A Common Language for Researchers

Research in the social sciences is a diverse topic. In part, this is because the social

sciences represent a wide variety of disciplines, including (but not limited to) psychology,

sociology, political science, anthropology, communication, education, management, and

economics. Further, within each discipline, researchers can use a number of different

methods to conduct research. These methods can include unobtrusive observation,

participant observation, case studies, interviews, focus groups, surveys, ex post facto

studies, laboratory experiments, and field experiments.

Despite this diversity in methods used and topics investigated, most social science

research still shares a number of common characteristics. Regardless of field, most

research involves an investigator gathering data and performing analyses to determine

what the data mean. In addition, most social scientists use a common language in

conducting and reporting their research: researchers in psychology and management

speak of “testing null hypotheses” and “obtaining significant p values.”

The purpose of this chapter is to review some of the fundamental concepts and terms that

are shared across the social sciences. You should familiarize (or refamiliarize) yourself

with this material before proceeding to the subsequent chapters, as most of the terms

introduced here will be referred to again and again throughout the text. If you are

currently taking your first course in statistics, this chapter provides an elementary

introduction. If you have already completed a course in statistics, it provides a quick

review.