'Objectivity and subjectivity in social science research' is a small part of Research Methodology.

1. Objectivity and Subjectivity in Social Science
Research
Dr. Kishor Kumar
Associate Professor- Department of History
Director- Swami Vivekananda Study Centre
K. M. Govt. Post Graduate College, Badalpur
Gautam Buddha Nagar, U.P. (India)
+91-9990257272
dr.kumarkishor@gmail.com

2. Research Meaning
Re-search is systematic effort to gain new
knowledge.
Research is an honest, exhaustive, intelligent
searching for facts and their meaning or
implications with reference to a given problem.
Research is simply a systematic refined techniques
of thinking, employing specialized tools, instruments
and procedures in order to obtain a more adequate
solution of a problem.

3. Research Meaning
Historical Research is the application of the scientific
method of inquiry to historical problem.
It is a process of planning, acquiring, analyzing, and
disseminating relevant data, information, and insights
to decision makers in ways that mobilize the
organization to take appropriate actions that
maximizes business performance.
The primary purpose of research is to reduce the level
of risk of a business decision.
Social research is the systematic method of discovering
new facts or verifying old facts, their sequence, Inter-
relationship, causal explanations and the natural laws
which govern them.

4. Research Problem & To Find a Solution
Need – Resources = Problem
Example:-
1.Treatment of Corona Covid-19 is need-Resource available
(Hydroxychloroquine) not very effective
=Problem (To find out a perfect medicine to cure Corona
Covid-19)
2.Great Loss to Economy- Need to survive and revive
Governments have less financial and revenue resources -
Finding new way to revival and coping with world
economy.

5. Steps of Solution
Critical Approach about problem
Innovative Approach towards solution
Execution Through Research

6. Research Process
Collection of Data/ Sources
Selection of Data/ Source
Analyses of Data/ Sources
Report writing

7. Why ?
Problem is one
Solutions are many

8. Anekantavad/ Syadvad/ Anekantavad
The doctrine of manifold nature of reality- Mahavir
The doctrine of may be
This doctrine explain about
 Relative Truth
 Absolute Truth
Examples:-
The Nature of National Movement
(Non-Violence/ Revolutionary)
The nature of First Freedom Movement
Imperialist & Nationalist Historiography
Communism System & Ram Rajya
Lockdown for humanity & Economy Revival

9. Swami Vivekananda’s View on Truth
The whole world trying to move from false to
truth
Indian culture (Hinduism too) is all about
moving towards low level truth to high level
truth
The ultimate aim of research- to get new
knowledge- finding comparatively high level
truth

10. Subjectivity
Subjective knowledge is refers to the individual’s
perception, his values, feelings, desires, belief, opinion
perspectives and preferences.
Subjectivity focuses on things as subjects, relying on
feelings and emotions to define the nature, intent, content
& purpose.
Subjective evaluation emphasize on one’s own attitude/
opinion. It can be unduly egocentric or dominating
Illogical and Distinct Interpretation
So it’s a mind- dependent analyses
It may create an illusion or imagination

11. Objectivity
Objectivity is completely opposite to subjectivity
Objectively refers to the ability to judge logically
without bias or external influence
Inquiry for truth- Philosophical
Based on facts
Real Thought
Devoid from feeling or emotions
 Free from preconceived notion or situation

12. Objectivity
Objectivity is not influenced by an individual
previous experience, preferences or taste
So objectivity presupposes an independent reality
that exist independent of interpretation of the
observer
It can be grasped through systematic observation
or experimentation
Objectivity exist independent of mind
Understanding problems and solutions in abrader
way (Holistic Approaches)

13. Subjective to Objective
To move from a subjective understanding to more
objective understanding on the basis of systematic
observation, analyses and experimentation (Based on
original sources/ data)
To find more accurate/ scientific knowledge
To find scientific knowledge about Evolution of
society/ Institutions/ organizations
 To find more scientific decisions

14. Is it possible to be completely Objective ?
Subjective elements means- The elements of
human intervention
For human being its tough to be neutral in
thought and action
That is the crux of the problem of objectivity
There must be a hidden influenced or inevitable
subjective quality which can not be entirely
suppressed.
So minimize the subjectivity and maximize the
objectivity in social science research is also an
objective (like objectives of research)

15. Balance between Objectivity & Subjectivity
K. N. Chitnis in his book Research Methodology in
History (Atlantic Publishers & distributers (P) LTD-2006)
write:-
Objectivity, if carried to an extreme, result in dry, result in
dry and lifeless cataloguing of events; subjectivity, if
carried to an extreme, results in a highly biased work
often divorced from a reality.
Subjectivity, if pursued beyond a certain points, would
even lead to the production of a work of fiction, rather
then the history

16. Balance between Objectivity & Subjectivity
Thus a mere objective work would lack interpretation,
while a mere subjective work will have no relation to the
actual events.
A work detached from historical facts is no history,
however well written and interpretative it may be.
An ideal would be one that combines subjectivity with
objectivity in the due proportion without upholding the
one at the cost of other.

17. I do not teach anyone I provide the
environment in which they can learn.
Albert Einstein

18. Thanks a lot