ON BEING SCIENTIFIC: CHANGING STYLES OF PRESENTATION OF SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH.

The increased use of statistics in reporting sociological research is viewed by many as an index of the growing maturity of sociology as a science. On the other hand, it is viewed as a movement toward pseudo-science by those who feel that sociologists are using statistics pro forma, with little understanding of the mathematical assumptions upon which the statistical measures are predicated. The increasing use of statistical measures in sociological research is related to problems that sociologists encounter when, seeking funding for, their research. The major supporters of sociological research seek useful knowledge from their expenditures, and much of the successful research they have supported in other disciplines makes considerable use of statistical reasoning. In essence, sociologists no doubt feel they must structure a research proposal so as to demonstrate its scientific merit, and use of statistics is one of the more evident indices of scientific merit. A broader implication for sociology is that specialties which receive substantial funding are more likely to expand than specialties which receive little funding.