In previous posts I have talked about the importance of
paradigms in different aspects of the research. In this post I will discuss
what a research paradigm is and my experience of choosing one.
When thinking about the research many researchers start with
identifying the methods, which is mainly the tools they want to use for data
gathering. However not so many consider the reasons behind their choices or
what is called the underpinning theory and the research paradigm.
Like many novice researchers, I started my research with a
research problem and chose research methods. I chose to use qualitative
research methods for the right reasons as identified in the research methods
books (exploring participants' views and in depth understanding of the
context). However, at that time I lacked
an understanding of the meaning of research paradigms and how my understanding
of reality is affecting my choices. While developing my research plan, this
lack of understanding affected the shape of my objectives, the choice of the
appropriate methods including data collection and analysis, the research
quality criteria and the language used in writing. Discussing my work with my
supervisors and other academics, I realised that unlike bachelor and master dissertations, a PhD thesis should state the researcher's philosophical
position and a PhD graduate should have a deep understanding of the research
methodology. Trying to understand the research paradigms and the related
concepts was not an easy process at the
beginning. I started reading about the topic and I could not easily absorb what
is written as it was all very theoretical for me, and I could not easily link
it to my research. I have attended a number
of qualitative research methods courses and workshops on the hope that I can
have two way discussions and understand the relation of philosophy to research.
Unfortunately, most of these courses focused on the practical aspect (methods),
the paradigms topic was not covered and I was told in many instances that it
was not the focus of these courses. During that time I met Dr. Alison Ledger
(who later joined my supervisory team) who kindly shared her PhD thesis with
me. In her thesis she covered the philosophical background in a very clear way
that helped me to understand how to put these theoretical concepts in a
practical way. In addition I have attended a presentation titled
"Challenging dominant paradigms in medical education research" by Dr.
Lynn Monrouxe who described her journey between different paradigms. What has
been written about research paradigms started to make more sense to me and I
was able to understand the practicality of it. I would consider
understanding the research paradigms the most important skill I have learned
during my PhD journey and I think it is what turned me into a real researcher.
So what is research paradigm and why is it important?
Paradigm is defined by Guba and Lincoln (1994) as a "basic set of
beliefs that guide actions". This simple definition indicates the
importance of realising our beliefs (ontology and epistemology) before deciding
our actions (methodology). This set of
beliefs are our philosophical understanding of the world and knowledge and
based on these beliefs we conduct our researches. Using the research philosophy
language these beliefs are called Ontology and Epistemology. Guba and Lincoln (1994) use Ontology to describe how we understand reality and Epistemology to define how
we come to this knowledge about reality. Once a researcher gets a clear view
about their personal ontological and epistemological views about a phenomenon,
they can choose the most suitable methodology to explore that phenomenon.
When I started to think about my paradigm I started with the
wrong questions, I had decided my objectives and methods and wanted to figure
out in which paradigm they fit. This never worked out because the way I
formulated my objectives and methodology did not fit perfectly within one
paradigm. I therefore stepped away from
my objectives and methods and got back to my topic and the research problem.
The area I was researching was learning during transition from university to
workplace. To decide the appropriate paradigm for my research I had to think
about my ontological and epistemological positions. This meant thinking whether
there was an absolute truth that can be isolated or not and to consider the
nature of knowledge I am seeking. For me I did not see learning as a
"thing" that could be isolated from learners. Instead I believed it
is bound up with the learner and is influenced by interactions, the context
and experiences. As a result I believed that multiple realities can exist and
the most appropriate way to explore that topic was through investigating the
experiences and perceptions of the participants, what influences these
perceptions and the meanings they assign to their experience. Once I realised
my philosophical position in my study I chose to adopt a constructivist
paradigm. In this paradigm people develop a unique view of the world around
them according to the interactions and the context and experience in which they
are situated. This viewpoint therefore rejects the notion of absolute truth,
and acknowledge that multiple realities are possible (Guba and Lincoln 1994).
By being a constructivist I understood that my research did
not seek generalisation but to provide in-depth description of the context and
highlight the uniqueness of the case under study. In addition I did not seek
objectivity and I understood that my previous experience as a patient educator -like
my participants- was inseparable from the research, and therefore should be
utilised in reflecting on the findings.
Based on choosing a constructivist paradigm and
understanding the philosophy underpinning it, I was able to get back to
phrasing accurate objectives that fit with that paradigm (i.e. explore
experiences, ascertain views), choose the appropriate research methods that
help to achieve these objectives (i.e. qualitative methods; interviews, narrative
analysis) and even write my research using the most appropriate language the
fit with my paradigm.
Adopting a paradigm is crucial for research. In my
experience understanding and choosing a paradigm was not an easy process. Reading
about research philosophy and different paradigms is crucial to develop an
understanding, however I did not find reading books enough on its own. Reading
other peoples' work and theses which has clear description of their paradigms help to
link the theoretical understanding with the practical use of it. To be able to
choose the appropriate paradigm a researcher need to consider his/her own
beliefs about the phenomenon under study and their ontological and
epistemological position from it. Once a researcher adopt a paradigm everything
else in the research fall in place (research questions, objectives, methods,
quality criteria etc.)
References and further reading:
CRESWELL, J. W. 1998. Qualitative inquiry and research design:
choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, Calif.; London: Sage
Publications.
GUBA, E. and Y. LINCOLN. 1994. Competing paradigms in
qualitative research. In: N. K. DENZIN and Y. S. LINCOLN, eds. The handbook of
qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, Calif. ; London: Sage.
PATTON, M. Q. 2015.Variety of qualitative inquiry
frameworks: paradigmatic, philosophical and theoretical orientations In: Qualitative research & evaluation
methods. 4th ed. ed. Thousand Oaks, Calif.; London: Sage.
Waring, M. 2012 Finding your theoretical position. In: Arthur, J., Waring, M., Coe, R. and Hedges, L.V. eds. Research Methods and Methodologies in Education. SAGE.