Research Paradigms: A Comprehensive Overview, Schemes and Mind Maps of Qualitative research

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RESEARCH PARADIGMS

DR. Rania Albsoul

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• After this lecture you should be able to: ▪ Understand the meaning of research paradigm. ▪ Recognise the components of research paradigm. ▪ Describe the types of research paradigms. ▪ Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative ontologies and epistemologies.

The ‘research wheel’, adapted from Johnson and Christensen

Research paradigm

BACKGROUND ABOUT RESEARCH PARADIGM

• The word paradigm was first used by the American philosopher Thomas Kuhn (1962) to indicate to philosophical way of thinking.
• The word paradigm has its origin in Greek where it means pattern.
• A research paradigm is “the set of common beliefs and agreements shared between scientists about how problems should be understood and addressed” (Kuhn, 1962).
• It includes the abstract beliefs that shape how a researcher views the world, and how s/he interprets and performs within that world. (Kivunja & Kuyini, 2017 )

BACKGROUND ABOUT RESEARCH PARADIGM (CONTINUED)

• It is not a methodology, but a philosophy that directs the process of research in a specific manner.
• Paradigm is: o The way of comprehension of the world reality and investigating it (Rehman & Alharthi, 2016). o The framework that directs research and practice in a field (Willis, Jost, & Nilakanta, 2007). o The lens by which the researcher can view and comprehend the reality (Shek & Wu, 2018).
• The paradigm and the research questions determine data collection and analysis methods most suitable for research (Mackenzie & Knipe, 2006).

COMPOENETS OF RESEARCH PARADIGM

1. Ontology

2. Epistemology

3. Methodology

4. Methods

(Scotland, 2012).

Ontology and epistemology are to research

what ‘footings’ are to a house: they form

the foundations of the whole edifice. (Grix,

2004, p. 59).

ONTOLOGY

• The term Ontology is from two Greek words (onto, which means ‘being or existence’ and logia, which means ‘science, study or theory’ (Antwi & Hamza, 2015).
• A view of the nature of reality - whether it is external or internal to the knower (Willis, Jost, & Nilakanta, 2007).
• Ontology identifies the nature and shape of social reality and what can be recognized about this reality (Antwi & Hamza, 2015).
• The ontological questions are: ❖ What is the form and nature of reality? ❖ Is this reality external to social actors? (Guba & Lincoln, 1994).

ONTOLOGY (CONTINUED)

• There are two broad contrasting positions:

1.Objectivism: holds that there is an independent reality- External reality 2.Constructionism: assumes that reality is the product of social processes- Constructed reality. (Neuman & Kreuger, 2003)

ONTOLOGY CONTINUED

• The ontological question leads the

investigator to ask what type of reality is

existent: a single, reality or socially

constructed several (multiple) realities.

(Patton, 2002)

EPISTEMOLOGY

• The term epistemology comes from the Greek word epistêmê, which

means knowledge or understanding (Trochim & Donnelly, 2001).

• Epistemology is the philosophy of knowledge or how we come to know

(Trochim & Donnelly, 2001).

• Epistemology is closely linked to ontology and methodology (Krauss,

• Ontology involves the philosophy of reality, epistemology addresses

how we come to know that reality while methodology identifies the

particular practices used to attain knowledge of it (Krauss, 2005).

EPISTEMOLOGY

• Put simply, in research, epistemology is used to describe how we come to know something; how we know the truth or reality;