Q: How do I make a research paradigm?

A research paradigm is a model or approach to research that is considered the standard by a substantial number of researchers in the field based on having been both verified and practiced for a long period of time. In life sciences, for instance, the research paradigm is the quantitative methodology, whereas in social sciences, the paradigm is qualitative. So, based on the purpose and need of your study, you need to apply an appropriate paradigm. Of course, you could also choose to do a mixed-methods study.

To add some theoretical information, there are broadly two types of research paradigm, positivist and interpretivist. According to the positivist school of thought, it is possible to generalize the findings of one study to another study of a similar nature irrespective of the conditions or environment. This is why the quantitative method is used more in life sciences. In contrast, the interpretivist school of thought holds that it is not appropriate to generalize findings from one study to another, especially in the case of human behavior, as this can change according to various situational and environmental factors. Thus, the qualitative method is preferred in social sciences.

Related questions:

• How can I create research paradigm for quantitative research?
• When to use a qualitative research paradigm?