CMY 2606
Unit 1
What is science?
Sciense refers to an organised system or the logically ordered whole of
scientific knowledge and may be regarded as the scientist’s quest to
knowledge and understanding
Science is knowledge – but not all knowledge is science.
The distinguishing characteristics of science are:
The organised or systematic nature of the knowledge (or the fact
that it is arranged into a logical order)
That it is the result of the scientist’s quest for knowledge and
understanding
That it has specific qualities
What is scientific research?
Kerlinger and Lee (2000) – Scientific research is the systematic, controlled,
empirical and critical investigation of natural phenomena, guided by
theory and hypothesis about the presumed relations among such
phenomena.
There are two points of concern:
When we say that research is systematic and controlled we mean
that scientific investigation is ordered so that investigators can have
a critical confidence in research outcomes.
Scientific investigation is empirical. If scientists believe something is
empirical, they must somehow or other put their belief to a test
outside themselves. Subjective belief, in other words, must be
checked against objective reality.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCIENTIFIC AND NON-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Scientific research refers to a body of techniques for investigating
phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating
previous knowledge. It consists of collection of data through observation,
as well as experimentation and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
Example: A comparative analysis of the criminological aspects of the
convicted rapist and child sex offender as violent sex offenders.
Non-scientific research investigates human society and individual
relationships in and to society. It consists of data gathered through
observation and it presumes relations among natural phenomena. Non-
scientific research findings are normally published in magazines,
pamphlets or non-scientific journals.
Example: A survey to determine how a community feels about the selling
of liquor on Sundays.
, CRITERIA FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Feasibility
You must be able to conduct any study within the time frame
available and with the resources you have.
You must also consider whether you will have any additional
resources, such as other researchers to collaborate with or research
funds.
You must be prepared to handle large amounts of data.
Social importance
Focus on a substantive area that you feel is important and that is
either important to the discipline or important for public policy.
feel personally motivated to carry out the study,
you should consider whether the research question is important to
other people.
Scientific relevance
Every research question or topic in criminology should be grounded
in the existing empirical literature. By grounded we mean the
research we do must be informed by what others before us have
done on the topic.
some prior study is relevant to almost any research questions you
can think of, and you can also think of better ways to do research
than have been used in the past.
AIM OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Information based on thorough research is usually regarded as valuable
and of a high standard.
Steyn (1981:17) categorises three aims of research:
1. Theory: Research aims to develop theories through scientific
research.
2. Factual: Research collects facts and is descriptive by nature.
3. Practical: Research aims for solutions to practical problems in the
disciplinary and paradigmatic (certain framework) context of the
research environment.
Research adds to scientific knowledge, assists in solving practical
problems and in the formulation of policy.
The aim of research is the following:
To find answers to questions concerned.
Identify the problem clearly.
Collecting information once the problem is clearly identified
Analysing the data.
Solving the problem in the long term.
Unit 1
What is science?
Sciense refers to an organised system or the logically ordered whole of
scientific knowledge and may be regarded as the scientist’s quest to
knowledge and understanding
Science is knowledge – but not all knowledge is science.
The distinguishing characteristics of science are:
The organised or systematic nature of the knowledge (or the fact
that it is arranged into a logical order)
That it is the result of the scientist’s quest for knowledge and
understanding
That it has specific qualities
What is scientific research?
Kerlinger and Lee (2000) – Scientific research is the systematic, controlled,
empirical and critical investigation of natural phenomena, guided by
theory and hypothesis about the presumed relations among such
phenomena.
There are two points of concern:
When we say that research is systematic and controlled we mean
that scientific investigation is ordered so that investigators can have
a critical confidence in research outcomes.
Scientific investigation is empirical. If scientists believe something is
empirical, they must somehow or other put their belief to a test
outside themselves. Subjective belief, in other words, must be
checked against objective reality.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCIENTIFIC AND NON-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Scientific research refers to a body of techniques for investigating
phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating
previous knowledge. It consists of collection of data through observation,
as well as experimentation and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.
Example: A comparative analysis of the criminological aspects of the
convicted rapist and child sex offender as violent sex offenders.
Non-scientific research investigates human society and individual
relationships in and to society. It consists of data gathered through
observation and it presumes relations among natural phenomena. Non-
scientific research findings are normally published in magazines,
pamphlets or non-scientific journals.
Example: A survey to determine how a community feels about the selling
of liquor on Sundays.
, CRITERIA FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Feasibility
You must be able to conduct any study within the time frame
available and with the resources you have.
You must also consider whether you will have any additional
resources, such as other researchers to collaborate with or research
funds.
You must be prepared to handle large amounts of data.
Social importance
Focus on a substantive area that you feel is important and that is
either important to the discipline or important for public policy.
feel personally motivated to carry out the study,
you should consider whether the research question is important to
other people.
Scientific relevance
Every research question or topic in criminology should be grounded
in the existing empirical literature. By grounded we mean the
research we do must be informed by what others before us have
done on the topic.
some prior study is relevant to almost any research questions you
can think of, and you can also think of better ways to do research
than have been used in the past.
AIM OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Information based on thorough research is usually regarded as valuable
and of a high standard.
Steyn (1981:17) categorises three aims of research:
1. Theory: Research aims to develop theories through scientific
research.
2. Factual: Research collects facts and is descriptive by nature.
3. Practical: Research aims for solutions to practical problems in the
disciplinary and paradigmatic (certain framework) context of the
research environment.
Research adds to scientific knowledge, assists in solving practical
problems and in the formulation of policy.
The aim of research is the following:
To find answers to questions concerned.
Identify the problem clearly.
Collecting information once the problem is clearly identified
Analysing the data.
Solving the problem in the long term.
