Epistemological Issues in Social Science Research

LC571 Qualitative
Research Methods for
Social Scientists

Table of Contents
Aim: “To analyse the changing impact of social networking and social media on the individuals
& organisations.” ............................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discuss epistemological issues in relation to this research.........................................................3
Discuss relevant ethical issues....................................................................................................4
Identify themes emerging from the participants’ responses in the transcript.............................5
Discuss these themes, drawing on an appropriate range of relevant social science academic,
research and policy material to enable you to develop your analysis.........................................6
Interpret the respondents answers using the above.....................................................................6
Draw conclusions based on the data analysis.............................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
Appendix 1:....................................................................................................................................11
Interview questions:.......................................................................................................................11

Introduction
Social sciences are the disciplines that are part of studying the group and individual
behaviour, it includes economics, geography, political sciences, sociology and social studies
(Eacott, 2017). In case of various disciplines of social sciences each discipline customised its
related methodologies the epistemological basis for each methodology remains unchanged, but
there are several issues that are commonly arsing in case of every research that have to be dealt
in order to enhance the outcomes of a particular research work.
Discuss epistemological issues in relation to this research
Epistemological research is related with the existing theories of knowledge.
Epistemology issues are related with the perception that can provided knowledge or justified
belief that is related with external world. such as in the present report there is analysis of the
impact of social media as a marketing tool in the process of influencing the purchasing decision
of people. The two respondents who have been selected in the course belongs to the millennium
generation.
Some of the epistemology issues that arises is result of the theory of knowledge & the
justified belief. Epistemology is a aspect that is not confined to traditional issues as with the
changing environment it is concern with analysing the new philosophical tools and condones that
have emerged in the present scenario (Epistemology–Ontology Relations in Social Research: A
Review, 2020).
Another issues that arises is to explain the way perception can give us a knowledge or a
justified belief that is part of the external world (Alston, 2018). In respect of present qualitative
research and other type of research where there is analysis of the view points of respondent with
respect to their personal belief and view points. Commonly there is a problem of sceptical
argument that relates to difficulty in depicting of such knowledge and the overall justification
becomes difficult.
Scepticism is about the various epistemological difficulties that is regarding the nature &
Epistemic role of experience. It is the way perception might bring the contact with a independent
reality.

Another questions is related to the way perception can bring the contact of mind independent
reality. This issue arises from the importance of understand the justification and knowledge that
is connected with skpeticism.
There are two main types of responses to the skeptical argument that have been provided
traditionally.
 It includes the metaphysical response that is focusing on the nature of world.
 Another is perceptual experience that is the relation between the efforts to depict a
perceptual knowledge that is a more direct epistemological response that is focused on
principles specifying about the basic required knowledge with respect to a particular
asked question by the interview (Chakravartty, 2017).
 The empirical foundation includes justified contingent beliefs and the appearances are
also beliefs. For the purpose of having genuine knowledge about the external world and
to develop a basic perception regarding it respondent must posses a direct acquaintance
with it, so in some instances it becomes the responsibility of the investigator to select the
target segment of respondents who posses the required base of knowledge with respect
the topic that has to be instigated in the course of a research work (Lee, Parkand Davis,
2018).
 Another issues the appearance of belief that is related with something extrinsic.
Appearance belief that has to be justified with the experiential fact.
Discuss relevant ethical issues
There are many ethical issues that may arise in the context of research that are based on
social sciences. There are certain ethical issues that may arise in the course of research work
(Russ, 2018). It has to be dealt for the purpose of having voluntary participation of all the
respondents.
Informed consent is the question of basic human rights that has to be safeguarding
participants from physical mental harm that may arise as a result of their participation (Madary,
2017). Another ethical consideration that has to be focus by the investigator is to have
knowledge of proper procedures to be set in place to deal with any negative overcome that may
arise in the future.
Participants have to be made full disclosures about the informed consent that is related to
qualitative research (Jonassen, 2017). Having proper adherence to ethical guidelines along with