Deductive reasoning Deductive reasoning involves inferring that if propositions A and B are both true, then this implies that C is also true. The classic example is over two thousand years old and involves the question of whether the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was mortal.

1. Research Approaches
Dr Ryan Thomas Williams

2. Deductive, inductive
and abductive
approaches
• There are various approaches
that can be taken. Three of the
main ways are deduction,
induction and abduction.
• Research designs

3. Deductive approach
• Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning involves inferring that if propositions A and
B are both true, then this implies that C is also true. The
classic example is over two thousand years old and involves
the question of whether the ancient Greek philosopher
Socrates was mortal.
Statement A: All men are mortal.
Statement B: Socrates is a man.
Inference: Since Socrates is a man, and all men are mortal,
Socrates must therefore be mortal.
Statement A: All birds can fly
Statement B: Sweety is a bird
Inference:
Rule
Cause Effect

4. Inductive approach
This involves working from
observations towards an
inference.
Observation: All the crows that I
have ever seen were black
Inference: All crows everywhere
(including ones I have never
seen) are black.
Rule
Cause Effect

5. Abductive approach
Abductive reasoning involves deciding what
the most likely inference is that can be made
from a set of observations.
Observation: The grass outside my window
was wet when I woke up this morning.
Known fact: Rain in the night can make
grass wet.
Abductive inference: There was probably
rain in the night.
Rule
Cause Effect

6. Research Philosophies & Research Design
Positivism Deductive Quantitative
Experiments,
Surveys
Interpretivism Inductive Qualitative
Interviews,
Ethnography,
Grounded
Theory
Pragmatism Abductive
Quantitative
and/or
qualitative
Any of the
above in any
combination