The scientific method is a systematic way to explore and explain a series of events that may contribute to the body of knowledge. It is also applied to challenge or support existing theories that have accumulated from a number of research studies over time. The scientific method involves the following steps: observations, formulation of hypothesis, testing of the hypothesis, analysis of derived data from a series of test and drawing inferences or generalizations. Thus, the scientific method is a standardized method that is employed when acquiring knowledge.
Social science research has been defined in some literature as "any scientific study of human action ...