"The interconnected notions of rigour, discipline and systematic inquiry play a central role in the discourse of research, including educational research. For some (see the argument that follows this introduction) they almost define what form of inquiry will count as research; for some they represent criteria of quality in such research; for others they are what defines – for better or for worse – the organisational structure of the educational research community."

science philosophy inquiry research logic objectivity reason evidence epistemology subjectivity truth rationality consistency empiricism academic rigour systematic inquiry self-consistency