This is a tough course. I have never conducted social science research nor used its methods for research projects of any sort in recent years.
In the first week, we covered the three different social science research perspectives:
- Positivist: Science is value-free. Data is out there, and objectivity is key.
- Interpretive: Data is observed, bracketed and context-specific. Understanding phenomena requires that you take in the surrounding information to make sense of what you see.
- Critical: Both Positivist and Interpretive methods and views are used. Information gained is fed back into the loop.