Scientific Method ResearchLimitations with PeopleScientific method research is a systematic way to gain new facts and test theories. But there are challenges and limitations with research in social sciences--those studying people.
What is the Scientific Method?The scientific method is a system for finding facts and testing theories. It is the very basic structure that you set up to conduct research. It follows the 5 basic steps used in experiments.1. Define the problem. You must pinpoint exactly what it is that you will test and figure out how you will observe and measure it. 2. State a hypothesis or question. A hypothesis offers a tentative explanation that you can test. In survey research, you might ask a question instead. 3. Reason the outcome. Through deductive reasoning, decide what you will find out if the hypothesis is true. 4. Collect your data. (information)through observation, testing, or experimentation. 5. Confirm or reject the hypothesis. Your data analysis tells you whether or not your hypothesis is true. The Problem with Studying PeopleResearch in the social sciences (e.g., education, psychology, management) deals with people. Any research that involves human behavior poses certain challenges because people are complex and hard to observe (vs. chemicals and frogs that don't get attitudes). You might not get the same results every time. Limitations include:1. Observation. Much is subjective and open to interpretation. Values and attitudes are not directly observable. Plus, people with different characteristics function differently in various settings. 2. Replication. It is hard to set up the same study in the very same way in different settings to observe human behavior. 3. Interaction. Just having a researcher observe participants in a study might influence the findings. The famous Hawthorne effect occurred because workers knew that they were singled out to be studies. 4. Control. Humans are very complex and much goes on simultaneously, making it very difficult for researchers to isolate exactly what it is that they are studying. 5. Measurement.Because of difficulties controlling and observing people, it is difficult to take accurate measurements. Researchers are careful not to make generalizations about results until several studies are conducted.
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