Abstract-Ontological assumptions are dichotomous as realism and nominalism, which gives rise to dichotomous epistemological assumptions as positivism and interpretivism (or anti-positivism). This gives rise to methodological paradigms as quantitative and qualitative. As a blended paradigm of quantitative and qualitative, mixed methods rise as a third option. Each paradigm has its own characteristic research methods and strategies for data collection and analysis. The article elaborates these three research paradigms and relevant research methods in the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Specific examples are given when each research method is illustrated.
Index Terms-EFL, ontology, epistemology, methodology, quantitative, qualitative, mixed methodsIn general English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education can be defined as the English language which is taught and learnt in a country where the official language is not English, like China, Japan, etc. This differs from English as a Second Language (ESL) education, which refers to English language that is taught and learnt in an English-speaking country, like USA, UK, etc. The language environment is the key factor in distinguishing the two terminologies. The primary concern for doing research in this field lies in making EFL education more effective. Good research contributes more effective EFL education by providing new insights into the teaching and learning process (Mackey & Gass, 2011). The research in EFL education covers a wide range of targets, e.g. students, teachers, textbooks, teaching models, learning strategies, education policies, etc. As a result the research methods adopted can vary greatly in light of the specific research purpose and a researcher's stance of paradigm. The research paradigm is closely related to ontology and epistemology.