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Research Philosophy Research Ontology Research Epistemology Research Methodology Research Axiology Quantitative versus Qualitative Research Philosophy and Approaches

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The progress of scientific practice based on peoples philosophies and assumptions about the world and the nature of knowledge Paradigms offer a framework comprising an accepted set of theories, methods, and ways of defining data

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In natural science it is defined as the set of practices that define a scientific discipline during a particular period of time. In social science the term is used to describe the set of experiences, beliefs and values that affect the way an individual perceives reality and responds to that perception

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What is the form and nature of reality? If you assume there is a real world, then:

What is there that can be known about the reality?

How things really are? How things really work?

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What is valid knowledge? What is the nature of the relationship between the knower or would-be knower? What can be known? If we assume there is a real reality, then: The position of the knower must be objective or detach from the reality in order to discover how things really are? and how things really work?

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The branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge, which seeks to inform us how we can know the world

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What distinguishes true knowledge from false knowledge

True- and false-colour images of Uranus.

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What is the role of values that underpin :

If we assume there is a real reality, then: The position of the knower must be value/moral/aesthetic free from the reality in order to discover how things really are? and how things really work?

What is the valid knowledge? What is the nature of the relationship between the knower or would-be knower? What can be known?

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How can the would-be-knower go about finding out whatever he or she believes can be known? If we assume there is a real reality, then: He or she will employ objective methods that mandates him or her to control possible confounding factors via using selective observation or experiment The methodological question cannot be reduced to a question of methods; methods must be fitted to predetermined methodology (

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Early theories
absolute permanent

Later theories
Relativity Situation dependence Continuous development

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Positivist
Interpretivist

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 Positivist

Quantitative

Interpretivist

Qualitative

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Positivism
Ontology: what is the nature of reality? Epistemology: What is valid knowledge? Axiology: Role of values RESEARCH STRATEGY Reality is objective and singular, apart from the researcher Researcher is independent from that being researched Value free and un-biased

Interpretivism
Reality is subjective and multiple as seen by the participants Researcher interacts with that being researched Value-laden and biased

Cross-sectional studies
Experimental studies Longitudinal studies Surveys Etc...

Action Research
Case Studies Ethnography Grounded Theory Hermeneutics, etc...
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Positivist paradigm Tends to produce quantitative data Uses large samples Concerned with hypothesis testing Data is highly specific and precise The location is artificial Reliability is high Validity is low Generalises from sample to population

Interpretive paradigm Tends to produce qualitative data Uses small samples Concerned with generating theories Data is rich and subjective The location is natural Reliability is low Validity is high Generalises from one setting to another
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Positivism is a philosophy states that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method.

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Define your research topic Literature review Define your research question(s) i.e. hypothesis

Deductive

Design data collection Pilot study Design data analysis Collect data Analyse data Interpret results Report your findings
Adapted from Maylor and Blackmon (2005)
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Research which combines a deductive approach with precise measurement of quantitative data to enable the discovery and confirmation of causal laws

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A generally accepted set of procedures for developing and testing theories An idealised model to arrive at the truth through: Objective observation Measurement Careful and accurate analysis of data Minimising pre-conceptions about how the world works

What paradigm are we in here?

Maylor and Blackmon (2005)

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Interpretivism, is a way to gain insights through discovering meanings by improving our comprehension of the whole. Qualitative research explores the richness, depth, and complexity of phenomena.

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Research which combines an inductive approach with communication and observation of qualitative data to discover the reasons for events.

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A generally accepted set of procedures for collecting information about the world
An idealised model to arrive at the data through: Subjective observation Being led by the data (ie. induction)

Trying to overcome biases about the situation

Avoiding conceptual frameworks or instruments that might influence what is observed

Maylor and Blackmon (2005)

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Define your research topic Literature review Define your research question(s) Design data collection

Inductive

Collect data Analyse data Interpret data Literature review

Research question answered?

Report your findings

Adapted from Maylor and Blackmon (2005)
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Deductive - begins

with an abstract idea and principle and works toward the concrete details to test these ideas.

Inductive - begins

with concrete details and then works toward abstract ideas or general principles or laws.
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Deductive Theory
testing

Inductive Theory
building

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Characteristic

Positivism

Phenomenology
Why? How? Direct observation, Interviews, Participant observation

What? Questions that can be answered How much? Survey, Experiment

Associated methods
Data type Finding

Predominantly numbers Predominantly words Measure Meaning

Adapted from Maylor and Blackmon (2005)

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Whether you take a scientific (positivist) or interpretivist approach will influence:

What research questions you ask What methods you use to collect your data What type of data you collect

What techniques you use to analyse your data

Maylor and Blackmon (2005)

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quantitative

numbers

qualitative

words, sounds or pictures

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quantitative

qualitative

Impersonal Measurement Questionnaires (closed) Questionnaires (open) Personal Interviews

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quantitative

how many

qualitative

how or why

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quantitative

Natural science model social science model

qualitative

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natural science model: representative sampling, formulation and testing of an hypothesis

social science model: an ethnographic approach to data collection, a research question. Seeks information about reality. Not testing of reality

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positivist, systematic, or scientific

anti-positivist, interpretivist, ethnographic or naturalistic

researchers using an anti-positivist epistemology generally seek to collect qualitative data
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researchers using a positivist epistemology generally seek to collect quantitative data

Qualitative

Quantitative

The product
The epistemology

textual
interpretive (empathy and understanding) subjective and soft discovery oriented non-experimental concepts derived from understanding the actors point of view (inductive) theory building

numerical
positivist (measuring and collecting facts) objective and hard verification experimental concepts pre-defined from established theory (deductive) theory testing
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The data

Aim of research Method Process of inquiry

Use of theory

The research onion

Source: Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2006

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