A brief notes on research philosophies, research approaches, research methodologies and research methods

 A brief notes on research philosophies, research approaches, research methodologies and research methods

Research Philosophy

Definition: Research philosophy refers to the underlying belief system that guides how research is conducted. It shapes the way researchers interpret data and understand the world.

Research Approach

Definition: The research approach outlines the strategy and plan for how to conduct the research, typically categorized into three types: deductive, inductive, and abductive.

A. Types of Research Approaches

Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods:

Qualitative Research: Focuses on understanding phenomena through in-depth exploration of subjective experiences, often using methods like interviews, focus groups, and content analysis.

Quantitative Research: Involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to identify patterns, test theories, and establish relationships, typically using surveys and experiments.

Mixed Methods Research: Combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem.

B. Types of Reasoning Approaches

Inductive, Deductive, and Abductive Approaches:

Inductive Approach: Starts with observations and develops theories based on patterns identified in the data. Commonly used in qualitative research.

Deductive Approach: Begins with existing theories or hypotheses and tests them through data collection. Often associated with quantitative research.

Abductive Approach: Combines elements of both inductive and deductive reasoning. It starts with an incomplete set of observations and seeks the best explanation, often leading to new theories.

Research methodology

*** check the table and diagram below.

Research Method

Definition: Research methods are the specific techniques and procedures used to collect and analyze data. This includes qualitative methods (like interviews or focus groups) and quantitative methods (like surveys or experiments).

Summary of differences between research approach and research methodology

This distinction is helpful in structuring your dissertation and ensuring clarity in how you present your research design."

Diagram 1: On the relatedness of research philosophy, research approach, research methodology and research method

Diagram 2: research methodology: an illustration

My version of the key terms: research philosophy, research approach, research methodology and research methods

** also study the note on research approach. The second one is on research method design.

Reference: a collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.