This document outlines different research paradigms presented by James Bill Ouda. It discusses the positivist, interpretivist, and critical theory paradigms, as well as mixed methods. For each paradigm, it describes their underlying ontological and epistemological assumptions and common methodologies. The positivist paradigm believes in an objective reality knowable through strict methods, while the interpretivist sees reality as socially constructed. Critical theory examines how power structures shape reality. Mixed methods combines qualitative and quantitative techniques.

1. PRESENTED BY: James Bill Ouda (PhD)
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2. Objectives
Introduction
Common Paradigms
 Positivist Approach
 Interpretivist Approach
 Critical Theory
 Mixed methods
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3. By the end of this presentation student
should be able to:
 Identify different paradigms in
research
 Describe task sequencing in
research
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4.  Research is an organized and systematic process of
data collection, analysis and interpretation for purposes
of adding new knowledge or decision making.
 Researchers fall into large “camps‟ which have come
out of a varied philosophical and disciplinary traditions.
 “Camps‟ = paradigms
 Research adopts either/or qualitative and quantitative
approaches which are rooted in philosophical traditions
with different epistemological and ontological
assumptions.
 Differentiate between qualitative vs quantitative
research
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5.  Paradigms – Models or frameworks that are derived from a
worldview or belief system about the nature of knowledge
and existence.
 Shared by scientific community & guide how a
community of researchers act with regard to inquiry.
 Epistemology – a set of assumptions about the
relationships between the researcher and the researched. It
is the theory of knowledge and the assumptions and beliefs
about the nature of knowledge.
 The r/ship can be objective or subjective. Does the
researcher need to be objective and affect the outcome
as little as possible? How do we know the world?
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6.  Ontology – An assumption about the nature of
reality/experiences. Concerns the philosophy of existence
and the assumptions and beliefs that we hold about the
nature of being and existence.
 Is there a “real‟ objective world out there? Or, is reality
constructed thru human relationships?
 Methodology – Has assumptions about methods, but no
research is restricted to one way of gathering and analyzing
data.
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7.  The Positivist approach - Usually credited to Descarte
(and as far back as Galileo)
 The Interpretivist approach - Schultz, Cicourel &
Garfinkel – Phenomenology/sociology; The Chicago
School of Sociology; Boas and Malinowski –
Anthropology
 Critical Theory - Horkeimer, Adorno, Marcuse –
Frankfort School
 Focused on investigator/participant dialogue.
 Mixed methods
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8.  Origin of positivist views credited to Descarte; others
back to Galileo
 Positivists share the following beliefs:
 There is an objective reality.
 People can know this reality and use symbols to
accurately describe and explain this
objective reality.
 .
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9.  The positivist paradigm provides an objective reality against
which researchers compare their claims/theory & ascertain
truth.
 Assumes there are general patterns of cause and
effect, this can be used as a basis for predicting and
controlling natural phenomenon. Goal is to discover this
patterns.
 Assumes that we can rely on our perceptions of the
world to generate accurate data
 That if strict methodological protocol is followed,
research will be free of subjective bias and objectivity
will be achieved.
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10.  Methodology
 Positivist approaches rely on experimental methods
 These approaches ensure that there is distance
between the subjective biases of the researcher and
the objective reality
 Generally involves hypothesis testing
 Typically, quantitative methods are used
 The positivist approach is grounded in the theoretical
belief that there is an objective reality that can be known
to the researcher, i.e. if they use the correct methods and
apply those methods in a correct manner.
 . 10/16/2022 10

11.  Interpretivists share the following beliefs about nature of
knowing and reality:
 Reality is constructed through the meanings and
understandings developed socially.
 We cannot separate ourselves from what we know,
i.e. the investigator and the object of investigation are
linked
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12.  Researcher’s values are inherent in all phases of the
research process & that truth is negotiated thru‟ dialogue.
 Findings or knowledge claims are created as the
investigation proceeds.
 Findings emerge thru dialogue and conflicting
interpretations are negotiated among members of a
community.
 Dialogue between researchers and respondents leads
to more informed and sophisticated understanding of
the social world.
 Interpretation is located within a particular context or
situation and time.
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13.  Methodology
 Interpretive approaches rely on naturalistic methods –
interviewing and observation and analysis of texts.
 The approaches lead to greater dialogue between the
researchers and the researched in order to create a
meaningful reality.
 Meanings emerge from the research process
 Typically, qualitative methods are used.
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14.  Interpretivist positions are founded on the theoretical
belief that reality is socially constructed and fluid.
What we know is negotiated within cultures, social
settings, and relationships with other people.
 What is regarded as valid is negotiated & there can be
multiple, valid claims to knowledge.
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15.  Developed at the Frankfort School – by Horkeimer,
Adorno & Marcuse. Their work is a critical response to
Marx, Kant, Hegel and Weber.
 Assumptions:
 Reality is created and shaped by social, political,
cultural, economic, ethnic and gender-based forces
that have been reified or crystallized over time into
social structures taken to be natural or real.
 In a research enterprise, critical theorists recognize
the positive association of “objectivity” to natural
sciences and less positive association of
“subjectivity”
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16.  Methodology:
 Critical theoretical approaches tend to combine
observation and interviewing with those that foster
conversation and reflection.
 Critical theorists start with an assumption about what
is good (e.g. autonomy) and asking people in a social
group, culture or organization to reflect on and
question their current experience with regard to the
values identified.
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17.  An approach in which the researcher combines both
qualitative and quantitative techniques in data collection
and analysis.
 Mixed methods gives researchers the best of both worlds:
 The in-depth, contextualized, and natural but more
time-consuming insights of qualitative research
coupled with the more-efficient but less rich or
compelling predictive power of quantitative research
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18.  Approaches in Mixed Methods:
 Concurrent Design
 Sequential Design e.g.
 Qualitative > Quantitative
 Quantitative > Qualitative
 Embedded design e.g.
 Qualitative > Quantitative > Qualitative
 Quantitative > Qualitative > Quantitative
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19. THANK YOU.
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