social research assignment ABOUT THE weather

Ways of Knowing about the Weather:

This exercise is designed to compare three ways of knowing about the weather

Part1:

Knowledge from Authorities. (socially defined sources of knowledge.)

The night before, see what the experts have to say about the weather for tomorrow by watching a television report, listening to a radio newscast, or checking online. Write what the experts said about tomorrow’s weather (including the temperature, the chances of precipitation, and the amount of wind).

Knowledge from Casual Personal Inquiry. (Personal inquiry, or inquiry that employs the senses’ evidence for arriving at knowledge, is another common way of knowing.)

That day, before you go outside, look through only one window for a few seconds but don’t look at a thermometer. After taking a quick glance, turn away, and then write down your perceptions of the weather outside (including the temperature, the amount and kind of precipitation, and the amount of wind).

Knowledge from Research.

Although we’re not asking you to approximate the entire scientific method (such as reviewing the literature and sharing your findings with others in a research community), you can use some aspects of the method: specifying the goals of your inquiry and making and recording careful observations. Your research question is, “What is the weather like outside?” To answer the question, use a method of collecting data (detailed observation of the outside environment) and any tools at your disposal (thermometer, barometer, and soon). Go outside for at least five minutes and make observations. Then come inside and write down your observations of the weather outside (including the temperature, the amount and kind of precipitation, and the amount of wind).

Part 2:

ComparingtheMethods

Write a paragraph comparing the information you obtained using each of the ways of knowing. (For example, was there any difference inaccuracy? Was there any difference in ease of collecting data? Which method do you have the most confidence in?)