CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH LECTURE SERIES

2014

Philosophical Bases of Research Methods

Brian A. Vasquez
Research Director Center for Research and Development University of the Visayas

When researchers choose a specific research tradition, what philosophical assumptions are being implicitly acknowledged?

Philosophical Assumptions
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ontologic stance toward the nature of the study Epistemologic how the researcher knows what he knows Axiologic role of values in the research Rhetoric language of research Methodologic methods used in the process

Ontologic: What is the nature of REALITY? Positivist Paradigm- reality exist; there is a real world driven by natural causes.

Reality is out there that can be studied and known. Assumptionism- basic principle that is believe to be true without proof or verification. Determinism- the belief that the phenomena are not haphazard or random events but have antecedent causes.

Naturalistic Paradigm- Reality is multiple and subjective, constructed by individuals.

Ontological Assumption

Implication for Practice: Quantitative

Testing

Framework and Hypothesis Thru Statistics (descriptive or inferential) Relationships:

Causal

vs Functional or Associative

Qualitative

Quotes and Themes in words of participants that provides evidence of different perspective

Associative Relationship

Var1

Var2

Med V

There is no IV and DV for Descriptive Studies

Mod V

IV
Causal Relationship Functional Relationship

DV

Epistemologic Assumption - How is the inquirer related to those being studied? Positivist Paradigm The inquirer is independent of those being studied Naturalistic Paradigm The inquirer interacts with those being studied; findings reflect interaction.

Epistemological Assumption

Implications:

Quantitative: Objectivity thru control and thus maintains distance (No Influence) Qualitative: Researcher attempts to lessen/minimize distance between himself and that being researched (objective separateness) (Interaction is necessary to obtain data)

Epistemological Assumption

Implications:

Quantitative: Tools and Scales as Instruments Qualitative: Researcher as the Main Instrument

Interview

Interview Schedule, Interview Guide and Audio Recorder Field Notes and Audio-Video Recorder Reflection Notes

Observation

Participation

Epistemological Assumption

Implications:

Quantitative: Laboratory work(control) Qualitative: Fieldwork (naturalistic) Quantitative: short period and outsider view Qualitative: researcher collaborates, spends time in the field with participants, and becomes an insider

from outsider to insider

Axiologic Assumption - What is the role of values in the inquiry? Positivist Paradigm- values are held in check; objectivity is sought. Naturalistic ParadigmSubjective values are inevitable, desirable.

Axiological Assumption

Quantitative: value free (control)

Control variables Openly discuss values Interpretation are based from results

Qualitative: value-laden nature (Positioning)

Quantitative: eliminate biases

Qualitative: biases are present and acknowledged

Include personal interpretation in conjunction with participants interpretation

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

Rhetoric Assumption

Implications:

Quantitative: Operational Definition Qualitative: Orientational or No to Limited Definition (no control)

Define terms in the text and there are multiple definition taken from the informants

Quantitative: Formal way of writing (used to be third person but recent practice use first person) Qualitative: Personal and artistic writing (first-person)

Engaging Style of Narrative May use metaphor

poetry, monologue, fiction, sketches, portraits and photos

CRITERIA DEFINITION CREDIBILITY Confidence in the truth of the data and (Validity) interpretation (believability and demonstrate credibility to external readers) Stability of data over time and over DEPENDABILITY conditions (Would the findings be (Reliability) repeated when replicated?) CONFIRMABILITY Potential for congruence between two or (Objectivity) more independent people about the datas accuracy, relevance and meaning.

CRITERIA DEFINITION CREDIBILITY Confidence in the truth of the data and inferences are accurate and (Validity) Validity interpretation (believability and well-founded; the degree to which the demonstrate credibility to it external instrument measures what intends readers) Stability of data over time and over DEPENDABILITY Reliability degree of consistency or conditions (Would the findings be (Reliability) dependability with which an instrument repeated when replicated?)
measures an attribute

CONFIRMABILITY Potential for congruence between two or Objectivity the extent to which two (Objectivity) more independent people about the independent research would arrive at data ssimilar accuracy, relevance meaning. the judgments or and conclusion

AUTHENTICITY

Researchers fairly and faithfully show a range of different realities.

SATURATION

Sense of closure is attained because new data yield redundant information.

TRANSFERABILITY (Generalizability)

Refers to whether the findings from a completed study have similar (not necessarily identical) meanings and relevance to be transferred to another similar situation, context, or group.

AUTHENTICITY

Researchers fairly and faithfully show a range of different realities.

SATURATION

Sense of closure is attained because new data yield redundant information.

TRANSFERABILITY Refers to whether the findings from the a Generalizability the degree to which (Generalizability) research completed study have similar (not that methods justify the inference the findings are true for meanings a broader group necessarily identical) and than study participants: can be relevance to be transferred to another generalized from the sample to the similar situation, context, or group. population (External Validity)

Identify the COLOR of the WORD DO NOT READ Them

It is hard right!

This is because the left brain asks you to read the word aloud which is in conflict with your right brain which asks you to determine the color. When your left brain had determined the color it needs to pass the buck to your right brain for verbal expression.

Methodologic Assumption (The Science of Knowing) How is knowledge obtained?

POSITIVE (Quantitative) NATURALISTIC (Qualitative)

Objective Verification of predictions Outsider knowledge Fixed, pre specified Tight control over context

Subjective (Relative) Emerging interpretations Insider knowledge Flexible, emergent Context-bound, contextualized

Discreet, Numeric, Measured, Statistical

Seeks generalization Product oriented

Subjective, Non-Quantifiable Narrative, Qualitative analysis

Seeks understanding (pattern) Product and process oriented

PRAGMATIC APPROACH: MIXED METHOD DESIGN

Recently, researchers are mixing and using both qualitative and quantitative methods "to be sure" or "to get better findings" .

According to the PURIST Purist Perspective

In general, qualitative and quantitative paradigms have different philosophies, purposes, goals, methods, and desired outcomes, and so they:

should not be viewed as the same; and used in the same ways.

According to the PURIST Purist Perspective

Recognizing this reality, the two research paradigms and methods should not be mixed as it

violates the philosophy, purposes, and integrity of each paradigm; and leads to questionable outcomes.

According to the PURIST Purist Perspective

Mixing both methods may obscure the data and is a misuse of both paradigms.

WHY?

Qualitative research methods and findings can stand alone and explain findings Quantitative methods with statistical treatments are not necessary or appropriate to justify qualitative studies.

Exemption: Researchers may opt to MIX with the following conditions

1.

Unless the researcher has good reasons; and 2. Can justify using multiple methods.

Count the number of "F"s in the sentence. FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

How many did you count? Three ? Four? The answer is Six.

One reason you may have missed counting all Six is that your brain does not process the "F" in "OF". The word is pronounced as "OV".

Historical Background of the Philosophical Bases for Research Methods

Brian A. Vasquez
Research Director Center for Research and Development University of the Visayas

Scientific Approach / Modernism Positive Paradigm ( Positive/ Logical Reasoning) By Auguste Compte a (French Philosopher) launched in 1822 To replace religious justification with scientific objectivity. Basing from: Empirical evidence- evidence rooted in objective reality and gathered using ones senses as the basis for generating knowledge. Value objectivity Attempt to hold personal belief Attempt to hold biases to avoid data Use of orderly, disciplined methods CONTAMINATION with tight controls

Khunian vs Laudian Framework

The polarity can be traced from the Khunian framework (1962).

However, one can view a specific research practice as a research tradition rather than a specific paradigm (Clark, 1998).

Laudanian framework (1977) believed that all paradigms could co-exist.

There are multiple origins with multiple trails to track (Cook, 1985). Therefore, Laudanian framework views it as a continuum rather than mere bipolarity.

Post Positivism Paradigm- Personal beliefs and feelings can do influence the problems scientist choose to study, what they choose to observe, and the conclusions they draw from those observations. Recognized that observation & measurement cannot be as purely objective as implied by the ideal image of science but

attempts to anticipate attempts to minimize

the impact of potentially non objective influences

Instead of attempting to verify universal laws, they examine the conditions under which particular ideas and hypothesis are and are not falsified. Employ flexible methods: tend to see their findings as assembly tentative & exploratory in nature, generating new ideas for further testing.

POSTMODERNISM
Naturalistic Paradigm (constructivist, relativism, interpretivism) do not focus on isolating & objectively measuring causes or in developing generalizations. Attempt to gain an emphatic understanding of how people feel inside, seeking to interpret individuals everyday experiences, deeper meanings & feelings, idiosyncratic reasons for their behaviors. The best way to learn about people is to be flexible & subjective

Postmodernism thinking emphasizes the value of deconstruction & reconstruction 1. Deconstruction- taking apart all ideas & structures. 2. Reconstruction- putting ideas & structures together.

Reality is not a fixed entity but rather a construction of the individuals participating in the research ; reality exist within the context; and many constructions as possible.

Relativism- multiple interpretation of reality that exist in peoples minds, then there is no process by which the ultimate truth or falsity of the construction can be determined.

Research processes: The use of theory and concepts in research

Brian A. Vasquez
Research Director Center for Research and Development University of the Visayas

THEORY vs THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

and CONCEPT vs CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

FRAMEWORK VS SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

(narrative)

(visual representation of the narrative)

TYPES OF EVIDENCE and EVIDENCE HEIRARCHIES Systematic

review of RCTs and Non RCTs

RCTs and Non RCTs

Systematic review of single correlational or observational study
Single correlational or observational study

Systematic review of single descriptive, qualitative or physiologic studies

Single descriptive, qualitative or physiologic studies

Opinion of authorities and experts

Abductive Process and Retroductive Process (Laudian Framework)