Abstract

Philosophical evaluation can enrich researchers' research skills and ensure they use the proper methodology. With philosophical evaluation, researchers can open their minds to other possibilities that might enrich their research. Our purpose is to inspire the researchers in such a practice to overcome the obstacles when they begin their research. This article helps researchers with a practical example using a hypothetical research model to help them choose the right approach that should be used in research. For clarity, the research is conducted systematically and guided by philosophical underpinnings. Because there are differences in philosophical views with different implications for the research and the researcher, at the same time, the research should not be directed systematically. Still, the methodological choice should result from the researcher's philosophical underpinnings and the investigated phenomenon. This is true because the researcher's philosophical perspective will influence how they view the world and how they think information can be gathered. Differences in philosophy can have a significant impact on the research methodology. A researcher who subscribes to the positivist school of thought, for instance, will believe that knowledge can be attained through objective observation and measurement. Most likely, this researcher would use quantitative methods like surveys and experiments. A researcher who follows an interpretivist ideology, on the other hand, will believe that knowledge can be attained through personal interpretation and understanding. This researcher favors focus groups and interviews as qualitative research methods. These different philosophical perspectives lead to various methodological options. There may also be an impact based on the type of phenomenon being studied.