摘要：This study was conducted to appraise research paradigms illuminating their epistemological, ontological and methodological assumptions and the possibility of their co-existence with qualitative, quantitative and mixed research methods. Secondary data was collected for the study. The findings reveal that ontologically interpretivism believes in the relativity of reality and the existence of many realities, while epistemologically it believes in the explicit construction of knowledge dependent on our sense and experience. Contrariwise, the ontological assumption of positivism is the belief in the existence of a single tangible reality which can be identified, understood and measured. Epistemologically positivism believes in the objectivity of knowledge. Contrarily, the ontological position of pragmatism is the belief in the pragmaticality and subjectivity of reality. Epistemologically, the pragmatist researchers believe in the subjective construction of knowledge. In methodological terms, the findings of the study reveal that quantitative and qualitative research methodologies adopt the positivist and constructivist paradigms respectively for research inquiries. As the positivists rely on the epistemology of empiricism, they use quantitative methodology for research inquiries. Contrariwise, as the constructionists rely on the phenomenological epistemology, they prefer using qualitative methodology for research inquiries. However, terms of disagreement prevail among the research philosophers. Critics assert that there are no foundational and philosophical assumptions to prove that why the positivists cannot use the qualitative methodology and why the constructionists cannot use the quantitative methodology for research inquiries. Contrarily, the pragmatist philosophers advocate the plurality of methodology owing to the existence of certain limitations in qualitative and quantitative methodologies when used alone. However, findings of the study reveal certain limitations of this method too. For instance, it is both difficult and unnatural for a researcher to link and associate the findings and the varying research methods. Another difficulty is the selection of an appropriate research paradigm, to wit, as the quantitative and qualitative methodologies adopt different research paradigms for research inquiries generally relying on the positivist and constructivist paradigms respectively. Critics of the mixed research methodology argue that as the positivist and constructivist paradigms are poles apart, hence, a combination of both in one study is both unnatural and impossible. Above all, as the epistemological and ontological assumptions of the positivist and constructivist paradigms vary to a great extent, hence, a combination of them will stir theoretical incompatibility resulting in a paradigm shift.
关键词：“Research paradigms refer to the entire constellation of beliefs;values;techniques;and so on shared by members of a given community” (Bryant;1975)
