The scientific definition of a term sometimes differs substantially from its natural language usage. For example, sex and gender are often used interchangeably in common discourse, but have distinct meanings in sociology.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
(Remember that Emile Durkheim in the late 19th century was the first sociologist to use the scientific method.) Thus, whether or not a particular discipline like sociology is a science depends more on the methods used than on the particular subject area studied.
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/sociological-research-methods/sociology-as-science
Sociology as Science The definition of sociology uses the phrase “scientific study.” Many people do not consider the social or soft sciences—such as sociology and psychology—to be “true” or hard sciences—such as chemistry and physics.
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/sociological-research-methods/sociology-as-science
Introduction to Sociology/Sociological Methods - Introduction. 1  The goal of this chapter is to introduce the methods employed by sociologists in their study of social life. 2  At issue in this chapter are the methods used by sociologists to claim to speak authoritatively about social life.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
Sociology as Science. Sociology as Science. The definition of sociology uses the phrase “scientific study.” Many people do not consider the social or soft sciences—such as sociology and psychology—to be “true” or hard sciences—such as chemistry and physics. Whereas inherent differences exist between the soft and hard sciences, the same fundamental principles of scientific inquiry apply.
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/sociological-research-methods/sociology-as-science
The essential elements of a scientific method are iterations and recursions of the following four steps: 1  Characterization (operationalization or quantification, observation and / or measurement) 2  Hypothesis (a theoretical, hypothetical explanation of the observations and / or measurements)
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
Some sociological journals focus on critical sociology and some sociological approaches are inherently critical (e.g., feminism, black feminist thought). Building on these early insights, the rise of Feminist methods and theories in the 1970's ushered in an ongoing debate concerning critical versus objective realities.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
Like the distinction drawn between positivist sociology and Verstehen sociology, there is - as noted above in the elaboration of general scientific methods - often a distinction drawn between two types of sociological investigation: quantitative and qualitative.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
Introduction to Sociology/Sociological Methods - Introduction. 1  The goal of this chapter is to introduce the methods employed by sociologists in their study of social life. This is not a chapter on statistics nor does it detail specific methods in sociological investigation.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
A scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon verifiable evidence. In addition to employing the scientific method in their research, sociologists explore the social world with several different purposes in mind.
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Sociology/Sociological_Methods
scientific method definition sociology
A scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon verifiable evidence. In sociology, a scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon verifiable evidence.