Summary
Contents
“This is a splendid book, providing a readable and reliable guide to a very large range of topics and literature... the author brings together, as few of us can, the details of research methodology and practice with broader philosophical perspectives and approaches.” - William Outhwaite, Emeritus Professor, Newcastle University “We need researchers who are philosophically informed rather than philosophically obsessed or philosophically oppressed. With this book Malcolm Williams strikes the exact balance.” - Ray Pawson, Emeritus Professor, University of Leeds This book is an ideal introduction for any student or social researcher hoping to better understand the philosophical issues that inform social research. Williams is the perfect guide providing short focused introductions to key concepts alongside a persuasive and engaging overview of how we interpret and conduct research. The book covers everything from core research methods, to ethical concerns and an exploration of the metaphysics of social life, with each entry providing: • Clear definitions • Engaging real world examples • Up-do-date suggestions for further reading • Informative cross-referencing • Lists of key thinkers. Relevant and authoritative, this book is an indispensable introduction to the philosophy of social research.
Hypothesis(es)
Hypothesis(es)
The term ‘hypothesis’ is used in two main ways in social research. First, as a propositional statement, that if a set of conditions P hold, then Q will come about. Second, though following the same logical form, it is used to test for the statistical significance of data.
Theories and hypotheses are closely related in science. The section begins by describing the relationship of hypotheses to theories through the hypothetico deductive model and their role in explanation more generally. The role of hypotheses in social science is discussed and how we might ‘infer to bet explanation’. Finally I discuss statistical hypotheses and their limitations.
Hypotheses are a concept that lies at the heart of scientific method and (in this book) connect with ...