1. How do the social sciences claim to be scientific? What is the relationship between discovery and explanation in any science?
2. What is the relationship between sociology and the other social sciences?
3. Why is it problematic to discuss THE American family? Why have most Americans come to accept that there is a single standard for THE American family?
4. What do you feel is the most appropriate way of evaluating the legitimacy of various family structures and forms found within the United States?
5. How can family relationships be studied in a social scientific manner?
6. List and describe the three basic components of scientific theories.
7. How are scientific theories verified by empirical research? What is the relationship between theory and research in the social sciences? What is the relationship between induction and deduction in social science research?
8. What are paradigms, and what are their functions for social science research?
9. Why do sociologists need different theoretical paradigms? Why isn't one enough?
10. Compare and contrast the social factist and social definitionist paradigms within the field of sociology.
11. Compare and contrast the structural-functional and conflict orientations in family research.
12. Compare and contrast the symbolic interactionist and exchange orientations in family research.
13. Describe the process by which one research hypothesis may be refuted or verified.

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