Research 1 Module 3

Locating and Review of Related Literature

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This topic is designed to develop the knowledge, skills, and desirable attitudes of an
individual in the field of Research where the student is expected of the following:

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the module the student should have:

 demonstrated content knowledge and its application within and/or
across curriculum teaching areas in the field of research particularly
by providing the importance/essence of framework.

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Research paradigm is one that many aspects in researching that research students find
elusive to articulate and challenging to apply in their research proposals. A paradigm then is
defined as a set of assumptions and perceptual orientations, shared by members of a community
(Denscombe 2008; Given 2008; Morgan 2007). It denotes a worldview held by a particular
community, in a particular context and at a particular point in time (Ratcliffe 1983). Paradigms
are normative. They determine what is viewed by the community as “important and unimportant,
reasonable and unreasonable, legitimate and illegitimate, possible and impossible, and what to
attend to and what to ignore.” (Ratcliffe 1983)
This lesson deals with the philosophical systems and paradigms of scientific research, the
epistemology, evaluating understanding and application of various theories and practices used in
the scientific research.

RESEARCH PARADIGM/WORLDVIEWS

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Research 1 Module 3
Locating and Review of Related Literature

PRE – ACTIVITY:
Instruction:

Read the sentences below and identify if the statements have correct or
incorrect notion of reviewing related literature. Write YES if the question has a
correct premise and NO if it isn’t.

1. Do research philosophy means simply thinking hard about research?

2. Does epistemology concerns with what constitutes the acceptable knowledge in a field of study?
3. Are Positivism and interpretivism are research philosophies?
4. Is hypothesis is simply a statement about what might happen?
5. Do inductive approach theory follow data rather than vice versa as with deduction?
6. Is induction often seen as the alternative to deduction?
7. Is a good idea to combine deductive and inductive approaches to research?
8. Is paradigm a term which academics use only in situations where they want to impress others
deliberately?
9. Does the positivist paradigm focuses on the facts or causes?
10. Does realism ignores creativity in research and concentrates on what is real?

LESSON CONTENT

RESEARCH PARADIGMS: RESEARCHERS’ WORLDVIEWS,

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS AND STUDY DESIGNS

Please see PDF file of the following:

Lesson 4
A. Research Paradigms/Worldviews
 Ontology
 Epistemology
 Methodology
 Axiology

B. Approaches to Educational Research

 Positivism
 Interpretivism
 Critical theory

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Research 1 Module 3
Locating and Review of Related Literature

OTHER LEARNING SUPPORT MATERIALS

Use the following video link below to enhance your learning experiences.

What even is a research paradigm?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0oQ3a9ATbM

POST – ACTIVITY
Instruction: Explain and elaborate on the following.

1. What is the purpose of carefully designing research paradigm?

2. How should research paradigm be integrated in the theoretical and conceptual

framework?

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Research 1 Module 3
Locating and Review of Related Literature

PRACTICE TEST

Instruction:
Choose the letter with the correct answer. Write the letter only. (1 point each)

1. Which of the following research terms is associated with this statement: the theory of
knowledge, rigour and validity affecting our choice of methods?
A. ontology
B. interpretivism
C. epistemology
D. positivism

2. Which of the following research terms is associated with this statement: the nature of a
phenomenon and development of knowledge affecting how we see reality and specific
phenomena like community development?
A. ontology
B. interpretivism
C. epistemology
D. positivism

3. The positivist paradigm takes which of the following ontological perspectives?

A. realism
B. objectivism
C. subjectivism
D. radicalism

4. The interpretivist paradigm takes which of the following ontological perspectives?

A. realism
B. objectivism
C. subjectivism
D. radicalism

5. What does Epistemology refers to?

A. a form of interviewing.
B. a statistical test.
C. a software package.
D. acceptable knowledge in a field of study.

6. If your research philosophy reflects the principles of positivism, then you will probably:
A. want to be sure that all your answers are beyond dispute.
B. reject the possibility of working with numbers.
C. adopt the philosophical stance of the natural scientist.
D. not accept any argument about your research conclusions.

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Research 1 Module 3
Locating and Review of Related Literature

7. Which of these is a philosophical concern for fact or reality and a rejection of the
impractical?
A. Unrealism
B. Stealthism
C. Prism
D. Realism

8. What does Interpretivism refers to?

A. the purely subjective.
B. an epistemology that advocates that it is necessary for the researcher to understand
differences between humans in our role as social actors.
C. an epistemology that advocates that it is advisable for the researcher to understand
differences between humans in our role as social actors.
D. looking at phenomena and making up your own mind about what you are seeing.

9. Which of the following does Pragmatism argues?

A. that you make it up as you go along.
B. that you adopt the research philosophy that you want.
C. that the most important determinant of the research philosophy adopted is the research
question
D. the art of the possible.

10. Which of the following refers to paradigm?

A. a branch of physics.
B. a theoretical framework.
C. being forced to do something.
D. a type of sampling.

11. Recognizing our own values in the pursuit of research is essential because:
A. it allows us to be honest with ourselves about what may influence our research.
B. it enables us to persuade others of our values.
C. it allows us to eliminate them.
D. at least we know what we can ignore.

***End of Module***