While you are not researchers (yet!), and therefore you may not have consciously considered this, we all have a philosophical perspective that guides our thoughts, beliefs, and values as we walk through this life. This means that how we view reality or the world out there will strongly influence the methods we choose to investigate it.
Reflecting on how you view the world will provide perspective on why you view the world as you do and yourself in it. Such introspection provides a model for social inquiry and, by extension, advanced nursing inquiry. Considering that it is not unusual for a researcher (or a non-researcher for that matter) to occupy a range of positions along the spectrum from Positivist to Pragmatist to Constructivist, where would you place yourself on that continuum? How do you know? What real-world examples lead you to this conclusion? As a result of critically reflecting on your beliefs and values, which is intended to lead us to a better understanding of self, which research methodology would you be drawn to as a nurse researcher and why? Why is this process of self-discovery an important leg of your journey of learning in this course?
