Lecture 1

Research Methods in Anthropology

RESEARCH
METHODOLO
GY
Meaning of
RE-search
• Research as a movement, a movement from the known to the
unknown.
• The purpose of research is to discover
answers to questions through the
application of scientific procedures. The
main aim of research is to find out the truth
which is hidden and which has not been
discovered as yet. Though each research
study has its own specific purpose, we may
think of research objectives as falling into a
number of following broad groupings:
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH

1. To gain familiarity with a 2. To portray accurately the 3. To determine the frequency

phenomenon or to achieve
new insights into it (studies
with this object in view are
termed as exploratory or
formulative research studies.);
characteristics of a particular
individual, situation or a group
(studies with this object in
view are known as descriptive
research studies);
with which something occurs
or with which it is associated
with something else (studies
with this object in view are
known as diagnostic research

4. To test a hypothesis of a
causal relationship between
variables (such studies are
known as hypothesis-testing
research studies).
 • The possible motives for doing research may be either
one or more of the following:

MOTIVATIO 1. curiosity about new things,

2. desire to understand causal relationships
N IN 3. Desire to get a research degree along with its

RESEARCH
consequential benefits;
4. Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved
problems, i.e., concern over practical
problems initiates research;
5. Desire to do some creative work;
6. Desire to be of service to society;
7. Desire to get respectability.
Main Reasons to Conduct
Research
• Applied Science
• Academic and,
theoretical
• We have to stay in
between
 Research • Good research is systematic:

Research • Good research is logical:

a good
research
Research • Good research is empirical:

• Good research is replicable: This

Research characteristic allows research results to be

verified by replicating the study and thereby
building a sound basis for decisions.
How to Select a Research Topic?

1.Personal interest

2.Social problem

3.Testing theory

4.Prior research

5.Program evaluation

6.Newspapers

7. Social Media
Choices Facing the
Researcher
• What is the problem to be investigated?
• What questions should be answered?
• Which strategy will be used?
• What will the researcher’s stance be?
• What paradigm will direct the
investigation?
The Research Question

A statement of what will actually be investigated

Three main types:

What = description Why = understanding, explanation How = intervention, problem solving

‘What” questions usually come first, but a research project will usually encompass ‘why’ and ‘how’
questions too
 Will the
researcher
function as Will research be
• An outsider or
done on, for, or
with people?
The
insider
• An expert or a
learner?

Researcher’s
Stance What are the
implications of Any ideas??
these choices?
 Paradigm is the theoretical framework within
Research which the research takes place
Paradigms and
their
Ontological Paradigms differ by their ontology and
epistemology
and
Epistemologica Each paradigm has a different way of
l Assumptions connecting ideas (concepts and theory) to
every day social experience and to social reality
(the material world)
 ONTOLOGY- what is the
nature and form of
reality?

EPISTEMOLOGY
What is the relationship
between the researcher
and reality?

METHODOLOGY
The technique used by
the researcher to
discover reality

Derived and Adapted from Guba and Lincoln, 1994 and Perry et al, 1999
‫‪Video time‬‬

‫‪• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69F7GhASOdM&t=6s‬‬

‫‪• The Cave: An Adaptation of Plato's Allegory in Clay‬‬

‫يتعلق األمر بمستويات مختلفة من الوعي ‪ -‬كيف بدون تجربة واقع جديد ال يمكن للمرء أن •‬
‫‪.‬يفهمه أو حتى يعرف أنه ممكن‬
 Each paradigm is guided by specific ontology and epistemology, and has its
own “rules”

A paradigm is a fundamental image of the knowledge and subject matter

within a science

What is a Includes theoretical and methodological “rules” for working within that

paradigm?
particular paradigm

Anthropology is a multi-paradigmic science

Theoretical traditions include structuralism-functionalist theory, conflict

theory, social exchange theory, symbolic interactionist theory and more…
Research Phases
The
research
‘onion’
 Realism

Interpretivist Positivist

Value Laden Value Free

Multiple One single
realities and measurable
perceptions Reality
Subjective Objective
 Deductive and Inductive research
Major differences between these approaches

Table 4.2 Major differences between deductive and inductive approaches to

research
‘Qualitative’ and ‘Quantitative’

Quantitative: simplifying the complex

Qualitative: complicating the simple

What ‘complicating the simple’ essentially means is that our task as

qualitative researchers is to examine the ‘taken-for-granted’ and break it
down in a way that produces new insight into the phenomenon under
study
 The right choice of approach helps you
to

Choosing • Make a more informed decision about

your research the research design

approach • Think about which strategies will work

for your research topic

• Adapt your design to cater for any

constraints