Since the Ph.D. is a research degree, what research orientations are acceptable?
Given the interdisciplinary character of Curriculum Studies, research orientations should be selected that illuminate questions, problems, or phenomena that one wants to investigate. Thus, one might do research, more broadly inquiry, that draws upon philosophical analysis or speculation, historiography, ethnography, biography, autobiography, literary criticism, literary portrayal, narrative inquiry, phenomenological hermeneutics, postmodern interpretation, critical theory or critical race theory, queer theory, aesthetic inquiries, scientific comparative studies, surveys, and more. There virtually countless variations within each and there is much potential for combining orientations into mixed method studies, or creating original variations that fit unique topics of study. Strengths and limitations of diverse epistemological orientations (experience, empiricism, authority, revelation, intuition, induction and hypothetical deduction, dialectics, dialogue, democratic deliberation, artist
