Paradigms

Question 1

Paradigm

Answer 1

• Research Paradigms address the philosophical dimensions of social science
• A Research Paradigm is a set of fundamental assumptions and beliefs as to how the world is perceived which then serves as thinking frameworks that guides the behaviour of the researcher (Wahyuni, 2012)
• Research Paradigms are the frameworks, perspectives or models from which we see, interpret and understand the world
• Paradigms shape the whole research process

Question 2

Major Research Paradigms

Answer 2

• Positivism/Post-positivisms
• Interpretivism/Constructivism
• Pragmatism
• Transformative

Question 3

Major Research Paradigms - Positivism/Post-Postivism

Answer 3

Both start with testing the theory in the form of hypotheses and involve statistical tests in their research process.
• Social Reality is objective and independent of human experience (positivists)
• Maintains separation from the researcher and researched
• Develops numeric measures to generate knowledge – generalized knowledge (nomothetic approach)
• Believes in universality of knowledge
• Believes in generalization, but admits that knowledge is a result of social conditioning (post-positivism)
• Social reality needs to be framed in a certain context (post-positivism)

Question 4

Major Research Paradigms - Interpretivism/Constuctivism

Answer 4

—• Opposite to positivism and post-positivism
—• Believes that knowledge is subjective
—• Reality is constructed by social actors and people
—• Individuals contribute to the construction of knowledge
—• Social reality can change and have multiple perspectives
—• Works with qualitative data (idiographic approach)
—• Provides detailed explanation and narratives
—• Researcher and research participants influence data and analysis

Question 5

Major Research Paradigms - Pragmatism

Answer 5

• Refuses to join paradigm debates between interpretivism and positivism
• Start with research question and determine research framework
• Accepts mixture of ontology, epistemology and axiology
• Use both qualitative and quantitative data to better understand the reality

Question 6

Major Research Paradigms - Transformative

Answer 6

• Focuses on change and transformation
• Participatory/collaborative
• Power and Justice oriented
• Focused on social change

Question 7

Ontologically

Answer 7

Ontologically both share common view that social reality is external and objective

Question 8

Axiologically

Answer 8

Axiologically, they maintain separation from the researcher and the researched

Question 9

Epistemologically

Answer 9

Epistemologically, they advocate the use of a scientific approach by developing numeric measures to generate acceptable knowledge.

Question 10

Research Methodology/Research Approach

Answer 10

The overall model behind the research/overall approach

• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Mixed Methods

Question 11

Research Methods/Data Collection Methods

Answer 11

The specific strategy how to collect, analyze and analyze data/Procedure for inquiry

• Interview
• Survey
• Questionnaire
• Participant Observation

Question 12

Research Design

Answer 12

The specific strategy how to collect, analyze, and analyze data/Procedures for inquiry

• Experimental Design
• Ethnography
• Case Study
• Narrative Inquiry

Question 13

Paradigms/Worldview

Answer 13

Perspectives how we see and understand the world, and consequently the research process

• Positivism/Post-Positivism
• Constructivism/Interpretvism