Unit 2 - The Scientific Approach
Unit 2 - The Scientific Approach
HRD 312/BBA312
Unit 2: The Scientific approach
OBJECTIVES
• By the end of this unit, students should
be able to:
– Explain strengths and weaknesses of
various sources knowledge
– Describe and use the scientific approach
– Describe the role of theory in research
Sources of Knowledge
• There are several sources of knowledge which
scientists and professionals turn to for making
decisions in their specialized disciplines.
• As a professional, it is assumed that we have
the knowledge and skills necessary to make
valid decisions about what to do and how to
do it.
• To do this we have to turn to reliable sources
of knowledge and skills.
Sources of Knowledge
• Sources of knowledge include:
– Experience,
– Authority,
– Tradition and
– The scientific approach
EXPERIENCE
• Example
– All students at University of Lilongwe are
intelligent people
– Mary is a student at University of Lilongwe
– Therefore, Mary is an intelligent person
• If the premises are true, then the conclusion is
essentially true.
Limitations of deductive reasoning
• Doubters:
• Scientists maintain a highly skeptical attitude
towards data of science.
• Findings are regarded as tentative and are not
accepted unless they can be verified.
• Other investigators must be able to repeat the
observations and obtain the same results.
• Hence need to make testing procedures known to
others in order that they may verify or fail to verify
your findings.
ATTITUDES OF SCIENTISTS