Why is the Concept of 'Social Fact' of Central Importance to Social Scientist?

In this essay I am going to be researching why the concept of 'social fact' is of central importance to social science. I will be demonstrating what social fact actually is and how it has been identified by sociologists in the past and present, this will include looking at the works of the famous sociologists Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917). I will also be introducing the notion of structuralism and looking at functionalism and positivism in social …

…University Press Calvert, S&P (1992)<Tab/>Sociology Today - Cambridge University Press <Tab/><Tab/><Tab/>Pg - 8-9 J, Faraganis (2000)<Tab/>Readings in Social Theory - McGraw-Hill Higher Education, <Tab/><Tab/><Tab/>63-68, Chapter 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_fact