I have put together this post to explain what a research paradigm is, which includes ontology, epistemology, theoretical framework and methodology, and why it is important for your research or PhD. It took me a while to understand this properly, and below is a summary of my understanding of the topic, which I hope will help you. I suggest you go easy on yourself (I was pulling my hair out on the second day). I would also love to be corrected if anything below is wrong (though as you are aware, there are so many disagreements amongst philosophers and epistemologists – there is no one right answer!). So, let’s get started …
[This post is also available to read in Arabic here.]
What is a research paradigm?
According to Guba (1990), research paradigms can be characterised through their:A research paradigm is “the set of common beliefs and agreements shared between scientists about how problems should be understood and addressed” (Kuhn, 1962)
- ontology – What is reality?
- epistemology – How do you know something?
- methodology – How do you go about finding it out?
The diagram below explains the above terms and the relationship between them:
If the above still doesn’t make things clear, don’t worry. I would now recommend you watch this video which explains the above in very simple terms, and explains the two major paradigms: positivism and constructivism.
Why is it important?
Your ontology and epistemology create a holistic view of how knowledge is viewed and how we can see ourselves in relation to this knowledge, and the methodological strategies we use to un/discover it. Awareness of philosophical assumptions will increase quality of research and can contribute to the creativity of the researcher. Furthermore, you will be asked about it in your viva and are expected to narrate it when you write up your research findings.
Which research paradigm does my research belong to?
In really simple terms, the three most common paradigms are explained below (and are shown in this epistemology diagram too, taken from here):
- Positivists believe that there is a single reality, which can be measured and known, and therefore they are more likely to use quantitative methods to measure and this reality.
- Constructivists believe that there is no single reality or truth, and therefore reality needs to be interpreted, and therefore they are more likely to use qualitative methods to get those multiple realities.
- Pragmatists believe that reality is constantly renegotiated, debated, interpreted, and therefore the best method to use is the one that solves the problem
The table below (which I created) gives a more detailed overview of each paradigm (and contains subjectivism and critical too), and your own research paradigm could very well sit in between one of the paradigms. You could use a top down or a bottom up approach (Rebecca explains here) to decide where your research sits. In a bottom up approach, you decide on your research question, then you decide which methods, methodology, theoretical perspective you will approach your research from. In reality, I believe its probably neither strictly a top down or bottom up approach, you probably go back and forth till you find the right fit. I believe each research project would have a different research paradigm and hence a different theoretical perspective.
Table adapted from various sources, including Crotty (1998). Crotty left ontology out of his framework, and also didn’t include Pragmatism and Critical. But the assumptions underlying every piece of research are both ontological and epistemological.
Where does most social science research sit?
According to Eddie, and quoting directly, most social science sits into the following:
“1. Experimental (Positivist), with a more realist ontology (i.e. reality is out there), with an empiricist epistemology (i.e. and I’ll gather sense data to find it);
2. Postmodernist constructivism, with a less realist ontology (i.e. reality is just a load of competing claims), and a constructivist epistemology (i.e. and I’ll analyse those competing accounts to explore it)
Applied, then to social psychology, it is important to understand the tension, throughout its history, between:
1. A more traditional experimental (quantitative) approach, which sees social reality as a set of facts to be known for all time by measuring people in the laboratory;
2. A more critical, discursive (qualitative) approach, which sees social reality as mutually constructed between people in the real world.”
However, I must add that pragmatism (and hence mixed methods research) is also being increasingly used in social sciences.
What impact will my chosen paradigm have on my research?
It will have a huge impact. Let me give you an example of an interview based research that is constructivist:
“So as GP trainers, constructivism means that to understand our trainees and their learning, beliefs or behaviours we have to be aware of their experience and culture (the historical and cultural contexts) and recognise that they don’t just potentially see the world differently to us, but experience it differently too.” Source.
Useful reading and references
Texts I found useful:
Crotty, M., 1998. Foundations of social research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process. p.256.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R. and Jackson, P.R., 2012. Management Research. [online] SAGE Publications. Available at: <https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Management_Research.html?id=ahbhMb-R7MQC&pgis=1> [Accessed 14 Jul. 2015].
Scotland, J., 2012. Exploring the philosophical underpinnings of research: Relating ontology and epistemology to the methodology and methods of the scientific, interpretive, and critical research paradigms. English Language Teaching, 5(9), pp.9–16.
Blog posts that were useful:
http://doctoralstudy.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/being-clear-about-methodology-ontology.html?m=1
http://eddiechauncy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/what-are-ontology-and-epistemology_12.html
Useful video:
Assumptions of researchers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gONyWHpSSWc
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Jazakamullah Khair
Thank so much. I have been struggling with the research terminology. This is now so clear. Help me now understand the difference between a conceptual framework and theoretical framework.
Very very useful article, thank you. Is this the correct way to cite in APA?
Patel, S. (2015). The research paradigm – methodology, epistemology and ontology – explained in simple language. Retrieved from https://salmapatel.co.uk/academia/the-research-paradigm-methodology-epistemology-and-ontology-explained-in-simple-language/
Thanks Vana, I’m pleased to hear it was useful. I think that looks fine.
Thanks a million brother Salma Patel. A scholastic, helpful post that made me understand the subject crystal clear. God bless you.
You’re very welcome Anthony, I’m glad it was helpful!
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Oh my gosh, this is amazing. And so, so helpful. Thank you for making it so clear. That table alone is worth a million bucks. THANK YOU! You’re amazing.
Thank you so much for the knowledge you shared for us who are working on research as I was confused about these long words but the explanation provided for each word and their meaning, enlightening myself in research terminology for words like epistemology, ontology, and many more. Thanks again and God bless .
Thanks Salma
This is very helpful, clearly laid out information. it helped with my assignment.
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for your comment. I am very pleased to hear it was useful for your assignment.
Best wishes,
Salma
What an excellent explanation you have given brother.. It is really useful for my thesis works. Decided to keep in touch with your site… Thanks
in research conducts , how important is it to consider the relationships between research paradigms, approaches, and methods? need an clarification
Many thanks Salma. I’ve just begun my journey in doctorate research and the biggest learning curve so far is simply understanding academic language. Your explanation has made it all that much simpler. Brilliant – thank you!!
Thanks Rowley, I’m pleased to hear it was useful.
Best wishes,
Salma
I re-read this information, and now I am now certain that I am locating my research in the correct paradigm of Pragmatism. So I am also using genealogy, which is part critical. Therefore, mixed methods.
Dear Salma, I found it very useful and learn lots out of it. Thank you for sharing.
I have been pulling my hair out! Thank you for your explanation at least I can attempt my assignment
very informative. Thank you Salma. I have been really pulling my hair out. Now I can attempt my assignment.
Hi Salma
Thank you so much for your sharing such an informative information, it was very helpful for me.
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I Love charts. This is so ridiculously helpful of you. Very generous.
Brilliant! Felt like I was a little lost until I came across your page. Thanks for your hard work!
Alhamdulillah. A very useful review. Shared. JazakAllah Khair Kathira.
Absolutely useful guidelines as I embark on my doctoral journey. I am busy with my research proposal and your post has come in handy and is helping me clarify my research methodology. Many thanks Salma.
thanks very much this has being of good help.
mashalla brelient assumption JZ KL
this is amazing!!!! I actually understand it!! this should be in text books, books and everything ! amazing amazing amazing !!!
What a great article and video! It was extremely helpful! I was reading the whole day a lot of shitty articles about the philosophy of research and couldn’t interpret it according to my research. Holistic and very useful materials. Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much.. very useful for research.
Very useful, BIG thank you from UK.
Just wanna say thanks for the explicit / definitive explanation!! An exampler of a best teacher!
This is very helpful, thanks
I must confess that this post helped to lift the burden of understanding this process few hours to the before submission of my Mphil-PhD transfer report. This is absolutely resourceful Patel. Presented in such a manner that a layman can understand this process. Thanks once again as you have just saved a brother.
Thanks for this article and the youtube video. Breaking the concepts down as you have done has really helped grasp these concepts as I commence my PhD studies. Great job!
Thanks Patel.The work is superb.It has assisted me great deal.May be if you have PDF versions of Ontology, Epistemology and Methodology, you can assist me to use in my Masters degree.
Great site to make sense of big words in simple terms. Thank you for the insight and simplicity of approach.
Thank you everyone for your lovely comments. I am truly pleased to hear this article has been useful to so many of you! Wishing you all the best with your research endeavors.
Salma
Thanks Salma, this was helpful, easy to understand and interesting above all. The presentation simplifies everything about research. Thanks so much
I really appreciate your great effort for helping students who have been facing challenge with research.
You have lucidly and successfully explain the technical terms to the novice
Can you use the ontology and epistemology at the same time in the dissertation? Example say ontology of power is socially constructed and my epistemology to explain power is what?
Hi Helubi,
You would normally make reference to both Ontology and Epistemology in the thesis. I am not sure if the example you have given is correct though.
Best wishes,
Salma
Ontology is let say What is AIDS and epistemology is finding how you find AIDS? So ontology is a topic and epistemology finding how you arrive with the knowledge. Ontology can be positivist or non-positivist, subjective and objective.
Grt work man. Learnt a lot from ur simple explanations
Thanks n keep up
Thanks for information.. it’s really good and very helpful for me to complete my assignment and also for my exams.
This has been very helpful. thanks a million
Very useful, You made this so simple. Well done and thanks for relieving me of some of the stress.
Hi . if anyone can guide. Can i only use the quantitative research approach while following the pragmatism paradigm
Yes Tariq, I don’t see why not.
Salma
Thank you so much Salma. Brilliant explanation. From South Africa / Eritrea.
Thanks very much for this – after reading many text books and articles and still feeling lost, this was super helpful!!
One thing that i’m still not sure on though is where it is best to include your epistemological stance in the dissertation? Is it in the Analysis part of your methods? Or is it in Design as it is supposed to influence your whole study? I haven’t ever seen anyone reporting it in a journal article before so don’t have any insight into this, yet we are expected to include it ‘somewhere’. Any recommendations or thoughts would be much appreciated!
Hi Natalie,
I have usually seen it reported in the methodology chapter – that is also where I placed mine. I hope that helps.
Best wishes,
Salma
This is amazing, thank you so much – I’ve been trying to get my head around this for months and you’ve done such a great job of explaining it in ways that are easily understood. Why aren’t you my lecturer haha :'(
Your information is very useful. I have really enjoyed reading it. I have little understanding of ontoloy and epistemology now
Hello,thank you so much saima,i am very happy that i found it the meaning of research paradigm.i have many learn about methodology and also thank you that you are sharing your knowledge with us.
God bless you saima patel!!!!
Wow, thank you so much for making this clear. It will certainly help with my assignment.
Thank you for sharing, this has been so helpful for my understanding of the different paradigms.
Thank you for helping us to know critical things in precise ;concise; and simple manner. honestly speaking it is crucial and insightful in doing of my assignment and i owed to acknowledges you ideas dully. How ever, I would like forward one question for you.Is there an instance in which two or more research paradigm may likely included in single research?
Hi, Thank you so much for this. However. I would like to ask something: is it possible to conduct a phenomenological research with a deductive analysis?
Thank you very much.
Thank you so much. Your comments really helped with my assignment in understanding ontology & epistemology
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Thank you so much for creating this post Salma! I struggled with these concepts during undergrad, now that I’m completing my masters I had to get to grips with them, this post helped a lot and so did your recommendations for further reading 🙂
Thank you so much brother! Your article has helped me a lot in my thesis review.
Thanks so much salma for sharing the very useful information. I appreciate you. I have more learn about various types of research paradigm. Best of luck. Again thanks for sharing us. Stay blessed
you page saved my time and reading , well analyzed document
This is amazing. You really simplified it to a point where it’s understandable yet sticks to the core of what it is. Huge props.
Dr. P, thank you so much for this explanation! I haven’t explored the rest of your blog but just this one has been so helpful. Glad to know I have some place to go to for clarity 🙂
i really appreciate your work, for me, knowingly that I am a young scholar, your work is going to be my motivational device to get puberty academically
This was good and helpful,,,i was about to begin pulling my hair out. Thank you
I came to this post seeking information to address an article reviewer’s request to restructure a methodology section that directly contrasted with the second reviewers’ request for the same article. this is not the first time this has happened. I wish all reviewers would read your article it is useful and clear. I certainly will keep it in mind for my own future reviews. Thanks.
Hi, thanks for the information. I have a question that maybe you or someone can help me with. If symbolic interactionism is influenced by pragmatism, how did it end up being a interpretist theoretical perspective? I get that pragmatism states to use the best methods possible, but is there any more information on this? Many thanks in advance
Thank you. This is a clear, logical post that provides explanation in an easily accessible fashion.
Many thanks Salma, that ‘s really helps clearing up lots of confusions and same me much more time.
Truly appreciate this information, it could not have been any clearer,
This is brilliant. I am currently writing my Methods chapter and was struggling to understand a lot of the philosophical underpinnings piece. What you have provided here is very clear and comprehensive. Thank you for sharing.
I just wanted to say Thank you!
Finally, someone who can explain all the jargon simply. I am so much better equipped both in my personal studies and in my academic career.
Best wishes.
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Salma, I have shared this with many researchers and students and keep coming back to it. It is really an invaluable post and you have done the academic community a great service in sharing it. Just wanting to say thank you. x
Thanks you Becca, that’s very kind!
Best wishes,
Salma
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CONTRIBUTION. JUST A REQUEST FOR A MORE ELABORATE AND PRECISE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A METHOD AND A METHODOLOGY. THANK YOU
That was extremely helpful. your explanation, and the videos you have linked to. It is just so good!
Great help for my dissertation thanks!!!
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thank you thank you – even pronouncing the words was a task in itself but your simple guidelines enabled an understanding and have formed good foundation to build upon.
I am a PhD candidate and return to this page time and again. Thank you for putting it together. It’s been a tremendous help.
Thank you for this very useful information. Please anyone, help me to understand that, where is the definition of Paradigm mentioned in the book of Kuhn 1962.
Salma, Thank you so much for your time, effort and sharing your knowledge. Your website is invaluable and has really helped me feel confident about starting my thesis, after feeling completely lost and hopeless. you are a genius!
thank you so much Patel i benefited a lot I was confused of the methodological approach and the interpretative if still apply in qualitative
[…] at the back of my mind. Ideally I should be able to clearly articulate to others what my research paradigm is, though I often find myself oscillating between different poles depending on the day of the […]
Thank you so much. Really helped.
Very useful to me as a newbie.Thank you so much Mr Salma Patel.
its very clear and simple to understood
A well written article on the paradigms of research in social science. I found many insights regarding the topic. The tabular form is much interesting and comprehensive. thanks for sharing such information on one of the important aspects of conducting research in social science
Thanks so much for this. Its simply awesome
a vivid explaination (i was so confused)
thank you maam
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This has been fantastic and has saved me from losing my mind. The detail is clear, simple and understandable. I thank you for this.
thank Dr Amjad, it relays very helpful and interesting videos and notes all the best with the new post.
Fares
This was really helpful! I struggle with epistemology and what to actually say about it when writing up how I did a mini study.
I would like to take your permission to translate this post into Arabic with reference to the source.
Hi Zanah, thanks, that would be helpful! Could you drop me a quick line please on me (at) salmapatel.co.uk? Thanks! Salma
I like the whole presentation, made things a little clearer
Question:
Where do i talk about the theoretical perspective and paradigm when it comes to developing the proposal. Which chapter and section?
Hi Agnes,
I’m pleased to hear you found it useful. It usually goes in the methodology chapter, which is normally found after the literature review chapter. All the best, Salma
Thank you Salma. Now, Can someone use phenomenology as a theory to base the research or it is inadequate. What do you think?
This was awesome! It was simple and easy to understand. Thank you so much! I’m sure I’ll be back with more questions though!
So very helpful Salma. Clearly written and in brilliantly simple terms. You have helped me to no end with the design of my research, thank you.
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Thanks, its a wonderful explanation.
this has been very helpful. am happy I read.
This saved me! Thanks. I was feeling really overwhelmed by the terminology. thanks so much.
Good day salma may I ask your help? how would I write a research paradigm about Identification and assessment of learners with learning disabilities? please help. thanks
Thank you, this helped me so much. What all the information my uni tried to give me but I didn’t need to filter through everything I couldn’t understand.
Thank you Salma; this has deepened my understanding.
Thanks Salma, its a wonderful and simple explanation
Thank you so much, this article and video has made my life so much easier, I was really struggling with research paradigms and you have made the subject very clear!
Hi Salma!
Thank you so much for your effort in explaining all the aspects about research in many forms. Your materials have really clarified all my confusion especially about the terms involved in research. I salute you for your intelligence and simplistic method of explaining research to those who are not well-versed about it. May the force be with you, man!
Thank you so much for the write. I know what to do now
Very useful, understandable. Thank you
Very easy to understand ,useful content
Thank you
Thank you! This has been most helpful!
Very simple and clear explanation . Really useful. Thank you for posting this.
This was very helpful I even cited you. Continue the good work Dr Patel. Very informative
Thanks so much for this detailed but simplified explanation. It is of great help.
Thank you. This is the most useful explanation I have ever come across with in Research Paradigms
This is insightful. Thank you for the clear explanations. I have fully understood the terms and now able to apply them. Thank you a million times
This came at a time when I am struggling understanding their meanings and trying to apply them to research philosophical underpinning. Thank you Salma for this simplified explanation. I salute you
Thank you, very clear explanation.
Thank you Dr Salma for the ever green demystification of research paradigm. God Bless You.
I read a book for 5 hours and I didn’t get it. I read your post in 5 mins and I completely understood. Thank you
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Salma, thank you so much for this scholarship of knowledge. I am just starting my Research Paradigm journey on what system (s) I will use for my Dissertation Research. I am not sure if it will be Qualitative, Quantitative or both. I’m Just diving in!
Oh my goodness. Sanity at last!! Thank you so much for sharing this comprehensive and easy to understand post. Your videos are also wonderful!
Thank you so much. This has been really helpful and – I think – the information has finally gone in!!
This is INCREDIBLY complex and yet tremendously easy to understand. Thank you for sharing. It helped me with my placement research. 🙂
Hi Salma
Found this very helpful and it was referred to in a recent text on Community and Human Services. However my supervisor is not keen on me referring to a blog in my PhD. Just wondering if you have submitted this to peer reviewed journal. I am particularly interested in the sections on constructionism and pragmatism. I am using mixed methods with qualitative data based on phenomenological interpretation with quant data which I have got from an organisation.
Look forward to your reply! Mary
Very Useful Content
I would like to suggest Recep Senturk Maratib Alwujud for an Islamic Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology guide.
Thanks
OMG Thank you so much, this is so helpful and the best explanation I have seen yet. I am currently studying Qualitative research at Uni for my Master of Nursing and this has helped me a lot.
Thanks Jackie
Thank you so much. This article and table has made life much easier. Much appreciated.
Brilliant, thank you so much. An easy to read guide and explanation. I can actually now start writing my methodology section
It is simply Super.
If willing, convert it into well structured journal article.
that will increase its reach beyond imagination like crotty
Thanks for the clear info, really helpful article!
I am in the second of three research courses, all building up to my doctoral thesis proposal. This is very helpful!
Thanks!
Elizabeth
Thank you! this made everything much easier to understand.
Very clear
Thank you very much For information on research paradigms Dr. Salma Patel they are very difficult to grasp, this will brighten my understanding of research report together with referencing ??
I cant thank you enough for this! I was on the verge of giving up on my Phd until I read this! Wonderfully written and made it so easy to understand