Political Science as science
The ultimate objective for social science is to build a
science - a body of knowledge that is deemed to be
reliable for being correct and useful as explanation of
why and how it is that events occur the way they do.
This is deliberately not a technical definition of
“science”, but it is meant to indicate its essential
features:
first, that it consists of knowledge;
second, that it involves a body of knowledge and is
not limited to a single piece of knowledge;
third, but it is correct;
and fourth, that it can be relied upon as source or
basis for explaining events.
“science”, the essential criterion for science is the
rigor in the method (or methodology) Used to acquire
knowledge, which includes observation of what is
observable through the senses of human, the manner
of observation being design in such a way (usually
called experiment) as to allow inference of a
necessary relationship between a suspected “cause”
and hypothesize “effect
Science, then, is a particular activity defined by its
discipline. By discipline is meant a set of practice
accepted by a community for achieving their goals.
For science, this would be practices of “data
gathering” marked by “empiricism” and “objectivity”
and “data analysis” that usually employs the logic of
“experiment”.
Defining Research
research refers to the process of collecting and
analyzing data for the advancement of knowledge.
This systematic study is often academic practice that
involves:
- defining a problem or investigating a question
- formulating a hypothesis and argument;
- referring to different sources and ideas;
- collecting, analyzing, and organization of data; and
- making deduction that lead to conclusions.
Research Approaches (Trinidad, 2018)
Qualitative approach to research is often used in
exploring new ideas or explaining concepts in greater
depth. Here, research questions focus on
understanding the phenomenon, persons,
community, or reality in its natural and everyday
state. - Your
analysis should also be grounded in the experience of
the people you study.
Quantitative approach two research is often used in
understanding the magnitude of a phenomenon by
testing hypotheses about the relationship between
variables, and making predictions about human
behavior.
Manuscript Writing: Parts of a Research Proposal
Review of Literature
Once you decide on a topic, gather books and articles
on the theory you plan to use as a framework for your
study. Read and take notes as you would for a textual
analysis paper on article critique. That is, the purpose
of the literature review is not simply to discuss what
has been done on your topic but to determine what
has been done well.
- student needs to find a weakness in the logic and/or
methods of previous studies.
- In writing your review of literature, provide
hypotheses in their proper setting. Begin your review
with a summary of the theory from which your
question is derived. Next, discuss each relevant study,
summarizing the theoretical approach, major
hypotheses, operational definition, and conclusions
drawn in each one
Statement of the Problem and Hypotheses
- statement of the problem reveals the gaps are
contradictory findings that you found after reviewing
the chosen theory and relevant literature. Its purpose
is to point out methodological problems apparent in
the empirical literature, and/or the logical next step.
Methodology
-First, determine the appropriate research method
and design of the study. The method and design must
fit into the objectives, general and specific problems
of the study.
- Second, identify the target population and locale of
the study.
- Third, classify the appropriate data gathering tool.
- Fourth, give a narrative description on the steps
undertaken in data gathering.
- Fifth, explain how the data has been treated.
Theory guides Interpretation
- Without a sound theory, we will not be able to tell
why our research results provide an answer to the
research question.
Theoretical Framework Research Paradigm (Cristobal, 2017)
- theoretical framework can be formulated from an - The result of a clear understanding of the conceptual
existing theory/ies serves as the foundation of the and theoretical framework is a diagrammatic
research study. illustration of the study called the paradigm.
- In research, the theoretical framework defines non- - A research paradigm is a pattern, model, or set of
observable constructs that are inferred from forms which contains particular elements. It is the
observable facts and events that are thought to have researcher’s scientific vision expressed graphically by
an effect on the phenomenon under study. It drawings or sketches. In a scientific work, the symbols
describes the relationship/s among variables for the must be specific in meaning. The paradigm is
purpose of explaining a current state or predicting somehow like a visual representation of the entire
future events. The theoretical framework is as well thesis.
concerned with determining cause-effect
relationships. Thus, a good theory expands vision and
guides thinking, professional practice, and research
(Cristobal, 2017).
- In the formulation of a theoretical framework,
relevant theories must be provided. The researcher
cites and discusses related theories that serve as the
foundation of the variables and their relationships to
make the study more scientific and understandable
especially to the readers.

Concepts (Rich, 2018)

- concepts. A concept is merely a word or symbol that
represents some idea.

Purpose of Concepts
- First, because we are involved in empirical inquiry,
the concept must refer to phenomena that are at
least potentially observable.
- Second, in addition to having empirical referents,
concepts must be precise. They must refer to one and
only one set of properties of some phenomenon.
- Finally, useful concepts have theoretical import. A
concept has theoretical import when it is related to
enough other concepts in the theory that it plays an
essential role in the explanation of observed events.

Conceptual Framework (Cristobal, 2017)

-explanation of the scope and range of a concept or
construct can be done even without a theory or, in
some cases, with the combination of two or more
theories which lead to a researcher’s formulated
framework. This is called a conceptual framework.
-conceptual framework is largely based on theories or
parts of theory combine with other parts of another
theory, or on the intellectual synthesis of the various
readings (related literatures) of the researcher. It
guides the researcher by giving clear directions to the
research.