the literature review Example: You may be interested to learn what methods of study lead to better exam results.

Develop a hypothesis A possible answer to the initial question that guides your research by indicating what would confirm or disprove the experiment Needs to be concise Arguable Requires research Can be tested Example: You may hypothesize that studying with friends leads to improved exam results.

Gather data (A) Secondary research- what is already known about the topic (other people’s research and statistics) (B) Primary research – your own experiments, etc Example: You may choose to conduct an experiment that compares the exam results of those who studied by themselves to those who studied with friends.

Gathering Data continued... Qualitative Data: Data Quantitative Data:

Analyze the data Tally the results Organize them into tabular form Present them as graphs Interpret the results Example: the results of your studying experiment could be organized into the form of a graph showing the relationship between studying with friends vs. studying solo. A graph would allow a researcher to identify any trends or patterns that exist.

Draw conclusions Did the study support the hypothesis? Is it consistent with the secondary research? What were the limitations and flaws? Recommendations for future research Example: Based on the analysis of data, the researcher may determine the studying with friends does improve exam results. When students study together, they are able to question each other and help each other learn the material. Talking about what you are learning actually helps you learn better.

Be Mindful of the Placebo Effect! When a Subject gives the response they believe the Researcher is expecting... In many experiments, there is a Control group and a Placebo group. Both are given similar situations with slight differences and then compared. Produces much more reliable results. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfRVCaA5o 18