Social research should be objective so that findings are without bias. Objectivity is when research is neutral, when personal bias has been removed meaning two independent researchers should be able to conduct the same research and get the same outcome.
However objectivity is more of an ideal then a reality social researchers are individuals with their own culture, race, religion, gender, beliefs etc. They come to what they are researching for personal reasons therefore how are they expected to remain neutral?
Traditional theorists (Weber, Durkheim) relived that social research can be objective. Objectivity was seen as a central methodological principle where the challenge was the practical constraints on objectivity rather then the desirability of the principle itself.
Objectivity can be seen as detrimental to social research by contemporary researchers as they believe that emotions and feelings contribute to their understanding of research.
Thus objectivity makes social research valid but i believe it is impossible for social researchers to step away from their feelings therefore is more of a ideal. Reflexivity is an alternative and is a way of researchers to acknowledge how they have helped construct meaning.
The objective of research is to learn new things from the Internet, books, people and many more ways to research
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