ch 2,4,8,14 utvc24 qual exam

Methological theory

Theory about methods, and the philosphical assimilations which (necessarily) underlie any set of research methods

Paradigm

A set of assumptions about the world, and about what constitute proper topics and techniques for inquiring into that world. Paradigms have an ontological dimension (concerned with the nature of reality), an epistemological dimension (concerned with knowledge about that reality) and a methodological dimension (concerned with methods for building knowledge of the reality)

Positivism

The philosophical position that objective accounts of the world can be given, and that the function of science is to develop descriptions and explanations in the form of universal laws- that is, to develop nomothetic knowledge

Interpretivism

The philosophical position that people bring

meanings to situations, and use these meanings to understand their

world and influence their behaviour

Constructivism

The philosophical position that realities are local,

specific and constructed, and are socially and experientially based,

depending on the people holding them

Paradigm-driven research

Research which begins with a paradigm,

and develops research questions and methods from it

Pragmatic research

Research which begins with research questions,and then chooses methods for answering them

Substantive theory

Content-based theory, which aims to develop a

set of internally consistent propositions to explain a substantive phenomenon of interest; substantive theory is explanatory

Description

Using data to draw a picture of a situation, event, person (people) or something similar; focuses on what is the case

Explanation

Accounting for a description, showing why and how events or situations have come to be what they are; focuses on why (or how) something is the case

Theory verification research

Research which sets out to test a theory, by testing hypotheses derived from the theory; begins with theory

Theory generation research

Research which starts with research questions and data, and aims to build a theory to explain the data; finishes with theory

Question-method fit

The need for internal consistency between the research questions asked, and the methods used for answering them; an important aspect of the validity of a piece of research

Pre-specified research

Research which has a high degree of structure before the empirical work is done; research questions, methods and data are specified in advance

Unfolding research

Research which does not have a high structure before empirical work begins; initial research questions may be loose and general, and more specific questions, methods and data are developed during empirical work