Jon-Arild Johannessen

The chapter discusses theory development and aims to gain insight into theory development and how theory may be used in the presentation of a research project. A number of concepts are discussed, namely semantic assumptions, formal and factual interpretations, reference base, and epistemological hypotheses.

In this chapter, we focus on the following problem: How can conceptual generalization be used in the social sciences?

This chapter discusses understanding and explaining and focuses on the difference between understanding a phenomena/problem and explaining it. The chapter also shows how this insight can be used in the presentation of a research project.

This chapter discusses simplification and aims to present why simplification is fundamental to any research project. The chapter discusses critical elements, composition, limits, and relationships.

This chapter is about interpretation and aims to gain insight into the interpretative process. The chapter discusses the concepts of interpretation, conceptualization, partial truths, and meaning.

This chapter is about development of models and aims to gain understanding of the difference between various types of model. Additionally, the chapter shows how this insight can be used in the presentation of a research project. Analytical, conceptual causal, and empirical causal models are discussed.

This chapter is about uncovering patterns and aims to gain insight into how patterns can be uncovered in social systems and into how this can be used in the presentation of a research project. In this chapter, we look into patterns and empirical generalization.

To highlight the most common research errors.

Here, we define the most important terms and connections used in this book.

In this chapter, we develop a list of points that the students should go through before handing in their assignment.