Module 1: Theory and Epistemology

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and their definitions from Module 1: Theory and Epistemology.

Epistemology

The study of knowledge; what knowledge is and its sources; derived from Greek episteme (knowledge) and logos (explanation).

Episteme

Greek word meaning 'knowledge'.

Logos

Greek word meaning 'explanation' or reason; used in -logia meaning 'the study of'.

Research approaches

Plans and procedures for research that span broad assumptions to detailed data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Research designs

Overall strategy or plan for a study; relates to the type of approach and the methods used.

Research methods

Specific data collection, analysis, and interpretation techniques used in a study.

Qualitative research

An approach to explore and understand the meanings individuals or groups assign to a problem; data collected in participants’ setting; inductive analysis leading to themes; interpretation by the researcher.

Quantitative research

An approach to test objective theories by examining relationships among variables; data are numerical and analyzed with statistics.

Mixed methods research

An approach involving collecting and integrating both quantitative and qualitative data, using distinct designs to achieve a more complete understanding.

Philosophical worldview

A basic set of beliefs guiding action; includes paradigms, epistemologies, and ontologies; influences research practice.

Worldview

A basic set of beliefs that guide action in research.

Postpositivist worldview

Also called the scientific method; deterministic and reductionist; knowledge from careful observation and measurement of objective reality; theories tested and refined.

Constructivist worldview

Belief that individuals seek understanding through subjective meanings negotiated socially and historically; emphasis on participants’ views and context.

Transformative worldview

Arises from social justice concerns; intertwined with politics; aims to address oppression and empower marginalized groups.

Pragmatic worldview

Focus on the research problem and using multiple approaches; supports mixed methods and pluralistic data collection.

Quantitative designs

Designs that rely on numeric data to test theories; commonly include surveys and experiments.

Survey research

Quantitative description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population using a sample; cross-sectional or longitudinal; generalizes to the population.

Experimental research

Assesses whether a treatment influences an outcome; true experiments with random assignment; quasi-experiments with nonrandomized assignment; single-subject design.

Qualitative designs

Narrative, phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnography, and case studies; originated in anthropology, sociology, humanities, and evaluation.

Narrative research

Study of individuals’ lives, often using stories provided by participants.

Phenomenological design

Describes the essence of experiences across individuals who have experienced the same phenomenon.

Grounded theory

Derives a general theory grounded in participants’ views through iterative data collection and refinement of categories.

Ethnography

Study of shared patterns of behavior, language, and actions within a cultural group in a natural setting over time.

Case studies

In-depth analysis of a bounded system or case using multiple data sources over time.

Mixed methods design

Combines or integrates qualitative and quantitative data within a study; developed since the 1980s.

Convergent parallel mixed methods

Collects quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously, then merges and interprets them.

Explanatory sequential mixed methods

Starts with quantitative data, then uses qualitative data to explain and elaborate the results.

Exploratory sequential mixed methods

Starts with qualitative data to explore a phenomenon, then uses findings to inform subsequent quantitative work.

Transformative mixed methods

Uses a theoretical lens (often social justice) to guide a mixed methods design addressing power or oppression.

Embedded mixed methods

Incorporates one data type within a larger design where it serves a supporting role.

Multiphase mixed methods

Uses concurrent or sequential phases over time to understand long-term goals, common in evaluation.

Research methods

Forms of data collection, analysis, and interpretation used in a study (instruments, observations, interviews, site visits).

Instruments

Tools used to collect data (e.g., surveys, tests, checklists).

Data collection

The process of gathering information through instruments, observations, interviews, or site visits.

Data types

Numeric data from instruments or text data from interviews and participant voices.

Criteria for selecting a research approach

Consider the problem, questions, researchers’ experience, and audience expectations.