The Cased Theory – A Philosophical Lateralization On Developing Contribution To Knowledge And Originality In A Phd Thesis: An Illustrative Example Of Poverty Reduction Through Boreholes Provision In The Atebubu And Afram Plains Districts Of Ghana

Abstract

Abstract

Several studies emphasize the ‘Contribution to knowledge’ as an essential ingredient in classical research leading to awards of PhDs. In some recent PhD defences the obvious lack of clarity on this issue leaves observers with inconclusive expectations as to what constitutes ‘Contribution to knowledge’ and its essential hallmark of Originality. In essence, there should be least ambiguity about Contribution to knowledge and what constitutes Originality in every research work finalized. Discussing the issue with several students and some past PhD candidates, the major challenge seems to lie with the lack of a clear process and standard guidelines to follow to measure what constitutes originality in new knowledge generation. So there is the tendency to outline technical field findings as original contribution to knowledge. This leaves many gaps especially in relation to the philosophical underpinnings of knowledge generation which constitutes the heartbeat of any academic discourse at that highest level. In this discourse, the author discusses and illustrates the process termed as ‘the CASED Theory’ for generating contribution to knowledge and validating originality of contribution to knowledge in assessing research work by PhD students. The hope is that this mythical area in PhD research will be resolved once and for all, especially in the field of Social Sciences. This will help to address the current prevalent hiatus and ambiguity relating to contribution to knowledge and its originality.

Key words: CASED Theory; Contribution to knowledge; Originality; Axiology; Theory of Change; Epistemological metamorphosis; Ontology.