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S - Week 1 - 1 Intoduction To Research Paradigm

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12 views23 pages

S - Week 1 - 1 Intoduction To Research Paradigm

Uploaded by

jocelyn202402
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© © All Rights Reserved
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AQC7001

RESEARCH METHODS IN LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION TO
RESEARCH PARADIGMS

Sem. 1 2024/2025
WHAT DOES RESEARCH MEAN,
AND ARE YOU DOING IT?

Research is formalised curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose


-- Hurston, Z.N. (1996) Dust Tracks on a Road, New York, NY, HarperCollins.
Research is….

A process of enquiry and investigation

It is systematic, methodical and ethical

Can help solve practical problems........

and increase knowledge


Sample of a research article
HOW DOES ONE CONDUCT RESEARCH?
There is a general research process
There is a scientific
research process
HOW TO DECIDE WHICH APPROACH TO USE?
It starts with knowing your research
paradigm.
What is the Research paradigm?
RESEARCH PARADIGM

• A paradigm is a “worldview” or a set of


assumptions about how things work.
When researchers talk
about different approaches • It is the entire constellation of beliefs, values,
to research, they talk about techniques and so on shared by members of a
“paradigms.” given [scientific ] community (Kuhn, 1970,
p.146)
• Rossman & Rallis (1998) define paradigm as
“shared understandings of reality”
• Research paradigm does imply a methodology
Kuhn. T.S. (1970). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago, Chicago University Press.
Rossman, G.B., and Rallis, S.F. 1998. Learning in the field: An introduction to qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Public
RESEARCH PARADIGM
Research Paradigm – Burrell and Morgan, 1979

ASSUMPTIONS SUBJECTIVE (INTERPRETIVIST) OBJECTIVE (POSITIVIST)

Ontology Views the world as something that is Sees the world as given and separate from
socially constructed individuals
Researching it involves collecting Can be researched through objective data
subjective accounts and experiences using scientific and experimental
methodologies
Qualitative data
Quantitative data

Epistemology Interpretivism Positivism


Knowledge is softer, subjective and Knowledge is hard, objective, collecting and
based on experience analysing quantitative data

Methodology Inductive reasoning - produces theory Deductive reasoning - confirms a theory

Method Qualitative Quantitative


WHAT APPROACH TO USE?
ONTOLOGY
what is out there to know

OBJECTIVE/
SUBJECTIVE/ POSITIVIST
INTERPRETIVIST
EPISTIMOLOGY
how we know what we know

Interpretivism Positivism
 Associated with qualitative research Associated with quantitative research
 Used to obtain an understanding of Involves hypothesis testing to obtain
the word from an individual “objective” truth. Used to predict what may
perspective happen at a future date
 Critical Humanism is a subtype of Critical realism is a subtype of positivism
the Interpretive paradigm that incorporates some value assumptions
 The critical humanism approach is on the part of the researcher
one in which the researcher involves It involves looking at power in society
people studied in the research Researchers primarily rely on quantitative
process.
data to do this
 Data is used for social change
Methodology
how to acquire the knowledge

 Theory of acquiring new knowledge


and the process involved in
identifying, reflecting upon and
justifying the best research method
 The overall theoretical approach

 The angle the researcher wishes to


take on the question being asked

How many?
How often? Quantitative angle
Simple example: When?
Examine use of library services by students
How?
Qualitative angle
Why?
RESEARCH APPROACH
RESEARCH PARADIGM INFLUENCES RESEARCH
FOUNDATION AND METHODOLOGY

Research Research Research Research Research


Paradigm Does imply methodology May imply Method May imply technique May imply Instrument
Positivist Qualitative Survey Questionnaire Pencil & paper, etc.
Interpretivist Quantitative Case study Experiment
Delphi study interview
Etc.

The research hierarchy (Pickard, 2002; Pickard & Dixon, 2004; Pickard, 2013)
.... and the research design

Subjectivist Objectivist
(Qualitative) (Quantitative)

Case study Survey

Action research Correlational

Ethnographic Experimental

Grounded theory Website interceptor

Narrative Bibliometrics
Class activity 1

• How does your worldview or research paradigm


influence the way you conduct your research?
• (How do you want to know what you want to
know?)
Identify the research paradigm of the authors.

Refer to the activity in Spectrum


Ontology Epistemology Methodology Method

What’s out there to How we know what How to acquire to What procedure to
know to know knowledge use

Subjectivism Interpretivism Inductive Qualitative

Views the world as Interpretation of


Develop truth based Observations to
something that is phenomena
on social interaction theory
socially constructed

Objectivism Positivism Deductive Quantitative

Sees the world as


Truth out there to be Empirical
given and separate General to specific
discovered assessment
from individuals
• Continue with Lecture 1.2

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