2.4 Beginning the research process

Figure 3 shows the relationship between ontology, epistemology and methodology.

Maximise

Figure 3 Relating ontology, epistemology and methodology

Show description|Hide description

This figure is the second segment of a larger figure to be shown in full later, in Section 4 of this course. This second segment, entitled ‘Paradigm’, represents the second phase in the process which considers the ‘Refined research questions’. The segment contains four arrows forming a cruciform shape. The first arrow points upwards to the question ‘What is there to study? (ontology)’. The second arrow points down to the question ‘How can we know about it? (epistemology)’. The third arrow emerges from the left-hand border between the first and second segments, and points to the right, to the centre of the cruciform shape. The fourth arrow emerges from the right and also points to the centre of the cruciform shape. It is pointing from the main descriptor of this segment, the ‘Refined research questions’. Further to the right of this descriptor, an arrow points towards the questions ‘How do we find out what we are looking for? What data is needed? (methodology)’. These questions are on the boundary between the second and third segments. This indicates that the initial research questions are refined when they are related to the researcher’s ontological and epistemological theories. The refined questions are then subjected to consideration about how to produce the data necessary.

Figure 3 Relating ontology, epistemology and methodology

In reading Figure 3 and thinking about ‘doing’ research it is helpful to consider a paradigmatic position as something that evolves as a researcher makes explicit their ontological and epistemological positions. This can be achieved using the research literature as a tool. It is also the case that over time, as ontological and epistemological positions evolve and a researcher ‘learns’, then they may change their methodology or indeed their paradigmatic position completely.

Figure 3 highlights the important relationships and decision points you need to be aware of either in doing research or reading research. However, it is important to recognise that your overall approach carries a degree of flexibility. For example, deciding on research questions and the purpose of a study can precede the paradigm exploration, but will then be refined after that. That is why the research questions are located centrally in Figure 3.

Similarly, once the methodology is considered, research questions may be refined further in light of thinking about how to answer them. This reflects the iterative nature of the research process. In literature, the research process is typically represented more sequentially to show the logic underneath the process engaged in. It is worth remembering this distinction between the process engaged in and how it is then represented.