What Is Research Philosophy in a Dissertation/Thesis

 Let us quickly understand what research philosophy means in research methodology. 

When conducting a qualitative study there are several decisions that a researcher needs to make.

Therefore, the different decisions and assumptions that a researcher will make, either consciously or unconsciously, will form the basis of their philosophy and approach to generating new knowledge.

Trust me, when you conduct a study, you are trying to generate new knowledge. That is the reason why we normally look for research gaps in the beginning stages of research, which we seek to fill in our research study.

With this in mind, we seek to capture the different conscious and unconscious assumptions and decisions made when conducting research in the methodology chapter of a study as the research philosophy.

In the methodology chapter, we simply seek to explain our ways of working to the readers of our research study so that we can give the readers a platform through which they can interpret, understand, and even judge our findings. 

As previously highlighted when conducting research a researcher will bring certain philosophical assumptions, which will be the stances the researcher will take in order to determine the direction of their study.

Research philosophy is therefore comprised of:

• Ontological Assumptions 
• Epistemological Assumptions 
• Axiological assumptions 
• Methodological  beliefs

Components of Research Philosophy Image

Ontological assumptions relate to the researcher’s view of reality.

Epistemological assumptions relate to how a researcher knows reality.

Axiological assumptions are associated with the value stance taken by the inquirer.

Methodological beliefs entail the procedures that will be used in a study.

In qualitative research, the philosophy of a researcher also includes the interpretive framework they choose to adopt.

 The interpretative framework adopted by a researcher will therefore indicate their ontological, epistemological, axiological, and methodological assumptions.

Let’s look at some common interpretive frameworks also referred to as research philosophies in qualitative research.

Interpretive Frameworks	Possible researcher goals	Potential researcher Influences	Examples of researcher practices	Example of a research study
Post positivism	To focus on cause and effect situations and try to determine what may contribute to the probability of a given outcome compared to another.	Prior training in quantitative research	Adopt different practices to ensure rigor in research including systematic approaches to collecting data and systematic approaches to analysing data. For example when analysing qualitative data a researcher adopting this approach may seek to ensure coding reliability.	The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health: A Mixed-Methods Approach   Such a study might employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.
Social constructivism/ Interpretivism	Understanding the world in which they work and live	Recognizing the role of past experiences and general background in shaping interpretation	The researcher will seek to interpret their participant’s construction of meaning from their own perspective/ account	A study investigating how students support each other in learning through structured peer interactions, emphasizing the social aspects of learning.
Pragmatism	To find specific solutions to real-world problems	Favours diverse approaches to the collection and analysis of qualitative data and is also flexible on the context in which research will take place	Focuses on utilizing the most appropriate methods to answer research questions	A study involving interviews with healthcare providers and patients to improve telemedicine practices.
Postmodern perspectives	Aims at changing  the dominant ways of thinking especially those that may not be  beneficial in contemporary times	Understanding the conditions of the contemporary world	Utilizes research to highlight multiple perspectives	A study analysing how national histories are constructed and how they marginalize alternative narratives, particularly those of minority groups

Adapted from: Creswell & Poth, (2018)

Now having looked at some prominent interpretive frameworks/ research philosophies in qualitative research let us examine some philosophical beliefs associated with each interpretative framework.

Interpretive Frameworks	Ontological assumptions/ beliefs (the nature of reality)	Epistemological/ assumptions Beliefs (how reality is known)	Axiological assumptions/ beliefs (role of values)	Methodological beliefs ( Approach to inquiry)
Post positivism	A single absolute reality exists out there. The work of the researcher is to try and understand this absolute reality through experiments and testing.	Reality can only be approximated. To understand reality a researcher therefore needs to minimize their interactions with research subjects in order to avoid affecting the results of research. We understand reality better through statistics and research.	Researchers need to actively work on controlling their biases and should never express them in their studies	Relies on scientific methods and writing. The main reason for research according to the post-positivist interpretive framework is to create new knowledge. The method used in research is quite important. Post-positivism mainly relies on deductive methods of collecting and analyzing data such as developing hypotheses and seeking to test such hypotheses and theories. It’s also important to specify the vital variables and many comparisons among different groups.
Social constructivism/ Interpretivism	Multiple realities exist at the same time, which are constructed through interactions with others and lived experiences.	Reality will be co-created by the researcher and the participants and will be shaped significantly by individual experiences	Individual values are respected. Such values will be negotiated among different individuals	Relies on a more literary style of writing about the research approach and findings. Favours the use of an inductive method of generating ideas and reaching a consensus on such ideas. Favour’s approaches of collecting data and coming up with findings such as observation, interviewing, and analysing texts
Pragmatism	Reality is viewed as what is practical and useful and what works	Reality can be known through the use of different tools of research including the consideration of objective evidence generated deductively and subjective evidence generated inductively	Knowledge will reflect both the views of the researchers and participants and a consideration of both they are values	The research process can include both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection and analysis
Postmodern perspectives	The participation of the researcher and participants is important in determining the nature of reality. Reality is therefore a hybrid between subjective and objective experiences	Multiple ways of knowing include co-created findings	Significant respect for indigenous values. The need to interrogate values	Emphasizes the use of collaborative processes in the research process. The questioning of methods isemphasized. Political participation is highlighted in the process of research and the highlighting of concerns and issues.

Adapted from: Creswell & Poth, (2018)

An Example of How to Write About Research Philosophy in the Methodology Chapter of a Qualitative Study.

Let us say we are conducting a study of the causes of stress among pregnant mothers who are considered a vulnerable group.

For such a study, we would want to adopt the social constructivism/ interpretivism research philosophy/ interpretive framework.

Having adopted such a research philosophy/ interpretive framework, here is how we would write about our ontological assumptions.

Ontological Assumptions 

Example study title: Causes of stress among pregnant mothers who are considered a vulnerable group.

In the study of what are the main causes of stress among pregnant mothers who are considered a vulnerable group, the researcher adopted an ontological stance that reality is multiple and can be experienced in different ways. In this regard, the experiences of different mothers on what might be their cause of stress when they are pregnant were considered and reported on in this study.

Epistemological Assumptions

Example study title: Causes of stress among pregnant mothers who are considered a vulnerable group.

In this study, the researcher sought to consider subjective evidence from the participants as important and attempted to establish a closer connection with the participants in order to understand the causes of stress during pregnancy. The researcher therefore took time to record the responses of the participants during the interviews and intended to use participant quotes as evidence of the topic being researched.

Axiological Assumptions

Example study title: Causes of stress among pregnant mothers who are considered a vulnerable group.

When researching the causes of stress among pregnant women the researcher believed that biases are present in research because of the subjective experience of both the participants and the researcher. As a person who has worked consistently with pregnant women, the researcher believed that their experiences could have an impact on their interpretation of the information provided by the participants.