GROUP #6: BALINSOY, DYANNE PEARL GA, CHRIS JERICHO GAMUZA, NELLORD LOPEZ, JAY AT THE END OF THIS TOPIC STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO: 1.) Determine the importance and uses of Research Paradigm. 2.) Identify different examples of research paradigm. 3.) Understand why research paradigm is necessary in research. 4.) Differentiate dependent and independent variables. WHAT IS RESEARCH PARADIGM? A research paradigm is a philosophical framework that your research is based on. It offers a pattern of beliefs and understandings from which the theories and practices of your research project operate. RESEARCH PARADIGM ONTOLOGY Answers the question: “What is reality?” That is, does a single reality exist within your research? An example of an ontological question would be: “Does God exist?” There are two possible realities (or ontologies) in response to this EPISTEMOLOGY Study of knowledge. It answers the question: “How is it possible to know reality?” Epistemology incorporates the validity, parameters, and methods of acquiring knowledge. An example of an epistemological question would be: “How is it possible to know whether God RESESRCH METHODOLOGY Answers the question: “How do we go about discovering the answer or reality?” This includes the process of data collection and analysis. Research methodology should outline how you conduct your research and demonstrate that ONTOLOGY EPISTEMOLOGY RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY RESEARCH PARADIGM RESEARCH PARADIGM EXAMPLE POSITIVISM CONSTRUCTIVISM PRAGMATISTS POSITIVISM Positivists hold that there is just one reality that can be measured and comprehended. They’re, therefore, most likely to base their research on quantitative techniques. Positivism typically puts out a hypothesis that may be supported or refuted by statistical data analysis. Instead of focusing on the cause of a relationship between two variables, positivism prefers to examine if one exists. CONSTRUCTIVISM Constructivists hold that there are numerous realities rather than a single reality or truth. They dedicate their time to deciphering and analyzing the significance of an action. Constructivists frequently employ qualitative research techniques that emphasize offering various viewpoints, such as case studies and interviews. The goal of constructivism is to explain “why.” For instance, rather than only determining the correlation between two variables, why do 25% of company employees consistently arrive late to work? (e.g., time of arrival at work and availability of nearby parking). PRAGMANTISTS According to pragmatics, reality is continuously being reexamined and renegotiated in light of brand-new, unpredictably occurring circumstances. As a result, the study question itself determines the philosophy they utilize. In a single research endeavour, pragmatics frequently mixes positivist and constructivist concepts, using qualitative and quantitative techniques to examine various aspects of a research subject. According to them, the best research techniques most effectively address the research topic. IS IT POSSIBLE TO COMBINE BOTH RESEARCH PARADIGMN? While most social science research operates from either a positivist (experimental) or constructivist paradigm, it’s possible to combine both, as the field of psychology often does. Quantitative and qualitative methodology are frequently used together in psychology, illustrating the subject’s footing in multiple research paradigms (positivist and constructivist). TYPES OF RESEARCH PARADIGM POSITIVE PARADIGM INTERPRETATIVE PARADIGM WHY ARE RESEARCH PARADIGMS IMPORTANT? POSITIVE PARADIGM Positivism is widely used as a conceptual framework in scientific and quantitative research. Because positivists favour empirical hypothesis testing, quantitative analysis always adopts this methodology. Because it uses practical methods to examine the facts, positivism is valued in the pure sciences. In quantitative research, the methodology is based on a probabilistic model established via earlier studies. Positivism holds that the results of one study can be used for another of a similar kind, even if they are done in a different setting and under other circumstances. INTERPRETATIVE PARADIGM The majority of qualitative social science research uses an interpretivism approach to study. According to interpretivism, human behaviour has multiple layers and cannot be predicted by pre-established probabilistic models. It is influenced by environmental variables other than genes and changes depending on the circumstances. Human behaviour is very different from an easy-to-control scientific variable. Numerous factors influence human behaviour, which is primarily subjective. Interpretivism, therefore, favours studying human behaviour in the real world instead of in a lab setting. WHY ARE RESEARCH PARADIGMS IMPORTANT? Research paradigms are important because they form the philosophical basis of a research project. Research paradigms influence how different schools of learning (such as the sciences versus the humanities) undertake their research. Once a research philosophy has been determined, an appropriate methodology can be chosen. Furthermore, a knowledge of the philosophical foundation of your research will increase its quality and improve your performance in any analysis you may have to undergo! DEPENDENT VARIABLE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE HOW TO USE INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES IN A RESEARCH PAPER? WHAT IS A VARIABLE? • As the name implies, a variable is something that varies. In other words, a variable is a data item that can hold more than one value. These values can be anything from names, addresses, numbers, etc. Think, for instance, to human eyes. Any of the following values can express the eye color variable: blue, brown, amber, green, hazel, even red, or any combination of those. • Variables are practically used everywhere, from mathematics, computer science to statistical analysis and research. • Experimental research uses at least two types of variables: independent and dependent. Other types of variables are control variables, moderator variables, and extraneous variables. WHAT IS DEPENDENT VARIABLE? Dependent variables are the variables you plan to test in your experiment. As the name implies, a dependent variable depends on something else, such as an independent variable. Example: Let’s assume you test the difference between two groups (Group A and Group B) of respondents and how well they can remember ten given words after one day. What is being tested is the number of words being memorized, which is the study’s dependent variable in this case. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE GROUP A GROUP B MEMORIZED WORDS WHAT IS INDEPENDENT VARIABLE? An independent variable, also known as the treatment variable, represents the variable that a researcher controls directly or indirectly to test its impact on a particular outcome. Example: Let’s assume we are seeking to understand the impact of gender on leadership styles in an organization. In this case, the independent variable is gender and consists of two levels, male and female, and the dependent variable is a leadership style (e.g., transactional leadership, transformational leadership, etc.). INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE GENDER MALE FEMALE LEADERSHIP STYLE VARIABLE TYPE DEPENDENT VARIABLE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEFINITION The Dependent Variable is the variable tested and measured in a study to identify if the independent variable impacts it. The Independent Variable is a variable that the researcher can manipulate to determine if it impacts a dependent variable. How To Use Independent And Dependent Variables In A Research Paper? Key Takeaways Here are some critical points about research variables you should keep in mind: • A variable is a data item that can hold more than a single value. • Independent variables are the variables that can be manipulated or controlled by the researcher. • A dependent variable is a variable a researcher plans to measure. It represents the outcome of an experiment. • The relation between independent and dependent variables can be seen as cause and effect. • The existing theories and literature should explain your research variables. • All variables, proposed hypotheses, and conceptual framework are discussed in the Literature Review chapter of a research paper.
