Lecture Research methods - Chapter 2 presents the following content: Introduction; ontology: objectivism; subjectivism and pragmatism; epistemology: positivism; realism and interpretivism; axiology and pragmatism; ethics of research. | Research Philosophies and Ethics of Research Samuel K. Frimpong (.) Outline presentation Introduction Ontology: Objectivism; Subjectivism and Pragmatism Epistemology: Positivism; Realism and Interpretivism Axiology and Pragmatism Ethics of Research Research Philosophy or Worldviews Worldview: ‘a basic set of beliefs that guide action’ (Guba, 1990, p. 17) Worldviews have been referred to as: paradigms (Lincoln & Guba, 2000) epistemologies and ontologies (Crotty, 1998); or Broadly conceived research methodologies (Neuman, 2000) What research philosophy? Research philosophy underpins research strategy and the methods chosen as part of the strategy The influence of RP is felt in the context of the researcher’s particular view of the relationship between knowledge and the process by which it is developed The researcher who is concerned with facts, such as the resources needed in a business establishment, is likely to have a very different view on the way research should be conducted . | Research Philosophies and Ethics of Research Samuel K. Frimpong (.) Outline presentation Introduction Ontology: Objectivism; Subjectivism and Pragmatism Epistemology: Positivism; Realism and Interpretivism Axiology and Pragmatism Ethics of Research Research Philosophy or Worldviews Worldview: ‘a basic set of beliefs that guide action’ (Guba, 1990, p. 17) Worldviews have been referred to as: paradigms (Lincoln & Guba, 2000) epistemologies and ontologies (Crotty, 1998); or Broadly conceived research methodologies (Neuman, 2000) What research philosophy? Research philosophy underpins research strategy and the methods chosen as part of the strategy The influence of RP is felt in the context of the researcher’s particular view of the relationship between knowledge and the process by which it is developed The researcher who is concerned with facts, such as the resources needed in a business establishment, is likely to have a very different view on the way research should be conducted from the researcher concerned with the feelings and attitudes of the workers towards their managers in that same business establishment Can we say one research philosophy is better than the other? Ways of thinking about research philosophy? Two major ways of thinking about research philosophy: Ontology Epistemology These inform the research strategy or methodology Research Ontology Defined Ontology is concerned with the nature of reality It is ways of constructing reality, “how things really are” and “how things really work” (Denzin and Lincoln, 1998, p. 201) What assumptions do we make about the way in which the world works? Two aspects of ontology: Objectivism Subjectivism Ontology Objectivism: Portrays the position that social entities exist in reality external to social actors concerned with their existence. Social entities exist in reality external to social actors. Subjectivism: Holds the view that social phenomena are created from the perceptions and consequent actions of those .
