In addition to the famliar theory and methods sections, many research papers and theses include a section on the "philosophy of science". This is a famously difficult subject to write about and many students find it somewhat foreign to their primary research interests. But there are good reasons to take the task seriously, and in this talk we'll go through some general strategies with which you can approach your "ontology" and "epistemology", decide whether you're a "positivist" or a "pragmatist", sort your "phenomenology" from your "hermeneutics", and even come to terms with the fundamental nature of "truth" and "reality".

This talk is part of the Craft of Research Series. Throughout the spring, we will hold a talk every Thursday afternoon on various aspects of the research and writing process to help you complete your year-end projects. Whether it's your first project or your final master's thesis, there will be something for you in these talks. Each talk lasts approximately one hour, with plenty of time for questions afterwards.

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