Research as a systematic process: method, methodology and paradigmatic perspectives

Abstract

Scientific research is a systematic, rigorous, and planned process aimed at producing reliable knowledge about reality. It is not limited to the haphazard collection of data, but rather requires an organized approach that allows for understanding, describing, explaining, and even transforming phenomena. To this end, it is essential to differentiate between method and methodology: method is understood as the logical path that guides the steps to achieve a knowledge objective, while methodology is the critical and justificatory analysis of that path—that is, the reflection on why certain procedures are chosen and how they are applied. All research is also based on philosophical assumptions that condition its development: ontology defines how the nature of the studied reality is conceived, and epistemology explains how knowledge is constructed and what relationship exists between the researcher and the object of study. These foundations guide the choice of approaches, techniques, and instruments, and are articulated in paradigms that offer frameworks for research. In this context, some perspectives prioritize observation and empirical verification, while others emphasize interpretation, intersubjectivity, and the construction of meaning, especially in social and human phenomena.