Social Science Research Methods Research Articles

Corpus linguistics and the social sciences

Abstract Corpus linguistics, with its methodological orientation towards the empirical analysis of language based on large text collections, has the potential to offer significant tools for addressing real-world problems across various social science domains, including climate change, criminology, healthcare and policy making. Despite this potential, the integration of corpus linguistics into social science disciplines (beyond linguistics) remains hampered by fundamental differences in epistemology, definitions and methodological approaches. This article explores the relationship between corpus linguistics and the social sciences. It is argued that epistemology, or the theory of knowledge, represents a primary barrier to integration, with much corpus linguistics research aligning with positivist and naturalist epistemologies. By contrast, many social science disciplines embrace more interpretive, conventionalist approaches that account for the dynamic nature of social phenomena. Considering the role of naturalism and conventionalism within both corpus linguistics and the social sciences, this article illustrates how these epistemological stances are likely to influence the acceptance and use of corpus methods in social science research. Despite the challenges, areas of convergence (e.g. shared use of data processing tools and the acknowledgement of the central role of language in social processes) provide opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. As means to bridge the epistemological divide, this article advocates for a critical realist approach and concludes by calling on users of corpus linguistic methods to be reflexive and transparent about their epistemological stances when reporting their research.

Structural topic modeling as a mixed methods research design: a study on employer size and labor market outcomes for vulnerable groups

AbstractObtaining and maintaining steady employment can be challenging for people from vulnerable groups. Previous research has focused on the relationship between employer size and employment outcomes for these groups, but the findings have been inconsistent. To clarify this relationship, the current study uses structural topic modeling, a mixed methods research design, to disclose and explain factors behind the association between employer size and labor market outcomes for people from vulnerable groups. The data consist of qualitative interview transcripts concerning the hiring and inclusion of people from vulnerable groups. These were quantitized and analyzed using structural topic modeling. The goals were to investigate topical content and prevalence according to employer size, to provide a comprehensive guide for model estimation and interpretation, and to highlight the wide applicability of this method in social science research. Model estimation resulted in a model with five topics: training, practicalities of the inclusion processes, recruitment, contexts of inclusion, and work demands. The analysis revealed that topical prevalence differed between employers according to size. Thus, these estimated topics can provide evidence as to why the association between employer size and labor market outcomes for vulnerable groups varies across studies––different employers highlight different aspects of work inclusion. The article further demonstrates the strengths and limitations of using structural topic modeling as a mixed methods research design.

Reshaping the Landscape: the Impact of COVID-19 on Social Science Research Methods and Practices

TThe COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the field of social science research, necessitating a re-evaluation of research methods and practices. This research explores the transformative efforts of COVID-19 on social science research, focusing on the changes in methodologies and practices that have emerged in response to the pandemic.Existing literature was reviewed on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected research methods and practices in social sciences. Digital questionnaire was developed to collect primary data from social science researchers indicating the changes they have made in their research methods, the reasons behind these changes, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of these adaptations. Telephonic interviews and focused group discussions were conducted with the selected group of social scientists who have experienced significant changes in their research due to COVID-19. Their experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions they have employed have been explored. Secondary data was also generated from various online and offline platforms. Total 50 social science researchers were surveyed and interviewed. The results of the study shall be helpful to researchers, society, government and policymakers to pay special attention on this particular issue. The main findings and their implications for the field of social science research shall be summarized. The key ways in which the landscape has been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic shall be highlighted.

Dress like a winner: mathematical investigations in a design workshop in an early childhood education teacher education programme

ABSTRACT This article investigates alternative ways doing of mathematics in an Early Childhood Education Teacher Programme using aesthetic forms of expression, the body and reflections on ethics, gender and responsibilities in the transition from student teacher at university to a qualified preschool teacher of children aged 4–5 years. The purpose of the article is to explore an interdisciplinary mathematics workshop in which student teachers investigate mathematics with body- and hands-on crafting to better understand how young children experience learning situations. The research design draws on feminist activist social science research, including in-making and crafty research methods. Theoretically and methodologically, inspiration is drawn from relational materialism and Donna Haraway’s scientific engagement with ‘speculative fabulations’ and Anna L. Tsing’s development of ‘arts of noticing’. The study shows that learning mathematics through the body, concrete materials, scientific concepts and fiction can be helpful in the transition from student teacher to preschool teacher.

Reflections on the design and application of ‘Surveypura’: a simulation-based pedagogical tool for quantitative research methods in public health and social sciences

It has been reported from various contexts that learning quantitative methods for public health and social research is challenging for students. Based on our observations of these challenges, we designed a simulation-based pedagogical tool called Surveypura to support classroom-based learning of quantitative research methods. The tool includes a large illustration of a fictional village with 155 houses, alongside data for each of the households. The features of the houses, household characteristics, and the village have been carefully designed to give the visual feel of an actual village and better assist the pedagogical process. The tool was used by five facilitators with their masters’ students at our university in courses on social research and epidemiology. Our observations of the sessions and interactions with facilitators and students suggested that the tool supported more engaged learning of quantitative research methods in a non-intimidating manner. We believe that Surveypura can be a useful simulation-based pedagogical tool to teach quantitative research methods in epidemiology and social sciences even in other contexts.

Quantitative Methods in Social Science Research: Systematic Review of Content Analysis, Survey and Experiment Methodologies

Quantitative Methods in Social Science Research: Systematic Review of Content Analysis, Survey and Experiment Methodologies

Use of Mixed Methods in Social Sciences Research

The landscape of social sciences is inherently complex and multifaceted, demanding a comprehensive and nuanced approach to research methodologies. This paper highlights the significance of mixed methods research in addressing the intricate and dynamic nature of social phenomena. Mixed methods not only enhance the validity and reliability of research findings but also allow for a holistic understanding of social phenomena and empower researchers to explore the comprehensiveness and diversity of human experiences, behaviors, and interactions that the traditional single-method approach often falls short of. Furthermore, mixed methods facilitates the triangulation of data, enabling researchers to corroborate and validate results through diverse lenses, thereby fortifying the robustness of their conclusions. Mixed methods contribute to the development of more effective and informed social and public policy interventions. Adopting mixed methods in social science research is not merely a choice but a necessity for unlocking the full potential of inquiry and advancing our collective understanding of the complex social world.

THE LINGUISTIC CHARACTER OF TAAROF IN SPEECH ETIQUETTE OF IRANIANS

The word taarof is widely used in the modern speech etiquette of Iranians. Taarof is known as a form of polite literature in Iranian culture. The thorough study of taarof is important for the theory and application of intercultural communication. Therefore, the article analyzes the theoretical studies of scientists about taarof, considers the main postulates of the theory of politeness and issues of national features of speech etiquette in Persian culture, and lastly it analyzes the linguistic nature of taarof used by Iranians in everyday real communication.The purpose of the article is to analyze the taarof in speech etiquette of Iranians. In this regard, to study the rules of using the polite form of communication between the addresser and the addressee and the scope of application of taarof in speech etiquette among Iranian peoples from the point of view of linguistic culture and traditions. The methodology of researching the issues in the article is closely related to the fields of linguistics, sociology, and pragmalinguistics. Analysis, description, and empirical and social scientific research methods are used in the course of the research on the speech etiquette of Iranians.According to the research of scientists, people's communication with each other should be based on the national mentality and its own laws, rules, and principles established in that place. Admittedly, it is true that people living in that environment prosper and mature according to the development of society. A learner of any language should know the mentality, worldview, and traditions of the country where he is learning the language in order to implement the language etiquette of that nation because cultural differences might have a negative impact on the relationship or create obstacles.When a language learner travels to the country of Iran,it is important for intercultural communication knows the cultural, linguistic and behavioural differences of that country.It is effective to use the results of the research in the teaching of the Persian language to language learners and in the research work of students.

Organisation of local self-government in the Republic of Azerbaijan

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that local self-government is the foundation of the life of the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and one of the main foundations of any democratic system. The purpose of this study is to establish the constitutional and legal content and forms of interaction between the state authorities and local self-government at the present stage of development of the Republic of Azerbaijan. To achieve the research objective, the author used general theoretical and special legal methods. The main result of the study is the argumentation of the position that interaction between public authorities and local self-government should be considered as a joint activity based on the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, its laws and by-laws, and carried out in certain directions and forms. Achieving this goal involves setting and solving such a research task as analysing the main trends in the development of local self-government at the present stage, forms, and mechanisms of interaction between local self-government bodies and the bodies of the state power structure of a subject of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the one hand, and the local population at the regional level, on the other. The study used both general scientific methods of research (logical analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, abstraction and descent from the abstract to the concrete, and the method of identification) and private (so-called traditional) methods of social sciences (the method of structural and functional analysis, and the institutional method). The conclusion of the study is the argumentation of the position that in Azerbaijan, as in other post-Soviet countries, the problem of relations between state and municipal authorities is quite relevant since local self-government has always been an attribute of a democratic society and a form of self-organisation of the population to solve local problems. In addition, local self-government in Azerbaijan is recognised as an equal and independent form of government, which is also confirmed by the results of the study. The study also substantiates specific proposals for improving the functioning of the local self-government system in the Republic of Azerbaijan, which will contribute to increasing the efficiency of its implementation at the regional level.

Beyond Methods: Theoretical Underpinnings of Triangulation in Qualitative and Multi-Method Studies”

Abstract This paper explores the “triangulation approach” in social science research methods. Triangulation is an emerging method specifically in qualitative and multi-method studies. Researchers in the social sciences have increased their use of the triangulation approach recently due to the merits of this approach, especially to conduct in-depth studies through multiple inquiries. Simultaneously, this method has criticism and misconceptions among social researchers in terms of what it is, how it can be used, and the credibility of the findings when used. Therefore, this paper analyses in depth what triangulation is, the types of triangulations and how they can be applied in the social sciences. The study basically adopted systematic literature review and used 30 articles published in scientific journals. The paper critically reviewed journal articles related to triangulation, revealed how different types of triangulation methods have been applied in the social sciences and highlighted the merits and cautions of applying this method. The paper theoretically contributes to understanding the phenomenon of the triangulation approach and how it connects with qualitative and multi-method studies. In addition, it revealed that the following data collection techniques from multiple sources can be exploited: in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, literature, documents, and surveys on the triangulation method to improve the credibility and reliability of the research. Furthermore, the study empirically contributes to social science researchers applying this approach with proper understanding.

Looking beyond waves and datasets: “cultures of terrorism” and the future of history in terrorism studies

ABSTRACT Frequent observations about the lack of historical work in terrorism studies pose questions about history’s place – and its relevance even – in the field. Why have historians largely failed to engage with terrorism studies? And why have terrorism studies scholars generally failed to engage with history? This article suggests that the dominance of social scientific research methods, the quest for “rules” and models, and the prizing of quantitative data in terrorism studies, combined with historians’ own reluctance to foreground the contemporary relevance of their work, have led to the underrepresentation of history. It calls on historians to demonstrate the value of qualitative research methods to notions of contemporary terrorist violence using a “cultures of terrorism” approach in the context of Critical Terrorism Studies.

Rural modernization and the remaking of the rural citizen in China: Village redevelopment, migration and precarity

AbstractThe Chinese government's ambitious plans to modernize the countryside have significant impacts for rural populations. Upgrading or relocating villages is one component of this vision with profound implications for rural citizens. We use multiple social science research methods to investigate ongoing rural transformation in two villages designated for Village Redesign in Anhui Province, China. We show that the Village Redesign process is negatively impacting on the migration–development nexus and the resultant limbo deepens the precarity of high‐mobility, translocal households who already experience secondary forms of citizenship and limited social protections. This study raises further questions about the ongoing transformation of rural China and questions the modernizing rural agenda of the Chinese state.

Women Struggle for Workers' Rights in Radical and Moderate Feminist Media

Aims: This study sought to take a closer look at how a message and theme are presented by two online feminist alternative media considered to have distinct styles, namely Konde.co which is Radical and Magdalene.co which is Moderate, sincethe text in the news contains a powerful ability to influence the public’s views towards existing reality. 
 Study Design: This study used quantitative text analysis.
 Place and Duration of Study: 35 articles that are relevant to the topic were taken as research material, with a publication period between April 1, 2019 –May 31, 2023. This period was chosen due to the nuance of Labor Day where many working women voiced their aspirations at that moment
 Methodology: Content analysis is an important research method in social sciences and human sciences. This method has two key advantages. First, it accepts symbolic communications, which are relatively unstructured, as data. It means that content analysis can accept data in the form of text, images, or other symbols, even if they lack clear formal structures.
 Results: Text in the news is very effective in shaping public perceptions of existing reality. In the context of news, text functions as a representation of communication. Through words, sentences and writing styles, text in news can shape how readers perceive and judge reality. In addition, text as a symbol has the ability to convey meaning that seeps into people's feelings or emotions. The massive scale of developments in information technology makes it easier for people to access text in the news. It is also utilized by certain groups to disseminate information using their media. As a result, media have grown healthily in Indonesia.
 Conclusion: It is clear from this study that Konde.co and Magdalene.co, among others, fill the role of alternative media in voicing women's issues, especially working women. Konde.co is aggressively voicing the issue of female workers using radical language and diction. Magdalene.co, on the other hand, is consistent in pushing the belief that women deserve the same stability and career path as men.

Nûreddin es-Sâbûnî’nin Peygamberlerin İsmeti Konusuna Yaklaşımı

The region of Maverānannehir is a geography inhabited by scholars who made significant contributions to shaping the Islamic thought system. Māturīdīism originated in this region, one of the two theological schools accepted among Muslims today. One of the essential representatives of the Hanafī-Māturīdī understanding of theology in the area in the 6th century Hijri was Nūr al-dīn al-Sābūnī, who was a respected scholar in his time. Al-Sābūnī was a well-equipped theologian whose views were respected by the people of the region on matters of theology and who debated with Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, one of the most influential theologians of the period. He endeavored to solve the theological problems of his time, wrote works to facilitate the public understanding of the principles of Islamic belief, and especially emphasized the issue of the infallibility of Prophets (ismat al-anbiya). This study investigated the reasons for al-Sabūnī's emphasis on the view of the Infallibility (ismat) and his opinion on the infallibility of Prophets. How al-Sābūnī understood the issue of infallibility of Prophets provided essential data on the constants and changes (if any) in the understanding of ismat in the Māturīdī theological system. On the other hand, it provided us with reference sources for the historical origins of the belief that prophets are sinless. By revealing al-Sabūnī's opinions on the prophets' ismat, the point of view in ismat in the Hanafī-Māturīdī theological system as of the 6th century has been revealed, and some clues about the historical background of the current situation have been obtained. In the study, the sources were accessed through literature review, one of the leading social sciences research methods; a critical perspective was maintained while evaluating his views, and descriptive language was used while composing the text. At the end of the study, it was seen that al-Sābūnī was a respected Hanafī-Māturīdī theologian of his time and took Māturīdī's views as his primary reference. It was observed that al-Māturīdī's meticulousness in referencing the theological sources and his mastery of rational deductions were sometimes lost in al-Sābūnī due to the Sufi sources he was fed by. Although he had the same opinion as the Hanafī-Māturīdī school on issues such as belief in prophets, the necessity of prophethood, and the attributes of prophets, he differed from the tradition he belonged to in terms of his understanding of ismat and accepted that some prophets committed "mistakes". * This study is based on our ongoing doctoral dissertation titled "The Comparison of Abū Mansūr al-Māturīdī and Nūr al-Dīn al-Sābūnī's Understanding of Prophethood" (Ph.D. Dissertation, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, 2023).

Art Yarning: On an Integrated Social Science Research Method

ABSTRACT This article presents a messy social science research method that integrates art therapy tools and Indigenous yarning – a concept loosely translated as complex conversational storytelling. The method – Art Yarning – is an innovative research tool that mirrors and responds to the complex social and research realities in interactions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and researchers in Australia. Drawing on collaborative research with Indigenous communities on Gunditjmara and Wathaurong Countries in Victoria, I present and discuss Art Yarning as a ‘messy’ method (Law 2004): that is, as shifting, uncertain, slow, modest, and diverse, only capable of delivering situated, incomplete, temporary knowledge – a valuable, humbling position that recognises and respects boundaries around Indigenous knowledges. Art Yarning prioritises Indigenous and visual ways of knowing and challenges the problematic conviction that any social science method can deliver complete, single-source knowledge. Art Yarning enhanced participants’ sense of Indigenous identities, healing, and non-Indigenous participants’ adaptation to aspects of Indigenous ways of knowing-being-doing (Martin 2003). Rich multilayered new knowledge was achieved via processes that reduce power imbalance in research. Critically, the integrated method facilitates learning from, rather than learning about, Indigenous peoples in social science research.

A dataset of origin motifs of major Chinese mythological characters

Myths is an important carrier of traditional Chinese culture. There are numerous myths of different ethnic minorities, rich in content and diverse in form. Many mythological characters have become precious memories in the course of human history and Chinese civilization. With the analysis of mythical figures as the starting point, we take relevant mythological texts and narratives as research topics and important data sources in the field of humanities and social sciences, which is of great cultural significance and academic value in promoting the construction of big data in humanities, deepening the analysis of traditional Chinese cultural data, and innovating new methods of humanities and social science research. In this paper, we took the origin narrative motif of 50 core mythological characters in China as the research object, and collected 1,620 valid data from them, including the standard fields of motif, example, nationality, place of spread and source of literature. Meanwhile, we systematically analyzed and explained the data sources, data collection methods, data classification and structure. Moreover, we described the data samples in detail; and on the basis of listing relevant dataset examples, we further carried out a multi-dimensional statistical analysis of the way of generation, ethnic groups and geographical location, etc. Finally, we provided some suggestions on the application of the dataset in exploring the connotation of China’s multi-ethnic culture, cross regional cultural research and analysis of Chinese traditional culture.

Assessing the Value of Integrating Writing and Writing Instruction into a Research Methods Course

Universities across Canada and elsewhere have a longstanding focus on improving students’ writing skills, including for the purpose of fostering better learning. In this paper, we present findings from two sources of data—a discursive analysis and student survey—exploring the impact of writing instruction and support in the context of a required social science research methods course. The course is situated in an institutional context whereby specific courses are targeted for writing support through the provision of additional funds. The results indicate that the structure of the course—featuring components like tutorials and scaffolded assignment design—facilitates gains in student writing. The discursive analysis shows improvements across the three assignments submitted throughout the term and a positive impact of tutorial attendance. The survey indicates that students have an overall positive impression of the supports designed specifically with the learning of writing and research skills in mind.

Implementation of Recidivism Inmate Training in the Era of Industrial Revolutions 4.0

The handling of recidivism crimes is carried out in a series of systems called the criminal justice system, which is a means in society to tackle crime. The components of the criminal justice system in Indonesia are the police, prosecutors, courts and correctional institutions. Correctional institutions provide guidance so that convicts become human beings who are useful in the future. From this, researchers are interested in reviewing the Impact of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 Era on the Development of Prisoners in Indonesian Correctional Institutions. In this research, the authors used an ethnographic study system research approach with a descriptive approach. Ethnography is a social science research method. This research concludes that there are factors related to the lack of success in personality development and recidivism. The main focus of research is to develop a distribution system for the work of channeling prisoners' work through the industrial revolution 4.0.

STATE POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION CHALLENGES IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

Issues of state policy and administration of general education nowadays are becoming quite relevant, both for political-administrative science and political agenda. Academic rhetoric and existing research provide important messages that prevent the seemingly "liberal-democratic" Georgian educational system from functioning effectively and efficiently. The purpose of the research is to study, identify and analyze the problems and challenges related to the education policy and administration in the general education system of Georgia. The objectives of the research are the study of the design of the state policy of general education of Georgia, and the analysis and evaluation of the policy of administration and implementation. Qualitative and quantitative methods of social science research are used in the research. The analysis of documents and the interpretation of quantitative data made the reality of the Georgian general education system more visible, and the expert interviews showed us additional problems that could not be obtained as quantitative data. The research reveals that the institutional design of the general education system of Georgia is full of ambitious values and goals, the implementation and administration process of which is actually unattainable, which causes its facade. The results of the study indicate that the legal and unequal status of students, problems related to minorities, religion, and discrimination, challenges linked to the safety of students and their bio-psycho-social development, low learning results, the outflow of students from the general education system, teachers' competencies and professional Ethical issues whose review, evaluation, analysis, and data interpretation are the main findings of this article.

Consequences of monetary depreciation on Houhehot Spending in Kinshasa (R.D.Congo) 2015-2017

This work consisted in experimenting the theories on the currency whhile trying to work on the depreciation of congolese France vis-a-vis the foreign currency . This choice was moticated to enrich knowledge on the role that money play in the economy as heritage. And then try to apply social science theories and research methods in a specific context. It is a question of constituting a probability sample (simple random sample) of a set of household expenses for two periods. That of relative price stability on the market and that of the general increase in the exchange rate. After having established a correlation betwueen thèse two variables, we try to raise in percentage, of how muche the monetary depreciation influences the volume of expenditure of the househods. To do this, we will apply a paired sample test.