Philosophy of science and research

Research Methods

Qualitative Research

non numerical data

emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection of analyzing data

"context means everything"

Quantitative Research

systematic empirical investigation

collecting and analyzing numerical data

Methodology

Ontology

beliefs about reality, our perception of truth, the nature of reality, what entities operate within the reality and how they interrelate to each other

Interpretivism

“ feeling” researches , how do humans make sense of the world around them? , multiple realities shaped by context, understanding interpretations, experience of individuals/groups ,empathy with their subjects

Inductive

pattern analysis → hypothesis → theory
development of a theory as a result of the observations of empirical data
goal of understanding a particular phenomena within a social context

Subjectivism

social phenomena is created from the perception that
social life is the product of social interactions

Emic

subjective approach , interaction is needed, truth is created, “dig deep, get inside”

Methodology

Epistemology

theory of knowledge, social world is studied according to the same principles and procedures as the natural sciences, nature of knowledge, what is considered as acceptable knowledge ?

Positivism

generalizable, objective, one truth that does not change, social facts apart from the beliefs of an individual, social facts in a scientific and systematic way, structural forces, macroperspective, researchers are independent

Objectivism

social phenomena and their meanings have an existence that is independent of social actors, social world is as concrete and real as the natural world

Deductive

theory → hypothesis → pattern analysis → truth
starting with a theory

Etic

realism, truth can be measured, objective , “stay back”