TY - JOUR AU - Watson, Cate PY - 2005/05/31 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Living the Life of the Social Inquirer: Beginning Educational Research JF - Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research JA - FQS VL - 6 IS - 2 SE - Single Contributions DO - 10.17169/fqs-6.2.471 UR - https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/471 SP - AB - I contend that too much educational research has focused on method rather than methodology. This has led to uncritical research that accepts as a given the objective reality of the social constructs being investigated and is not concerned with an examination of the relationship between research and practice. In this paper I aim to show why an examination of the underlying "philosophical plumbing" is necessary before embarking on educational research. I then follow my own advice, examining my beliefs about epistemology, ontology and axiology in order to create the research space I am going to inhabit as I set out on my doctoral studies. In doing this I try to arrive at a synthesis of constructivism, postmodernism and participation, examining the tensions and possibilities that this synthesis gives rise to.URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0502283 ER -