  In this manuscript, we discuss the substantial importance of Bayesian
reasoning in Social Science research. Particularly, we focus on foundational
elements to fit models under the Bayesian paradigm. We aim to offer a frame of
reference for a broad audience, not necessarily with specialized knowledge in
Bayesian statistics, yet having interest in incorporating this kind of methods
in studying social phenomena. We illustrate Bayesian methods through case
studies regarding political surveys, population dynamics, and standardized
educational testing. Specifically, we provide technical details on specific
topics such as conjugate and non-conjugate modeling, hierarchical modeling,
Bayesian computation, goodness of fit, and model testing.
