We explain what the analytical method is, what its characteristics are and some examples. Also, how is it different from the synthetic method.
What is the analytical method?
The analytical method or empirical-analytical method It is a scientific study model based on direct experimentation and empirical logic.. It is the most frequently used in the sciences, both in the natural sciences and in the social sciences.
This method consists of the application of direct experience to obtain evidence to verify or validate an argument. To do this, it uses objective mechanisms and practices such as statistics, observation and experimental replication.
The analytical method is one of the models proposed in the scientific method. In that sense, it is an extremely useful research method in new and unexplored fields of study, or in descriptive research, given that it uses tools that reveal essential relationships and fundamental characteristics of the object of study. Furthermore, it allows us to learn from both experimental successes and errors.
Analytical method and empiricism
The logic of empiricism, on which the analytical method is based, comes from the philosophy of ancient Greece, its greatest exponent being Aristotle himself (384-322 BC). Later, it was transmitted through medieval Arab scholars, and today it plays an essential role in shaping the experimental logic that underpins the idea of science and verifiable knowledge.
See also: Research methods
Features of the analytical method
The analytical method is characterized by the following:
- It's factual. It is based on verifiable facts, maintaining a healthy skepticism regarding what lacks rational foundations.
- It is verifiable. It does not propose the study of the phenomena of the universe through the internal logic of the mind or religious faith, but rather verification through the use of the senses and measuring instruments.
- It is progressive and self-correcting. It is updated gradually but constantly, modifying what is considered true from one moment to the next, as long as there is evidence to support the new proposition.
- Depends on sampling. For this reason, it is also applied to the evidence collection process itself, so as not to incur false premises or fallacies due to faulty data collection.
Examples of the analytical method
Virtually any scientific study today is a good example of the application of the analytical method. This includes experiments of the so-called “hard” sciences, that is, medical, biological, chemical or physical tests, in which phenomena that occur in nature are replicated under the controlled environment of a laboratory.
This is what, for example, those who study hydrocarbons do, replicating their behavior with artificially created samples, for the advancement of the petrochemical industry.
But it also applies to social science studies, such as statistical measurements in political science, surveys in sociology or the record of verifiable experiences that serves as the basis for anthropology.
Differences between analytical method and synthetic method
The synthetic method is a very different process from the analytical one, since it involves the summarized reconstruction of an event. as a path towards understanding a more complex phenomenon.
This means that the possibility of taking the key points of a phenomenon of interest and constructing a “short” version, that is, a summary, is proposed. In it, emphasis is placed on certain elements and others considered less relevant are discarded.
This method is fundamental in communication and the transmission of information, but is of little use for the scientific understanding of nature. Instead, it takes advantage of the human mind's capacity for synthesis, that is, for the hierarchical reconstruction of an observed event.
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References
- Lopera Echavarria, JD (2010). The analytical method. University of Antioquia.
- Riley, M. C., & Rosanske, T. (1996). Development and Validation of Analytical Methods. Elsevier.
