The Scientific Method
          Steps in the Scientific Method
    Make an observation
    Formulate a hypothesis about that observation
    Make predictions based on the hypothesis
    Test the predictions of the hypothesis using 
     experiments
    How is this translated for the social sciences and 
    humanities?
     Research Design in the Social 
        Sciences & Humanities
   Translating the scientific method for the social sciences & 
                 humanities:
  Make an observation  Make an observation
  Formulate a hypothesis about that observation  Formulate a 
   hypothesis about that observation
  Make predictions based on the hypothesis  Make predictions (i.e., 
   observable implications) about what we should expect if the 
   hypothesis is correct
  Test the predictions of the hypothesis using experiments  Find, 
   gather, and use data to test the observable implications of the 
   hypothesis
         The Scientific Method →
      The Social Scientific Method
  Make an observation  Make an observation
  Develop a research question based on a puzzle or unexplored topic
    What are puzzles?
    Observations that existing theories do not explain
    Observations that contradict existing theories
    What are unexplored topics?
    Phenomena that are not addressed by existing theories
    Phenomena that have not been studied in a rigorous fashion
  Puzzles and unexplored topics can overlap, so don’t think of these 
   as hard and fast categories
  The research question must be answerable! (Karl Popper)
         The Scientific Method →
      The Social Scientific Method
  Formulate a hypothesis about that observation  
    Formulate a hypothesis about that observation
  The hypothesis is a formal statement of why the observation matters
    The observed phenomenon is caused by something
    The observed phenomenon causes something else
  The hypothesis should include a causal mechanism that describes the 
   cause or effects of the observation
    X has an effect on Y
    Direct effects
    Indirect effects
    The causal mechanism is about how X affects Y
  Embed the hypothesis in a theoretical framework
        The Scientific Method →
      The Social Scientific Method
  Make predictions based on the hypothesis  Make 
  predictions and derive observable implications
   Observable implications are predictions about what should be 
    observed if the hypothesis is true
     If my hypothesis is true, then we should observe . . .
     Tied to causal mechanism
     Ceteris paribus reasoning
   Ideally they are “uniquely identified”
     This means they are only true if the hypothesis is true
     This is extremely rare; the important point is to have a statement 
     about what you expect to see if your hypothesis is correct