Scientific Paradigm

The word “Paradigm” means a certain pattern or way of thought. The word paradigm has its origination from the Greek word “paradeigma” meaning pattern.  A paradigm can be described simply as a system of belief or a theory that guides the way we do things, or more formally establishes a set of practices. A paradigm can also be defined as a general perspective, a way of breaking down the complexity of the real world. This word was first used in the research by “Kuhn” in 1962 to describe a conceptual framework that is accepted by a community of researchers or scientists and that deeply guides them while conducting the research.

Paradigms or in other words “shared understandings of reality” guide how we make decisions and carry out research. Research paradigms have strongly influenced and still continue to influence the theoretical development in the fields of educational communications and technology.

In educational research the term paradigm is used to describe a researcher’s ‘worldview’ or to say it more precisely, a paradigm is the lens through which a researcher looks at the world.  By worldview we mean, the perspective, or thinking, or school of thought, or set of shared beliefs, that informs the meaning or interpretation of research data. When we say that it defines the researcher’s worldview, we mean that a paradigm constitutes the abstract beliefs and principles that shape how a researcher sees the world, and how s/he interprets and acts within that world. In this manner, paradigm is the conceptual lens through which the researcher examines the methodological aspects of their research project to determine the research methods that will be used and how the data will be analysed.

Every research uses one of the research paradigms to use as a guideline for developing research methodology and to take on the research venture in a manner that is most valid and appropriate.

Impact of chosen paradigm on research

A research paradigm is closely connected to the research. It should be aimed to have a good understanding of paradigm development while planning a study as it can shape the search for understanding and such an evolutionary development reveals the researcher with a choice of paradigms to consider regarding the manner in which research can be undertaken and the search for understanding is achieved. A chosen paradigm will have a huge impact on the underlying research. Which means in a research, in order to understand the research trainees and their learning, beliefs or behaviours, we have to be aware of their experience and culture, and recognise that they do not just potentially see the world differently to us, but experience it differently too. Sometimes the argument may arise that research is carried out within a particular paradigm, however researchers should be keep in mind that paradigms seriously affect their research methods and findings. Moreover, researchers should be also flexible to alternative theories and paradigms because new developments often arise at the interface between paradigms.

It is therefore very important, that while writing a research proposal , we have to clearly state the paradigm in which we are locating our research.

Elements of a Research Paradigm

A research paradigmcomprises of four elements namely

• Epistemology – How do you know if something is real?
• Ontology       – What is reality?
• Methodology – How do you go about finding out the reality?
• Axiology      –  The Theory Of Value

It is important to have a firm understanding of these elements because they comprise the basic assumptions, beliefs, norms and values that each paradigm holds. Therefore, in locating our research proposal in a particular research paradigm, the understanding is that our research will uphold, and be guided by the assumptions, beliefs, norms and values of the chosen paradigm. It is therefore important that we demonstrate that we know what each of these elements mean.

Epistemology of a Paradigm

The origin of the word Epistemology is from the  Greek word “Episteme”, which means knowledge.

Epistemology can be defined as the study of the nature of knowledge and justification. Put simply, in research, epistemology is used to describe how we come to know something; how we know the truth or reality; what counts as knowledge within the world. It is concerned with the very bases of knowledge like its nature, forms and how it can be acquired, and how it can be communicated to other human beings. It focuses on the nature of human knowledge and comprehension that we, as the researcher or knower, can possibly acquire so as to be able to extend, broaden and deepen understanding in our field of research.

To understand the epistemological element of our paradigm, we should ask the very important question of how we know what we know? This question is the basis for investigating ‘truth’. And so, in considering the epistemology of our research, we might arrive at questions seeking investigation of the “truth”. And such questions are really important because they help the researcher to position themselves in the research context in a way for them to discover what else is new, given what is known.

If factual evidence is taken as truth, then epistemology helps us to ask factual questions, such as how do we know the truth? What counts as knowledge? These are particularly important questions because one of the criteria by which higher degree research is judged is its contribution to knowledge. Researchers can draw the answers to the above question from the four sources of knowledge namely intuitive knowledge, authoritative knowledge, logical knowledge, and empirical knowledge.

• Intuitive knowledge- If we rely on forms of knowledge such as beliefs, faith, and intuition, then the epistemological basis of our research is Intuitive knowledge.
• Authoritative knowledge – If we rely on data gathered from known people, books, leaders in organisations, then our epistemology is grounded on authoritative knowledge.
• Logical knowledge – If reasoning is emphasized as the surest path to knowing the truth, then this approach is called rationalist epistemology or logical knowledge.
• Empirical epistemology – Putting emphasis on the understanding that knowledge is best derived from sense experiences, and demonstrable, objective facts, means that our approach leans towards empirical epistemology

Epistemology is important because, it helps us to establish the faith we put in your data. It affects how we will go about uncovering knowledge in the social context that we will investigate.

Ontology of a Paradigm

Ontology is knowing the reality which may also be something that we intend to prove or our perspective of the reality. It is the philosophical study of the nature of existence or reality, of being or becoming, as well as the basic categories of things that exist and their relations. It examines our underlying belief system as the researcher, about the nature of being and existence. It is concerned with the assumptions we make in order to believe that something makes sense or is real, or the very nature or essence of the social phenomenon we are investigating. It helps us to conceptualise the form and nature of reality and what we believe can be known about that reality.

Ontology enables us to examine our underlying belief system and philosophical assumptions as the researcher, about the nature of being, existence and reality. Philosophical assumptions about the nature of reality are crucial to understanding how we make meaning of the data we gather. These assumptions, concepts or propositions help to orientate our thinking about the research problem, its significance, and our way of approach to answer our research question, get to the root of the problem under investigation and reach a solution.

Ontology helps researchers in recognizing the certainty of the nature and existence of objects they are researching. Ontology is so essential to a paradigm because it helps to provide an understanding of the things that constitute the world. It seeks to determine the real nature, or the foundational concepts which constitute themes that we analyse to make sense of the meaning embedded in research data.

Methodology of a Paradigm

Methodology refers to the procedure used to acquire the knowledge. In other words, it is the broad term used to refer to the research design, methods, approaches and procedures used in an investigation that is well planned to find out something. For example, collection of data, participants, devices used, and data analysis, all belong to the broad field of methodology. More precisely, the methodology defines the logical flow of the systematic processes followed in conducting a research project, leading to gaining of the knowledge about a research problem. It includes assumptions made, limitations encountered and how they were mitigated or minimised. It focuses on how we come to know the world or gain knowledge about part of it.

Axiology                                            

Axiology refers to the ethical issues to be taken into consideration during planning of a research proposal. It considers the philosophical approach to making decisions of value or the right decisions. It involves defining, evaluating and understanding concepts of right and wrong behaviour relating to the research. It considers the value addition that we may make to the different aspects of our research, the participants, the data and the final audience to which we shall report our research results . Put simply, it addresses the question: What is the nature of ethics or ethical behaviour? In answer to this question, it is important to consider our regard for human values of everyone that will be involved with or participate in our research project.

Axiology is best guided by four criteria of ethical conduct namely

• Teleology – The theory of morality which postulates that doing what is intrinsically good or desirable, is a moral obligation that should be pursued in every human endeavour. And so, teleology refers to attempts made in research to make sure that the research results in a meaningful outcome that will satisfy as many people as possible
• Deontology – Deontology is the understanding that every action that will be undertaken during the research will have its own consequence, intended to benefit participants, the researcher, scholastic community or the public at large
• Morality – The morality criterion refers to the intrinsic moral values that will be upheld during the research. For example, that the researcher will be truthful in their interpretation of the data.
• Fairness – The criterion of fairness draws the researcher’s attention to the need to be fair to all research participants and to ensure that their rights are upheld

Conclusion

To conclude, a research paradigm is the set of common beliefs and agreements shared between scientists about how problems should be understood and addressed. The paradigms namely epistemology, ontology and axiology, exert significant influences on the methodology to be used in a research project. Since each paradigm is based upon specific assumptions, choice of a paradigm for our research implies that the research will be nested in a particular epistemology, ontology, and axiology, and that these elements will therefore guide us towards a particular methodology. Thus, the choice of a paradigm implies a near certainty about particular methodologies that flow from that paradigm. This relationship is very important because the methodological implications of paradigm choice forms the framework for the research question/s, participants’ selection, data collection instruments and collection procedures, as well as data analysis. Thus, research located in any of the four primary paradigms has a wide range of research methodologies to choose from. Lets also remember the point, that it is quite possible to combine several research methodologies within a single research paradigm. However, choice of the right methodologies needs to be informed by a good understanding of the different aspects of research paradigms.