Framework

Abstract

The two distinctions made in Chapter 1, between theory-testing and theory-construction and between quantitative and qualitative data, are, of course, not the only dimensions along which we may analyse research reports. Even a brief perusal of the sociological journals shows the diverse nature of research; researchers use widely differing methods of data collection, a range of techniques of data analysis, and a variety of styles of reporting and presentation of results. Despite this variety, however, there are two factors which I shall argue are of central importance in virtually all sociological research.