Science as Art: Axiology as a Central Component in Methodology and Evaluation of Arts-Based Research (ABR)

This article introduces key terms and concepts in arts-based research (ABR) that are represented across different disciplines. In so doing, it presents four functions of art in research: art as an adjunctive method in qualitative research, art as a primary method in qualitative research, art as its own methodology in research, and art as a radical event in research. Ways of adhering to ABR as its own methodology are examined, emphasizing axiology, rather than epistemology, as a core consideration when designing, implementing, and evaluating ABR. Aesthetic concerns and ethical challenges, primary values in axiology, are considered when evaluating the rigor of research design and results. Finally, this article describes the author's own creative decision-making while developing an ABR study, illuminating issues of axiology while doing so.