ontology-epistemology

PARADIGM ONTOLOGY What is reality? EPISTEMOLOGY (how do I know reality?) THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE (‘CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK’) (which approach do I use to know something?) METHODOLOGY (How do I go about finding out?) Method (what techniques should I use to find out?) Positivism There is only one single truth Reality can be measured and there are reliable and valid tools to do this − Positivism − Post-positivism − Experimental research − Survey design Usually quantitative ; may include − Sampling − Measurement & scaling − Statistical analysis − Focus group interviews Constructivism/ Interpretivism There is no single reality or truth. Reality is created by individuals in groups Therefore, reality needs to be interpreted, in order to uncover the underlying meaning of events, activities and behaviours − Interpretivism − Phenomenology − Symbolic interactionism − Hermeneutics − Critical inquiry − Feminism − Ethnography − Grounded theory − Phenomenological research − Heuristic inquiry − Action research − Discourse analysis − Feminist standpoint, etc Usually qualitative , may include − Interviews − Observation (researcher as participant / non-participant) − Case Study − Life History − Narrative − Theme Identification Pragmatism Reality is constantly renegotiated, debated, re- interpreted in light of its usefulness in new situations The best method is one that solves the problem. Finding out is the means, with change the underlying goal − Deweyan pragmatism − Research through design − Mixed methods − Design-based research − Action research Combination of any of the above, as well as data mining, usability testing, physical prototypes Subjectivism Reality is we perceive to be real All knowledge is purely a matter of perspective − Postmodernism − Structuralism − Post-structuralism − Discourse theory − Archaeology − Anthropology − Genealogy − Deconstruction − Auto-ethnography − Semiotics − Literary analysis − Pastiche − Intertextuality, etc Critical Realism Realities (plural) are socially constructed, under constant internal influence Reality and knowledge are both socially constructed by power relations within society − Marxism − Queer Theory − Feminism − Kaupapa Māori − Critical discourse analysis, − Critical ethnography − Action research − Ideology critique − Ideological review − Civil actions − Open-ended interviews/ − questionnaires/observations, − Journals Adapted from Patel, S. (2015, 15 July). The research paradigm – methodology, epistemology and ontology – explained in simple language . Retrieved from http://salmapatel.co.uk/academia/the-research- paradigm-methodology-epistemology-and-ontology-explained-in-simple-language . Student Learning Te Taiko: Victoria University of Wellington