Social Research
The primary objective of social research is to reveal the truth. It is an academic scholarship that requires innovative and critical gaze. It is the critical enquiry of any particular issue. It is carried out in order to acquaint with social phenomena. Researcher does explore the social realities or hidden facts by deploying appropriate tools and techniques. He can conduct the research in order to define and redefine the social problems as the social issues or problems are dynamic in character. In order to familiarize with social problems or social issues sociological research is carried out. In order to formulate the theories or principles scholars do conduct the intensive research. His revealed findings or principles speak how the world works which is very grand and something extra creative scholarship. It is also conducted to reveal the root causes of the problems and identifying some sustainable solutions of the issue. It is carried out to quench the thirst of knowledge and to generate the resources for lively hood. In order to get masters degree students do conduct the small scale research for his partial fulfillment. M.Phil and PhD degree research scholars do conduct something academic research and dig out new social reality through academic scholarship. This academic enterprise is accomplished through systematized effort grounded on research processes. The main objective of the research is to explore new things and dig out the truth which encompasses reason, holistic view and contemplative ideas.
Researcher enters into research areas and selects the topic which is researchable or doable. His own empirical context and reviewed literature helps him to select the research issue. People, program, problems and phenomena (p4) are supportive wings for selecting the research topic. While selecting the topic researcher should keep in his mind that the issue should have social significance. The selected topic should have its originality and sensitivity which can fill up the previous research gap as well. In order to select the relevant topic researcher can study the concerned literature in detail which helps him to find out the previous research gap and the recent trends of research work carried out by different scholars in different time and space. He can consult with resourceful professors, academicians, research consultants if needed. His curiosity towards particular social issue, his own empirical social context and the prevailing socio- cultural issues available in research articles, research journals and public discourses can also be helpful for him. Attended seminars and conferences, emerging public debates, kuragraphy of public spheres, his engagement in research collaboration, social discourses and the companionship with bench of research experts may also be very helpful for him in order to select the catchy and interesting issue but the issue must be researchable.
Research is an academic journey of known to unknown and unknown to the known areas. He can define and redefine the social problems according to the time and context. Researcher can add the new knowledge in the existing ones which eventually helps to enrich human civilization. He can introduce new concept and show the relationship between and among the variables. Researcher can also introduce the new theoretical framework in order to see the issue through academic lens. Intensive filed work and rich data are essential criteria for the academic research. After going through the detailed literature review he starts problematizing (formulating research questions) of the research issue. He can narrow down the research issue and funnel it for scientific investigation. Researcher should formulate the research questions very precisely. Problematization is very challenging task of the researcher. He can conduct the research in any research area or in different issues but he should make it sociological, rational, contemplative, persuasive, argumentative and theoretically informed within the premises of research processes.
As P.V. Young defines ‘Social research is the systematic method of discovering the new fact or verifying the old facts, their consequences, inter relationships, causal explanation and the natural laws which govern them”. Researcher does the research systematically where he can define and redefine the issue through inductive and deductive process. He comes to know about the new things and its triggering enablers of the phenomena. Society is dynamic in nature hence he verifies the issues and tests whether it operates in the same tone or not. Here, hidden facts are revealed and old facts are tested that helps in updating the knowledge.
E.S. Bogardus is of opinion that ‘Social research is the investigation of underline process operated in the lives of person who are in association”. It is a careful and critical inquiry in seeking facts in order to formulate the theories or principles and to cure the problems accordingly. The main mission of research is to explore the existing truth. It is also the systematic and objective attempt to address the research questions honestly. It is related with entire social life. It aims to develop the knowledge and verifies the old facts whether those facts are operated in a same tone or not. There is a provision of causal explanation of the issue by exploring internal and external forces with seminal ideas.
Hence, we can say:
It is always directed towards the finding the new truths and seeks the solutions of the problems.
It is focused on the process of theory building and to test the pre-established theory whether it functions or not.
It is always systematic, objective oriented, controlled and logically guided.
It aims to dig out the truth or social reality.
It is a critical inquiry of any particular issue that exists in society.
It is conducted to define and re-define the problems.
It aims to explore the root causes of the problems for sustainable solutions.
It is accomplished through systematized effort.
Researcher reveals the new realities to theorize the knowledge for
Principle making purpose.
It comprises series of tools and techniques for generating data.
Research is supported by primary facts or cooked data.
In order to reach to the truth inductive and deductive methods are applied.
It is carried out to familiarize with social phenomena, to quench the thirst of knowledge and to receive the academic degree as well.
It is an academic enterprise mediated through contemplative thoughts, platonic ideas and with Aristotetalian view.
It introduces the new concept and measures the relationship between and among the variables.
It is an academic rigorous attempt in seeking the new facts and to acquaint with new domain of investigation.
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