Docsity
Docsity

Prepare for your exams
Prepare for your exams

Study with the several resources on Docsity


Earn points to download
Earn points to download

Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan


Guidelines and tips
Guidelines and tips

Understanding Relationship & Choosing Epistemological Position in Qualitative Research, Study notes of Qualitative research

This presentation outlines the relationship between epistemology and methodology in qualitative research. Epistemology, the study of the nature of knowledge and justification of beliefs, influences methodology and method. Epistemology is axiological, meaning it has ethical weight and is surrounded by values. Choosing an epistemological position is the first step and will directly influence the methodology and methods. Methodology justifies the methods and connects research to theory and discipline. Selecting a methodology will provide a primary source of justification for the project's relationship to theory.

What you will learn

  • How does epistemology influence methodology and method?
  • What is the role of methodology in justifying the methods used in qualitative research?
  • What is the relationship between epistemology and methodology in qualitative research?
  • How does choosing an epistemological position impact methodology and methods?
  • What is the role of axiology in epistemology?

Typology: Study notes

2021/2022

Uploaded on 09/27/2022

plastic-tree
plastic-tree 🇬🇧

4.4

(8)

213 documents

1 / 12

Toggle sidebar

This page cannot be seen from the preview

Don't miss anything!

bg1
Epistemologies and Methodologies in
Qualitative Research
Dr Joanne Harmon BN (Hons) PhD
pf3
pf4
pf5
pf8
pf9
pfa

Partial preview of the text

Download Understanding Relationship & Choosing Epistemological Position in Qualitative Research and more Study notes Qualitative research in PDF only on Docsity!

Epistemologies and Methodologies in

Qualitative Research

Dr Joanne Harmon BN (Hons) PhD

Outline

This presentation aims to outline in a simple manner the relationship between epistemology and methodology. The importance of axiology as part of the epistemology is introduced. Understanding is provided on how epistemology and methodology combine as a framework.

Definitions Epistemology

Epistemology – influences the methodology

The study of the nature of knowledge and justification of beliefs held to be true, can be

thought of as justification of knowledge and the theory of knowledge is inescapable as it

is impossible to engage in knowledge creation without tacit assumptions about what

knowledge is and how it is constructed

Influences:

  • relationship between the research and participant
  • way in which quality of methods will be demonstrated
  • how the researcher will communicate with the intended audience

Epistemology is Axiological

Epistemology has ethical weight and therefore is axiological in relation to values

Axiology relates to epistemology in two ways; it is an epistemology itself and it is in the cultural context

that informs epistemology

The axiology of epistemology can be expressed as the values within that are normative

Basis for explaining the rightness or wrongness, the admissibility or inadmissibility of types of

knowledge and sources of justification of that knowledge underpinning the epistemological approach

Epistemology is surrounded by axiology in that the knowledge generated by a project will be discussed,

evaluated and justified in relation to broader cultural values

Definitions: Methodology

Methodology: justifies the methods A theory and analysis of how research should proceed Analysis of the assumptions, principles and procedures in a particular approach to an inquiry A description, explanation and the justification of the methods used Methodology connects research to theory and discipline Each variant of each methodology has risen from particular academic disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, philosophy, cultural studies and psychology Methodologies can proscribe or encourage the use of existing or formal and substantive theories at two stages

  1. In the determination of objectives, research questions and study design
  2. During analysis and in interpretation of findings
  3. Different methodologies can encourage or discourage the development of substantive theories in the conduct of empirical work

Select a variant of methodology

The answer to this question will be

determined by the researchers

chosen epistemic position

May also be shaped by the discipline

they have chosen to immerse

themselves in

The methodology will provide a

primary source of justification for the

projects relationship to theory

Methodologies can be combined or

altered provided the researcher

retains a coherent epistemological

position and can justify the choices

made, preferably in relation to both

the theoretical context of the

methodology, the axiological

underpinning and impact of the

change on method/s and the final

research product

Justification

Epistemological justification depends on the internal consistency of the arguments put forward to support a knowledge claim based on the fit between the evidence, social theory and existing knowledge Needs to include critical reflection on the social roles and values of the research team, the social processes of generating evidence and the role of substantive social theory in conceptualising the evidence and how it fits with background theory Methodological justification concerns the rationale given for the characteristic techniques used in the production of empirical evidence within a particular research tradition Established methodological theories provide some conventical ways of handling some issues, but they are limited in the scope they can offer for critical reflection on the role of social theory in the production of evidence and are limited in the extent to which they can provide for new or unusual forms of research technique Methodological theory cannot be used to justify the research methods, more so when the internal consistently of the epistemological argument is obscured and/or there is a failure to locate knowledge claims within a wider system of beliefs Therefore when constructing an epistemological justification for a claim that the findings of qualitative inquiry have contributed to knowledge, it is not sufficient to state, “This study used grounded theory to generate its findings” or “This study employed phenomenological methods.

References

Avis, M. (2003). Do we need methodological theory to do qualitative research? Qualitative Health Research, 13(7), 995-1004. Carter, S. M., & Little, M. (2007). Justifying knowledge, justifying method, taking action: Epistemologies, methodologies, and methods in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research, 17(10), 1316-1328.