1. UAPP 702: Research Methods for Urban & Public Policy Class Notes, Meeting 1
Danilo Yanich
Center for Community Research & Service
School of Public Policy & Administration
University of Delaware

2. How do we know what we know?
Epistemology
the science of knowing
Methodology
the science of finding out

3. Inquiry is a natural human activity
Looking for reality is tricky business
Reality is “up for grabs”
Reality is “nothing but a collective hunch”
Many ways to explain unknown
Revelation
Logic
Empiricism

4. Definition or Explanation of order
Coercion
Shared values
Exchange
Each definition has fundamental implications for “knowing” the phenomenon

5. Methodology—science of finding out
Looking for regularity
Language of ordinary discourse vs language of science

6. Looking for reality Assertion must have logical and empirical support
It must make sense and not contradict actual observation
Dark side of moon is cold

7. Problem tree Cause and effect Logic vs empiricism vs revelation
Importance of research to UA & PP
Evaluation vs non-evaluation research

8. Ubiquity of research Either producer or consumer of research or both
Take a look at today’s newspaper to see how many reports of “scientific” studies are reported

9. “Would you want your kid to be a journalist?”*
Give findings…
*Poll reported in Columbia Journalism Review, Sept/Oct. 1999

10. Then states the limitations in sidebar
These findings report the views of 91 editors and news directors from print and broadcast media who responded to a questionnaire sent by fax on July 15. Responses received through July 28 were tabulated.
The Columbia Journalism Review drew the names from membership lists of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the American Society of Magazine Editors, the Radio-Television News Directors Association, the Associated Press Managing Editors, and the National Association of Black Journalists.
This survey is based upon a non-random, self-selected sample. The results represent the views of those who chose to respond to the survey; they are not generalizable to the journalist population as a whole.
They failed to add: “Apart from these major flaws, it’s a cool poll”.