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Assignment of Research

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13 views6 pages

Assignment of Research

Uploaded by

Akkam Harka Fuune
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
FACULTY OF INFORMATICS
DEPARTMENT OF BED-IT
Assignment of Research Methods in ICT
Name .............................Id
Murad Yusuf 0252/14

Submitted to Tesfaye Bayu(PHD)


What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge that has
characterized the development of science since at least the 17th century. The
scientific method involves careful observation coupled with rigorous scepticism,
because cognitive assumptions can distort the interpretation of the observation.
Scientific inquiry includes creating a hypothesis through inductive reasoning,
testing it through experiments and statistical analysis, and adjusting or discarding
the hypothesis based on the results.[1][2][3]

What is a research philosophy or paradigm?


A research philosophy or paradigm is a set of ideas, beliefs, and assumptions that guide a
researcher's approach to a study and the development of its methodology.

A research philosophy or paradigm provides a pattern of beliefs and understandings that guide
the theories and practices of a research project.

For example, one philosophical assumption could be that there is an external reality that exists
independent of our perceptions (i.e., an objective reality), whereas an alternative assumption
could be that reality is constructed by the observer (i.e., a subjective reality).

There are many different approaches (or paradigms) you can take, each with its own
perspective on the nature of reality and knowledge. To keep things simple though, we’ll focus
on the “big three”, namely positivism, interpretivism and pragmatism.
1.Positivism
Positivism is rooted in the belief that knowledge can be obtained through
objective observations and measurements. In other words, the positivist
philosophy assumes that answers can be found by carefully measuring and
analysing data, particularly numerical data.

As a research paradigm, positivism typically manifests in methodologies that


make use of quantitative data, and oftentimes (but not always)
adopt experimental or quasi-experimental research designs.

Quite often, the focus is on causal relationships – in other words, understanding


which variables affect other variables, in what way and to what extent. As a
result, studies with a positivist research philosophy typically aim for objectivity,
generalisability and replicability of findings.

2.Interpretivism
Interpretivism takes the position that reality is socially constructed. In other
words, that reality is subjective, and is constructed by the observer through
their experience of it, rather than being independent of the observer (which, if
you recall, is what positivism assumes).

The interpretivist paradigm typically underlies studies where the research aims
involve attempting to understand the meanings and interpretations that people
assign to their experiences.

An interpretivistic philosophy also typically manifests in the adoption of


a qualitative methodology, relying on data collection methods such
as interviews, observations, and textual analysis.

These types of studies commonly explore complex social phenomena and


individual perspectives, which are naturally more subjective and nuanced.
3.Pragmatism
Pragmatism takes a more practical and flexible approach, focusing on the
usefulness and applicability of research findings, rather than an all-or-nothing,
mutually exclusive philosophical position.

This allows you, as the researcher, to explore research aims that cross
philosophical boundaries, using different perspectives for different aspects of the
study.

With a pragmatic research paradigm,both quantitative and qualitative

methods can play a part, depending on the research questions and the context of
the study. This often manifests in studies that adopt a mixed-method approach,
utilising a combination of different data types and analysis methods.

Ultimately, the pragmatist adopts a problem-solving mindset, seeking practical


ways to achieve diverse research aims.

What is the difference between Methods and


Methodology?

Methods are the specific tools and procedures used to collect and analyze data.
This could include:

 Interviews

 Surveys
 Focus groups

 Experiments

 Case studies

 Observational studies

 Online data collection

Every method varies in style, so it is important that you research these before
applying them.

Methodology is the theoretical framework to support the methods chosen.


It is a perspective taken on the research,which dictates how it is approached.

Examples of this are:

 Critical Theory – “strands of critical theoryexist in terms of criticism of


occidental complacency and that ruling elites and ideologies should be challenged
as well as greater equality and liberty sought.”
References

1. A. Book of Optics (circa 1027) After anatomical investigation of the human eye,
and an exhaustive study of human visual perception, Alhacen characterizes the
first postulate of Euclid's Optics as 'superfluous and useless' (Book I, [6.54] —
thereby overturning Euclid's, Ptolemy's, and Galen's emission theory of vision,
using logic and deduction from experiment. He showed Euclid's first postulate of
Optics to be hypothetical only, and fails to account for his experiments.), and
deduces that light must enter the eye, in order for us to see. He describes
the camera obscura as part of this investigation.

B. Book of Optics Book Seven, Chapter Two [2.1] p.220: — light travels through
transparent bodies, such as air, water, glass, transparent stones, in straight lines.
"Indeed, this is observable by means of experiment".[89]

C.The full title translation is from Voelkel (2001), p. 60

2. https://gradcoach.com/research-philosophy/

3. Howell, K.E 2013, An introduction to the philosophy of methodology, SAGE


Publications Ltd, London, [Accessed 6 November 2018], doi:
10.4135/9781473957633.

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