The Research Process:

Concepts, Conventions, &

Procedures (Part 1)
Rector’s Lecture Series on
Revealed &
Human Sciences, IUIU

November 20th 2022

Prof. Ismail Simbwa Gyagenda

 PRESENTATION OUTLINE

⚫ Background

⚫ Philosophical Underpinnings of Research

⚫ What is Research?

⚫ Research Concepts & Conventions

2
 BACKGROUND

⚫ Research: A defining UNIVERSITY FUNCTION

⚫ Research Agenda & Purpose: who
determines what we research and why do
we do research?
⚫ Research or PERISH
⚫ Research & National Development
⚫ We need to revisit the FUNDAMENTAL
research concepts, conventions, and
3 procedures, starting with PHILOSOPHY
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

⚫ ONTOLOGY: theory of “being” or “reality”:

what is real that can be studied or
researched?; Who decides that it is “real”?

⚫ Ontological questions:
Realism (Is reality independent of human
experience?) vs Relativism (Is reality RELATIVE
to human mind or experience in a given context of
time and space?)
4
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

⚫ EPISTEMOLOGY: theory of knowing; what is

knowing? how do we know? How do we
know that we know?
⚫ PHILOSOPHY
Greek: “love of wisdom”
Philosophy shapes our WORLDVIEW or BELIEF
system and is THEREFORE connected to what
5 & how we RESEARCH
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

Islamic Worldview
⚫ Epistemology
Knowledge acquisition through:
a) Revelation from Allah (direct through Angels
to Prophets and Messengers; or through Ilhaam
or intuition) and

b) human senses and intellect/cognition

6
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

⚫ Tawhid and its implications: Knowledge is

from Allah; The ALL-KNOWING

⚫ Knowledge is Holistic not BIFURCATED into

Islamic vs Secular knowledge

⚫ Knowledge is for nourishing the body & the

soul, for the mind & the heart, and for the
7 now and the hereafter
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

⚫ Research or Ijtihad is noble (one who

engages in ijtihad is rewarded whether one
finds the truth or not). But one’s knowledge
doesn’t supersede or supplant Allah’s
knowledge.

⚫ Research must be transparent, disseminated

and must tolerate criticism; only Allah knows
the ultimate truth
8
 Philosophical Underpinnings of
Research

Secularist Worldview
Epistemology (perception, memory,
introspection, inference, testimony)
Major Philosophies or philosophical
approaches in research:
⚫ POSITIVISM
⚫ Postmodernism
9 ⚫ Pragmatism
 Research Approaches

⚫ POSITIVISM: only factual knowledge from

sensory observations that are measurable
is trustworthy.
Positivists argue that the researcher is
independent of the study, therefore unbiased
Quantitative methods are emphasized because
“facts” or data are collected, measured and
analyzed. Knowledge acquisition is DEDUCTIVE
from the collected and analyzed data and
10 inferences are made from the results.
 Research Approaches

Post-Modernism or post-positivism:

Post-positivists are constructivists. They posit

that research is a human activity. As such,
”theories, background knowledge, and values of
a researcher can influence what is observed”

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 Research Approaches

⚫ Both quantitative and qualitative methods

are used

⚫ Knowledge acquisition is INDUCTIVE, relative

to values, & context

12
 Blog References on Philosophy

⚫ Moon K. & Blackman D.(May 2, 2017) A guide

to ontology, epistemology, and philosophical
perspectives for interdisciplinary researchers

⚫ Kuwornu-Adjaota,
https://blog.noyam.org/research-philosophies-
and-approaches/)
13
 What is Research?

⚫ Attempt to understand phenomena

⚫ “Disciplined Inquiry”

⚫ “A search for the ultimate truth about

phenomena, but truth is illusive”

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 Types of Research

⚫ Basic Vs Applied
Research Approaches/Methods
1. Quantitative (understanding the world
through variables & numbers)
2. Qualitative (understanding the world
through narrative)
3. Mixed Methods
15
 Research Concepts and
Conventions

⚫ Dissertation or Thesis

⚫ CONCEPTS:
1. Topic/Problem/Question/Study
2. Writing Style
3. Background and Need for Study
4. Variables
5. Hypothesis: Null or Research
16
6. Samples & Population
 Conclusion

⚫ Research and innovation are what defines a modern

University of the 21st century

⚫ We must have basic understanding of the

philosophical underpinnings as well as the key
concepts and conventions of Research

⚫ Production and dissemination of new knowledge

must be tied to a University, National, Regional and
17 Global Agenda that serves our communities