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Importance of Social Science in Our Daily Life

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Published: Sep 7, 2023

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ARTiFACTS / Blog / Your Complete Guide on Why Social Science is Important

Science Students

Your Complete Guide on Why Social Science is Important

Table of contents:

There‘s one species in all of our planet’s history that has had far more impact on its trajectory than any other, and that’s us .

In order to be able to forecast where the human race might be heading, and taking the rest of the world with it, an understanding of the role of social scientists is a must.

Social science offers an insight into society and the relationships between individuals within that society.

It is a broad field, encompassing sociology, history, geography, political science, psychology, anthropology, and law.

There is a quote by George Santayana, a philosopher, poet, novelist, and essayist. He said, “Those who do not remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.”

As we reach an inevitable crossroads in the history of human existence, nothing could be more true. Let’s take a look at how social science allows us to unravel the development of the human race, and why it is so important to us, especially now.

A Definition of Social Science

The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that are primarily concerned with the study of society. It delves into how individuals behave, interact with each other, develop as a culture, and impact the world.

Strictly speaking, the social sciences include:

Anthropology

Political science
Social psychology

Whilst they are definite crossovers with other subjects. The distinction between social sciences and other fields of study concerning human beings is often made in the methods used. Social science uses, as the name suggests, a scientific method, whereas other disciplines such as the humanities take a more philosophical approach to the study of human beings.

Anthropology studies the past and present of humans, our behavior, and societies. It looks at patterns of behavior, cultural meanings including different norms and values. It also looks at how language affects social life and our biological development.

The topic is vast, ranging from how chimpanzees behave within a group to our spending patterns. Anthropologists share the belief that human behaviors offer an insight into more encompassing sets of beliefs and values.

Anthropologists are concerned with questions such as:

Why are some people light-skinned while others are dark-skinned?
Why do people who belong to a particular community suffer more from a specific disease than people belonging to another community?
Why in some cultures do children leave the house of their parents at a certain age while in some they do not?
How do birth, death, and marriage ceremonies vary within different communities?

Whilst anthropology is mainly focussed on how the individual affects the whole. Sociology looks at how human beings behave as part of a larger group.

It studies society, concentrating on patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and the culture that encompasses everyday life.

It is the study of the collective behavior of organized groups of human beings.

Sociologists may look at sub-cultures such as football hooligans or the street-punk movement in terms of the different social factors that might influence such groups to form.

Social Psychology

Social psychology is concerned with how an individual’s behavior is influenced by their social environment.

Where sociology looks at group behavior, social psychology focusses on the psychological impact of being a member of that group.

Social Psychology studies give us an insight into human behavior, specifically looking into how our society influences that behavior.

The famous Stanford Prison Experiment (1971) saw college students take on the role of either prisoner or guard in an artificial prison for 14 days. However, the study was stopped after six days due to the guards becoming increasingly abusive and the prisoners showing extreme signs of stress and anxiety.

It is studies like this that help us understand how environments can play a huge part in affecting how we behave.

Economics concerns itself with how human beings use their limited resources. It focusses on how goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed.

Its main focus is known as the four factors of production, which are:

Land – Anything supplied by nature that contributes to the creation of wealth
Labor – The human effort that contributes to the creation of wealth
Capital – Anything that is manmade and is utilized to produce goods and services
Enterprise – This combines the above three into a product or service for the consumer market

The study of economics is split into two main fields:

Macroeconomics – Focusses on the overall working of a national economy, including interest rates, unemployment, and taxes
Microeconomics – Focusses specifically on how households and individual businesses make economic decisions that eventually affect society as a whole.

Political Science

Political science is concerned with government institutions and political behavior. It deals with the analysis of political systems and the theoretical and practical applications of politics.

It looks into how power is allocated and transferred, and the roles and systems within governments and international organizations.

Understanding political science is important because we all live within a political system. We are therefore, affected by changes in the global political economy.

Political scientists provide us with a lens through which we can understand the global political economy.

Why Social Science is Important

The academic study and implementation of the social sciences can have a huge benefit on society as a whole, and on an individual level as well.

The implications are vast, but let us take a look at just a few of the reasons why social science is as important as it is.

Social Science as a force for greater good

One of the key roles of social science is how it can affect decision making when it comes to moving forward as a society, and eventually as an entire species.

We all want to live in a world that we consider safe, and where our human rights are respected along with our basic dignity. However, due to different political views, cultural and societal values, we don’t always agree on the best way to achieve this. This is where social scientists come in to play.

Because social science focusses on the social advancement of humanity, they are responsible for working alongside governments, social services, the media, and UN organizations to influence the work of the big decision-makers.

They are partly responsible for new laws and regulations that govern how we work and live. By understanding society and how it works they can help make decisions as to how we can move forward.

Historical examples of this include providing opportunities for women to become wage earners where such opportunities hadn’t previously existed. And also reducing the risk of hunger in areas where starvation rates had previously been high.

In regards to the current COVID 19 pandemic, social science facilitates the cross-referencing of the lessons learned from the Ebola crisis as well as ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to community engagement.

Social scientists can influence where aid is sent to, and how existing laws can be changed to meet societal demands that weren’t previously being met.

Imagining an Alternative Future

Social science opens up the opportunity for debate and provides us with the chance to have our say when it comes to the development of society.

It can help us to forecast how new technologies will affect us. By raising the questions associated with the large array of social, ethical, and legal issues that surround the introduction of new technologies, they help us to have a better understanding of the consequences of new technological developments.

When decisions around COVID 19 were made, it wasn’t entirely done by scientists. Whilst scientists can study the virus and establish how best to control it based on its behavior, social scientists are responsible for looking at how such decisions will affect society as a whole.

The Importance of Our Health and Well-Being

By interpreting medical statistics and evaluating health care policies, social scientists can help ensure that our health care systems work at an optimal level.

Where a nutritionist can provide the information necessary for an individual to have a healthy and balanced diet, the social scientist can look further into geographical, economic, and social factors that impact how obtainable such a diet might be.

Essentially, social science allows health care and health advice to be tailored to individuals based on their social circumstances.

A Brighter Future for Our Children

A school’s effectiveness is determined by much more than its curriculum. A top-down view of education might focus on academic prowess, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it takes the well-being of its learners into account.

Schooling as a foundation for social learning might be just as important as academic performance. By taking into account the viewpoints of children of all ages, and their parents, education officials can make better decisions towards what makes an effective school environment.

Social science helps to educate the public regarding social policy. It raises attention to a multiple of different perspectives on society and is supportive of the public when it comes to holding politicians and the media to account.

Along with the transformation of media into the digital age, social science has made modern democracy more transparent than it once was. It is much easier to access multiple angles from peer-reviewed research on individual topics of debate. Not only that, but the internet allows us to share our own.

Personal Development

Understanding the world around us can certainly make living in it more manageable. Not only that but by understanding society we better understand what we need to do to contribute to it.

It broadens our horizons by opening our eyes to different social movements and cultures. It promotes taking a multi-layered approach when forming opinions, thus developing the power of thinking and reasoning.

By being mindful of the environment you are in and the factors that affect it, you become more mindful of how you are within your environment.

The Future of The Social Sciences

Social sciences cover more than you might initially imagine. The internet is rife with social science articles that cover a wide range of research being done in the field.

From the reasons why college students binge-watch television shows to the ethical implications of government surveillance. Social science covers a vast array of what makes us who we are and where that may take us.

These kinds of studies highlight both the reasons why people do what they do and also how people react to the decisions that are being made for them. This allows for better-informed decisions as to what we, as a species and individually, should be doing to move forward.

In better understanding the social sciences and what they cover we quickly come to realize just how important their role is. They bridge the vital gap between the people making the decisions and those affected by them.

Social science continues to engage in cross-disciplinary work in diverse fields such as engineering, biology, medicine, computing, and mathematics.

As we move forward it is becoming quite clear that no subject area can operate independently without drawing on the research of other disciplines. It is here that social science plays its most important role.

For more information on social science and to find out more about current research being carried out in this field take a look at the rest of our site, and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions

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The Critical Turkey

Essay Writing Hacks for the Social Sciences

What Should Be in a Social Science Essay? Fundamentals and Essential Techniques

This blogpost is also available as a PDF download , so it can be stored on your desktop and used as a checklist before submitting your essay.

The following is a condensed overview of the most important features of social science essay writing. Its aim is to cut through the noise, and focus on the most essential (and important) elements of essay writing. Read it carefully, and use it as a check-list once you have completed your essay.

Before we get into the details, however, be aware: The purpose of writing essays in the social and political sciences is not so much to just demonstrate your knowledge. Rather, it is about applying this knowledge, using it to make a well-informed, well-reasoned, independently-reflected argument that is based on verified (and verifiable) evidence. What should be in an essay, and how you should write it, is all informed by this purpose.

What’s in an Essay?

The main focus of an academic essay, article or book is to address a research or essay question. Therefore, make sure you have read the essay question carefully, think about what aspects of the topic you need to address, and organize the essay accordingly. Your essay should have three parts:

Introduction
Provide context to the question. Be specific (not ‘since the dawn of time, social scientists have been arguing…’, but ‘one of the key debates in the study of revolutions revolves around…’, ideally providing references to the key authors of said debate).
It is almost always a good idea to formulate an argument – an arguable statement – in relation to the essay question (e.g. if the question is ‘Evaluate Weber and Marx’s accounts of capitalism’, an argument could be ‘I am going to argue that Weber is most insightful on X, but Marx is important for Y’). This builds a nice critical element into your essay, your own take on things, going beyond merely describing what others have written.
Essay plan: Tell the reader about the points you are going to cover, and the order in which you are going to do this (e.g. ‘First, the essay looks at…, second… third…’ etc.). Think of it as a roadmap to the essay.
Define key concepts as necessary for understanding. Do not use general dictionaries, as they often contain notions that social scientists try to challenge. Use definitions from the readings, and from sociological dictionaries.
Length: Intro should be between 5 to 10%, and no more than about 10 per cent of the overall word count.
Main Part / Body
The structure of the essay body is informed by the research/essay question: What points do you need to include in order to address the question? What sub-questions are there to the big question? Concentrate on the ‘need-to-knows’ rather than the ‘nice-to-knows’ .
The order in which you arrange these points depends on what makes the most convincing line of argument. This depends on the essay question, but as a rule of thumb you want to build up your argument, from the basics to the more elaborate points, from the weaker to the stronger, from what contradicts your argument to what supports it.
The different points should be addressed in appropriate depth. Make sure you explain not just what something is, but also how it works, and use examples and illustration.
There should be a coherent thread running through the essay and connecting the various points to one another and the overall argument. Indicate these connections in strategic places with appropriate signposting. These signpostings should also help you develop your argument as you proceed.
Excellent essays often raise counter-arguments to the argument presented, and then provide arguments against those counter-arguments. Think about why and how someone might disagree about what you are saying, and how you would respond to them.
Use peer-reviewed academic sources and present evidence for the points you make, using references, reliable statistics, examples etc. Any opinion you express should be built on reliable evidence and good reasoning.
What, finally, is your answer to the question? Bring the various strings of the essay together, summarize them briefly in the context of the essay question, and round off by connecting to the bigger discussion that the essay question is part of. It is usually a good idea to have a differentiated conclusion, in which you e.g. agree with a statement to a certain extent or under specific circumstances (and explain which and why), but disagree with some other aspects of it, rather than making undifferentiated black-or-white statements. You can also contextualise your argument with your ideas from the introduction. It is normally not a good idea to introduce new material in the conclusion. You are wrapping up here, and rounding off, not starting new discussions.
Conclusion should be about, and no longer than, 10 per cent of the overall word count.

Notes on Writing Style

Find the right balance between formal and informal. Avoid being too informal and conversational on the one hand. But also don’t use overly convoluted and complicated language, as it makes your writing inaccessible, and can lead to a lack of clarity. You may at times encounter academic writing that seems deliberately obscure or overcomplicated, but those are not examples you should try to emulate.
Clarity and specificity should indeed be a top priority. Are the words you are using expressing what you want to express? Is it clear who specifically is doing what or saying what? Pay attention to this when proofreading the essay. Could someone understand this differently? Avoid ambiguities.
Key concepts should be clearly defined and used throughout the essay in the way you defined them. Choose the definitions that are most useful for your discussion.
Avoid hyperbole (don’t do ‘shocking statistics’ or ‘dire consequences’ etc.).

Notes on the Writing Process

Proofreading: When you are first writing, don’t think of it as the final product, but treat it as a first draft. Go through several drafts until you are happy with it. At a minimum, proofread the entire essay once or twice. Don’t be perfectionist when you start out, as you can always come back and improve on whatever you’ve written.
Small steps: Focussing on the small, concrete steps of your writing process rather than constantly thinking of the big task at hand will help you feel in control.
Procrastination: Feeling overwhelmed, as well as being too perfectionist, are among the leading causes for procrastination. The two previous points should therefore help you address this issue as well. Don’t be too harsh on yourself when you do procrastinate – almost everyone does it to some extent .
Over the years, keep addressing areas you want to improve on, and keep looking for information. Search online, for example ‘how to cite a book chapter in Harvard Sage’, ‘developing an argument’, ‘ using quotations ’, ‘memory techniques’, ‘how to read with speed’, ‘understanding procrastination’, or ‘ what does peer-reviewed mean ’. There is plenty of information, and some seriously good advice out there. See what works for you. Read the feedback you get on your writing, and incorporate it into your next essay.

Final Thoughts

Essay Writing skills are good skills to have in any situation (except maybe in a zombie apocalypse). They will make the studying process easier over time, and hopefully also more fun. But in a wider sense, they are general skills of critical engagement with the world around you, and will help you filter and prioritise the overload of information you are confronted with on an everyday basis. In that sense, they might actually even be helpful in a zombie apocalypse.

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USC Libraries
Research Guides

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

4. The Introduction
Purpose of Guide
Design Flaws to Avoid
Independent and Dependent Variables
Glossary of Research Terms
Reading Research Effectively
Narrowing a Topic Idea
Broadening a Topic Idea
Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
Academic Writing Style
Applying Critical Thinking
Choosing a Title
Making an Outline
Paragraph Development
Research Process Video Series
Executive Summary
The C.A.R.S. Model
Background Information
The Research Problem/Question
Theoretical Framework
Citation Tracking
Content Alert Services
Evaluating Sources
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Tiertiary Sources
Scholarly vs. Popular Publications
Qualitative Methods
Quantitative Methods
Insiderness
Using Non-Textual Elements
Limitations of the Study
Common Grammar Mistakes
Writing Concisely
Avoiding Plagiarism
Footnotes or Endnotes?
Further Readings
Generative AI and Writing
USC Libraries Tutorials and Other Guides
Bibliography

The introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It establishes the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the research problem supported by a hypothesis or a set of questions, explaining briefly the methodological approach used to examine the research problem, highlighting the potential outcomes your study can reveal, and outlining the remaining structure and organization of the paper.

Key Elements of the Research Proposal. Prepared under the direction of the Superintendent and by the 2010 Curriculum Design and Writing Team. Baltimore County Public Schools.

Importance of a Good Introduction

Think of the introduction as a mental road map that must answer for the reader these four questions:

What was I studying?
Why was this topic important to investigate?
What did we know about this topic before I did this study?
How will this study advance new knowledge or new ways of understanding?

According to Reyes, there are three overarching goals of a good introduction: 1) ensure that you summarize prior studies about the topic in a manner that lays a foundation for understanding the research problem; 2) explain how your study specifically addresses gaps in the literature, insufficient consideration of the topic, or other deficiency in the literature; and, 3) note the broader theoretical, empirical, and/or policy contributions and implications of your research.

A well-written introduction is important because, quite simply, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. The opening paragraphs of your paper will provide your readers with their initial impressions about the logic of your argument, your writing style, the overall quality of your research, and, ultimately, the validity of your findings and conclusions. A vague, disorganized, or error-filled introduction will create a negative impression, whereas, a concise, engaging, and well-written introduction will lead your readers to think highly of your analytical skills, your writing style, and your research approach. All introductions should conclude with a brief paragraph that describes the organization of the rest of the paper.

Hirano, Eliana. “Research Article Introductions in English for Specific Purposes: A Comparison between Brazilian, Portuguese, and English.” English for Specific Purposes 28 (October 2009): 240-250; Samraj, B. “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations Across Disciplines.” English for Specific Purposes 21 (2002): 1–17; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide. Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70; Reyes, Victoria. Demystifying the Journal Article. Inside Higher Education.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Structure and Approach

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions for the reader:

What is this?
Why should I read it?
What do you want me to think about / consider doing / react to?

Think of the structure of the introduction as an inverted triangle of information that lays a foundation for understanding the research problem. Organize the information so as to present the more general aspects of the topic early in the introduction, then narrow your analysis to more specific topical information that provides context, finally arriving at your research problem and the rationale for studying it [often written as a series of key questions to be addressed or framed as a hypothesis or set of assumptions to be tested] and, whenever possible, a description of the potential outcomes your study can reveal.

These are general phases associated with writing an introduction: 1. Establish an area to research by:

Highlighting the importance of the topic, and/or
Making general statements about the topic, and/or
Presenting an overview on current research on the subject.

2. Identify a research niche by:

Opposing an existing assumption, and/or
Revealing a gap in existing research, and/or
Formulating a research question or problem, and/or
Continuing a disciplinary tradition.

3. Place your research within the research niche by:

Stating the intent of your study,
Outlining the key characteristics of your study,
Describing important results, and
Giving a brief overview of the structure of the paper.

NOTE: It is often useful to review the introduction late in the writing process. This is appropriate because outcomes are unknown until you've completed the study. After you complete writing the body of the paper, go back and review introductory descriptions of the structure of the paper, the method of data gathering, the reporting and analysis of results, and the conclusion. Reviewing and, if necessary, rewriting the introduction ensures that it correctly matches the overall structure of your final paper.

II. Delimitations of the Study

Delimitations refer to those characteristics that limit the scope and define the conceptual boundaries of your research . This is determined by the conscious exclusionary and inclusionary decisions you make about how to investigate the research problem. In other words, not only should you tell the reader what it is you are studying and why, but you must also acknowledge why you rejected alternative approaches that could have been used to examine the topic.

Obviously, the first limiting step was the choice of research problem itself. However, implicit are other, related problems that could have been chosen but were rejected. These should be noted in the conclusion of your introduction. For example, a delimitating statement could read, "Although many factors can be understood to impact the likelihood young people will vote, this study will focus on socioeconomic factors related to the need to work full-time while in school." The point is not to document every possible delimiting factor, but to highlight why previously researched issues related to the topic were not addressed.

Examples of delimitating choices would be:

The key aims and objectives of your study,
The research questions that you address,
The variables of interest [i.e., the various factors and features of the phenomenon being studied],
The method(s) of investigation,
The time period your study covers, and
Any relevant alternative theoretical frameworks that could have been adopted.

Review each of these decisions. Not only do you clearly establish what you intend to accomplish in your research, but you should also include a declaration of what the study does not intend to cover. In the latter case, your exclusionary decisions should be based upon criteria understood as, "not interesting"; "not directly relevant"; “too problematic because..."; "not feasible," and the like. Make this reasoning explicit!

NOTE: Delimitations refer to the initial choices made about the broader, overall design of your study and should not be confused with documenting the limitations of your study discovered after the research has been completed.

ANOTHER NOTE : Do not view delimitating statements as admitting to an inherent failing or shortcoming in your research. They are an accepted element of academic writing intended to keep the reader focused on the research problem by explicitly defining the conceptual boundaries and scope of your study. It addresses any critical questions in the reader's mind of, "Why the hell didn't the author examine this?"

III. The Narrative Flow

Issues to keep in mind that will help the narrative flow in your introduction :

Your introduction should clearly identify the subject area of interest . A simple strategy to follow is to use key words from your title in the first few sentences of the introduction. This will help focus the introduction on the topic at the appropriate level and ensures that you get to the subject matter quickly without losing focus, or discussing information that is too general.
Establish context by providing a brief and balanced review of the pertinent published literature that is available on the subject. The key is to summarize for the reader what is known about the specific research problem before you did your analysis. This part of your introduction should not represent a comprehensive literature review--that comes next. It consists of a general review of the important, foundational research literature [with citations] that establishes a foundation for understanding key elements of the research problem. See the drop-down menu under this tab for " Background Information " regarding types of contexts.
Clearly state the hypothesis that you investigated . When you are first learning to write in this format it is okay, and actually preferable, to use a past statement like, "The purpose of this study was to...." or "We investigated three possible mechanisms to explain the...."
Why did you choose this kind of research study or design? Provide a clear statement of the rationale for your approach to the problem studied. This will usually follow your statement of purpose in the last paragraph of the introduction.

IV. Engaging the Reader

A research problem in the social sciences can come across as dry and uninteresting to anyone unfamiliar with the topic . Therefore, one of the goals of your introduction is to make readers want to read your paper. Here are several strategies you can use to grab the reader's attention:

Open with a compelling story . Almost all research problems in the social sciences, no matter how obscure or esoteric , are really about the lives of people. Telling a story that humanizes an issue can help illuminate the significance of the problem and help the reader empathize with those affected by the condition being studied.
Include a strong quotation or a vivid, perhaps unexpected, anecdote . During your review of the literature, make note of any quotes or anecdotes that grab your attention because they can used in your introduction to highlight the research problem in a captivating way.
Pose a provocative or thought-provoking question . Your research problem should be framed by a set of questions to be addressed or hypotheses to be tested. However, a provocative question can be presented in the beginning of your introduction that challenges an existing assumption or compels the reader to consider an alternative viewpoint that helps establish the significance of your study.
Describe a puzzling scenario or incongruity . This involves highlighting an interesting quandary concerning the research problem or describing contradictory findings from prior studies about a topic. Posing what is essentially an unresolved intellectual riddle about the problem can engage the reader's interest in the study.
Cite a stirring example or case study that illustrates why the research problem is important . Draw upon the findings of others to demonstrate the significance of the problem and to describe how your study builds upon or offers alternatives ways of investigating this prior research.

NOTE: It is important that you choose only one of the suggested strategies for engaging your readers. This avoids giving an impression that your paper is more flash than substance and does not distract from the substance of your study.

Freedman, Leora and Jerry Plotnick. Introductions and Conclusions. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Introduction. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Introductions. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide . Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70; Resources for Writers: Introduction Strategies. Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Sharpling, Gerald. Writing an Introduction. Centre for Applied Linguistics, University of Warwick; Samraj, B. “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations Across Disciplines.” English for Specific Purposes 21 (2002): 1–17; Swales, John and Christine B. Feak. Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Skills and Tasks . 2nd edition. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2004 ; Writing Your Introduction. Department of English Writing Guide. George Mason University.

Writing Tip

Avoid the "Dictionary" Introduction

Giving the dictionary definition of words related to the research problem may appear appropriate because it is important to define specific terminology that readers may be unfamiliar with. However, anyone can look a word up in the dictionary and a general dictionary is not a particularly authoritative source because it doesn't take into account the context of your topic and doesn't offer particularly detailed information. Also, placed in the context of a particular discipline, a term or concept may have a different meaning than what is found in a general dictionary. If you feel that you must seek out an authoritative definition, use a subject specific dictionary or encyclopedia [e.g., if you are a sociology student, search for dictionaries of sociology]. A good database for obtaining definitive definitions of concepts or terms is Credo Reference .

Saba, Robert. The College Research Paper. Florida International University; Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina.

Another Writing Tip

When Do I Begin?

A common question asked at the start of any paper is, "Where should I begin?" An equally important question to ask yourself is, "When do I begin?" Research problems in the social sciences rarely rest in isolation from history. Therefore, it is important to lay a foundation for understanding the historical context underpinning the research problem. However, this information should be brief and succinct and begin at a point in time that illustrates the study's overall importance. For example, a study that investigates coffee cultivation and export in West Africa as a key stimulus for local economic growth needs to describe the beginning of exporting coffee in the region and establishing why economic growth is important. You do not need to give a long historical explanation about coffee exports in Africa. If a research problem requires a substantial exploration of the historical context, do this in the literature review section. In your introduction, make note of this as part of the "roadmap" [see below] that you use to describe the organization of your paper.

Introductions. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; “Writing Introductions.” In Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide . Peter Redman. 4th edition. (London: Sage, 2011), pp. 63-70.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Always End with a Roadmap

The final paragraph or sentences of your introduction should forecast your main arguments and conclusions and provide a brief description of the rest of the paper [the "roadmap"] that let's the reader know where you are going and what to expect. A roadmap is important because it helps the reader place the research problem within the context of their own perspectives about the topic. In addition, concluding your introduction with an explicit roadmap tells the reader that you have a clear understanding of the structural purpose of your paper. In this way, the roadmap acts as a type of promise to yourself and to your readers that you will follow a consistent and coherent approach to addressing the topic of inquiry. Refer to it often to help keep your writing focused and organized.

Cassuto, Leonard. “On the Dissertation: How to Write the Introduction.” The Chronicle of Higher Education , May 28, 2018; Radich, Michael. A Student's Guide to Writing in East Asian Studies . (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Writing n. d.), pp. 35-37.

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Perspectives on social sciences (1): What are the social sciences and why do they matter?

Guest Feature

Professor Sir Cary L. Cooper CBE FAcSS and Professor Jonathan Michie FAcSS

Social scientists analyse and describe how society functions and develops. This includes understanding the behaviour of those who make up society – individuals, families and communities; companies and other organisations; governments and regulators. It also includes considering – and predicting and influencing – the results of those behaviours, from armed conflicts and forced migration, to the climate crisis and the relation between humanity and nature.

Within the social sciences, economists focus on the ‘wealth of nations’ – and how this is generated and distributed.[2] Political scientists are concerned with ideas of power, justice, liberty and representation – and how these ideas get translated into policies that are then implemented at national and other levels. Legal scholars analyse the rules by which rights are either asserted or protected, and the processes through which people and organisations are governed. Organisational psychologists consider how people behave with one another, and how this changes individual and organisational behaviours, and how this will impact productivity and the health and wellbeing of employees. Sociologists and social anthropologists are interested in groups, communities and cultures in society and between different cultures. Geographers are concerned with geospatial differences and the interactions between people, places and environments. Of course, these disciplines also work together – and collaborate both within the social sciences and beyond.

For example, dealing with the COVID-19 crisis relies on medical sciences to treat patients and develop vaccines. Vitally important also is to understand the nature of globalisation, how to deal with risk, the approach of governments, the socio-economic, demographic and ethnic-related vulnerabilities and where those people are located, the reaction of companies and the use of patents, the behaviour of people during and after a lockdown, and so forth.

The national and global recovery from the crisis will depend crucially on how governments and other regulators can influence individuals, firms, consumers and investors; on how health, educational and other organisations learn, adapt and develop; on how social capital and the third sector can be maintained; and how lessons can be learned from these various aspects of societal behaviour to inform policy development and implementation in the future.

Similarly with the climate crisis. Climate science is vital. So too is an understanding of consumer psychology and behaviour, management decision making and corporate goals, legislative and regulatory debates, policy development and its impacts, and the longer term role of education. All the climate science in the world will not change anything unless we get societal understanding, behaviour change, and policy action. The social sciences provides research that helps us to motivate individual, organisational and political change – incentivising people to use less fossil fuels or buy more environment-friendly cars or use different modes of transport, and regulating and legislating to change corporate purpose and societal outcomes.

In short, to understand today’s world requires the social sciences. As does effective intervention to shape our future.

The social sciences are continually developing and advancing. As Albert Einstein is reputed to have said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them”. Thinking across the social sciences are brought together in an Academy of Social Sciences book, Why the Social Sciences Matter, which analyses a range of problems facing society, and considers possible solutions.[3]

Happiness and wellbeing; inequalities of income, wealth and power; migration and cultural change; globalisation and regional economic development; sustainability and governance – social science is the process of analysing and understanding such matters, which enables appropriate policies and practices to be crafted and followed.

The need for evidence-based policy

Understanding the impact of laws and regulations is itself the subject of social science. Thus, policies that may have been developed in response to breakthroughs in medical or climate science will require an understanding of the social sciences to be well crafted and effective. That is why it is wholly misguided to think that a country should focus on the ‘STEM’ subjects (of science, technology, engineering and mathematics) at the expense of the social sciences; both working together so often offer the better solutions. To understand those topics requires an understanding of the societies in which they operate. Furthermore, public policy must be evidence based, and social science is necessary to gather, analyse, understand and present that evidence. And to draw conclusions for more effective policy development in the future.

As a former President of the British Science Association put it: “There is a growing realisation that much of social science relies heavily on the backing of natural science, and much of natural science only makes sense in the context of social science.”[4]

The great challenges facing society today needs a strong social sciences community to analyse, educate, and advise. Our future depends upon it. Fortunately, the UK is at the forefront of social science research and scholarship. But to retain that strength requires continued investment and support.

[1] We are grateful to Rita Gardner, CEO of the Academy of Social Sciences for inviting us to write this piece and for helpful comments. [2] An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith was published in 1776. [3] ‘This volume … illuminates why a social scientific understanding gives us a grasp on a topic that would not be provided by those working in the fields of science, humanities or the arts; in other words, this book makes plain what is distinctive and thus invaluable about a social science perspective”, Jonathan Michie and Cary L. Cooper (eds)(2015), Why the Social Sciences Matter , Palgrave Macmillan. [4] In ‘ That’s interesting, science is exciting ‘, Anne McLaren, president of the British Association, invites young and old to come to Loughborough to join in the fun’, Independent, 5th September 1994.

About the authors

Professor Sir Cary Cooper, CBE FAcSS, 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology & Health, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester. Academy of Social Sciences Chair, 2009-2015

Professor Jonathan Michie FAcSS, Professor of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, and President of Kellogg College, University of Oxford

The Perspectives on Social Science series invites personal views from eminent Academy Fellows on the nature of social sciences and their relevance to our contemporary world.

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Why the Social Sciences Matter

© 2015
Jonathan Michie (President) 0 ,
Cary L. Cooper (Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health) 1

Kellogg College, University of Oxford, UK

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Supported by the Academy of Social Sciences
Champions the importance of the social sciences in our continued understanding of the world
Contains contributions from leading social scientists at the cutting-edge of their respective fields
Advocates the pursuit of evidence-based policy through systematic scholarly investigation

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

Jonathan Michie, Cary L. Cooper

Social Science, Parenting and Child Development

Pasco Fearon, Chloe Campbell, Lynne Murray

Health and Wellbeing

James Campbell Quick, Robert J. Gatchel, Cary L. Cooper

Climate Change and Society

Waste, resource recovery and labour: recycling economies in the eu.

Nicky Gregson, Mike Crang

Poverty and Inequality

The economy, financial stability and sustainable growth.

Jonathan Michie

What Can the Social Sciences Bring to an Understanding of Food Security?

Camilla Toulmin

Numbers and Questions: The Contribution of Social Science to Understanding the Family, Marriage and Divorce

Mavis Maclean, Ceridwen Roberts

Crime, Policing and Compliance with the Law

Understanding the arab spring.

Stuart Croft, Oz Hassan

International Migration

Cathy McIlwaine

Back Matter

agriculture
climate change
unemployment

About this book

"This book powerfully demonstrates that if some of the planet's most urgent problems are to be solved, then the social sciences are not just necessary but are in fact indispensable. Humanity today needs high-quality social science more than ever - this book brilliantly shows why and how this is so." - David Inglis, University of Exeter, UK

"Eminent social scientists Professors Jonathan Michie and Cary Cooper have drawn together a distinguished group of world experts who document the enormous contributions that the social sciences can offer us all for a healthy, sustainable and peaceful future." - Julian Barling, Queen's School of Business, Canada

"While numbers are at the center of great natural science that can launch rockets, human hearts are the pulse of great social science. Private trouble and personal suffering spill over into the public domain, addressed in the collective ills of this volume. Our great hope is that we can solve these problems that we have created. The solutions lie within this volume and the social sciences." - James Campbell Quick, University of Texas at Arlington, US

'This excellent and thought-provoking book deserves to be widely read by policy-makers as well as by students and others who think about our futures. The book makes great contributions to society.' - Greg Bamber, Monash University, Australia

Editors and Affiliations

Cary L. Cooper

About the editors

Bibliographic information.

Book Title : Why the Social Sciences Matter

Editors : Jonathan Michie, Cary L. Cooper

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137269928

Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan London

eBook Packages : Palgrave Social Sciences Collection , Social Sciences (R0)

Hardcover ISBN : 978-1-137-26990-4 Published: 09 January 2015

Softcover ISBN : 978-1-137-26991-1 Published: 09 January 2015

eBook ISBN : 978-1-137-26992-8 Published: 08 January 2015

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : X, 197

Topics : Crime and Society , Economic Policy , Migration , Environmental Sociology , Family , Sociology of Family, Youth and Aging

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Communication

What is a Social Science Essay?

[Ed. – We present this article, adapted from a chapter of Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide , as a resource for Academic Writing Month.]

There are different types of social science essay, and essays of different lengths require slightly different approaches (these will be addressed later). However, all social science essays share a basic structure which is common to many academic subject areas. At its simplest, a social science essay looks something like this:

Title | Every essay should begin with the title written out in full. In some cases this will simply be the set question or statement for discussion.

Introduction | The introduction tells the reader what the essay is about.

Main section | The main section, or ‘body’, of the essay develops the key points of the argument in a ‘logical progression’. It uses evidence from research studies (empirical evidence) and theoretical arguments to support these points.

Conclusion | The conclusion reassesses the arguments presented in the main section in order to make a final statement in answer to the question.

List of references | This lists full details of the publications referred to in the text.

What is distinctive about a social science essay?

As you are no doubt aware, essay writing is a common feature of undergraduate study in many different subjects. What, then, is distinctive about essay writing in the social sciences? There are particular features that characterize social science essays and that relate to what is called the epistemological underpinning of work in this area (that is, to ideas about what constitutes valid social scientific knowledge and where this comes from). Among the most important of these characteristics are:

• the requirement that you support arguments with evidence, particularly evidence that is the product of systematic and rigorous research;

• the use of theory to build explanations about how the social world works.

Evidence is important in social scientific writing because it is used to support or query beliefs, propositions or hypotheses about the social world. Let’s take an example. A social scientist may ask: ‘Does prison work?’ This forms an initial question, but one that is too vague to explore as it stands. (This question might be about whether prison ‘works’ for offenders, in terms of providing rehabilitation, or re-education; or it might be about whether it ‘works’ for victims of crime who may wish to see retribution – or any number of other issues.) To answer the question in mind, the social scientist will need to formulate a more specific claim, one that can be systematically and rigorously explored. Such a claim could be formulated in the following terms:

‘Imprisonment reduces the likelihood of subsequent reoffending’. This claim can now be subjected to systematic research. In other words, the social scientist will gather evidence for and against this claim, evidence that she or he will seek to interpret or evaluate. This process of evaluation will tend to support or refute the original claim, but it may be inconclusive, and/or it may generate further questions. Together, these processes of enquiry can be described as forming a ‘circuit of social scientific knowledge’. This circuit can be represented as in this figure.

Undergraduates may sometimes be asked to conduct their own small-scale research, for instance a small number of interviews, or some content analysis. However, the focus of social science study at undergraduate level, and particularly in the first two years of study, will be largely on the research of others. Generally, in preparing for writing your essays, the expectation will be that you will identify and evaluate evidence from existing research findings. However, the principle holds good: in writing social science essays you will need to find evidence for and against any claim, and you will need to evaluate that evidence.

Theory is important in social scientific writing because the theoretical orientation of the social scientist will tend to inform the types of question she or he asks, the specific claims tested, the ways in which evidence is identified and gathered, and the manner in which this evidence is interpreted and evaluated. In other words, the theoretical orientation of the social scientist is liable to impact upon the forms of knowledge she or he will produce.

Take, for example, the research question we asked above: ‘Does prison work?’ A pragmatic, policy-oriented social scientist may seek to answer this question by formulating a specific claim of the sort we identified, ‘Imprisonment reduces the likelihood of reoffending’. She or he may then gather evidence of reoffending rates among matched groups of convicted criminals, comparing those who were imprisoned with those who were given an alternative punishment such as forms of community service. Evidence that imprisonment did not produce significantly lower rates of reoffending than punishment in the community may then be interpreted as suggesting that prison does not work, or that it works only up to a point. However, another social scientist might look at the same research findings and come to a different conclusion, perhaps that the apparent failure of prison to reduce reoffending demonstrates that its primary purpose lies elsewhere. Indeed, more ‘critically’ oriented social scientists (for example, those informed by Marxism or the work of Michel Foucault) have sought to argue that the growth of prisons in the nineteenth century was part of wider social attempts to ‘discipline’, in particular, the working class.

The issue here is not whether these more ‘critical’ arguments are right or wrong but that a social scientist’s theoretical orientation will inform how she or he evaluates the available evidence. In fact, it is likely that a ‘critical’ social scientist of this sort would even have formulated a different research ‘claim’. For example, rather than seeking to test the claim, ‘Imprisonment reduces the likelihood of reoffending’, the critical social scientist might have sought to test the proposition, ‘Prisons are part of wider social strategies that aim to produce “disciplined” subjects’. The point for you to take away from this discussion is, then, that the theories we use shape the forms of social scientific knowledge we produce (see Figure 2).

There is considerable debate within the social sciences about the exact relationship between theory and evidence. To simplify somewhat, some social scientists tend to argue that evidence can be used to support or invalidate the claims investigated by research and thereby produce theoretical accounts of the social world that are more or less accurate. Other social scientists will tend to argue that our theoretical orientations (and the value judgements and taken-for-granted assumptions that they contain) shape the processes of social scientific enquiry itself, such that we can never claim to produce a straightforwardly ‘accurate’ account of the social world. Instead, they suggest that social scientific knowledge is always produced from a particular standpoint and will inevitably reflect its assumptions.

What you need to grasp is that essay writing in the social sciences is distinguished by its emphasis on: the use of researched evidence to support arguments and on theory as central to the process by which we build accounts of social worlds. Your own writing will need to engage with both elements.

Common errors in essays

Having identified what distinguishes a social science essay we can return to the more practical task of how to write one. This process is elaborated in the chapters that follow, but before getting into the details of this, we should think about what commonly goes wrong in essay writing.

Perhaps the most common mistakes in essay writing, all of which can have an impact on your marks, are:

• failure to answer the question;

• failure to write using your own words;

• poor use of social scientific skills (such as handling theory and evidence);

• poor structure;

• poor grammar, punctuation and spelling; and

• failure to observe the word limit (where this is specified).

Failing to answer the question sounds easy enough to avoid, but you might be surprised how easy it is to write a good answer to the wrong question. Most obviously, there is always the risk of misreading the question. However, it is frequently the case that questions will ‘index’ a wider debate and will want you to review and engage with this. Thus, you need to avoid the danger of understanding the question but failing to connect it to the debate and the body of literature to which the question refers. Equally, particularly on more advanced undergraduate courses, you are likely to be asked to work from an increasing range of sources. The dangers here include failing to select the most relevant material and failing to organize the material you have selected in a way that best fits the question. Therefore, make sure that you take time to read the question properly to ensure that you understand what is being asked. Next, think carefully about whether there is a debate that ‘lies behind’ the question. Then be sure to identify the material that addresses the question most fully.

Writing in your own words is crucial because this is the best way in which you can come to understand a topic, and the only way of demonstrating this understanding to your tutor. The important point to remember is that if you do plagiarize, your essay risks receiving a fail grade, and if you plagiarize repeatedly you risk further sanctions. You must therefore always put arguments in your own words except when you are quoting someone directly (in which case you must use the appropriate referencing conventions). The positive side of what might seem like a draconian rule is that you will remember better what you have put in your own words. This ensures that you will have the fullest possible understanding of your course. If there is an end-of-course exam, such an understanding will be a real asset.

Social science essays also need to demonstrate an effective use of social scientific skills. Perhaps the most obvious of these skills is the ability to deploy theory and evidence in an appropriate manner (as you saw in the previous section, this is what distinguishes social scientific essay writing). However, particularly as you move on to more advanced undergraduate courses, you should also keep in mind the need to demonstrate such things as confidence in handling social scientific concepts and vocabulary; an awareness of major debates, approaches and figures in your field; the ability to evaluate competing arguments; and an awareness of potential uncertainty, ambiguity and the limits of knowledge in your subject. These are important because they indicate your ability to work creatively with the tools of the social scientist’s trade.

An effective structure is important and pragmatic because it helps the person who marks your essay to understand what is going on. By contrast, a list of unconnected ideas and examples is likely to confuse, and will certainly fail to impress. The simplest way to avoid this is to follow the kind of essay writing conventions briefly outlined above and discussed in later chapters of this guide. Chapter 8, on the main body of the essay, is particularly relevant here, but you will also need to keep in mind the importance of a well-written introduction and conclusion to an effectively structured argument.

The ability to spell, punctuate and use grammar correctly is, generally speaking, something you are expected to have mastered prior to embarking on a degree-level course. This is really a matter of effective communication. While it is the content of your essay that will win you the most marks, you need to be able spell, punctuate and use grammar effectively in order to communicate what you have to say. Major problems in this area will inevitably hold down your marks, so if this is an issue in your work, it will be a good idea to seek further help.

Finally, observing the word limit is important – and, as you probably realize, more difficult than it sounds. The simplest advice is always to check whether there is a word limit and what this is, and then to be ruthless with yourself, focusing only on the material that is most pertinent to the question. If you find that you have written more words than is allowed, you will need to check for irrelevant discussions, examples, or even wordy sentence construction. Too few words may indicate that you haven’t provided the depth of discussion required, or that you have omitted essential points or evidence.

In the light of the above, we can identify four golden rules for effective social scientific essay writing.

Rule 1: Answer the question that is asked.

Rule 2: Write your answer in your own words.

Rule 3: Think about the content of your essay, being sure to demonstrate good social scientific skills.

Rule 4: Think about the structure of your essay, being sure to demonstrate good writing skills, and observing any word limit.

Why an essay is not a report, newspaper article or an exam answer

This section has mainly focused on what is distinctive about a social science essay, but there is something distinctive about essays in general that is worth keeping in mind. Many students come from professional backgrounds where report writing is a common form of communication. For other students a main source of information is newspapers or online websites. These are all legitimate forms of writing that serve useful purposes – but, apart from some of the content on academic websites, they just aren’t essays. There are exam conventions that make exam writing – even ‘essay style’ exams – different from essay writing.

In part, this is to do with ‘academic register’ or ‘voice’. Part of what you will develop as you become a stronger essay writer is a ‘voice’ that is your own, but that conforms to the conventions of academic practice. For social scientists, as we have noted above, this practice includes the use of evidence to support an argument and providing references that show where your ideas and evidence have come from. It also includes the ability to write with some confidence, using the vernacular – or language – of your subject area. Different forms of writing serve different purposes. The main purpose of academic writing is to develop and share knowledge and understanding. In some academic journals this can take the form of boisterous debate, with different academics fully and carefully defending, or arguing for, one position or another. For students of social science, however, there may be less at stake, but essays should nevertheless demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a particular issue or area. Conforming to some basic conventions around how to present ideas and arguments, helps us more easily to compare those ideas, just as conforming to the rules of a game makes it easier for one sports team to play against another: if one team is playing cricket and the other baseball, we will find there are similarities (both use bats, have innings, make runs), but there will also be lots of awkward differences. In the end, neither the players nor the spectators are likely to find it a very edifying experience. The following looks at other forms of serious writing that you may be familiar with, but that just aren’t cricket.

Report writing

Reports take a variety of forms, but typically involve: an up-front ‘executive summary’, a series of discussions, usually with numbered headings and subheadings. They are also likely to include ‘bullet points’ that capture an idea or argument in a succinct way. Professional reports may include evidence, arguments, recommendations and references. You may already have spotted some of the similarities with essays – and the crucial differences. Let’s begin with the similarities. Reports and essays both involve discussion, the use of evidence to support (or refute) a claim or argument, and a list of references. Both will have an introductory section, a main body and a conclusion. However, the differences are important. With the exception of very long essays (dissertations and the like), essays do not generally have numbered headings and subheadings. Nor do they have bullet points. They also don’t have executive summaries. And, with some notable exceptions (such as essays around areas of social policy perhaps), social science essays don’t usually require you to produce policy recommendations. The differences are significant, and are as much about style as they are about substance.

Journalistic writing

For many students, journalistic styles of writing are most familiar. Catchy headlines (or ‘titles’) are appealing, and newspapers’ to-the-point presentation may make for easier reading. News stories, however, follow a different set of requirements to essays – a different set of ‘golden rules’. In general, newspaper and website news articles foreground the ‘who, what, where, when and why’ of a story in the first paragraph. The most important information is despatched immediately, with the assumption that all readers will read the headline, most readers will read the first paragraph, and dwindling numbers will read the remainder of the article. Everyday newspaper articles often finish with a ‘whimper’ for this reason, and there may be no attempt to summarize findings or provide a conclusion at the end – that’s not the role of news journalists. (Though there is quite a different set of rules for ‘Op Ed’ or opinion pieces.) Student essays, by contrast, should be structured to be read from beginning to end. The introduction should serve to ‘outline’ or ‘signpost’ the main body of the essay, rather than cover everything in one fell swoop; the main body should proceed with a clear, coherent and logical argument that builds throughout; and the essay should end with a conclusion that ties the essay together.

Exam writing

Again, exam writing has similarities and differences with essay writing. Perhaps the main differences are these: under exam conditions, it is understood that you are writing at speed and that you may not communicate as effectively as in a planned essay; you will generally not be expected to provide references (though you may be expected to link clearly authors and ideas). Longer exam answers will need to include a short introduction and a conclusion, while short answers may omit these. Indeed, very short answers may not resemble essays at all as they may focus on factual knowledge or very brief points of comparison.

Peter Redman and Wendy Maples

Peter Redman is a senior lecturer in sociology at The Open University. With Stephen Frosh and Wendy Hollway, he edit the Palgrave book series, Studies in the Psychosocial and is a former editor of the journal, Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society . Academic consultant Wendy Maples is a research assistant in anthropology at the University of Sussex. Together they co-authored Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide (Sage, 2017) now in its fifth edition.

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Impact metrics
Early Career
In Memorium
Curated-Collection Page Links
Science communication
True Crime: Insight Into The Human Fascination With The Who-Done-It
Melissa Kearney on Marriage and Children
Raffaella Sadun on Effective Management

1 What are the social sciences?

Learning Objectives for this Chapter

After reading this Chapter, you should be able to:

understand what the social sciences are, including some fundamental concepts and values,
understand and apply the concept of ‘phronesis’ to thinking about the purpose and value of the social sciences.

History and philosophy of the social sciences

Some of the earliest written and spoken accounts of human action, values, and the structure of society can be found in Ancient Greek, Islamic, Chinese and indigenous cultures. For example, Ibn Khaldoun , a 14th-century North African philosopher, is considered a pioneer in the field of social sciences. He wrote the book Muqaddimah , which is regarded as the first comprehensive work in the social sciences. It charts an attempt to create a universal history based on studying and explaining the economic, social, and political factors that shape society and discussed the cyclical rise and fall of civilisations. Moreover, indigenous peoples across the world have contributed in various and significant ways to the development of scientific knowledge and practices (e.g., see this recent article by Indigenous scholar, Jesse Popp – How Indigenous knowledge advances modern science and technology ). Indeed, contemporary social science has much to learn from indigenous knowledges and methodologies (e.g., Quinn 2022 ), as well as much reconciling to do in terms of its treatment of indigenous peoples the world over (see Coburn, Moreton-Robinson, Sefa Dei, and Stewart-Harawira, 2013 ).

Nevertheless, the dominant Western European narrative of the achievements of the enlightenment still tends to overlook and discredit much of this knowledge. Additionally, male thinkers have tended to dominate within the Western social sciences, while women have historically been excluded from academic institutions and their perspectives largely omitted from social science history and texts. Therefore, much of the history of the social sciences represent a predominantly white, masculine viewpoint. That is not to say that the concepts and theories developed by these male social scientists should be outright discredited. Nevertheless, in engaging with them we must understand this context; they are not the only voices, nor necessarily the most important. Indeed, it is crucial therefore that the history of the social sciences is continually re-examined through a critical lens, to identify gaps within social scientific knowledge bases and allow space for critical revisions that broaden existing concepts and theories beyond an exclusively masculine, Western-centric perspective. We seek to adopt such an approach throughout this book. However, to critique and question Western social scientific perspectives, we must first understand them.

Social sciences in the Western world

The study of the social sciences, as developed in the Western world, can be said to emerge from the Age of Enlightenment in the late 17th Century. Beginning with René Descartes (1596-1650), both the natural and social sciences developed from the concept of the rational, thinking individual. These early Enlightenment thinkers argued that human beings use reason to understand the world, rather than only referring to religion. Other thinkers around this time such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), M. de Voltaire (1694-1778) and Denis Diderot (1713-1784), began to develop different methodologies to scientifically explain processes in the body, the structure of society, and the limits of human knowledge. It was during this period that the social sciences grew out of moral philosophy, which asks ‘how people ought to live’, and political philosophy, which asks ‘what form societies ought to take’. Rather than only focusing on descriptive scientific questions about ‘how things are’, the social sciences also sought answers to normative questions about ‘how things could be’. This is one of the central differences between the natural sciences and the social sciences. This era of Enlightenment marked an important turning point in history that gave way to further developments in both the natural and social sciences.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is often regarded as one of the most influential philosophers for the development of the social sciences. In his work, Kant develops an epistemology that accounts for the objective validity of knowledge, due to the capacities of the human mind. In other words, how can we as individual people come to know facts about the world that are true for all of us. Social scientists, such as Émile Durkheim (1858-1917) and Max Weber (1864-1920) critically developed the work of Kant to explain social relations between individuals.

Émile Durkheim prioritised the validity of social facts over the values themselves, continuing the tradition of ‘ positivism ‘ (an ontological position that we discuss later in this Chapter). Durkheim argued that there is a distinction between social facts and individual facts. Rather than viewing the structure of the human mind as the basis for knowledge like Kant, Durkheim argued that it is society itself that forms the basis for the social experience of individuals. Social facts should therefore, “be treated as natural objects and can be classified, compared and explained according to the logic of any natural science” (Rose, 1981: 19). Durkheim developed his methodology using analogies to the natural sciences. For example, he borrowed concepts from biology to understand society as a living organism.

TRIGGER WARNING

The following section contains content which may be triggering for certain people. It focuses on the sociology of suicide, including discussion of self-harm and different forms of suicide as it exists within society.

Durkheim and Suicide

Emile Durkheim’s 1879 text ‘Suicide: a Study in Sociology’ is a foundational work for the study of social facts. Durkheim explores the phenomenon of suicide across different time periods, nationalities, religions, genders, and economic groups. Durkheim argues that the problem of suicide can not be explained through purely biological, psychological or environmental means. Suicide must, he concludes, “necessarily depend upon social causes and be in itself a collective phenomenon” (Durkheim 1897: 97). It was and continues to be a work of great impact that demonstrates that, what most would consider an individual act is actually enmeshed in social factors.

In his text, Durkheim identifies some of the different forms suicide can take within society, four of which we discuss below.

Egoistic Suicide

Egoistic suicide is caused by what Durkheim terms “excessive individuation” (Durkheim 1897: 175). A lack of integration within a particular community or society at large leads human beings to feel isolated and disconnected from others. Durkheim argues that “suicide increases with knowledge”(Durkheim 1897: 123). This is not to say that a particular human being kills themselves because of their knowledge; rather it is because of the decline of organised religion that human beings desire knowledge outside of religion. It is thus, for Durkheim the weakening organisation of religion that detaches people from their (religious) community, increasing social isolation. According to Durkheim, the capacity of religion to prevent suicide does not result from a stricter prohibition of self-harm. Religion has the power to prevent someone from committing suicide because it is a community, or a ‘society’ in Durkheim’s words. The collective values of religion increases social integration and is just one example of the importance of community in decreasing rates of suicide. Isolation of individuals, for Durkheim, is a fundamental cause of suicide: “The bond attaching man [sic] to life relaxes because that attaching him [sic] to society is itself slack” (Durkheim 1897: 173).

Altruistic Suicide

Durkheim notes another kind of suicide that stems from “insufficient individuation” (Durkheim 1897: 173). This occurs in social situations where an individual identifies so strongly with their beliefs of a group that they are willing to sacrifice themselves for what they perceive to be the greater good. Examples of altruistic suicide include suicidal sacrifice in certain cultures to honour their particular God, soldiers who go to war and die in honour of their country, or the ancient tradition of Hara-kiri in Japan. As such, Durkheim notes that some people have even refused to consider altruistic suicide a form of self-destruction, because it resembles “some categories of action which we are used to honouring with our respect and even admiration”(Durkheim 1897: 199).

Anomic Suicide

The third kind of suicide Durkheim identifies is termed anomic suicide. This type is the result of the activity of human beings “lacking regulation”, and “the consequent sufferings” that are felt from this situation (Durkheim 1897: 219). Durkheim notes the similarities between egoistic and anomic suicide, however he notes an important distinction: “In egoistic suicide it is deficient in truly collective activity, thus depriving the latter of object and meaning. In anomic suicide, society’s influence is lacking in the basically individual passions, thus leaving them without a check-rein” (Durkheim 1897: 219).

Fatalistic Suicide

There is a fourth type of suicide for Durkheim, one that has more historical meaning than current relevance. Fatalistic suicide is opposed to anomic, and is the result of “excessive regulation, that of persons with futures pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by oppressive discipline” (Durkheim 1897: 239). These regulations occur during moments of crises, including economic and social upheaval, that destabilise the individual’s sense of meaning. It is the impact of external factors onto the individual, where meaning is thrown to the wind for the individual, that characterises fatalistic suicide.

Durkheim’s sociological study of suicide was a groundbreaking work for social sciences. His methodology, multivariate analysis, provided a way to understand numerous interrelated factors and how they relate to a particular social fact. His findings, particularly the higher suicide rates of Protestants, compared to Jewish and Catholic people, was correlated to the higher rates to individualised consciousness and the lower social control. This study, despite criticisms of the generalisations drawn from the results, has had a remarkable impact on sociology and remains a seminal text for those interested in the social sciences.

Max Weber was also influenced by the work of Kant. Unlike Durkheim, Weber “transformed the paradigm of validity and values into a sociology by giving values priority over validity” (Rose, 1981: 19). Culture is thus understood as a value that structures our understanding of the world. According to Weber, values cannot be spoken about in terms of their truth content. The separation between values and validity means that values can only be discussed in terms of faith rather than scientific reason. For Weber, only when a culture’s underpinning values are defined can facts about the social world be understood.

The philosophy of G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) also greatly shaped the development of the social sciences. As argued by Herbert Marcuse (1941: 251-257), Hegel instigated the shift from abstract philosophy to theories of society. According to Hegel, human beings are not restricted to the pre-existing social order and can understand and change the social world. Our natural ability to reason allows human beings to create theories about our world that are universal and true.

Karl Marx (1818-1883), often regarded as the founder of conflict theory, was deeply influenced by the philosophy of Hegel. For example, Hegel emphasises that labour and alienation are essential characteristics of human experience, and Marx applies this idea more concretely to a material analysis of society, dividing human history along the lines of the forces of production. In other words, Marx understood that labour was divided in capitalist society according to two classes that developed society through a perpetual state of conflict: the working class, or ‘ proletariat’ , and the class of ownership, or ‘ bourgeoisie’ (we talk more about Marx’s conflict theory in Chapter 3).

Overall, the social sciences have a long and complex history, influenced by many different philosophical perspectives. As alluded to earlier, however, any account of the historical beginnings of the social sciences must be understood to be embedded within dominant systems of power, including for example colonisation, patriarchy, and capitalism. Indeed, any history of the social sciences is already situated within a narrative, or ‘discourse’. Maintaining a critical lens will allow for a deeper understanding of the genesis of the social sciences, as well as the important ability to question social scientific approaches, understandings, findings, and methods. It is this disposition that we seek to cultivate throughout this book. After all, as Marx famously wrote, “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.”

Defining Key Terms

Descriptive : A descriptive claim or question seeks to explain how things work, what causes them to work that way, and how things relate to one another.

Normative : A normative claim or question seeks to explain how things ought to work, why they should work a certain way, and what should change for things to work differently.

Labour : For Marx, labour is the natural capacity of human beings to work and create things. Under capitalism, labour primarily produces profits for the ruling class. (Please note, we return to the notion of labour in later chapters, and explore other understandings and definitions of this term.)

Alienation : Workers, separated from the products of their labour and replaceable in the production process, become separated or ‘alienated’ from their creative human essence. (Please also see Chapter 3 for a further explanation of the concept of alienation under Marxism.)

What are the social sciences?

Umbrella - with these words under it - Anthropology, Sociology, Criminology, DEMOGRAPHY, DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, Social work, Archaeology, Social policy, Political science, Economics, Human geography, LEGAL STUDIES.

The social sciences are a ‘broad church’, including lots of different disciplinary and sub-disciplinary areas. These include, for example, sociology, anthropology, criminology, archaeology, social policy, human geography, and many more. At their core, they apply the ‘scientific method’ to the analysis of people, societies, power, and social change.

Before we move on, let’s touch briefly on what we mean by the scientific method . At its core, the scientific method is essentially a series of steps that scientists take in order to build and test scientific knowledge. These steps include:

Observation : Scientists observe the world around them, in order to better understand it.
Question : Scientists ask ‘research questions’ about how the world works.
Hypothesis: Scientists come up with ideas or theories about how they think the world works, which they then seek to test through their research.
Experiment: In experimental research, scientists use a specific experimental design (which includes a control and experimental group) to test hypotheses. This is not always possible or desirable in the social sciences, so social scientists tend to rely on a broader array of methods to collect data that can help them test their hypotheses about the social world.
Analysis: Scientists use various different approaches to analyse the data they collect; the approach to analysis depends on the kind of data collected, and what questions are being asked of the data.
Conclusions: Scientists develop conclusions, based on the results of their analyses. They consider how these either reinforce or further develop existing knowledge and understandings, as well as what there is left to find out (the latter of which informs future research endeavours).

Over time, social scientists have developed their own ontological and epistemological leanings, which in many ways represent a departure from the typical positivist approaches of the natural sciences. While the natural sciences tend to assume there are objective ‘truths’ waiting to be discovered through, for instance, sensory experience (seeing, looking), social scientists tend to understand truth as being socially constructed. Thus, social scientists tend to adopt interpretivist and constructivist approaches to understanding the world, seeing knowledge as being co-constructed, rooted in context, and an important source/expression of power.

Consolidate your learning: ‘Introduction to the social sciences’ video

To consolidate your understanding of the social sciences, watch the following short video – Introduction to the social sciences (YouTube, 8:34) .

Flyvbjerg (2001) referred to the ‘science wars’, by which he meant the ongoing battle between the natural and social sciences. Often in public and political discourse, the natural sciences are seen as being more ‘scientific’ and a source of ‘stronger’ or ‘more objective’ knowledge than the social sciences. However, the reality is that both have equally important but different things to offer. As Flyvbjerg (2001: 3) argued:

…the social sciences are strongest where the natural sciences are weakest: just as the social sciences have not contributed much to explanatory and predictive theory, neither have the natural sciences contributed to the reflexive analysis and discussion of values and interests…

As Flyvbjerg (2001) sees it, social scientists should not try to replicate the natural sciences but should instead embrace their ability to take a different ontological and epistemological outlook, which enables deep, reflexive, and contextualised analysis about people and societies as a point of departure for values-based action . He called this ‘phronetic social science’ (which we elaborate on later in the Chapter).

Defining key terms

‘Ontology’: Ontology is the study of reality and being. When we refer to ‘ontology’, we are not just talking about people’s views of the world, but also their lived experience and actual being in the world, as well as their beliefs and claims about the nature of their existence. Some key questions are ‘what and who exists in the world?’ and ‘what are the relationships between them’?

‘Epistemology’ : Epistemology concerns the origin and nature of knowledge, including how knowledge claims are built and made. Some key questions are ‘what is knowledge?’ and ‘how is knowledge acquired’?

Positivism: Positivism is an ontology that assumes there is an objective ‘truth’ waiting to be discovered. Positivism involves, therefore, the search for a universal/generalisable ‘truth’.

Constructivism: Constructivism is an ontology that assumes that there are multiple ‘truths’ that are subjective and socially constructed. Truths are not, therefore, universal but are instead rooted in social, historical, and geographical context. These ‘truths’ are also bound up with power. For instance, those who hold power get to say what is ‘true’ and what isn’t.

In addition to the above, Argentine-Canadian philosopher Mario Bunge ‘s (2003: 285ff) glossary of key terms includes a range of ontological concepts used in the social sciences that are useful to think with:

“Definitions of Twelve Ontological Concepts

Ontology: The philosophical study of being and becoming.
Realism (ontological): The thesis that the world outside the student exists on its own.
Phenomenalism (ontological): The philosophical view that there are only phenomena (appearances to someone).
Constructivism (ontological): The view that the world is a human (individual or social) construction.
Dialectics: The ontological doctrine, due to Hegel and adopted by Marx and his followers, according to which every item is at once the unity and struggle of opposites.
Materialism: The family of naturalist ontologies according to which all existents are material.
Naturalism: The family of ontologies that assert that all existents are natural-hence none are supernatural.
Idealism. The family of ontologies according to which ideas pre-exist and dominate everything else.
Subjectivism. The family of philosophies according to which everything is in a subject’s mind (subjective idealism).
Holism: The family of doctrines according to which all things come in unanalyzable wholes.
Individualism: The view that the universe is an aggregate of separate individuals: that wholes and emergence are illusory.
Systemism (ontological): The view that everything is either a system or a component of some system.”

Source: Bunge, M. (2003). E mergence and Convergence: Qualitative Novelty and the Unity of Knowledge . University of Toronto Press. Pp. 285ff

Reflection exercise

Take a few moments to think about what you have read above. Then, write a short (~100 word) reflection explaining:

primary ways in which the natural and social sciences differ, and
some things that the social sciences offer that the natural sciences cannot.

Why study the social sciences?

In their 2019 publication, Carré asked, ‘what are the social sciences for’? In response, they propose a framework for thinking about the different approaches and contributions of social science research, which encompasses three continuums: 1) return on investment versus intrinsic value; 2) citizen (societal) relevance versus academic relevance; and 3) applied research versus basic research (see the Figure below, adapted from Carré [2019: 23]).

Image shows an adaptation of Carré's (2019: 23) framework for the social sciences

While Carré (2019) argues that social scientists move along these continuums, he also suggests that there is good justification for finding middle grounds between the extremes. For instance, while applied research will tend to focus on and find solutions for specific social issues (e.g. youth crime), ‘basic’ research tends to adopt a more high-level theoretical approach to shaping how we understand the world, which can lead to longer-term substantive change (such as changing the way we think about and understand youth crime). As Carré (2019: 22) explains: “either research is conducted to directly solve pressing social issues, or it takes a full step back from the social word, in order to reflect about it without directly meddling [and] being involved in its events and discussions.” However, both are incredibly useful for moving knowledge forward and making crucial contributions. Similarly, they can have important symbiotic relationships; applied research might be informed and guided by the knowledge created through basic research, and conversely, applied research studies might be meta-analysed (a type of combined analysis) to inform broader theoretical development that is often the purview of basic research.

A central question raised by Carré (2019) is, what should social science ‘give back’ to the society that supports it? Take a piece of paper and write down some responses to this, based on your own views and beliefs.

According to Flyvbjerg (2001), and as also covered by Schram (2012), the concept of ‘phronetic social science’ can help bring social scientists back to the central value of the social sciences, rather than seeing them try to emulate the natural sciences and their search for universal and generalisable theories and truths. Instead, phronetic social science recognises that ‘truth’ is dependent on context, is in constant flux, and is bound up with power. This is not to say that we live in a ‘post-truth’ world where anything goes, but merely that we need to interrogate how knowledge and truth are created and how societies and social structures can play a role in this. Famous sociologist, Michel Foucault (1926-1984) referred to this as a ‘politics of truth’: something we’ll continue to discuss in greater detail over coming chapters.

‘Phronetic’ social science

Phronetic social science draws on the concept of phronesis, a term coined by Aristotle (384-322 BC) to refer to practical wisdom that arises from experience. Thus, phronetic social science “is designed not to substitute for, but instead to supplement, practice wisdom and to do so in ways that can improve society” (Schram 2012: 16). In terms of improving society, phronetic social science is then also concerned with praxis, or the practical application of knowledge to the betterment of society. Finally, phronetic social science is not attached to particular methods (e.g. quantitative versus qualitative), instead being “open to relying on a diversity of data collection methods in order to best inform attempts to promote change related to the issues being studied” (Schram 2012: 20).

Schram (2012: 18-19) presents four justifications for phronetic social science as follows:

“Given the dynamic nature of human interaction in the social world, social inquiry is best practiced when it does not seek general laws of action that can be used to predict courses of action, but instead offer a critical assessment of values, norms and structures of power and dominance. Social inquiry is better when it is linked to questions of the good life, that is, to questions of what we ought to do.
While the social world is dynamic, social research is best seen as dialogical. Social inquiry is not a species of theoretical reason but of practical reason. Practical reason stays within a horizon of involvements in social life. For Flyvbjerg, this entails a context-dependent view of social inquiry that rests on the capacity for judgement. Understanding can never be grasped analytically; it is a holistic character. Understanding also has intrinsic subjective elements requiring researchers to forgo a disinterested position of detachment and enter into dialogue with those they study.
As the study of dynamic social life, dialogical social inquiry is best practiced when we give up traditional notions of objectivity and truth and put aside the fact-value distinction. Instead, we should emphasise a contextual notion of truth that is pluralistic and culture-bound, further necessitating involvement with those we study.
Dialogical social inquiry into a dynamic and changing social world provides a basis for emphasising that interpretation is itself a practice of power, one that if conducted publicly and in ways that engage the public can also challenge power and inform efforts to promote social change.”

This concept of phronetic social science is a helpful means of understanding how the social sciences differ to the natural sciences, and can add value in different ways. However, it doesn’t tell us how to do social science, or how to be social scientists. What tools, for instance, might we use to undertake the sort of dialogical social inquiry that Schram refers to above? And how might we start ‘thinking’ like social scientists? We turn to these questions in the chapter that follows.

‘Phronesis’: Described by Aristotle as ‘practical wisdom’, and juxtaposed with techn é (‘know how’ of practice) and epistem é (abstract and universal knowledge).

‘Dialogical’: Exploring the meaning of things and creating knowledge through dialogue/conversation.

‘Quantitative’ : A term used to describe research methods that typically involve measurement and counting of phenomena, regularly involving numerical data.

‘Qualitative’: A term used to describe research methods that typically involve understanding and interpretation of lived experiences (how people think, feel, act), regularly involving textual data.

Think about the concept of phronetic social science. Write a short paragraph (~30-40 words) to explain it in your own words. Then read back over the content in this chapter content to check your understanding.

Resources to support further learning

Relevant readings:

Gorton, W. ‘ The Philosophy of Social Science .’
Flyvbjerg, B. 2001. ‘The science wars: a way out.’ In. Flyvbjerg, B. Making social science matter, chapter 1. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Carré, D. 2019. ‘ Social sciences, what for? On the manifold directions for social research .’ In. Valsiner, J. (Ed.) Social philosophy of science for the social sciences, pp. 13-29. Springer: Cham.
Schram, S. 2012. ‘Phronetic social science: an idea whose time has come.’ In Flyvbjerg, B., Landman, T. and Schram, S. (Eds.) Real social science: applied phronesis. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Bunge, M. (2003). E mergence and Convergence: Qualitative Novelty and the Unity of Knowledge . University of Toronto Press.

Other resources:

Video: Soomo, ‘An animated introduction to social science’ (YouTube, 4:35) .
Video: ‘Introduction to the social sciences’ (YouTube, 8:34) .
Podcast: Theory and Philosophy Podcast, ‘Bent Flyvbjerg – Making Social Science Matter’ (YouTube, 44:06) . (Note, discussion of phronesis starts at 7:51)
Video: ‘Importance of social science with Professor Cary Cooper’ (YouTube, 4:13) .

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What Are the Social Sciences And Why Study Them?

09 Dec 2022

7 Mins Read

Many students spend many weeks — even months — deliberating on the choices of school or programme to attend. This certainly is time well spent, as a university education represents a major investment of time and money that will impact one’s future.

But one question that students often spend less time considering is the type of studies they eventually decide to pursue. There are many options: vocational training, community colleges, technical universities, art schools, liberal arts universities, trade schools and special interest schools.

While there is a role for each of these, many authorities in education strongly advocate the study of the social sciences.

What Are the Social Sciences?

The social sciences form a core part of a liberal arts education. Concerned with the human world and society, the social sciences delve into how society works and examine institutions such as the government, the economy and the family unit. The social sciences also examine how individuals and groups interact with one another and what drives human behaviour.

The social sciences provide knowledge of the social environment and nature while developing students’ human qualities and desirable attitudes. By discovering different facets of the social sciences, such as cultural and social beliefs, religions, nationalities, languages, festivals, clothing, food, etc., students learn that the society they live in is multicultural, diverse and interrelated between countries, cultures and religions.

This makes them more responsible, active and reflective towards society. In short, it makes them well-informed citizens.

The Role of Social Sciences in Higher Education

In the 19 th century, philosophers argued that scholars should use scientific methods to analyse society. Calling this original approach “sociology”, these thinkers searched for laws of society that would meet the same scientific standards as the laws of nature. Today, many universities offer social science majors and most include them as part of their general education requirements.

The social sciences build critical thinking and analytical skills. Here are the objectives of teaching the social sciences:

It imparts knowledge about civilisation and culture.
It provides knowledge of social development.
It develops social behaviour and civil qualities.
It produces the power of thinking and reasoning.
It creates the feeling of universal brotherhood.
It inculcates good habits and moral and social values.
It forms an all-around personality.

Steven Rathgeb Smith, Ph.D., Executive Director, American Political Science Association notes, “Put simply, social science is important because it develops better institutions and systems that affect people’s lives every day. The study of social science makes us efficient citizens of a democracy and helps us to solve the practical problems in our daily life. It also helps the students know how different societies are managed, structured and governed.”

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) shares this belief. Through a focus on the social sciences, the University’s mission is to develop learners so that they can impact the world around them to make their mark for the greater good . Its curriculum was created to impart professional knowledge, a passion for society and a thirst for lifelong learning. To date, over 42,000 SUSS graduates have gone on to make a mark in their careers, in life and in society.

What Are the Most Popular Social Science Majors?

As a fundamental liberal arts branch, the social sciences remains popular among university students. The most popular social science majors include psychology, political science, economics and sociology.

Data released by the National Center for Education Statistics 1 shows that several social science subjects rank among the most popular majors. In 2020, 14% of majors belonged to the social sciences, with 161,200 students earning a Bachelor’s degree in the social sciences and 120,000 earning a degree in psychology.

According to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, the most popular social science majors include psychology, political science, economics and sociology. Many students also focus on anthropology, geography, criminology and international relations.

Studying Social Sciences Develop Learning Skills for Life

Social sciences play a central role in a university programme because they strengthen vital skills that hold immense value in the job market and contribute to society. Here are some essential skills gained in a social science programme:

Analytical Abilities

The social sciences emphasise the ability to analyse several information sources, including written sources, numerical data, and survey results. Students then conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses to gain insights and reach conclusions. Such coursework trains learners to make data-supported recommendations.

Communication

Effective communication skills benefit professionals in nearly every field. Social science students communicate their ideas in writing and speech persuasively to convince others of their interpretation of the data.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving draws on many core skills, such as analysis, research and decision-making. Social science students thus learn to define problems, collect data and evaluate information to resolve a problem.

Critical Thinking

This final skill synthesises analytical, research and evaluation abilities. Critical thinking utilises the ability to identify the most useful sources, question the evidence and identify patterns. Social sciences build critical thinking skills by teaching undergraduates to thoroughly analyse information so they can distil logical conclusions supported by their sources.

Studying Social Sciences Prepares You for a Myriad of In-Demand Careers

The skills learnt through studying social sciences bring about real economic value in your career. A social science degree can prepare you for success in many professional fields.

While there is no guarantee you will land a job right out of university, a social science degree can offer plenty of opportunities. A social science programme helps you build critical skills such as problem-solving and data interpretation, while learning how to apply your newfound knowledge and abilities to a number of potential career tracks.

Career Search giant Indeed created a 2020 list of the most in-demand skills in today’s workforce 2 . It ranks analytical and problem-solving skills near the top. The ability to interpret data, identify trends and make data-backed decisions helps social science majors succeed in their chosen careers.

Compared with STEM and humanities majors, social science majors reported a higher rate of employment after graduation. In a study by the Campaign for Social Science 3 , social science majors reported a higher rate of employment after graduation: 84% of social science graduates held a job 3.5 years after graduation, compared with 78% of STEM majors and 79% of humanities majors. Social science majors were also more likely to hold managerial or senior roles.

Research from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce 4 indicates that social science majors earn typical salaries for university graduates. The median starting salary for social science majors ($29,000) falls slightly below that for STEM majors (US$38,000). By mid-career, professionals with a social science degree typically earn around US$60,000 a year, or US$24,000 per year higher than the median annual wages for a high school graduate without a university degree.

Many jobs in social science sectors require a graduate degree. A master’s degree represents the typical entry-level education for political scientists and economists. Over 40% of social science majors go on to earn a master’s or doctoral degree. Obtaining a graduate degree translates to a 45% increase in median annual wages.

In addition to jobs, a social science degree can lead to positions in fields like law, education and business. In the business sector, social science majors may work as data analysts, market research analysts or economic researchers. The growing field of data analytics often hires candidates with a social science background. All these jobs draw on the analytical and research skills of a social science degree.

Some social science degree-holders may prefer to work in education. High school teachers educate students in several social science disciplines, including geography, social studies, and civics.

If You Expect More from Your Degree, Consider the Social Sciences

Steve Rathgeb Smith answered this question with the title of his article, “Why Study Social Science - Because Social Science Makes Sense of the Institutions That Shape Our Lives” (July 18, 2017). He notes that “social science is fundamental to understanding—and making the best of—the world around us.”

Smith continues, “Social science often challenges ‘common-sense’ or prevailing understandings. These studies provide a better evidence-based grounding for evaluating our social and political world. Clearer evidence and greater knowledge can help strengthen institutions by providing data for policy outcomes and better mechanisms for promoting civic participation and engagement.

Just as significant, beyond building more accurate and functional general understandings of the world and its institutions and social and political systems, social science helps individuals better understand how to engage with these systems both for their own and society’s benefit.”

If you believe that the goal of your higher education is simply to provide you with technical or job-specific training, there are many options available.

However, if you:

expect more from your education
want to develop critical life and social skills
·need to understand the context of human interactions with our society and our world
are committed to learning for life
desire a career that contributes to your personal growth and society’s gain
believe in a well-rounded education infused with Head, Heart and Habit

Then, studying the social sciences is right for you and SUSS is the ideal place to do so. We invite you to join us and make your mark for the greater good!

1 National Centre for Education Statistics. (n.d.). The NCES Fast Facts Tool provides quick answers to many education questions (National Center for Education Statistics) . National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=37

2 Birt, J. (2019, June 9). 20 in-demand skills for today’s work environment | indeed.com . 20 In-Demand Skills for Today’s Work Environment. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/in-demand-skills

3 Academy of the Social Sciences. (n.d.). Campaign for the social sciences . Academy of the Social Sciences. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://acss.org.uk/campaign-for-social-science/

4 Georgetown University. (2015). The economic value of college majors . The Economic Value of College Majors. Retrieved November 30, 2022, from https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/valueofcollegemajors/

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Why social sciences matter.

Laura Greaves

August 2018

Social science graduates can be found across a range of occupations, and their knowledge and skills are invaluable to society for a number of reasons

Industries and occupations

A report by the Campaign for Social Science on the destinations of social science graduates stated that 'the idea that social science graduates work solely as social workers or teachers is shown to be unfounded'. 1

Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) data shows that first degree social science graduates in 2016 entered roles in a range of sectors, the most popular including:

legal, social and welfare professionals (23.7%)
business, HR and finance professionals (17%)
retail, catering, waiting and bar staff (12.4%)
clerical, secretarial and numerical clerks (9.1%)
marketing, PR and sales professionals (7.2%).

Social sciences graduates are often represented across a variety of industries, such as the local and central government (15.1%), business and finance (14.6%), retail (12.3%), legal and accountancy (11.6%) and education (9.8%).

Social science graduates develop a range of transferable skills, highly valued in a number of fields. In his 2017 report, Dr Tim P Burton 2 identified those which can be found amongst graduates from arts, humanities and social science disciplines. A few of these skills are:

communication
data/evidence analysis and evaluation
collaboration/teamwork
data/evidence gathering
independent work.

Graduates with a social science background often have an awareness of culture, diversity and are sensitive to the values of others. 3 Diversity is an important factor in the modern workplace, helping to boost employee engagement and productivity. 4 The knowledge social science graduates have of different perspectives and their understanding of various cultures could be advantageous to employers.

Their research often involves ethical consideration, for example, criminology graduates recognise 'a range of ethical problems associated with research', and sociologists can 'understand and apply the best ethical practice'. 5 Knowledge of ethics is vital for research, guaranteeing a level of trust and respect between individuals. 6 It can also ensure research is accurate and not misleading. 7

The benefits of social science

Social science graduates make good leaders - research from the British Council showed that 44% of global leaders in 2015 had a social sciences degree. 8 It appears that the skills and knowledge acquired through social sciences degrees are beneficial in preparing graduates for leadership roles.
The UK produces world class social science research - The most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) assessment in 2014 highlighted the high quality standard of social science research by UK institutions, revealing the UK as home to top-ranking institutions such as the London School of Economics (LSE). 9 It is also a large contributor to the global output of academic papers, with the UK's research being cited internationally by social scientists. 10
Social science can help support technological developments - For example, criminologists have collaborated with engineers and manufacturers to tackle car theft by using their knowledge to help design cars that are more difficult to steal. 11 An understanding of our society and human behaviour is important to ensure that such developments are possible. 12
It improves our lives - Demographic change, the growing demand for health services and the rising costs of living are all set to put pressure on our society. Knowledgeable social sciences graduates will be crucial for raising the quality of our health services and ensuring the UK population is healthy. 13
Social science graduates are important for the education sector - The 2017 British Academy Right Skills report found that 15% of social sciences graduates enter the educational sector 3.5 years after graduation. 14 Education is fundamental for the growth and development of our society, ensuring future generations have the right skills and education to thrive in the labour market. 15

The social sciences are vital to a healthy modern society. They help us to understand our world and the changes needed to tackle climate change, improve healthcare, understand big data and ensure fair access to education. 16 It is important that the social sciences continue to receive investment and their significance should be promoted alongside the natural sciences.

What Do Social Science Graduates Do? , Campaign for Social Science, 2013.
An analysis of the generic and subject specific skills in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences based on 36 QAA Subject Benchmark Statements , Dr Tim P Burton, 2017.
Diversity and inclusion: The reality gap, Deloitte, accessed 7th June 2018.
An analysis of the generic and subject specific skills in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences based on 36 QAA Subject Benchmark Statements , Dr Tim P Burton, 2017, p. 17.
Ethcis in Primary Research , Equality Challenge Unit, 2017, p. 3.
Ibid, p. 3.
Educational Pathways of Leaders , British Council, 2017.
The business of people: the significance of social science over the next decade , Campaign for Social Science, 2015.
Annual Report 2015-2016 , Campaign for Social Science, 2016.
The Right Skills , British Academy, 2017.
Ibid, p. 44.

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Importance of Social Science

Social Science is the study of the activities of the physical and social environment. Basically, it is the study of human relations or the scientific study of human society.

It deals with the humans-their relationships, behaviour, development and resources they use and many kinds of organizations they need to carry in their daily life like the workplace, school, family, government, etc.

It is important because its study helps us to gain knowledge of the society we live in. Generally, Social Science focus on the relationships among individuals in society. It is the mixture of many subjects like History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Social Psychology and many more.

The main definition of social science is – “The social sciences subjects are those subjects which describe and examine the humans”. Social science is the society related study — the primary reason for Social studies to help students to develop the ability to make the right decisions. It increases the social considerate of students.

Subjects in Social Science

Aims of teaching social science in schools:-.

Objectives of social science

Why Study Social Science?

Social Science aware the students about our surroundings and the incidents happened in the past. It has significance to develop an international viewpoint. It is also important for the moral progress of society. It helps to form the man social character.

Study of Social Science makes us an efficient citizen of a democracy, and it also helps us to solve the practical problems in our daily life. It is essential for communities and organizations. It also helps the students to know how different societies are managed, structured and governed.

As we know, social science includes many subjects each subject give us different knowledge like history provide the knowledge of the ancient period, from this subject we come to know that what happened in the past.

Another subject is Geography from this subject we know about our natural environment or natural vegetations like plants, animals, etc. We also learn about the evolution of animals, water bodies, flora, fauna, the impact of the environment in the present and future life, preservation and conservation importance in our life.

Political Science is the subject from which we know about politics, democracy and the fundamental proficiencies poverty rate in the world, citizenships, moral and virtues, rights and duties etc. Economics is the subject from which we learn how to manages the finances, about effective economic policies etc.

From social science , students know about the different culture and religion in the world and how to value and respect our culture.

It gives knowledge about civilization and culture.
It provides knowledge of social development.
It develops social behavior.
It develops civil qualities.
It develops the power of thinking and reasoning.
It develops the feeling of universal brotherhood.
It develops modernization.
It develops suitable proficiency and good habits.
It develops the moral and social values.
It develops the all-round personality.

Objectives of Social Science

Social science help students to know about the duties towards human society and make us understand how a man can fulfil their needs. Because of Social science students understand the fundamental rights in our constitution, freedom fighters who fought for the nation.

It also provides knowledge of the social environment and nature. It also develops the human qualities, desirable attitudes in students, and it also expands the critical thinking and imagination of students.

Students learn many different things from social science like cultural and social beliefs, religions, caste, nationalities, languages, festivals, clothing, food etc. From these things, students come to know that in the society they live is multicultured, diverse and interrelated between the countries, culture and religion.

Social Science helps the students to know the importance of democracy, freedom and rights and how to live in society. It makes the student responsible, active and reflective towards the society.

And also makes the students well informed about the culture, religion and society; in short, it makes the student well-informed citizen.

Also read, Importance of Science Education in Schools

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Why is Sociology Important? The Cornerstone of the Social Sciences

Post published: September 21, 2023
Post author: Applied Worldwide
Reading time: 12 mins read
Post category: Essays

Editorial Note

Thank you to our generous sponsors, Sociologists for Women in Society , Center for Equity Education , Azama Development Foundation , and Sociological Practice & Public Sociology (SPPS) – American Sociological Association (ASA) for helping us make Applied Worldwide’s 2023 “Why is Sociology Important?” student essay competition a success!

This essay on the importance of sociology was published on behalf of Applied Worldwide’s 2023 Global Student Essay Competition. For the 2023 competition, we awarded 16 student essayists across eight countries and one US territory and will be sharing each winning essay in our “Why is Sociology Important?” essay collection.

This sociology essay was written by Hassana Idris, a 4th year student in home economics at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Nigeria and earned a 3rd place prize in the competition.

Why is Sociology Important? The Cornerstone of the Social Sciences, Hassana Idris

Throughout history, humanity has always lived in societies, but prior to the emergence of sociology, the study of society lacked a scientific foundation. Sociology introduced a systematic approach to understanding social relationships, focusing on their social nature. It investigates how relationships form systems and adapt to change, employing scientific methods like objectivity, observation, and empiricism. Auguste Comte, credited as the discipline’s founder, once referred to sociology as the “religion of humanity.”

Sociology, though relatively young among the social sciences, is a multifaceted and broad field within the humanities. It examines various aspects of human behavior and society, encompassing topics such as family, crime, culture, religion, race, and conflict. In its analysis, sociology employs both macro and micro-level approaches to understand human behavior and society. It applies scientific methodologies, including objectivity, observation, empiricism, and others, to study these subjects comprehensively.

Sociology doesn’t merely assert facts but uses theories to explain social realities, class distinctions, and inequality. This approach promotes consistency, explanations grounded in empirical evidence, verifiability, comprehensiveness, accuracy, simplicity, productivity, acceptability, and credibility. The discipline’s theories are applicable to diverse human societies across time and place.

Sociology offers a wide array of theories, including social conflict theory, functionalism, and symbolic interactionism, each providing unique insights into society. It boasts a rich history of scholars like Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, and many more.

Sociology’s holistic, empirical, and interconnected approach to societal issues has elevated its significance, making it the preferred approach across the social sciences. As Anthony Giddings noted, sociology guides individuals in understanding themselves, their abilities, talents, and limitations. It helps them adapt to their environment by providing knowledge about society, social groups, institutions, and their functions.

According to Crossman in 2016, sociologists explore the structures of gatherings, organizations, and societies and how individuals interact within these settings. Sociology is an exciting field that elucidates fundamental aspects of personal lives, groups, and the world. At a personal level, sociology investigates the social causes and consequences of phenomena such as romantic love, racial and gender identity, family conflicts, corruption, aging, and religious beliefs. Sociologists study all aspects of social life and societal changes using various theories.

One of the most significant sociological theories, as highlighted by Crossman, is functionalism. It views society as a complex system where parts work together to promote unity and stability. Social structures, such as family, community, and religious practices, shape our lives and provide structure to our daily routines.

In contrast, conflict theory, as articulated by Chafetz in 1997, challenges functionalism. It posits that societies and organizations are structured to benefit a privileged elite, leading to social hierarchies and power imbalances. Major social structures, laws, and traditions are designed to support those in power, perpetuating inequalities.

Society is an intricate phenomenon with countless complexities. Understanding and solving its myriad problems would be impossible without sociology’s support. Sociology’s systematic investigation is essential for effective social planning and finding efficient means to achieve agreed-upon goals. Knowledge about society is a prerequisite for implementing social policies. The contemporary world faces numerous challenges, and sociology’s scientific approach is essential for studying and solving social problems.

Sociology has enriched human culture by providing a scientific understanding of social phenomena. It encourages rational thinking, objectivity, critical analysis, and empathy. By comparing societies and groups beyond one’s own existence, sociology broadens one’s perspective, promoting tolerance and unity while urging individuals to overcome personal biases, ambitions, and class prejudices.

Quote graphic reading "By comparing societies and groups beyond one's own existence, sociology broadens one's perspective, promoting tolerance and unity while urging individuals to overcome personal biases, ambitions, and class prejudices." authored by Hassana Idris, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

While physical sciences have brought nations closer, social sciences have lagged behind in addressing political divisions and conflicts. Sociology offers insights into the underlying causes of tensions and conflicts, contributing to better citizenship and community problem-solving. It enhances our understanding of society, our place within it, and the pursuit of social adequacy.

Sociology is a profession where technical expertise brings its own rewards. Sociologists trained in research methods contribute to various fields, including business, government, industry, social services, communication, and more. Sociology’s practical applications extend to local, state, national, and international levels. In an increasingly interconnected world, the scientific study of social phenomena is crucial for human and social welfare.

Many consider sociology the cornerstone of the social sciences, making it a key study for addressing present-day challenges. Sociology has a universal appeal due to its relevance to a wide range of critical issues. Just as economics guides us in acquiring material possessions, sociology guides us in becoming the individuals we aspire to be. It’s a popular subject in education, included in fields such as engineering and agriculture. Without sociology, the training and knowledge of individuals aspiring to hold high positions in their country’s administrative setup would be incomplete.

The practical dimension of sociology is vital in addressing social problems, promoting social work, and achieving social harmony. The fundamental issue is people living together happily, and scientific study of society is essential to make the necessary adjustments. Additionally, sociology examines major social institutions and individuals’ relationships with them. Strengthening these institutions requires a scientific understanding of their challenges and contexts. Sociology analyzes the root causes of societal maladies and proposes remedies. To solve the complexities of society, a scientific study of its problems is indispensable.

The family, as a fundamental human organization, faces its own set of challenges. Sociologists and social reformers grapple with issues like the appropriate age for marriage, divorce procedures, and the dynamics of marital relationships. Sociology offers a fresh perspective on various aspects of life, from relationships and work to crime and social mobility. It encompasses a wide range of topics, offering diverse career opportunities in fields like social service, criminal justice, community outreach, ministry, social activism, higher education administration, urban planning, and more.

In summary, sociology distinguishes itself by using theoretical frameworks and empirical research methods to study social life, change, structure, and the causes and consequences of human behavior across diverse social contexts. As a social science, sociology equips individuals for a variety of careers, providing the foundational knowledge needed to comprehend social issues, including inequality and criminology, in various social and work settings. It prepares individuals to navigate the challenges and opportunities encountered in their pursuit of a fulfilling life.

Meet our 2023 Global Student Essay Competition Sponsors!

Sociologists for Women in Society is a nonprofit professional feminist organization dedicated to:

Encouraging the development of sociological feminist theory and scholarship
Transforming the academy through feminist leadership, career development, and institutional diversity
Promoting social justice through local, national, and international activism
Supporting the publication and dissemination of cutting edge feminist social science

The Center for Equity Education is a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to providing quality and affordable DEI&A, discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment prevention and education services.

Azama Development Foundation is a Non-governmental organization that actively works towards the development of youths and women to be self-reliant and productive. Our mission is to transform the lives of youths and women from all over Africa to be self-reliant and productive actively contributing to national economy, education and development, thereby eradicating poverty, illiteracy and lack of enlightenment in the region.

Sociological Practice & Public Sociology (SPPS) promotes the use of sociology to inform research, practice, and public policy beyond academia. In short, we focus on Making Sociology Actionable. SPPS focuses on public and applied sociology as a section under the American Sociological Association (ASA).

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Social Science and Why it is Important Essay

The definition of social science has been narrowed down to those sciences that deal with human activities and human behavior as opposed to science that studies natural phenomenon. However this division may be superfluous now because modern science has its origin from the old social sciences. Science evolved from the society which also contained many thoughts that may be out of the realm of modern science like “religion, philosophy, ideology and politics.” (Williams, 2000)

Thus the scientific theories are based on a philosophical thinking that is often shaped by politics or religion. The relationship between science and other streams of human thought and science changed with the changes in scientific method which again form within the disciplines of each branch of science is different and often contradictory. (Williams, 2000)

The argument at this stage is if the social world is amenable to experiments of the scientific kind then the consideration that the social world did not emerge from the natural world but was contagious to it shows that while science may be best able to explain natural phenomenon it is not useful in any way defining or explaining human behavior. Thus seeking scientific social theories are useless. Many theorists of social science have ideally suggested the use of scientific methods for social studies. Thus positivism, functionalism, constructivism and many more theories harp on the scientific method. (Flyvbjerg, 2001) Thus sciences itself is a part of the broader spectrum of social science.

Social Science and its Methods:

The basis of all human enquiries is fundamentally to seek the absolute truth. Philosophies of science or society, it can be argued has as the fundamental aim to either prove the present concepts of reality, or bring to light new concepts that can explain the reality better than how it is perceived now. Objective existence is reality but human knowledge of it is based on the concepts and is based more on theory rather than the objective existence. Based on that, it can be argued that all knowledge — scientific or otherwise is fallible and can be assailed. (Danermark; Ekstrom; Jakobsen; Karlsson, 2002)

Science also has generalizing results. Generalizations are the basis of social science research. Science uses various types of inference. (Danermark; Ekstrom; Jakobsen; Karlsson, 2002) In social sciences the analysis is always based on some conceptualization and the difference is in the chances of the results of social analysis to be reproduced again in a set of experiment is thin. The uses of social science is answered by pointing to the fact that social sciences are indicative of social life and the finding of social values and truth can cause the reduction of illusion, ignorance, and domination of dogmas and falsehoods. (Danermark; Ekstrom; Jakobsen; Karlsson, 2002) It is therefore some times possible and in some cases not possible to use the scientific methods in social science and like the physical laws of nature there cannot be built similar laws that can be the explanation of human behavior. Thus social scientific laws are impossible. (McIntyre, 1996)

There are a lot of questions that physical science as of now cannot answer and some more are unanswerable. However unanswered questions do not mean that the subject is not a science. Human behavior can be classified as simple behavior wherein the events are occurring inside the human bodies like heartbeats and other bodily functions. The second is action which is what the human does as opposed to what happens to the body. (Rosenberg, 1995)

Fundamentally the difference between action and human behavior often has no difference. Basically the purposes of all social sciences are to explain the human action and behavior. (Rosenberg, 1995) Social science thus explains action and also explains large scale events like depression and battles. This differentiation of action and behavior as the social analysis has not met the approval of all psychologists who insist that the study of human behavior or Behaviorism explains social sciences more.

Social Sciences: Uses

The analysis of social phenomena in a scientific method used by pure sciences is fraught with danger. Social sciences are growing into a mature form. The social science concepts and the nature of science and scientific method have to be noted with care. Social studies, such as criminology, sociology, law, psychology, economics, etc. are not amenable to the same set of rules that can govern the study of biology or mathematics. (Mayer, 1941)

Thus these are essential to keep the society in tact and are based on human need. Further social scientific theory, is aimed at finding the elements of our social world and why it is so and its tendencies and future growth. Social research or statistics are used to find the extent of or prevalence of a social phenomenon, for example unemployment, poverty and the data is used for the study of the solutions in the applied part of the social science. (Danermark; Ekstrom; Jakobsen; Karlsson, 2002)

The theory and practice of science today is also shared by those in social work practitioners and social scientists and there are partial attempts at classification of problems, but classification of these problems could lead to fitting humans to the slot rather than discovering the right thing. (Kirk; Reid, 2002) Secondly the model’s outcome will be determined by the tools used for leaving out a vast set of elements that do not fit in their tools or technology. Looking at a computer system it can be easily noted that the computer systems are actually the result of an attempt to “configure the user.” (Bowker; Star; Turner; Gasser, 1997)

Finally human and economic development is of great concern to human kind and development refers to the processes that generate the higher income per capita and create structures and infrastructure. The social sciences are as useful as science because of the control it exercises on the society. The social and political interaction, the policy formation that is dictated by the social, political, and economic factors has great importance for governments and corporations. Social sciences thus fulfill vast needs of information in the health, educational and other fields. (Brooks; Gagnon, 1994) Science and social science are both used to find the meaning of things and existence. Both are necessary in modern society for political control and progress of civil society.

Conclusion:

Social science deals with human activities and human behavior and the social science is the mother of modern science and science per se cannot be used in defining or explaining human behavior. The importance of social science is concerned with human and economic development and helps in policy formation for governments and corporations.

Bowker, Geoffrey C; Star, Susan Leigh; Turner, William; Gasser, Les. (1997) “Social

Science, Technical Systems, and Cooperative Work: Beyond the Great Divide.” Lawrence Erlbaum Associates : Mahwah, NJ.

Brooks, Stephen; Gagnon, Alain-G. (1994) “The Political Influence of Ideas: Policy

Communities and the Social Sciences.” Praeger Publishers: Westport, CT.

Danermark, Berth; Ekstrom, Mats; Jakobsen, Liselotte; Karlsson, Jan Ch. (2002) “Explaining

Society: Critical Realism in the Social Sciences.” Routledge: London.

Flyvbjerg, Bent. (2001) “Making social science matter: why social inquiry fails and how it can succeed again.” Cambridge University Press .

Kirk, Stuart A; Reid, William J. (2002) “Science and Social Work: A Critical Appraisal.”

Columbia University Press: New York.

Mayer, Joseph. (1941) “Social Science Principles in the Light of Scientific Method: With

Particular Application to Modern Economic Thought .” Duke University Press: Durham, NC.

McIntyre, Lee C. (1996) “Laws and Explanation in the Social Sciences: Defending a Science

of Human Behavior.” Westview Press: Boulder, CO.

Rosenberg, Alexander. (1995) “Philosophy of Social Science.”

Westview Press: Boulder, CO.

Smith, Mark C. (1944) “Social Science in the Crucible: The American Debate over

Objectivity and Purpose, 1918-1941.” Duke University Press: Durham, NC.

Williams, Malcolm. (2000) “Science and Social Science: An Introduction.”

Routledge: London.

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Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

Science is a systematic process in which various theories, formulas, laws, and thoughts are analysed and evaluated in order to determine the truth about the facts of anything.

This systematic process studies and generates new knowledge from any kind of activity that occurs in the nature around us or in the universe, of which we are a tiny part.

Science is essential.

Importance of Science in Society
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Science is a methodical process of extracting true facts from any given thought by adhering to a set of rules known as methodology.

It includes the following:

Observation: The observations are made based on the collected data and measurements.
Evidence: If any evidence is gathered for further processing of data evaluation.
Experiment : Using the data and evidence gathered, experiments are carried out to test the assumption.
Initiation: Identify the facts based on data and evidence analysis.
Re-examination and complex analysis: To ensure the veracity and authenticity of the results, the data and evidence are examined several times and critically analysed.
Verification and review of the results: The results of the experiment are verified and tested by experts to ensure that they are correct.

Science is concerned with generating new knowledge and proving new hypotheses by collecting and analysing data in a systematic manner.

There are numerous scientific disciplines:

Astrophysics
Climate science
Atmospheric science

Importance of science in society

Science and technology play an important role in today’s changing world. Everything from the road to the buildings, the shop to the educational instructions is the result of modern science and technology. Almost everything we see in society is the result of applied science and technology. Even the toothpaste we use to clean our teeth after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night are products of science and technology.

Electricity

The discovery of electricity was the first modern scientific marvel. It has altered our way of life, society, and culture. It’s a fantastic source of power and energy.

The radio and television Lights, fans, electric irons, mills, factories, and refrigerators are all powered by electricity.

Transport and Communication

Science has simplified and shortened our communication. Ships, boats, trains, buses, and cars can be found on the seas, rivers, and roads. All of these are scientific gifts.

Telegraph, telephone, fax, and wireless communication are also important modes of communication. Trains, steamers, aeroplanes, buses, and other modes of transportation make communication quick and easy.

Medicine and Surgery

It elevates one’s overall standard of living, quality of life, and life expectancy.
It aids in detecting and treating diseases, ailments, and conditions.
It dissects the molecular mechanism of any disease and helps to develop drugs and pharmaceuticals.
Basic Medical Sciences, in addition to curative care, sow the seeds of preventive care.
It teaches researchers, doctors, scientists, and even laypeople about living a healthy lifestyle.
It fosters a fundamental understanding of medical science principles, which may be useful in the future.

Agriculture

A great deal of agricultural research was conducted, which resulted in the production of artificial fertilisers, which are now a basic requirement for all agricultural activities. Agricultural education is now taught in schools across the country. Scientists have gone so far as to study the genomic makeup of plants to select crops that can withstand harsh climate changes. Improved farming techniques have been developed using new technologies such as computer science and biotechnology.

Science has played an important role in agriculture, and the two cannot be separated. Science must be used to help produce better yields on a small piece of land for the world to be able to provide enough food for all of its citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions on Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life

What role does science play in our lives.

It helps us live a longer and healthier life by monitoring our health, providing medicine to cure our diseases, alleviating aches and pains, assisting us in providing water for our basic needs – including our food – providing energy and making life more enjoyable by including sports, music, entertainment, and cutting-edge communication technology.

How has science influenced our daily lives?

Science has changed how we live and what we believe since the invention of the plough. Science has allowed man to pursue societal concerns such as ethics, aesthetics, education, and justice, to create cultures, and to improve human conditions by making life easier.

How has science made our lives easier?

When scientific discoveries are combined with technological advancements, machines make managing our lives easier. Science has created everything from household appliances to automobiles and aeroplanes. Farmers can now save their crops from pests and other problems thanks to advances in science.

What is the social significance of science and technology?

The essence of how science and technology contribute to society is the creation of new knowledge and then the application of that knowledge to improve human life and solve societal problems.

Why is science education important in the 21st century?

Exemplary science education can offer a rich context for developing many 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and information literacy, especially when instruction addresses the nature of science and promotes the use of science practices.

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The Vital Significance of Social Science in Our Daily Lives
Conclusion. Social science, far from being an abstract academic pursuit, is an integral part of our daily lives. It informs our understanding of human behavior, shapes public policies, enhances personal finance decisions, addresses societal issues, and fosters global citizenship. Moreover, it nurtures critical thinking, informs ethical values ...
Importance of Social Science in Our Daily Life
Social science enhances our critical thinking skills, broadens our perspectives, and enriches our interactions with the world. Whether through economics, psychology, sociology, or other disciplines, social science provides the foundation for a better understanding of ourselves and the societies we inhabit. Keep in mind: This is only a sample.
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Why Social Science is Important. The academic study and implementation of the social sciences can have a huge benefit on society as a whole, and on an individual level as well. The implications are vast, but let us take a look at just a few of the reasons why social science is as important as it is. Social Science as a force for greater good
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In the light of the above, we can identify four golden rules for effective social scientific essay writing. Rule 1: Answer the question that is asked. Rule 2: Write your answer in your own words. Rule 3: Think about the content of your essay, being sure to demonstrate good social scientific skills.
Essay On Importance Of Social Science
Nowadays, social science study plays an important role in the development of a country that has knowledgeable society and healthy society. Social science refers to any scientific study about human interaction and action that focus on the behavior and thought which it is known as social. Research in social science is widely where it will bring ...
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Social science
social science, any branch of academic study or science that deals with human behaviour in its social and cultural aspects. Usually included within the social sciences are cultural (or social) anthropology, sociology, psychology, political science, and economics. The discipline of historiography is regarded by many as a social science, and ...
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Give the reasons, interpret and to make plain. Illustrate: Use a figure, diagram, example or even a description to explain or clarify, thus. giving a visual impression. Justify: Support a conclusion or hypothesis by making reference to available. evidence/resources and providing a reasoned argument.
Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper
The introduction leads the reader from a general subject area to a particular topic of inquiry. It establishes the scope, context, and significance of the research being conducted by summarizing current understanding and background information about the topic, stating the purpose of the work in the form of the research problem supported by a hypothesis or a set of questions, explaining briefly ...
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it is equally the case that the public acceptance of the importance of the social sciences cannot be taken for granted. In the UK, the history of many social science disciplines emerges out of Wright Mills' distinction. Private troubles became public issues by virtue of detailed empirical enquiry providing both the evidence for
Perspectives on social sciences (1): What are the social sciences and
[3] 'This volume … illuminates why a social scientific understanding gives us a grasp on a topic that would not be provided by those working in the fields of science, humanities or the arts; in other words, this book makes plain what is distinctive and thus invaluable about a social science perspective", Jonathan Michie and Cary L. Cooper ...
Why the Social Sciences Matter
Humanity today needs high-quality social science more than ever - this book brilliantly shows why and how this is so." - David Inglis, University of Exeter, UK "Eminent social scientists Professors Jonathan Michie and Cary Cooper have drawn together a distinguished group of world experts who document the enormous contributions that the social ...
What is a Social Science Essay?
In the light of the above, we can identify four golden rules for effective social scientific essay writing. Rule 1: Answer the question that is asked. Rule 2: Write your answer in your own words. Rule 3: Think about the content of your essay, being sure to demonstrate good social scientific skills.
What are the social sciences?
The social sciences are made up of lots of different disciplines and sub-disciplines, which focus on different aspects of society. The social sciences are a 'broad church', including lots of different disciplinary and sub-disciplinary areas. These include, for example, sociology, anthropology, criminology, archaeology, social policy, human ...
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The social sciences build critical thinking and analytical skills. Here are the objectives of teaching the social sciences: It imparts knowledge about civilisation and culture. It provides knowledge of social development. It develops social behaviour and civil qualities. It produces the power of thinking and reasoning.
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• Four golden rules for writing a social science essay • Why an essay is not a report, newspaper article or an exam answer In this chapter we consider what is distinctive about essay writing and, in particular, essay writing in the social sciences. To start with, we look at the structure of social science essays. 2.1 The structure of a ...
The Importance Of Social Science And Its Branches
Social science is a study of society and how the people behave in a certain way and how they influence the world. The study of social sciences equips individuals with tools to improve understanding of the issues related to people and society and to explore solutions to our problems. It helps in the evolution and approaches toward problem ...
Why social sciences matter
Knowledgeable social sciences graduates will be crucial for raising the quality of our health services and ensuring the UK population is healthy. 13. Social science graduates are important for the education sector - The 2017 British Academy Right Skills report found that 15% of social sciences graduates enter the educational sector 3.5 years ...
Importance of Social Science
Social Science helps the students to know the importance of democracy, freedom and rights and how to live in society. It makes the student responsible, active and reflective towards the society. And also makes the students well informed about the culture, religion and society; in short, it makes the student well-informed citizen.
Why is Sociology Important? The Cornerstone of the Social Sciences
The contemporary world faces numerous challenges, and sociology's scientific approach is essential for studying and solving social problems. Sociology has enriched human culture by providing a scientific understanding of social phenomena. It encourages rational thinking, objectivity, critical analysis, and empathy.
Social Science and Why it is Important Essay
Social science deals with human activities and human behavior and the social science is the mother of modern science and science per se cannot be used in defining or explaining human behavior. The importance of social science is concerned with human and economic development and helps in policy formation for governments and corporations. References
I want to know why social sciences are important?
You can put this analogy on social science as well. Understand how society works and what are the complex mechanisms behind and you can act towards it without being blinded by negative feelings like anger. You can help create a better society by awareness and communication about it. Because it provides jobs for the upper middle class, creates a ...
Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life
Essay on Importance of Science in Our Life - Science has unquestionably done a great service to humanity. Man has led to many discoveries in various parts of the world. The study of animals, chemicals, the force, the earth, and plants, among other things, are within various branches of science such as physics, chemistry, and biology.

Importance of Social Science in Our Daily Life

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Your Complete Guide on Why Social Science is Important

A Definition of Social Science

Anthropology

Social Psychology

Political Science

Why Social Science is Important

Social Science as a force for greater good

Imagining an Alternative Future

The Importance of Our Health and Well-Being

A Brighter Future for Our Children

Personal Development

The Future of The Social Sciences

What Should Be in a Social Science Essay? Fundamentals and Essential Techniques

What’s in an Essay?

Notes on Writing Style

Notes on the Writing Process

Final Thoughts

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper

Importance of a Good Introduction

Structure and Writing Style

Writing Tip

Another Writing Tip

Yet Another Writing Tip

Perspectives on social sciences (1): What are the social sciences and why do they matter?

The need for evidence-based policy

About the authors

Why the Social Sciences Matter

Kellogg College, University of Oxford, UK

Lancaster University, UK

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Table of contents (12 chapters)

Social Science, Parenting and Child Development

Health and Wellbeing

Climate Change and Society

Poverty and Inequality

What Can the Social Sciences Bring to an Understanding of Food Security?

Numbers and Questions: The Contribution of Social Science to Understanding the Family, Marriage and Divorce

Crime, Policing and Compliance with the Law

International Migration

Back Matter

About this book

Editors and Affiliations

About the editors

Communication

What is a Social Science Essay?

Peter Redman and Wendy Maples

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