Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences

Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences
Author: Alexander L. George
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 347
Release: 2005-04-15
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 0262262894

The use of case studies to build and test theories in political science and the other social sciences has increased in recent years. Many scholars have argued that the social sciences rely too heavily on quantitative research and formal models and have attempted to develop and refine rigorous methods for using case studies. This text presents a comprehensive analysis of research methods using case studies and examines the place of case studies in social science methodology. It argues that case studies, statistical methods, and formal models are complementary rather than competitive. The book explains how to design case study research that will produce results useful to policymakers and emphasizes the importance of developing policy-relevant theories. It offers three major contributions to case study methodology: an emphasis on the importance of within-case analysis, a detailed discussion of process tracing, and development of the concept of typological theories. Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences will be particularly useful to graduate students and scholars in social science methodology and the philosophy of science, as well as to those designing new research projects, and will contribute greatly to the broader debate about scientific methods.

Developments in the Methodology of Social Science

Developments in the Methodology of Social Science
Author: W. Leinfellner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 443
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9401022593

Philosophy of Science deals with the problem, 'What is science?' It seems that the answer to this question can only be found if we have an answer to the question, 'How does science function?' Thus, the study of the methodology of social sciences is a prominent factor in any analysis of these sciences. The history of philosophy shows clearly that the answer to the question, 'How does science function?' was the conditio sine qua non of any kind of philosophy of science, epistemology and even of logic. Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Mill, Russell, to mention a few classical authors, clearly emphasized the primacy of methodology of science for any kind of philosophy of science. One may even state that analyses of the presup positions, the foundations, the aims, goals and purposes of science are nothing else than analyses of their general and specific formal, as well as practical and empirical methods. Thus, the whole program of any phi losophy of science is dependent on the analysis of the methods of sciences and the establishment of their criteria. If the study of scientific method is the predominant factor in the philosophy of science, then all the other problems will depend on the outcome of such a study. For example, the old question of a possible unity of all social sciences will be brought to a solution by the study of the presuppositions, the methods, as well as of the criteria germane to all social sciences.

Social Science Methodology

Social Science Methodology
Author: John Gerring
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 523
Release: 2011-12-15
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1139503774

John Gerring's exceptional textbook has been thoroughly revised in this second edition. It offers a one-volume introduction to social science methodology relevant to the disciplines of anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology and sociology. This new edition has been extensively developed with the introduction of new material and a thorough treatment of essential elements such as conceptualization, measurement, causality and research design. It is written for students, long-time practitioners and methodologists and covers both qualitative and quantitative methods. It synthesizes the vast and diverse field of methodology in a way that is clear, concise and comprehensive. While offering a handy overview of the subject, the book is also an argument about how we should conceptualize methodological problems. Thinking about methodology through this lens provides a new framework for understanding work in the social sciences.

Social Science Research

Social Science Research
Author: Anol Bhattacherjee
Publisher: CreateSpace
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2012-04-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781475146127

This book is designed to introduce doctoral and graduate students to the process of conducting scientific research in the social sciences, business, education, public health, and related disciplines. It is a one-stop, comprehensive, and compact source for foundational concepts in behavioral research, and can serve as a stand-alone text or as a supplement to research readings in any doctoral seminar or research methods class. This book is currently used as a research text at universities on six continents and will shortly be available in nine different languages.

Statistics in the Social Sciences

Statistics in the Social Sciences
Author: Stanislav Kolenikov
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2010-02-22
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0470583320

A one-of-a-kind compilation of modern statistical methods designed to support and advance research across the social sciences Statistics in the Social Sciences: Current Methodological Developments presents new and exciting statistical methodologies to help advance research and data analysis across the many disciplines in the social sciences. Quantitative methods in various subfields, from psychology to economics, are under demand for constant development and refinement. This volume features invited overview papers, as well as original research presented at the Sixth Annual Winemiller Conference: Methodological Developments of Statistics in the Social Sciences, an international meeting that focused on fostering collaboration among mathematical statisticians and social science researchers. The book provides an accessible and insightful look at modern approaches to identifying and describing current, effective methodologies that ultimately add value to various fields of social science research. With contributions from leading international experts on the topic, the book features in-depth coverage of modern quantitative social sciences topics, including: Correlation Structures Structural Equation Models and Recent Extensions Order-Constrained Proximity Matrix Representations Multi-objective and Multi-dimensional Scaling Differences in Bayesian and Non-Bayesian Inference Bootstrap Test of Shape Invariance across Distributions Statistical Software for the Social Sciences Statistics in the Social Sciences: Current Methodological Developments is an excellent supplement for graduate courses on social science statistics in both statistics departments and quantitative social sciences programs. It is also a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners in the fields of psychology, sociology, economics, and market research.

Methods That Matter

Methods That Matter
Author: M. Cameron Hay
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 459
Release: 2016-05-05
Genre: Education
ISBN: 022632866X

To do research that really makes a difference -- the authors of this book argue -- social scientists need a diverse set of questions and methods, both qualitative and quantitative, in order to reflect the complexity of the world. Bringing together a consortium of voices across a variety of fields, Methods That Matter offers compelling and successful examples of mixed methods research that does just that. Discussing their own endeavors to combine quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the authors invite readers into a conversation about the best designs and practices of mixed methods to stimulate creative ideas and find new pathways of insight. The result is an engaging exploration of a promising approach to the social sciences. --

Research Methodology for Social Sciences

Research Methodology for Social Sciences
Author: Rajat Acharyya
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2019-11-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000725782

Research Methodology for Social Sciences provides guidelines for designing and conducting evidence-based research in social sciences and interdisciplinary studies using both qualitative and quantitative data. Blending the particularity of different sub-disciplines and interdisciplinary nature of social sciences, this volume: Provides insights on epistemological issues and deliberates on debates over qualitative research methods; Covers different aspects of qualitative research techniques and evidence-based research techniques, including survey design, choice of sample, construction of indices, statistical inferences and data analysis; Discusses concepts, techniques and tools at different stages of research, beginning with the design of field surveys to collect raw data and then analyse it using statistical and econometric methods. With illustrations, examples and a reader-friendly approach, this volume will serve as a key reference material for compulsory research methodology courses at doctoral levels across different disciplines, such as economics, sociology, women’s studies, education, anthropology, political science, international relations, philosophy, history and business management. This volume will also be indispensable for postgraduate courses dealing with quantitative techniques and data analysis.

Max Weber on the Methodology of the Social Sciences

Max Weber on the Methodology of the Social Sciences
Author: Max Weber
Publisher: Franklin Classics Trade Press
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2018-11-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780353278028

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Systems Methodology in Social Science Research

Systems Methodology in Social Science Research
Author: R. Cavallo
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 201
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9401732043

From the beginning, the systems research movement has shown a high potential for offering a conceptual framework for the understanding of social systems. Much of this potential has been realized, but a major gap remains with regard to operational investigative aids. Developments of the last ten years with a method ological orientation and emphasis seem finally to be filling this gap. The purpose of this book is to describe the most advanced of these developments and to make them available to a wider audience. The emphasis is on developments that are primarily oriented toward interaction with expertise in the social sciences and that thus hold the most promise for social systems investigation. In particu lar, attempts have been made to provide substantiation and illustration of three main points: (1) the common motivation and essential integrability that systems research provides for developments and considerations along a very broad spec trum of interests; (2) the very diverse nature of the types and forms of considera tions that may be meaningfully integrated; and (3) the operational and usable nature that developments in systems methodology represent for research in the social sciences. The book is divided into three parts with a generally increasing degree of specificity. The first part (Chapters 1, 2, and 3) deals with foundational issues associated with modeling and methodology as areas worthy of study in their ix X PREFACE own right.

Methodology of Social Sciences

Methodology of Social Sciences
Author: Max Weber
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2017-07-05
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1351505572

Max Weber wrote these methodological essays in the closest intimacy with actual research and against a background of constant and intensive meditation on substantive problems in the theory and strategy of the social sciences. They were written between 1903 and 1917, the most productive of Max Weber's life, when he was working on his studies in the sociology of religion and Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft.Weber had done important work in economic and legal history and had taught economic theory. On the basis of original investigations, he had acquired a specialist's knowledge of the details of German economic and social structure. His always vital concern for the political prosperity of Germany among the nations thrust him deeply into discussion of political ideals and programs.Weber's methodology still holds interest for us. Some of its shortcomings, from the contemporary viewpoint, may be attributed to the fact that some of the methodological problems that he treated could not be satisfactorily resolved prior to certain actual developments in research technique. These few qualifications aside, the work remains a pioneering work in large scale social research, from one of the field's masters.