- Paradigm: A paradigm is simply a belief system (or theory) that guides the way we do things, or more formally establishes a set of practices. This can range from thought patterns to action. “In everyday usage, paradigm refers either to a model or an example to be followed or to an established system or way of doing things. The concept was introduced into the philosophy of science by Thomas Kuhn (1970) in his discussion of the nature of scientific progress”. In researches, paradigm is important to know because it a unique kind of belief structure that align the culture of how we approach system or model or methods of doing things or a model of culturally accepted form of procedure. This belief tends to put researchers in a better position and in setting example or methods that align with the rest of their self-styled SOP (standard operating procedure).
- Epistemology: “In philosophy, epistemology refers to a Theory of knowledge, a theory of how human beings come to have knowledge of the world around them—of how we know what we know. Epistemology provides a philosophical grounding for establishing what kinds of knowledge are possible and for deciding how knowledge can be judged as being both adequate and legitimate. In the social sciences, the term is used in the context of deciding which scientific procedures produce reliable social scientific knowledge”. This term is important to researchers especially in ways in which mind and brain can interact with the knowledge we are ascertaining especially the knowledge of nature. In other words, the term is distinct because, “our view will frame your interaction with what you are researching and will depend on your ontological view. Your approach, for example, will be objective if you see knowledge governed by the laws of nature or subjective if you see knowledge as something interpreted by individuals. This in turn affects your methodology”
- Ontology: “Ontology is a branch of philosophy that is concerned with the nature of what exists. It is the study of theories of being, theories about what makes up reality. In the context of social science: All theories and methodological positions make assumptions (either implicit or explicit) about what kinds of things do or can exist, the conditions of their existence, and the way they are related”. Ontology differs from all the terms because it is unique in nature in ways in which the existence of reality is the view of nature. On the other word, researchers used ontology to find relative data that already exist in nature.
- Philosophy of Science: “According to one definition, a general philosophy of science seeks to describe and understand how science works within a wide range of sciences. This does not have to include every kind of science. But it had better not be confined to a single branch of a single science, for such an understanding would add little to what scientists working in that area already know”. An important learning lesson of this term is the researcher’s understanding of his/her stance before embarking on a research. It is also unique from other terms because researcher’s standard operating procedure matters most in trying to align with his/her potential but essential belief system.
eResearch Methods (n.d.). What is paradigm? Retrieved from March 5, 2015 from http://www.erm.ecs.soton.ac.uk/theme2/what_is_your_paradigm.html
Forster, M. (February, 2004). An Introduction to Philosophy of Science: General Philosophy of Science. Retrieved from March 5, 2015 from http://philosophy.wisc.edu/forster/520/Chapter%201.pdf
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods. Retrieved on 5 March 2015 from
http://sage-ereference.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/socialscience/
