Unit One: The Role of Social Research

Goals:

Understand the uses to which social research is put in social science, public policy and everyday life.

Be able to explain the differences between tradition, authority and human inquiry.

Be able to name and explain 8 sources of error that can occur in the course of inquiry.

Be able to name and explain at least 3 ways scientists attempt to avoid errors.

Understand the concept of variable.

Be able to explain the difference between a variable and an attribute.

Be able to explain the differences between dependent and independent variables.

Be able to translate an ordinary statement into a statement about the relationships between variables.

Be able to explain how scientific inquiry should differ from other forms of inquiry.

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