UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

RESEARCH METHODS

JOHN BOYD PEELE

THREE TYPES OF RESEARCH AND APPROPRIATE PARADIGMS

GSB5021

ASSIGNMENT 4

DR. NICHOLAS ODONGO

DUE DATE: 12TH JUNE, 2022

1
Concept of research

A research is the study which is conducted carefully about a specific issue or problem through
the use of scientific methods. The definition of an American Sociologist Earl Robert Babbie of a
research is that “it is an inquiry which is systematically done in order to describe, elucidate,
envisage, as well as be able to control the phenomenon that has been observed.

Bhattacherjee, (2012) gives a thorough definition of research as a “procedure of an enquiry or a

journey of discovery that moves from the known to the realm of the unknown for the truth to be
established or to either prove a phenomenon valid or invalid, or to enable serious scrutiny of
something which has been conjectured or inferred as an unproven idea in the form of a
proposition, assumption, hypothesis, or an adumbration or intimation of something which is
vague in outline.”

A research can be either an inductive or deductive method. The difference between the two
methods is premised on the fact that an inductive research method evaluates an observed event,
on the other hand a deductive method substantiates the observed event. In most cases inductive
approach is concomitant with qualitative research, on the other hand, deductive method is
concomitant with quantitative analysis.

There are quite a number of research in academics some of which are qualitative research,
quantitative research, applied research, pure theoretical research, explanatory research,
exploratory research, empirical research, desk research, field research, and mixed research or
triangulation, just to mention a few of them (Bhattacherjee, 2012).

Thompson & Walker (2010, p.47) state that research involves eclectic and multidisciplinary
approaches because of convergence of knowledge, practicality of research, overarching of
knowledge, and the need to be reflective.

A research can be an ordinary one that could be used on a daily basis by anyone for decision-
making process (Bhattacherjee (2012, p.1). In addition, Odongo, N. (2022) avers that an ordinary
research can be used in everyday life to search for which car to buy, which school to take
children to, search for recipe for dinner, search for neighbourhood to settle in among other things
to ponder and make decisions on through research.

2
In addition to an ordinary research, there is also an academic research which is a scientific
research that is conducted in a standardized procedure with rigid structures and methodologies
that ensure the results are valid, internally and externally authenticated, generalizable, reliable,
reproducible, and above all fulfil rigorous academic standards and tests (Bhattacherjee., 2012,
pp. 6-8).

Therefore, the importance of research cannot be overemphasised, it helps people to comprehend

human events, construe world events and phenomena decorously for people to gain discernment
and understanding of causes and effects (Walliman, 2011, p.2-3)

Concept of paradigm

A research paradigm can be defined as a “set of models or pattern taken towards a method of
research (Kwasi, S.A. 2022).” Another definition of a research paradigm is that it is a logical
structure where a researcher bases his/her research on. A paradigm gives an array of beliefs and
comprehensions upon which a researcher’s theories and practices operate. Saunders et al., (2010,
p.13) assert that there are different types of research paradigms which include the following:
positivism, realism, interpretativism, objectivism, subjectivism, pragmatism, constructivism, de-
constructivism, functionalism, radical humanism, and radical structuralist approaches.

A research paradigm comprises of three aspects which are going to be looked at in more detail in
the section below;

Ontology is an aspect of a research paradigm which gives answers to questions like “What is
reality?” it tries to answer if there is a single reality in a particular research. The question that
would be an ideal example of ontology is; “Does God Exist” this question gives two possible
ontologies which could either be “Yes, God exists,” or “No, God doesn’t exist.”

Epistemology is another aspect of a research paradigm which involves the study of knowledge.
This aspect of a research paradigm gives answers to question like: How possible would it be to
know reality?” Epistemology integrates validity, parameters as well as methods of obtaining
facts. The question that would be an ideal example of epistemology is: “How possible is it to
know if God exists or not?”

Research methodology is the last aspect of a research paradigm which gives answers to question
like: “How do we go about ascertaining the reality or answer?” in this case we are talking about
3
how the procedure of collecting data and analysing it. A researcher plans how a research will be
conducted in a research methodology as well as establishes the validity of the findings.

Therefore, combination of ontology and epistemology consist of research philosophy. Then,

research philosophy and research methodology consist of research paradigm.

Importance of research paradigms

The research paradigms are very important in the field of research as they act as a foundation
upon which a research project can be based. They play a role in determining how various
schools of learning like sciences and humanities embark on their research. The determination of
a research philosophy helps to use a suitable methodology.

Additionally, when a researcher is more knowledgeable of philosophical foundation of his or her

research, the quality as well as the work done on the analysis of a research will improve.

Three types of research and the appropriate paradigms

As stated above, there are different types of research that one can undertake depending on their
objectives. Equally there are different types of research paradigms that can be used as a basis for
a research (Bhattacherjee, 2012, pp.5-7). However, for this assignment only the most common
research types are going to be considered with their appropriate paradigms. These are
explanatory, descriptive, as well as exploratory research. On the other hand, pragmatic,
interpretive as well as positivism paradigms are the appropriate paradigms for the selected types
of research.

Descriptive research: This is another research which is commonly used by scholars where a
cause relationship is determined by measuring the data that has been gathered on variables.
Descriptive research is inclined towards quantitative method which emphasises on statistical and
mathematical methods of research and demonstrates the scientific method in action. Descriptive
research scrutinises issues of what, where, and when (Kothari, 2007).

Constructivism and interpretivism: These paradigms are premised on the concept of the
creativity of people and the deliberation of their actions, and they actively craft their social world
(Shannon-Baker, 2016). Therefore, constructivism and interpretivism paradigms are appropriate

4
for descriptive research because they try to seek out to offer the qualities of a particular
population (Kumar, 2010, p.109).

Explanatory Research: This is the most popular type of research method which is responsible
for forming cause and effect relationships to allow results to be generalised that are akin to the
situation (Bhattacherjee (2012). Explanatory research is somehow akin to descriptive research,
but it adds more detail about the observed object and its relations with its surroundings.

Pragmatic paradigm is most suitable for explanatory research because it tries to solve the
details surrounding the research problem (Bryman & Bell, n.d., pp. 428-436; Dawson, 2002, pp.
102-105).

Exploratory research: This is one of the common types of research which is undertaken to
establish the precise nature of the problem that needs solution. Usually, the scope of the study is
not very well known or researched adequately and the subject matter is a fertile area that has
been exposed as literature gap (Kwasi, S.A. 2017). Exploratory research which is also called
Grounded Theory is mostly applied in the school of Social Sciences and the Humanities because
in these schools certain phenomena aren’t deterministic.

Positivism paradigm: This paradigm was coined by a French sociologist and philosopher,
Auguste Compte, as a merger of rationalism and empiricism. This paradigm is similar to mixed
methods or triangulation (Bhattacherjee, 2012, p.8).

Positivism paradigm is appropriate for exploratory research because of the need for the correct
scientific data which is needed to define the issue at hand.

Conclusion

This assignment has identified three most common types of research such as descriptive,
exploratory as well as explanatory. These types of research are swayed by various factors of the
subject such as the phenomenon that is studied, cost, research reliability, the researcher's
inclination among others. It has also been mentioned that the justification to use one research
technique over another is determined by research paradigms which is set of concepts or pattern
upon which a research is based.

5
References

Bhattacherjee, Anol (2012). Social Science Research-Principles, Methods, and Practices [Online]

Retrieved from

http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=oa_textbo

oks

Bryman, Allan & Bell, Emma [Online] Retrieved from

https://books.google.co.zm/books?id=YnCcAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&redir

esc=y #v=onepage&q&f=false

Cohen, L et al., (2007). Research Methods in Education [Online] Retrieved from

https://islmblogblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/rme-edu-helpline-blogspot-com.pdf

Kothari, C. (2004) Research Methodology-Methods and Techniques [Online] Retrieved from

http://www.modares.ac.ir/uploads/Agr.Oth.Lib.17.pdf

Saunders, Mark., Lewis, Philip., & Thornhill, Adrian (2009) Research Methods for Business

Students [Online] Retrieved from

https://is.vsfs.cz/el/6410/leto2015/BA_BSeBM/um/um/Research_Methods_for_Busin

ess_Stu dents__5th_Edition.pdf

Walliman, Nicholas (2011) Research Methods-The Basics [Online] Routledge Retrieved

from

6
 https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/2317618/mod_resource/content/1/BLOCO%

202_Research%20Methods%20The%20Basics.pdf

Post your response to the following in this Discussion and respond to at least 2
of your colleagues by the end of the module week.
(i) What skills are required to conduct an appropriate research project?
(ii) What research skills did you learn from this course that are valuable to you in your
work environment?

Please read and respond to the above criteria. Then, respond meaningfully to at
least 2 other colleague postings.
Specifications:

Bhattacherjee, (2012) describes a research “as a procedure of an enquiry or a journey of

discovery that moves from the known to the realm of the unknown for the truth to be established
or to either prove a phenomenon valid or invalid, or to enable serious scrutiny of something
which has been conjectured or inferred as an unproven idea in the form of a proposition,
assumption, hypothesis, or an adumbration or intimation of something which is vague in
outline,” requires the collection of data from the respondents which is later utilized to draw a
conclusion on the problem being investigated.

WHAT ARE RESEARCH SKILLS?

Research skills are skills that help you target a goal, compile appropriate information, and relay these
findings to other people. We’re taught to develop research abilities from early education, and that’s for
good reason.

7
8