5.0　Introduction

5.0　Introduction

Social science encompasses a range of subjects such as anthropology,politics,economics,and education as well as sociology.As a researcher who is just engaged in social science research,my focus is on the study of social life.It is a fascinating and compelling enterprise,as its subject matter is our own behaviour as social beings.

My broad research aim is:

　• to investigate domestic violence in China,focusing on South-Central China.My specific research aims are:

　• to investigate experiences of psychological violence principally between married couples

　• to investigate the types of psychological violence such as verbal and non-verbal behaviour that are used by wives and husbands

　• to investigate how psychological violence impacts on the victims,and

　• to investigate why women are the main victims of such violence

As May (2001) emphasises,research methods are a central part of social science research.Methodology means the theoretical framework and analysis underpinning a research study (Harding,1987:3).Method is a technique for gathering evidence(Harding,1987:3),that is,it includes design,data collection and data analysis(Punch,1998:29).Methodology is the principle on which researchers base their study but method includes the tools or techniques which they use to explore issues.Methodology can be seen as a core/policy and methods as execution/strategy in research.This is a combination of theory and practice.

In research projects,how do researchers choose their methodology and methods? As Hegel (1966) points out,methods arise out of scientific knowledge and researchers will develop them as they reflect upon and think deeply about the research problems repeatedly.Methodology and methods are closely linked to the problem being studied and need to be appropriate for the specific research.The researcher tries to find a 'best' way to explore research issues (Skinner et al.,2005).I therefore have chosen to use feminist methodology in my research,as I believe it is particularly suitable to the exploration of domestic violence.Why? I briefly set out my reasons for this choice of methodology below.

The key questions are:

　• What is feminist methodology,and

　• Why it is appropriate to my research?