Choosing the Appropriate Methodology: Understanding Research Philosophy

This paper introduces novice researchers to the differences in philosophical perspectives and the major research implications arising from them. It is our contention that research should not be methodologically led, rather that methodological choice should be consequential to the researcher's philosophical stance and the social science phenomenon to be investigated. Several philosophical approaches are possible in the science of research, however we perceive that more extreme approaches can be delimiting. We argue that only an intermediate philosophical approach allows the researcher to match philosophy, methodology, and the research problem.