Introduction to the Handbook of Theory and Methods in Applied Health Research

Abstract

In this introductory chapter the important, overarching issue of identifying the paradigm within which the research is located is addressed. The importance of ontological, epistemological and methodological positioning is emphasized, encouraging researchers to identify the assumptions and understanding that they bring to their research endeavours. The paradigms shifts that have guided research in the past are outlined, with an emphasis on how these change how we approach research and collect, analyse and interpret data. Understanding these dimensions enables the researcher to engage with the choices of methods and skills available, and to select the approaches that best enable them to access the knowledge they are interested in. The four parts of the book are then outlined in this chapter: research skills, qualitative and quantitative methods, and contemporary research issues.