A study of objectivity and subjectivity in research methodology selection

Abstract A lack of processual guidance on selecting research methodology elements that align to a phenomenon under investigation (notably from a state of tabula rasa ) convolutes the process of creating a bespoke, cogent and scientifically grounded narrative that engenders higher scientific validity. Therefore, this study reviews research methodology literature to delineate current guidance and provide taxonomic synthesis of research methodology elements and their use in a research process. Associated objectives are to: (1) describe research methodology layers of choices in a compendious manner; and (2) generate a novel decision support framework as processual guidance for scholars to select the optimal research methodology elements for a given phenomenon being studied. This systematic literature review study adopts interpretivism and inductive reasoning in a two-step qualitative sequential analyses process that encompasses a preliminary literature review and subsequent, content analysis. First, a preliminary literature review scrutinises prominent research publications on research methodology (via Google Scholar), which leads to the emergence of research focus, namely ‘the role of objectivity and subjectivity in research methodology’. Second, 138 research publications sourced from Scopus are studied by manual thematic clustering, followed by a content analysis of 59 most relevant-to-research-focus items using the qualitative data analysis tool NVivo. Common research methodology elements are tabulated and their componential features are cross-compared against prevalent-in-the-literature research attributes or research classifications. These research methodology elements (that are differentiated as involving either implicit or explicit decision-making) are modelled into an infographic depiction which describes these elements on the spectrum of objectivity to subjectivity and their convergence point. Such a summary model differentiates research designs and studies that are gravitating towards objectivity, falling towards subjectivity or levitating between the two. These findings are subsequently transformed into a guidance model (entitled ‘magnetic field of research methodology’) which introduces inputs into and outcomes from the process of research methodology elements selection. The model emphasises the role of ‘external forces’ (i.e. research inputs/materials) in the choice of research methodology elements and their impact on research outcome type. This study is the first attempt in extant literature to: collate and organise research methodology elements on the level of objectivity and subjectivity; and provide a decision-making framework which incorporates decisions, research stages, steps and research item progress which elucidates the process of constructing a scientifically robust methodology.