1. SOCI 2003B: Sociological Methods Colleen Anne Dell, Ph.D. Carleton University, Department of Sociology & Anthropology Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse September 14, 2006 Human Inquiry and the Science of Sociology

2. OUTLINE AN INTRODUCTION TO INQUIRY 1. Challenging the Everyday 2. Research Methodology: Why learn it? 3. What is Science, Sociology and Human Inquiry? 4. Human Inquiry 5. Social Scientific Inquiry a. The Foundations of Social Science b. Fundamental Characteristics of the Relationship Between Social Science & Theory 6. Social Scientific Inquiry and Knowledge 7. Accounting for the Researcher: First 3 Stages of the Research Process

3. WORKSHOP: Distribute Research Proposal Assignment Discuss Group Work SUBMIT: Three research topics of interest for group work

4. OTTAWA - Initial research has raised new questions that must be answered before Canada's new government can make an informed decision about the future of Vancouver's drug injection site or consider requests for any new injection sites says Federal Health Minister Tony Clement. "Do safe injection sites contribute to lowering drug use and fighting addiction? Right now the only thing the research to date has proven conclusively is drug addicts need more help to get off drugs," Minister Clement says. "Given the need for more facts, I am unable to approve the current request to extend the Vancouver site for another three and a half years." Minister Clement has deferred the decision on the Vancouver application to December 31st, 2007, during which time additional studies will be conducted into how supervised injection sites affect crime, prevention and treatment. Insite operations will continue during this review. SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 NEWS RELEASE: No new injection sites for addicts until questions answered says Minister Clement

5. 1. CHALLENGING THE EVERYDAY

6. 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: WHY LEARN IT?

7. EXERCISES: CREATIVITY 1. WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE EVER DONE? 2. WHY DO YOU CONSIDER THIS CREATIVE (WHAT PERSONAL SKILLS, TRAITS, TALENTS, CHARACTERISTICS DID YOU USE)?

8. 3.WHAT IS SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY AND HUMAN INQUIRY?

9. QUICK REFERENCE DEFINITIONS SCIENCE: Knowledge AIM: To produce knowledge (process), to understand and explain some aspect of the world around us. Max Gluckman has observed, ‘a science is any discipline in which the fool of this generation can go beyond the point reached by the genius of the last generation’ (Gluckman, 1965). A science, then, is a cumulative thing – the product of the efforts of many and not just the lucky or intuitive few. D.P. Forcese and S. Richer (1973). Social Research Methods. NJ: Prentice-Hall, p. 6.

10. SOCIOLOGY: The scientific study of the patterns and processes of human social relations. Primary subject matter is the group, not the individual. HUMAN INQUIRY: To question (and predict).

11. 4. HUMAN INQUIRY Prediction (1) Causal (2) Probabilistic Second-hand knowledge (1) Tradition (2) Authority

12. Errors in Human Causal Inquiry 1. Inaccurate observations 2. Overgeneralization 3. Selective observation 4. Illogical Reasoning 5. Ideology/Faith

13. 5. SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY Science An objective, accurate, systematic analysis of empirical data in order to discover recurring relations and advance human knowledge.

14. A. THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE B. FUNDAMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL SCIENCE & THEORY

15. Social scientific theory is based on… 1. Social regularities 2. Aggregates 3. A variable language - Attributes - Variables

16. 6.SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY AND KNOWLEDGE Kirby & McKenna, 1989 1. Knowledge is socially constructed 2. Social interactions form the basis of social knowledge 3. Different people experience the world differently 4. People have different knowledge because they have different experiences 5. Knowledge changes over time 6. Differences in power have resulted in a monopoly on knowledge production.

17. 7. ACCOUNTING FOR THE RESEARCHER: FIRST 3 STAGES OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS First 3 Stages of the Research Process 1. Identifying your research interest 2. Identifying your specific question 3. Recording your conceptual baggage

18. CONCEPTUAL BAGGAGE Conceptual baggage is a record of your thoughts and ideas about the research question at the beginning and throughout the research process. It is the process by which you can state your personal assumptions about the topic of the research process. Recording your conceptual baggage will add another dimension to the data, one that is always present, but rarely acknowledged. By making your thoughts and experience explicit, another layer of data is revealed for investigation. The researcher becomes another subject in the research process and is left vulnerable in a way that changes the traditional power dynamics / hierarchy that existed between the researcher and those who are researched. Kirby and McKenna, 1989

19. RESEARCH PROPOSAL ASSIGNMENT

20. GROUP WORK

21. SUBMIT IDENTIFY 3 AREAS OF SOCIOLOGICAL INTEREST