This course seeks to turn learners into informed consumers of social science research. It introduces concepts, standards, and principles of social science research to the interested non-expert. Learners who complete the course will be able to assess evidence and critically evaluate claims about important social phenomena. It reviews the origins and development of social science, describes the process of discovery in contemporary social science research, and explains how contemporary social science differs from apparently related fields. It describes the goals, basic paradigms, and methodologies of the major social science disciplines. It offers an overview of the major questions that are the focus of much contemporary social science research, overall and for China. Special emphasis is given to explaining the challenges that social scientists face in drawing conclusions about cause and effect from their studies, and offers an overview of the approaches that are used to overcome these challenges. Explanation is non-technical and does not involve mathematics. Statistics and quantitative methods are not covered.

Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1

Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1

Instructor: Cameron Campbell
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There are 8 modules in this course
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The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
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Reviewed on Jul 24, 2019
The course is very meaningful to learn the basic skills in social science. It is very valuable for students who wanted to study social science in university to take it as a preview
Reviewed on Jun 25, 2020
I have a very amazing time in this course . I’m hoping to know more in this topic .
Reviewed on Mar 5, 2026
Focuses on the scientific method in social sciences, including sociology, political science, and economics. Limited application to Chinese society.

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