What is Axiology?
Axiology allows the researcher to understand and recognise the role their values and opinion
play in the collection and analysis of the research as opposed to eliminating or trying to
balance the influence of it.
For example, if the researcher is a vegetarian and they are researching the availability and
range of vegetarian food in hotels this must be declared in their research. How this shapes

your investigation of the issue and how you analyse the results will need to be detailed and
analysed in different ways according to the approach you choose.
Links
Wiki about axiology http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/axiology
Layer 1 of the Onion
This layer contains the philosophical stances associated with the philosophies. Each of the
possible choices at this level require careful thought as they provide structure, guidance and
possible limitations to following decisions and ultimately the way a researcher can collect
and analyse data to create valid findings.
Please click on the terms for more information.
Objectivism
What is Objectivism?
Objectivism recognises that social phenomena and their meanings exist separately to social
actors. An example of social phenomena could be heavy rain and social actors are people
wanting to have a picnic outside. The rain exists, it is real and would be acknowledged by
everyone to exist and is therefore independent to the people who have had their day out
ruined by it.
In your research this may be how a law (the social phenomenon) impacts on a group of
people (social actors).
Links
Please see general resources