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Methodology and Research Design: Terminology – SOBT

Philosophical paradigm reflects back on the philosophical assumptions you learned about in the last unit: The two dominant paradigms are positivism and social constructivism or interpretivism.  A paradigm in scientific language after Thomas Kuhn (1962) has three levels of meaning: philosophy, social (how to conduct research) and technical (the methods and techniques).

A methodology is a system of principles, traditions, rules, and methods for conducting a research study consistently and in accordance with an underlying paradigm.  For our purposes here, there are two traditional methodologies in science: quantitative and qualitative.  Some dissertations are done using mixed methodologies, combining both quantitative and qualitative components.

• Note: Mixed-methods research, which means using both qualitative and quantitative methods and procedures, is complex and arduous, and can require special permissions, additional coursework, and a mentor with expertise in mixed methods.  Further, mixed-methods dissertations usually take longer and therefore are more costly, both in time and money.  Each of Capella’s doctoral schools has specific requirements for learners wishing to pursue mixed designs.  You can find the requirements for your school on iGuide's Research in Your School page.  There, click on the link for the research page for your school.  Once there, open the Acceptable Methods Document and review the requirements for mixed methods.

Research designsexist within each of the two standard methodologies.  Designs are blueprints for the actual study, specifying how each step of the study will be carried out in conformity with the basic methodology.  In both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, each school has its acceptable designs, which you will review in Unit 7.

Reference

Kuhn, T. S. (1996). The structure of scientific revolutions (3rd ed.). Chicago, IL, University of Chicago Press.

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Doc. reference: phd_t2_sobt_u07s1_h07_terms.html