Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners What is knowledge?

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge and Epistemology

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Session Objectives: By the end of the session you will be able to: 1.Recall the six theories of knowledge 2.Explain ‘the scientific method’ 3.Be aware of the differences between empirical and interpretivist epistemology

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Task – small groups – 15mins Each group will receive a different concept of knowledge Discuss the meaning of the type of knowledge you have been give. 1.Generate a description in your own words 2.Identify an example of this type of knowledge 3.Be prepared to feedback what you have understood to the whole group

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Time Based or Traditional Knowledge ‘With traditional knowledge the mere passing of time is seen as the basis for making knowledgeable assertions about the world. In surviving the test of time, long-standing ideas or enduring assertions about the world are assumed to be true.’ (Ruane, 2005: 3)

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Common Sense and Intuition ‘Common sense uses our personal experiences and the experiences of those we know as the source of “practical” knowledge’ (Ruane, 2005: 8) Intuition – having a gut feeling

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Pragmatic Theory of Truth ‘…the American philosopher William James argued for a pragmatic theory of truth, whereby something was true if it was useful and of benefit for it to be true.’ (Williams and May, 1996: 37)

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Correspondence Theory of Truth ‘Quite simply, something is true if there is agreement with facts’ (Williams and May, 1996: 36)

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Credential-Based Knowledge: Authoritative Knowledge With authoritative knowledge, we defer to experts when looking for accurate assertions about the world. In trusting in experts, we are deferring to their credentials and training. We accept as accurate and true that which experts tell us. (Ruane, 2005: 4)

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Concepts of Knowledge Coherence Theory of Truth Many reports of the knowledge agree that it is true and there have been no reports to the contrary.

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners University Knowledge You need to provide evidence in all your work that demonstrated three types of knowledge You do this by referencing: 1.By your choice of source e.g. a peer reviewed published source demonstrates correspondence knowledge 2.By naming your source you demonstrate authoritative knowledge 3.By identifying the counter arguments and refuting them you demonstrate coherence knowledge

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners The Scientific Method The scientific method is the process by which scientists, collectively and over time, endeavour to construct an accurate (that is, reliable, consistent and non-arbitrary) representation of the world. (Source )

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners The Scientific Method Four main steps: 1.Developing the problem - Specific Identify variables 2.Formulating the hypothesis Testable Null hypothesis 3.Gathering the data – Qualitative and quantitative methodologies Reliability and validity 4.Analysing and interpreting results Results Discussion

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners The Scientific Method Knowledge gained in this way is seen as ‘proven’ That it, it has been generated by an authority (someone with credentials e.g. has been published) who has proven that the knowledge or theory corresponds with what happens in the real world.

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners The Scientific Method This method is associated with research that is: Quantitative Empirical Positivist Deductive Objective

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Alternatives to The Scientific Method Interpretivist Approach “we cannot know the ‘true’ nature of the object separate from our perceptions of it’ (Williams and May 1996: 60)

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Interpretivist Approach Qualitative Idealist Inductive Subjective The search for meaning rather than the search for truth

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Epistemology How we know that we know something? What it is that makes something knowledge rather than just an opinion. Empiricism vs. Idealism - can you be both? Critical Realism – accepts the world as real (positivist) but is critical of our objectivity due to our reliance on interpretation

Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Review Can you recall the six theories of knowledge? Are you able to explain ‘the scientific method’? Could you tell the differences between empirical and interpretivist epistemology?