SOCIOLOGICAL METHODOLOGY

Sociology progresses through the joint advancement of both theory and methodology. The diversity of its theoretical approaches is mirrored b y the diversity of its methodologies. There has been a disappearance o r loss of pertinence of the distinction between 'quantitative' and 'qu alitative' methodologies. Perhaps a more constructive distinction is t hat between 'ascending' and 'descending' methodologies, noting however that these are complementary and may be combined in a single research project. All methodologies have a 'non universal' character even thou gh each has its particular domain of comptence and pertinence. Multi-m ethod analysis is valuable in obtaining stable results and opening up communications between subdisciplines. A general sociological research procedure is presented in four 'classic' points to which two often un explicited basic steps are added: the initial transformation and the f inal transformation of information during research procedure.