Q. What are epistemology and ontology?

These are definitions from the Open University (no date)

• "Ontology: is the philosophical study of being. It refers to your view of reality and to what extent it exists ‘out there’, to be captured through research. Ontology is concerned with what is true or real".
• "Epistemology: is the ‘theory of knowledge’. It refers to the principles of what can be known and how you can know it; that is, how you can find out about it."

Bracken (2010) describes ontological perspectives as "ways of viewing social reality", whilst Arrigo and Williams (2006, p. 39) state that "questions of ontology explore the nature of reality or existence".  Audi (2011, p. 2) defines epistemology as "the theory of knowledge and belief". Epistemology considers how we can "generate dependable knowledge" (Tomlinson, 2023); it is the "study of what we know and how we come to make knowledge claims" (Arrigo and Williams, 2006, p. 101). 

You might also find it helpful to consult the Internet Encylopedia of Philosophy or the Stanford Encylopedia of Philosophy as general background reading to help you understand the topic. This guide from Moon and Blackman (2017) contains a visual overview of these two branches of philosophy, along with theoretical perspective. 

References:

Arrigo, B.A. and Williams, C.R. (eds) (2006) Philosophy, crime, and criminology. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press

Audi, R. (2011) Epistemology: a contemporary introduction to the theory of knowledge. 3rd edn. Abingdon: Routledge

Bracken, S. (2010) 'Discussing the importance of ontology and epistemology awareness in practitioner research', Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, 4. Available at: https://eprints.worc.ac.uk/843/1/FinalSBrackenPractitionerResearch.pdf (Accessed: 26 March 2025).

Open University (no date) Ontology, epistemology and methodology. Available at: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/critically-exploring-psychology/content-section-3 (Accessed: 26 March 2025). 

Tomlinson, Y.N. (2023) 'The importance of engaging with ontology and epistemology as an ECR', The British Psychological Society, 3 January. Available at: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/importance-engaging-ontology-and-epistemology-ecr (Accessed: 26 March 2025).