Basic Beliefs Associated With the Major Paradigms

Basic Beliefs Postpositivism Constructivism Transformative Pragmatic

Axiology(nature Respect Balanced Respect for Gain knowledge in
privacy; cultural
of ethical representation pursuit of desired
informed norms;
behavior) of views; raise beneficence is ends as influenced
consent;
participants’ defined in by the researcher’s
minimize harm terms of the
awareness; values and politics
(beneficence); promotion of
community
justice/equal rapport human

opportunity rights and

increase in
social justice;
reciprocity

Ontology One reality; Multiple, Rejects cultural Asserts that there

socially
(nature of knowable relativism; is single reality
within constructed recognizes
reality) realities and that all
a specified that various
level versions individuals have

of probability of reality are their own unique

based interpretation of
on social reality
positioning;
conscious
recognition
of
consequences
of
privileging
versions of
reality

Epistemology Objectivity Interactive link Interactive link Relationships

(nature of is important; between between in research are
researcher researcher
knowledge; the researcher determined
 relation manipulates and and and participants; by what the
participants;
between observes in a knowledge is researcher deems as
values are made socially
knower and dispassionate, appropriate to that
explicit; created and historically
would-be objective situated; particular study
manner findings
known) need to address
issues of
power and trust
Methodology Quantitative Qualitative Qualitative Match methods to
(dialogic),
(approach (primarily); (primarily); specific questions
but quantitative
to systematic interventionist; hermeneutical; and and purposes of
inquiry decontextualized dialectical; mixed methods research; mixed
contextual can be methods can be
factors
used; contextual used as researcher
are described and
works back and
historical factors
are forth between

described, various approaches

especially as
they relate to
oppression

SOURCE: Adapted from Guba & Lincoln (1994, 2005) and Morgan (2007).