The main purpose of this course is to assist you to analyze social phenomena systematically and to deal with the operational problems of designing a research project of your own.

We will begin with discussing the very foundations of knowing. We will compare scientific knowledge with other forms of knowledge. Then, we will trace the steps involved in building scientific understanding and focus on different techniques employed in social research. We will discuss how we can use science as a means of increasing our understanding of social problems and suggest ways to resolve those problems to improve the quality of human life.