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To understand sociological research correctly, an
understanding of philosophy is essential as it presents principles and
approaches to thinking and acquiring knowledge about the world. When
conducting a study, it is crucial to determine its philosophical
orientation, select an area of interest, and choose a research approach.
This paper examines the philosophical paradigm of the theme of student loan
debt of African-American graduates and how it affects their ability to
perform in the housing market.
Determining the philosophical orientation is crucial as it affects the
choice of the most appropriate research design. Studying student loans of
African-American graduates and their influence on their future can be
implemented through post-positivism. The ontological assumption of this
paradigm suggests the existence of a single reality but indicates that it
cannot be fully and precisely learned. Student loans can significantly
affect housing, but the study cannot cover all students and include all
factors that influence future opportunities. Epistemology is the study of
knowledge, its origin, and methods of obtaining it.
Post-positivists desire objective truth, but they also consider the
influence of the scientist's knowledge and biases on the observed phenomenon
and the formation of assumptions about it. Therefore, a mixed approach is
necessary, which combines qualitative and quantitative ones. The combination
of these methods provides the most comprehensive understanding of the topic.
For example, quantitative methods based on statistics can identify trends,
while qualitative methods can focus on the causes of the problem.
Thus, in studying the influence of student loans among African-American
graduates on housing, the philosophical orientation is post-positivism. In
this paradigm, the ontological assumption is one reality, and the
epistemological assumption is the impossibility of entirely objective truth,
but the desire for it. These assumptions justify the choice of a mixed
approach to inquiry, which includes qualitative and quantitative methods.
The use of this approach is necessary since there is no single perfect
method of knowing reality. This case study highlights the importance of
understanding philosophical orientation when conducting sociological
research. |
