Identify and explain the ontological and epistemological assumptions which underpin the researchers’ choice of methodology. Identify and discuss the ethical challenges and issues raised in the paper and the extent to which these are considered satisfactorily.

Comparative Education and International Development

Select one paper from the list below.

Select either paper A, B or C.

A. Macleod, G., Dallas-Childs, R., Brough, C. and Toye, M. (2021), ‘She just got me’: supporting care experienced young people negotiating relationships and identities at school. J Res Spec Educ Needs. https://doi-org.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/10.1111/1471-3802.12543

B. Catherine E. Stanford, Richard P. Hastings, Deborah M. Riby, Heather J. Archer, Sarah E. Page & Katie Cebula (2020) Psychological distress and positive gain in mothers of children with autism, with or without other children with neurodevelopmental disorders, International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1812347

C. Mairin Hennebry, Yuen Yi Lo & Ernesto Macaro (2012) Differing perspectives of non-native speaker students’ linguistic experiences on higher degree courses, Oxford Review of Education, 38:2, 209-230, DOI: 10.1080/03054985.2011.651312

With reference to the paper you have selected:

identify and explain the ontological and epistemological assumptions which underpin the researchers’ choice of methodology*

critique the effectiveness of the relationship between the philosophical positioning, the methodology chosen and the methods used for collecting and analysing data;

identify and discuss the ethical challenges and issues raised in the paper and the extent to which these are considered satisfactorily.

Ontological and epistemological assumptions

This asks you to comment explicitly on ontological and epistemological assumptions. You may also want to discuss these (and the associated methodology) in terms of a particular paradigm.

Methodology

This term refers to the approach taken to answering the research questions. This asks you to comment on the approach to research in terms of the kind of data involved; whether descriptive, explanatory or something else; the research design (e.g. case study, ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenological, basic interpretivist, action research, experiment, survey, mixed methods); approach to reasoning; the research participants and how they were selected; approach to analysis.

Methods

This term refers to the specific data collection methods used so that the research questions can be answered.

Ensure that you answer all 3 bullet points.

A rough guide would be to write approximately 500 words on point 1, 1000 words on point 2 and 500 words on point 3.

So the main point to focus on is where are the weaknesses, where is the author jumping logically or making unjustified assumptions. All three papers will be of relatively poor quality so it should be fairly easy to identify inconsistencies in the research design.