Abstract

ESCOBEDO RIVERA, José. Datum in demographic research: an epistemological vision. Pap. poblac [online]. 2007, vol.13, n.54, pp.9-21. ISSN 2448-7147.

This article approaches the need to revise the meaning and reach of datum in Demography, as argumentation supply in terms of its construction and meaning in the context of the paradigms of research. Datum's construction and characteristics are presented, both in etic-quantitative and emic-qualitative researches. This critical vision in the characterization and differentiation of datum seeks to open demographic thought to new understanding horizons based on two axis -the explanatory and the comprehensive-, and from a more abstract level respect to the uses and reaches of datum, in its character of basic supply for research.

Keywords : Demography; Epistemology; quantitative research; qualitative research; datum.