Role of Theory in Social Science Research

Running head: ROLE OF THEORY IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
ROLE OF THEORY IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
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1
ROLE OF THEORY IN SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
My introduction to the world of social science shaped my understanding about the
society through a critical perspective. This critical perspective was developed over the course
of the study of the subject especially after I learnt to contextualize the individual events
taking place in the society within the broader socio-political context. In this regard,
understanding the relationship between theory, methodology and research design facilitated
my insight about the pathbreaking work of different social scientists (George and Bennett
2015). In the social science research, there are main stages that lead to the collection of data.
The first stage is the stage of theory that is followed by methodology that is once again
followed by research design. In my understanding, theory is a set of testable propositions that
have emerged through empirical data. In social science research, there are mainly two types
of methodology-Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative methodology is influenced by the
epistemology of positivism and emphasizes on objectivity and detachment in the pursuit of
research. On the other hand, Qualitative methodology is informed by the interpretivists
methodology and emphasizes on subjectivity and understanding the social action of the social
actor. Researchers who swear by the positivist philosophy begin their research with a
hypothesis about the research problem (Berg 2014). This is followed by the beginning of
fieldwork through either the survey method or the structured interview schedule. After the
completion of the research the theory used by the researcher may or may not stand true.
Therefore, this is known as the deductive approach. On the other hand, interpretivist
epistemology involves beginning with a basic research question and then going to the field.
After the collection of data and collation of the findings, it can be found that a theory emerges
through the fieldwork. This is known as the inductive theory and it is widely known as the
inductive approach.
The importance of theory lies in its ability to explain a phenomenon that would
otherwise posit as puzzling for the researcher. In other words, theories provide coherence to