Teaching health research: social sciences in a physical sciences curriculum

Abstract

This chapter is quite different to the others in this book. They all consist of discussions about methodologies that are appropriate to social sciences research into health related areas. This chapter is unique because it considers social sciences research methodologies appropriate in a teaching curriculum to a physical sciences-based health research training programme at an Australian University of Technology. As such, I raise issues in relation to teaching qualitative and quantitative methods within a ‘hard’ sciences curriculum that may provide a useful basis for reflection for many of the social scientists who teach within medical, applied health sciences and related courses. I do not intend to be an apologist for the methods of the social sciences where these are taught in a physical sciences-health related framework. As is true with many social scientists teaching in medical faculties there is some temptation to accept the role of the’ soft’ scientist who offers less ‘real’ data and analysis. However, the drive behind this chapter is to offer a caution to social scientists tempted to take a less assertive role in relation to physical sciences health research.