How to ask questions in social science research
May 27, 2020 09:22 Source: "Chinese Social Sciences", May 27, 2020, No. 1934 Author: Zhang Jianwei Wang Cheng

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General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in a symposium at a symposium of philosophy and social sciences: "The starting point of theoretical thinking determines the results of theoretical innovation。Theoretical innovation can only start with the problem。In a sense,,The process of theoretical innovation is to find a problem、Screening Question、Research Questions、The process of solving the problem。"Good problem consciousness is the prerequisite for scientific research,It is also the starting point for innovative learning。Lack of questioning ability,On the one hand, it reflects the lack of academic imagination,On the other hand, it also restricts the overall level of Chinese social sciences。So,How to ask questions is extremely important。

 Seeking Together and Differences — Questioning through comparison

Comparison is the core method of science,It is also the core method of asking questions on social sciences。In scientific research,Comparison methods have the same logic as the experimental method,All control -based comparative bet365 live casino games logic。Unable to experimental due to many issues of social sciences,Comparison methods work more in social sciences。In the study,Two commonly used methods are to find the same method and find differences。

The core logic of seeking the same method is the same as different,Find key similarity in different cases of differentiality。For example, Stachebo, a famous American politician, in the "National and Social Revolution: France、Comparison Analysis of Russia and China "The core question is: why is France in Western Europe、Russia in Eastern Europe、Three countries with huge huge differences in East Asia have erupted social revolution?

The core of seeking differences is to seek differences in the same China,Find key differences in multiple cases of similarity。For example,British political scholar Maya Tudor's book "Hope of Power: The Origin of India Democratic and Pakistanism" is the core question: Why India and Pakistan with similar political backgrounds,After the division of division in 1947,India has established democratic politics,But Pakistan has established authoritarian politics?

 Theoretical and reality -Ask questions through tension

The second method of asking questions raised by social science is,Taking the classic theory as the target,Go to find the real cases that the classic theories cannot bet365 live casino games explain。Why use classic theory as a target? The main reason is the two tension of theory and reality。

First, there is tension between the theoretical staticness and the variation of reality。Theory is a summary and summary of social reality,Reality is constantly changing,The theory is static,Any theory is limited。So the theory needs to be the target,Continuous shooting theory with reality,Discover the theoretical limitations when shooting theory,So finding a problem。Discover the theoretical incompatibility with reality,It is possible that the theory of alternatives with stronger interpretation may be developed。Taking the famous Diwell's Law in Political Science as an example,The content of the law is: the election system of the proportion represents the tendency to form a multi -party system,Simple most system election system tends to form a two -party system。But researchers found,After the disintegration of the Soviet Union,Russia and Ukraine have adopted a simple majority election system,But Russia and Ukraine did not form a two -party system。The reason is,The Law of Diwell Hot is a summary of the relationship between the election system of Western European democratic countries and the political party system,When explaining the non -Western countries, Bet365 lotto review there will be problems with poor explanation。So,Taking theory as a target,Use real reality to find problems,Discover the limitations of existing theory,So as to develop the theory with stronger explanation。

Second, there is a tension between the theoretical universality and the particularity of reality。The reason why the classic theory is classic lies in its strong explanation、Diversity of explanation types,This is the generality of classic theory。As American economist Olson said,The explanation of a theory does not depend on how many facts it can explain,It is that it can explain different types of facts with different different types。but,The complexity of reality makes any classic theory inevitably existing specialties,That is, the classic theory also has a special phenomenon that cannot be explained。Taking the classic theory as the target,With new reality as an arrow,Discover problems through the classic theory of shooting,to supplement and improve the classic theory。

How to interrupt with Huang Qixuan's "Brazil's" Economic Miracle "as an example。After the end of World War II,Brazil's economic performance is very eye -catching,Especially in the 1960s and 1970s, the world -renowned "economic miracle"。During this period, Brazil's GDP increased at an average annual rate of 11.5%,But bet365 Play online games Brazil's economic development does not continue,A crisis in the 1980s。Why does not continue this question when answering Brazil's economic miracles,Classic property rights theory in the economics world cannot explain this case,Because Brazil's property rights structure has not changed significantly。Huang Qixuan studied after studying,Classic property rights theory only pays attention to the positive effect of the property right system,However, the basic social condition of the property right system is ignored。Dialogue with classic theory,He found the limitations of the classic theory,Perfect and supplement the classic theory。

  Common sense and abnormal — Question through paradox

The third method or thinking raised on social sciences is to discover the phenomenon of violating common sense in the world。Historian Huang Renyu once said,The significance of academic research is not to criticize ridiculous,is to find and explain the logic behind ridiculous。The phenomenon of violating common sense in the world is often incredible、Violation of intuitive thinking。The secret of this method or thinking is,Be curious about the real world,When a phenomenon that violates common sense,Don't be busy criticism。If you keep enough curiosity,It is possible to find a good problem; otherwise,bet365 best casino games It may miss a very good question。

"Workers want to be good,Be sure to benefit its instrument ",When studying social science,We usually know the importance of the problem,But the importance of only realizing or emphasizing the problem is not enough。Existing social science scholars when facing how to find problems,Usually attributed the ability to ask questions to the understanding of the learner or considers the discovery of the problem as an art,No regular or method can master。This article summarizes the above three methods,Beginners who try to tell social sciences,The method of discovering the problem is also "there is a law can be based on"。Only mastered the problem、Method of asking questions,Only achievement in research。

(Author Unit: School of Public Management of Central South University for Nationalities; School of Political Science and Public Management of Shandong University)

Editor in charge: Cui Cen
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