1. Examine the scientific approach to the study of society and the humanistic approach to the study of society with a view to identifying the key issues which each approach addresses.
2. Examine the nature of positivism with a view to determining whether sociology should be studied as a science.
3. Discuss the nature of interpretivism with a view to determining whether sociology should be studied as an art.
4. Distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity in sociological research.
5. Discuss the problems of objectivity in scientific research.
6. Discuss the link between philosophical assumptions of the sociologist and the research practices of the sociologist.
7. Explore the differences between the positivists’ and interpretivists’ approach to social research.
8. Debate the issue of whether it is possible for sociology to be value-free.
9. Assess the significance of values in research with a view to determining the influence of the ideology of the researcher on the research process.
