1. Philosophy of Research and Epistemological Frameworks 17 th and 24 th November 2011 Tutors: Dr. Kathleen Watt Dr. Emile van der Zee Dr. David Piggott Dr. Adrian Parke Ms. Laura Kilby Dr. Heather Hughes Dr. Linda Hitchin

2. All researchers are philosophers…. because all research is based on how we perceive the world and how we believe we can best come to understand it.

3. Research philosophy is concerned with: Ontology Epistemology Methodology

4. Ontology:  What is the nature of ‘the real’?  What is ‘knowable’ in the world?

5. Epistemology:  How is knowledge created?  What is the relationship between the knower and what is known?

6. Methodology:  How can we discover what we believe is knowable?  How do we gain knowledge of the world?

7. Research Paradigm: How we answer these questions creates a paradigm or conceptual framework that guides our research activities.

8. Research paradigms have…  i mplications for the types of questions you ask  implications for the ways you conduct your research  implications for the limitations of your research

9. Research Paradigms:  Paradigms guide how a community of researchers act with regards to inquiry.  Each paradigm represents a distinctive position that stimulates alternative research questions and prompts different modes of investigation.  It is necessary to recognise the unique insights and valuable contributions as well as the limitations of each paradigm.

10. Some Common Paradigms  Positivist/Post-positivist  Interpretivist  Constructivist  Critical Theorist  Feminist  Artistic Practice