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Dissertation Methodology – Structure, Example and Writing Guide

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Dissertation Methodology

The methodology section of a dissertation explains the approach, design, and methods you used to conduct your research. This section is critical for demonstrating the rigor and credibility of your study and allows readers to evaluate the reliability and validity of your findings. The methodology should be clear, detailed, and justified, ensuring that anyone reading it understands how and why the research was conducted.

Purpose of a Dissertation Methodology

The methodology section serves several essential purposes:

• Justifies the Research Approach : Explains why specific research methods were chosen and how they align with the research question.
• Describes Data Collection and Analysis : Details the tools, techniques, and procedures used to gather and analyze data.
• Ensures Replicability : Provides enough detail for other researchers to replicate or build on the study.
• Addresses Limitations : Identifies any limitations or constraints of the chosen methodology and their potential impact on results.

Structure of a Dissertation Methodology

A well-organized methodology section is usually structured into five main components: Research Design , Participants/Sampling , Data Collection Methods , Data Analysis , and Ethical Considerations . Some dissertations may include additional sections as needed for specific methods or fields of study.

1. Research Design

Definition : The research design is the overall strategy and framework guiding the study. It outlines whether the research is qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods and justifies this choice in relation to the research question.

Example : If studying consumer behavior, a quantitative survey might be appropriate to gather statistical data, while qualitative interviews could provide in-depth insights into motivations.

Typical Components :

• Approach : Qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods.
• Research Type : Experimental, observational, survey-based, case study, etc.
• Justification : Explanation of why this design aligns with the research objectives.

2. Participants and Sampling

Definition : This section describes the study population, how participants were chosen, and the sample size. It should include the criteria for inclusion and exclusion, as well as details about recruitment procedures.

Example : For a study on workplace satisfaction, you might select employees from various departments in a company and use a sample size calculated based on statistical power analysis.

• Target Population : The demographic characteristics and scope of the population studied.
• Sampling Method : Probability or non-probability sampling (e.g., random sampling, convenience sampling).
• Sample Size : The number of participants included and justification for this number.

3. Data Collection Methods

Definition : This section describes how data was collected, detailing the tools and techniques used. It should include specifics on instruments (e.g., surveys, interviews, experiments), how they were administered, and why these methods are appropriate for the study.

Example : In a study examining consumer satisfaction, data collection could involve an online survey with closed-ended questions to quantify satisfaction levels.

• Tools/Procedures : Description of instruments, procedures, and protocols.
• Type of Data Collected : Qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups) or quantitative (e.g., surveys, experiments).
• Rationale : Explanation of why these data collection methods were chosen.

4. Data Analysis

Definition : Data analysis involves explaining the methods and techniques used to interpret the collected data. This includes any statistical or thematic analysis methods applied, as well as software used.

Example : For quantitative data, you might use software like SPSS or R for statistical analysis, while qualitative data could be analyzed using NVivo to identify key themes.

• Techniques : Statistical tests for quantitative data (e.g., t-tests, regression analysis) or coding for qualitative data.
• Software : Mention any software used, such as SPSS, R, or NVivo.
• Justification : Explanation of why these analysis methods are appropriate for the research question and data.

5. Ethical Considerations

Definition : Ethical considerations involve addressing any ethical issues related to the study, such as informed consent, confidentiality, and participant welfare.

Example : In a study involving human subjects, ethical considerations might include obtaining informed consent and ensuring data anonymity.

• Informed Consent : Description of how participants were informed about the study and consent obtained.
• Confidentiality : Explanation of measures taken to protect participants’ privacy.
• Risk Mitigation : Any procedures in place to protect participants from harm.

Example of a Dissertation Methodology

Here is a sample methodology for a hypothetical dissertation examining the impact of online learning on student engagement.

Title : The Impact of Online Learning Platforms on Student Engagement in Higher Education

• This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to obtain a comprehensive understanding of student engagement in online learning. The quantitative component provides generalizable data, while the qualitative component offers in-depth insights.
• Participants include 300 undergraduate students enrolled in online courses at three universities. A random sampling method was used to ensure a representative sample across different disciplines.
• Data collection involved an online survey with closed-ended questions on engagement, followed by semi-structured interviews with a subset of 20 students to explore their experiences more deeply.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis in SPSS to assess relationships between variables. Qualitative data were coded and thematically analyzed using NVivo to identify key themes.
• Ethical approval was obtained from each institution’s review board. Participants were informed of the study’s purpose, and informed consent was obtained. All responses were anonymized to ensure confidentiality.

Writing Guide for Dissertation Methodology

Step 1: choose the research design and justify it.

Begin by identifying the research design that best suits your research question. Justify your choice based on how it aligns with the study’s objectives and the type of data needed.

Example : For a dissertation on the effects of diet on physical health, a longitudinal study might be chosen to observe changes over time, with justification based on the need to monitor long-term health outcomes.

Step 2: Describe the Sampling Process

Explain the target population, sampling method, and sample size. Justify your choices by explaining how they ensure the data will be representative and reliable.

Example : A study on employee motivation might choose a random sampling method to prevent bias, ensuring that findings can be generalized to a broader workforce.

Step 3: Outline Data Collection Methods

Provide a detailed description of how data was collected, including any instruments, techniques, and procedures. Explain why these methods are appropriate for capturing the data needed to answer the research question.

Example : If measuring customer satisfaction, an online survey may be selected due to its efficiency and reach, and its questions might be chosen to quantify specific satisfaction dimensions.

Step 4: Explain Data Analysis Procedures

Describe how you analyzed the data and justify the chosen techniques. Include information on any software used and specific statistical or thematic analysis methods applied.

Example : For a quantitative study, you might perform regression analysis to explore relationships between variables. In qualitative studies, you might use thematic coding to identify patterns.

Step 5: Address Ethical Considerations

Identify any ethical issues related to your study and describe how you addressed them. Ethical considerations are crucial for studies involving human subjects, as they help protect participant rights.

Example : For a study involving interviews, explain how participants were assured of confidentiality and provided with the option to withdraw at any time.

Tips for Writing an Effective Methodology

• Be Clear and Detailed : Provide enough detail so that another researcher could replicate the study based on your description.
• Use Justification for Every Choice : Explain why each methodological choice is suitable for your research objectives.
• Stay Objective and Neutral : Avoid using personal opinions or biases; focus on describing your research design and methods factually.
• Organize Logically : Follow a logical flow, usually beginning with research design, followed by sampling, data collection, data analysis, and ethical considerations.
• Keep It Concise but Comprehensive : Avoid unnecessary detail, but ensure you cover all relevant information needed to understand your methodology.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Vagueness : Avoid vague language and provide specific details for each section.
• Lack of Justification : Justify all choices, from sampling methods to analytical techniques, to demonstrate thoughtfulness and rigor.
• Overcomplicating Language : Use clear, straightforward language rather than overly technical jargon to improve readability.
• Ignoring Limitations : Acknowledge any limitations in your methodology and discuss how they may impact the results.

The methodology section is a vital part of a dissertation, outlining the design, participants, data collection, data analysis, and ethical considerations. By following a structured approach, providing justifications for each choice, and ensuring clarity, you can write a robust methodology that supports the credibility and reliability of your research. A well-written methodology allows readers to evaluate the validity of your study and serves as a foundation for replicating or expanding upon your work.

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Flick, U. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Silverman, D. (2016). Qualitative Research (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Yin, R. K. (2017). Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research Methods for Business Students (7th ed.). Pearson.

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• What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

Published on 25 February 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on 10 October 2022.

Your research methodology discusses and explains the data collection and analysis methods you used in your research. A key part of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, the methodology chapter explains what you did and how you did it, allowing readers to evaluate the reliability and validity of your research.

It should include:

• The type of research you conducted
• How you collected and analysed your data
• Any tools or materials you used in the research
• Why you chose these methods
• Your methodology section should generally be written in the past tense .
• Academic style guides in your field may provide detailed guidelines on what to include for different types of studies.
• Your citation style might provide guidelines for your methodology section (e.g., an APA Style methods section ).

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Table of contents

How to write a research methodology, why is a methods section important, step 1: explain your methodological approach, step 2: describe your data collection methods, step 3: describe your analysis method, step 4: evaluate and justify the methodological choices you made, tips for writing a strong methodology chapter, frequently asked questions about methodology.

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Your methods section is your opportunity to share how you conducted your research and why you chose the methods you chose. It’s also the place to show that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated .

It gives your research legitimacy and situates it within your field, and also gives your readers a place to refer to if they have any questions or critiques in other sections.

You can start by introducing your overall approach to your research. You have two options here.

Option 1: Start with your “what”

What research problem or question did you investigate?

• Aim to describe the characteristics of something?
• Explore an under-researched topic?
• Establish a causal relationship?

And what type of data did you need to achieve this aim?

• Quantitative data , qualitative data , or a mix of both?
• Primary data collected yourself, or secondary data collected by someone else?
• Experimental data gathered by controlling and manipulating variables, or descriptive data gathered via observations?

Option 2: Start with your “why”

Depending on your discipline, you can also start with a discussion of the rationale and assumptions underpinning your methodology. In other words, why did you choose these methods for your study?

• Why is this the best way to answer your research question?
• Is this a standard methodology in your field, or does it require justification?
• Were there any ethical considerations involved in your choices?
• What are the criteria for validity and reliability in this type of research ?

Once you have introduced your reader to your methodological approach, you should share full details about your data collection methods .

Quantitative methods

In order to be considered generalisable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.

Here, explain how you operationalised your concepts and measured your variables. Discuss your sampling method or inclusion/exclusion criteria, as well as any tools, procedures, and materials you used to gather your data.

Surveys Describe where, when, and how the survey was conducted.

• How did you design the questionnaire?
• What form did your questions take (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale )?
• Were your surveys conducted in-person or virtually?
• What sampling method did you use to select participants?
• What was your sample size and response rate?

Experiments Share full details of the tools, techniques, and procedures you used to conduct your experiment.

• How did you design the experiment ?
• How did you recruit participants?
• How did you manipulate and measure the variables ?
• What tools did you use?

Existing data Explain how you gathered and selected the material (such as datasets or archival data) that you used in your analysis.

• Where did you source the material?
• How was the data originally produced?
• What criteria did you use to select material (e.g., date range)?

The survey consisted of 5 multiple-choice questions and 10 questions measured on a 7-point Likert scale.

The goal was to collect survey responses from 350 customers visiting the fitness apparel company’s brick-and-mortar location in Boston on 4–8 July 2022, between 11:00 and 15:00.

Here, a customer was defined as a person who had purchased a product from the company on the day they took the survey. Participants were given 5 minutes to fill in the survey anonymously. In total, 408 customers responded, but not all surveys were fully completed. Due to this, 371 survey results were included in the analysis.

Qualitative methods

In qualitative research , methods are often more flexible and subjective. For this reason, it’s crucial to robustly explain the methodology choices you made.

Be sure to discuss the criteria you used to select your data, the context in which your research was conducted, and the role you played in collecting your data (e.g., were you an active participant, or a passive observer?)

Interviews or focus groups Describe where, when, and how the interviews were conducted.

• How did you find and select participants?
• How many participants took part?
• What form did the interviews take ( structured , semi-structured , or unstructured )?
• How long were the interviews?
• How were they recorded?

Participant observation Describe where, when, and how you conducted the observation or ethnography .

• What group or community did you observe? How long did you spend there?
• How did you gain access to this group? What role did you play in the community?
• How long did you spend conducting the research? Where was it located?
• How did you record your data (e.g., audiovisual recordings, note-taking)?

Existing data Explain how you selected case study materials for your analysis.

• What type of materials did you analyse?
• How did you select them?

In order to gain better insight into possibilities for future improvement of the fitness shop’s product range, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 returning customers.

Here, a returning customer was defined as someone who usually bought products at least twice a week from the store.

Surveys were used to select participants. Interviews were conducted in a small office next to the cash register and lasted approximately 20 minutes each. Answers were recorded by note-taking, and seven interviews were also filmed with consent. One interviewee preferred not to be filmed.

Mixed methods

Mixed methods research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches. If a standalone quantitative or qualitative study is insufficient to answer your research question, mixed methods may be a good fit for you.

Mixed methods are less common than standalone analyses, largely because they require a great deal of effort to pull off successfully. If you choose to pursue mixed methods, it’s especially important to robustly justify your methods here.

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Next, you should indicate how you processed and analysed your data. Avoid going into too much detail: you should not start introducing or discussing any of your results at this stage.

In quantitative research , your analysis will be based on numbers. In your methods section, you can include:

• How you prepared the data before analysing it (e.g., checking for missing data , removing outliers , transforming variables)
• Which software you used (e.g., SPSS, Stata or R)
• Which statistical tests you used (e.g., two-tailed t test , simple linear regression )

In qualitative research, your analysis will be based on language, images, and observations (often involving some form of textual analysis ).

Specific methods might include:

• Content analysis : Categorising and discussing the meaning of words, phrases and sentences
• Thematic analysis : Coding and closely examining the data to identify broad themes and patterns
• Discourse analysis : Studying communication and meaning in relation to their social context

Mixed methods combine the above two research methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches into one coherent analytical process.

Above all, your methodology section should clearly make the case for why you chose the methods you did. This is especially true if you did not take the most standard approach to your topic. In this case, discuss why other methods were not suitable for your objectives, and show how this approach contributes new knowledge or understanding.

In any case, it should be overwhelmingly clear to your reader that you set yourself up for success in terms of your methodology’s design. Show how your methods should lead to results that are valid and reliable, while leaving the analysis of the meaning, importance, and relevance of your results for your discussion section .

• Quantitative: Lab-based experiments cannot always accurately simulate real-life situations and behaviours, but they are effective for testing causal relationships between variables .
• Qualitative: Unstructured interviews usually produce results that cannot be generalised beyond the sample group , but they provide a more in-depth understanding of participants’ perceptions, motivations, and emotions.
• Mixed methods: Despite issues systematically comparing differing types of data, a solely quantitative study would not sufficiently incorporate the lived experience of each participant, while a solely qualitative study would be insufficiently generalisable.

Remember that your aim is not just to describe your methods, but to show how and why you applied them. Again, it’s critical to demonstrate that your research was rigorously conducted and can be replicated.

1. Focus on your objectives and research questions

The methodology section should clearly show why your methods suit your objectives  and convince the reader that you chose the best possible approach to answering your problem statement and research questions .

2. Cite relevant sources

Your methodology can be strengthened by referencing existing research in your field. This can help you to:

• Show that you followed established practice for your type of research
• Discuss how you decided on your approach by evaluating existing research
• Present a novel methodological approach to address a gap in the literature

3. Write for your audience

Consider how much information you need to give, and avoid getting too lengthy. If you are using methods that are standard for your discipline, you probably don’t need to give a lot of background or justification.

Regardless, your methodology should be a clear, well-structured text that makes an argument for your approach, not just a list of technical details and procedures.

Methodology refers to the overarching strategy and rationale of your research. Developing your methodology involves studying the research methods used in your field and the theories or principles that underpin them, in order to choose the approach that best matches your objectives.

Methods are the specific tools and procedures you use to collect and analyse data (e.g. interviews, experiments , surveys , statistical tests ).

In a dissertation or scientific paper, the methodology chapter or methods section comes after the introduction and before the results , discussion and conclusion .

Depending on the length and type of document, you might also include a literature review or theoretical framework before the methodology.

Quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings.

Quantitative methods allow you to test a hypothesis by systematically collecting and analysing data, while qualitative methods allow you to explore ideas and experiences in depth.

A sample is a subset of individuals from a larger population. Sampling means selecting the group that you will actually collect data from in your research.

For example, if you are researching the opinions of students in your university, you could survey a sample of 100 students.

Statistical sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population. There are various sampling methods you can use to ensure that your sample is representative of the population as a whole.

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The methods section describes actions taken to investigate the research problem and the rationale for the application of specific procedures or techniques used to identify, select, process, and analyze information applied to understanding the problem, thereby, allowing the reader to critically evaluate a study’s overall validity and reliability. The methodology section of a research paper answers two main questions: How was the data collected or generated? And, how was it analyzed? The writing should be direct and precise and always written in the past tense.

Kallet, Richard H. "How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper." Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004): 1229-1232.

Importance of a Good Methodology Section

You must explain how you obtained and analyzed your results for the following reasons:

• Readers need to know how the data was obtained because the method you chose affects the results and, by extension, how you interpreted their significance in the discussion section of your paper.
• Methodology is crucial for any branch of scholarship because an unreliable method produces unreliable results and, as a consequence, undermines the value of your analysis of the findings.
• In most cases, there are a variety of different methods you can choose to investigate a research problem. The methodology section of your paper clearly articulates the reasons why you have chosen a particular procedure or technique.
• The reader wants to know that the data was collected or generated in a way that is consistent with accepted practice in the field of study. For example, if you are using a multiple choice questionnaire, readers need to know that it offered your respondents a reasonable range of answers to choose from.
• The method must be appropriate to fulfilling the overall aims of the study. For example, you need to ensure that you have a large enough sample size to be able to generalize and make recommendations based on the findings.
• The methodology should discuss the problems that were anticipated and the steps you took to prevent them from occurring. For any problems that do arise, you must describe the ways in which they were minimized or why these problems do not impact in any meaningful way your interpretation of the findings.
• In the social and behavioral sciences, it is important to always provide sufficient information to allow other researchers to adopt or replicate your methodology. This information is particularly important when a new method has been developed or an innovative use of an existing method is utilized.
• In a qualitative study, the reader needs to know that standard protocols concerning how you treated any human subjects were correctly followed [e.g., people you observed and interviewed] and how you controlled for your presence in the study as the primary instrument for gathering information during interactions with respondents.

Bem, Daryl J. Writing the Empirical Journal Article. Psychology Writing Center. University of Washington; Denscombe, Martyn. The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research Projects . 5th edition. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press, 2014; Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Groups of Research Methods

There are two main groups of research methods in the social sciences:

• The e mpirical-analytical group approaches the study of social sciences in a similar manner that researchers study the natural sciences . This type of research focuses on objective knowledge, research questions that can be answered yes or no, and operational definitions of variables to be measured. The empirical-analytical group employs deductive reasoning that uses existing theory as a foundation for formulating hypotheses that need to be tested. This approach is focused on explanation.
• The i nterpretative group of methods is focused on understanding phenomenon in a comprehensive, holistic way . Interpretive methods focus on analytically disclosing the meaning-making practices of human subjects [the why, how, or by what means people do what they do], while showing how those practices arrange so that it can be used to generate observable outcomes. Interpretive methods allow you to recognize your connection to the phenomena under investigation. However, the interpretative group requires careful examination of variables because it focuses more on subjective knowledge.

In both groups of research methods, the outcomes of applying methodological techniques for gathering and interpreting information are referred to as "findings" or "results."

II.  Content

The introduction to your methodology section should begin by restating the research problem and the theory and underlying assumptions underpinning your study. This is followed by situating the methods you used to gather, analyze, and process information within the overall “tradition” of your field of study and within the particular research design you have chosen to study the problem [i.e., In this case study, I conducted a content analysis of..."]. If the method you choose lies outside of the tradition of your field [i.e., the review of the literature demonstrates that the method is not commonly used], provide a justification for how your choice of methods specifically addresses the research problem in ways that could reveal new insights or understandings. Explain why is this approach important but do not interpret the outcomes until the discussion section of your paper.

The remainder of your methodology section should describe the following:

• Decisions made in selecting the data you have analyzed or, in the case of qualitative research, the subjects and research setting you have examined,
• Tools and methods used to identify and collect information, and how you identified relevant variables,
• The ways in which you processed the information and the procedures you used to analyze that information, and
• The specific research tools or strategies that you utilized to study the underlying hypothesis and research questions.

In addition, an effectively written methodology section should:

• Re-introduce the overall methodological approach for investigating your research problem . Is your study qualitative or quantitative or a combination of both (mixed method)? Are you going to take a special approach, such as action research, or a more neutral stance?
• Indicate how the approach fits the overall research design . Your methods for gathering information should have a clear connection to the research problem. In other words, make sure that your methods will actually address the problem. One of the most common deficiencies found in research papers is that the proposed methodology is not suitable to achieving the stated objective of your paper.
• Describe the specific methods for collecting information that you used , such as, surveys, interviews, questionnaires, observation, archival research, etc. If you are analyzing existing information, such as a data set or archival documents, describe how it was originally created or gathered and by whom. Also be sure to explain how older data is still relevant to investigating the current research problem.
• Explain how you intend to analyze your results . Will you use statistical analysis? Will you use specific theoretical perspectives to help you analyze a text or explain observed behaviors? Describe how you plan to obtain an accurate assessment of relationships, patterns, trends, distributions, and possible contradictions found in the data.
• Provide background and a rationale for methodologies that are unfamiliar for your readers . Very often in the social and behavioral sciences, research problems and the methods for investigating them require more explanation and rationale than widely accepted rules governing the natural and physical sciences. Be clear and concise in your explanation.
• Provide a justification for subject selection and sampling procedure . For instance, if you propose to conduct interviews, how do you intend to select the sample population? If you are analyzing texts, which texts have you chosen, and why? If you are using statistics, why is this set of data being used? If other data sources exist, explain why the data you chose is most appropriate to addressing the research problem.
• Provide a justification for case study selection . A common method of analyzing research problems in the social sciences is to analyze specific cases. These can be a person, place, event, phenomenon, or other type of subject of analysis that are either examined as a singular topic of in-depth investigation or multiple topics of investigation studied for the purpose of comparing or contrasting findings. In either approach, you should explain why the case or cases were chosen and how they relate to understanding the research problem.
• Describe potential limitations . Are there any practical limitations that could affect your data collection? How will you attempt to control for potential confounding variables and errors? If your methodology may lead to problems you can anticipate, state this openly and show why pursuing this methodology outweighs the risk of these problems cropping up.

NOTE:   Once you have written all of the elements of the methods section, subsequent revisions should focus on how to present those elements as clearly and as logically as possibly. The description of how you prepared to study the research problem, how you gathered the information, and the protocol for analyzing the information should be organized chronologically. For clarity, when a large amount of detail must be presented, information should be presented in sub-sections according to topic. If necessary, consider using appendices for raw data.

ANOTHER NOTE: If you are conducting a qualitative analysis of a research problem , the methodology section generally requires a more elaborate description of the methods used as well as an explanation of the processes applied to gathering and analyzing the information than is generally required for studies using quantitative methods. Because you are the primary instrument for generating the information [e.g., through interviews or observations], the process for collecting that information has a significantly greater impact on producing the findings. Therefore, qualitative research requires a more detailed description of the methods used.

YET ANOTHER NOTE:   If your study involves interviews, observations, or other qualitative techniques involving human subjects , you may be required to obtain approval from the USC's Office for the Protection of Research Subjects before beginning your research. This is not a common procedure you need to follow for research and writing assignments in undergraduate classes. However, i f your professor states you need approval, you must include a statement in your methods section that you received official endorsement and adequate informed consent from the office and that there was a clear assessment and minimization of risks to participants and to the university. This statement informs the reader that your study was conducted in an ethical and responsible manner. In some cases, the approval notice is included as an appendix to your paper.

III.  Problems to Avoid

Irrelevant Detail The methodology section of your paper should be thorough but concise. Do not provide any background information that does not directly help the reader understand why a particular method was chosen, how the information was gathered or obtained, and how that information was analyzed in relation to the research problem [note: analyzed, not interpreted! Save how you interpreted the findings for the discussion section]. With this in mind, the page length of your methods section will generally be less than any other section of your paper except the introduction and conclusion.

Unnecessary Explanation of Basic Procedures Remember that you are not writing a how-to guide about a particular method. You should make the assumption that readers possess a basic understanding of how to investigate the research problem on their own and, therefore, you do not have to go into great detail about specific methodological procedures. The focus should be on how you applied a method , not on the mechanics of doing a method. An exception to this rule is if you select an unconventional methodological approach; if this is the case, be sure to explain why this approach was chosen and how it enhances the overall process of discovery.

Problem Blindness It is almost a given that you will encounter problems when collecting or generating your data, or, gaps will exist in existing data or archival materials. Do not ignore these problems and pretend they did not occur. Often, documenting how you overcame obstacles can form an interesting part of how you gathered information and where gaps may exist for future research. It demonstrates to the reader that you can provide a cogent rationale for the decisions you made to minimize the impact of any problems that arose.

Literature Review Just as the literature review section of your paper provides an overview of sources you have examined while researching a particular topic, the methodology section should cite any sources that informed your choice and application of a particular method [i.e., the choice of a survey should include any citations to the works you used to help construct the survey].

It’s More than Sources of Information! A description of a research study's method should not be confused with a description of the sources of information. Such a list of sources is useful in and of itself, especially if it is accompanied by an explanation about the selection and use of the sources. The description of the project's methodology complements a list of sources in that it sets forth the organization and interpretation of information emanating from those sources.

Azevedo, L.F. et al. "How to Write a Scientific Paper: Writing the Methods Section." Revista Portuguesa de Pneumologia 17 (2011): 232-238; Blair Lorrie. “Choosing a Methodology.” In Writing a Graduate Thesis or Dissertation , Teaching Writing Series. (Rotterdam: Sense Publishers 2016), pp. 49-72; Butin, Dan W. The Education Dissertation A Guide for Practitioner Scholars . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2010; Carter, Susan. Structuring Your Research Thesis . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012; Kallet, Richard H. “How to Write the Methods Section of a Research Paper.” Respiratory Care 49 (October 2004):1229-1232; Lunenburg, Frederick C. Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008. Methods Section. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Rudestam, Kjell Erik and Rae R. Newton. “The Method Chapter: Describing Your Research Plan.” In Surviving Your Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process . (Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications, 2015), pp. 87-115; What is Interpretive Research. Institute of Public and International Affairs, University of Utah; Writing the Experimental Report: Methods, Results, and Discussion. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Methods and Materials. The Structure, Format, Content, and Style of a Journal-Style Scientific Paper. Department of Biology. Bates College.

Writing Tip

Statistical Designs and Tests? Do Not Fear Them!

Don't avoid using a quantitative approach to analyzing your research problem just because you have anxiety about applying statistical designs and tests. A qualitative approach, such as conducting interviews or content analysis of archival texts, can yield exciting new insights about a research problem, but it should not be undertaken simply because you have a disdain for running a simple regression. A well designed quantitative research study can often be accomplished in very clear and direct ways, whereas, a similar study of a qualitative nature usually requires considerable time to analyze large volumes of information and a tremendous burden to create new paths for analysis where previously no path associated with your research problem had existed.

To locate data and statistics, GO HERE .

Another Writing Tip

Knowing the Relationship Between Theories and Methods

There can be multiple meanings associated with the term "theories" and the term "methods" in social sciences research. A helpful way to delineate between them is to understand "theories" as representing different ways of characterizing the social world when you research it and "methods" as representing different ways of generating and analyzing information about that social world. Framed in this way, all empirical social sciences research involves theories and methods, whether they are stated explicitly or not. However, while theories and methods are often related, it is important that, as a researcher, you deliberately separate them in order to avoid your theories playing a disproportionate role in shaping what outcomes your chosen methods produce.

Introspectively engage in an ongoing dialectic between the application of theories and methods to help enable you to use the outcomes from your methods to interrogate and develop new theories, or ways of conceptually framing the research problem. This is how scholarship grows and branches out into new intellectual territory.

Reynolds, R. Larry. Ways of Knowing. Alternative Microeconomics . Part 1, Chapter 3. Boise State University; The Theory-Method Relationship. S-Cool Revision. United Kingdom; Dulock, Helen L., and William L. Holzemer. "Substruction: Improving the Linkage from Theory to Method." Nursing Science Quarterly 4 (Summer 1991): 83-87.

Yet Another Writing Tip

Methods and the Methodology

Do not confuse the terms "methods" and "methodology." As Schneider notes, a method refers to the technical steps taken to do research . Descriptions of methods usually include defining and stating why you have chosen specific techniques to investigate a research problem, followed by an outline of the procedures you used to systematically select, gather, and process the information [remember to always save the interpretation of information for the discussion section of your paper].

The methodology refers to a discussion of the underlying reasoning why particular methods were used . This discussion includes describing the theoretical concepts that inform the choice of methods to be applied, placing the choice of methods within the more general nature of academic work, and reviewing its relevance to examining the research problem. The methodology section also includes a thorough review of the methods other scholars have used to study the research problem.

Bryman, Alan. "Of Methods and Methodology." Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management: An International Journal 3 (2008): 159-168; Schneider, Florian. “What's in a Methodology: The Difference between Method, Methodology, and Theory…and How to Get the Balance Right?” PoliticsEastAsia.com. Chinese Department, University of Leiden, Netherlands.

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How To Write The Methodology Chapter

A plain-language explainer – with practical examples.

Overview: The Methodology Chapter

• The purpose  of the methodology chapter
• Why you need to craft this chapter (really) well
• How to write and structure the chapter
• Methodology chapter example
• Essential takeaways

What (exactly) is the methodology chapter?

The methodology chapter is where you outline the philosophical foundations of your research and detail the specific methodological choices you’ve made. In other words, the purpose of this chapter is to explain exactly how you designed your study and, just as importantly, why you made those choices.

Your methodology chapter should comprehensively describe and justify all the methodological decisions involved in your study. For instance, the research approach you took (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods), your sampling strategy (who you collected data from), how you gathered your data, and how you analysed it. If that sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry – we’ll walk you through all these methodological aspects in this post .

Why is the methodology chapter important?

The methodology chapter plays two important roles in your dissertation or thesis:

Firstly, it demonstrates your understanding of research theory, which is what earns you marks. A flawed research design or methodology would mean flawed results. So, this chapter is vital as it allows you to show the marker that you know what you’re doing and that your results are credible .

Secondly, the methodology chapter is what helps to make your study replicable. In other words, it allows other researchers to undertake your study using the same methodological approach, and compare their findings to yours. This is very important within academic research, as each study builds on previous studies.

The methodology chapter is also important in that it allows you to identify and discuss any methodological issues or problems you encountered (i.e., research limitations ), and to explain how you mitigated the impacts of these.

Now, it’s important to understand that every research project has its limitations , so it’s important to acknowledge these openly and highlight your study’s value despite its limitations . Doing so demonstrates your understanding of research design, which will earn you marks.

Need a helping hand?

How to write up the methodology chapter

First off, it’s worth noting that the exact structure and contents of the methodology chapter will vary depending on the field of research (e.g., humanities, chemistry or engineering) as well as the university . So, be sure to always check the guidelines provided by your institution for clarity and, if possible, review past dissertations from your university. Here we’re going to discuss a generic structure for a methodology chapter typically found in the sciences.

Before you start writing, it’s always a good idea to draw up a rough outline to guide your writing. Don’t just start writing without knowing what you’ll discuss where. If you do, you’ll likely end up with a disjointed, ill-flowing narrative . You’ll then waste a lot of time rewriting in an attempt to try to stitch all the pieces together. Do yourself a favour and start with the end in mind .

Section 1 – Introduction

As with all chapters in your dissertation or thesis, the methodology chapter should have a brief introduction. In this section, you should remind your readers what the focus of your study is, especially the research aims . As we’ve discussed many times on the blog, your methodology needs to align with your research aims, objectives and research questions. Therefore, it’s useful to frontload this component to remind the reader (and yourself!) what you’re trying to achieve.

In this section, you can also briefly mention how you’ll structure the chapter. This will help orient the reader and provide a bit of a roadmap so that they know what to expect. You don’t need a lot of detail here – just a brief outline will do.

Section 2 – The Methodology

The next section of your chapter is where you’ll present the actual methodology. In this section, you need to detail and justify the key methodological choices you’ve made in a logical, intuitive fashion. Importantly, this is the heart of your methodology chapter, so you need to get specific – don’t hold back on the details here. This is not one of those “less is more” situations.

Let’s take a look at the most common components you’ll likely need to cover.

Methodological Choice #1 – Research Philosophy

Research philosophy refers to the underlying beliefs (i.e., the worldview) regarding how data about a phenomenon should be gathered , analysed and used . The research philosophy will serve as the core of your study and underpin all of the other research design choices, so it’s critically important that you understand which philosophy you’ll adopt and why you made that choice. If you’re not clear on this, take the time to get clarity before you make any further methodological choices.

While several research philosophies exist, two commonly adopted ones are positivism and interpretivism . These two sit roughly on opposite sides of the research philosophy spectrum.

Positivism states that the researcher can observe reality objectively and that there is only one reality, which exists independently of the observer. As a consequence, it is quite commonly the underlying research philosophy in quantitative studies and is oftentimes the assumed philosophy in the physical sciences.

Contrasted with this, interpretivism , which is often the underlying research philosophy in qualitative studies, assumes that the researcher performs a role in observing the world around them and that reality is unique to each observer . In other words, reality is observed subjectively .

These are just two philosophies (there are many more), but they demonstrate significantly different approaches to research and have a significant impact on all the methodological choices. Therefore, it’s vital that you clearly outline and justify your research philosophy at the beginning of your methodology chapter, as it sets the scene for everything that follows.

The next thing you would typically discuss in your methodology section is the research type. The starting point for this is to indicate whether the research you conducted is inductive or deductive .

Inductive research takes a bottom-up approach , where the researcher begins with specific observations or data and then draws general conclusions or theories from those observations. Therefore these studies tend to be exploratory in terms of approach.

Conversely , d eductive research takes a top-down approach , where the researcher starts with a theory or hypothesis and then tests it using specific observations or data. Therefore these studies tend to be confirmatory in approach.

Related to this, you’ll need to indicate whether your study adopts a qualitative, quantitative or mixed  approach. As we’ve mentioned, there’s a strong link between this choice and your research philosophy, so make sure that your choices are tightly aligned . When you write this section up, remember to clearly justify your choices, as they form the foundation of your study.

Methodological Choice #3 – Research Strategy

Next, you’ll need to discuss your research strategy (also referred to as a research design ). This methodological choice refers to the broader strategy in terms of how you’ll conduct your research, based on the aims of your study.

Several research strategies exist, including experimental , case studies , ethnography , grounded theory, action research , and phenomenology . Let’s take a look at two of these, experimental and ethnographic, to see how they contrast.

Experimental research makes use of the scientific method , where one group is the control group (in which no variables are manipulated ) and another is the experimental group (in which a specific variable is manipulated). This type of research is undertaken under strict conditions in a controlled, artificial environment (e.g., a laboratory). By having firm control over the environment, experimental research typically allows the researcher to establish causation between variables. Therefore, it can be a good choice if you have research aims that involve identifying causal relationships.

Ethnographic research , on the other hand, involves observing and capturing the experiences and perceptions of participants in their natural environment (for example, at home or in the office). In other words, in an uncontrolled environment.  Naturally, this means that this research strategy would be far less suitable if your research aims involve identifying causation, but it would be very valuable if you’re looking to explore and examine a group culture, for example.

The next thing you’ll need to detail in your methodology chapter is the time horizon. There are two options here: cross-sectional and longitudinal . In other words, whether the data for your study were all collected at one point in time (cross-sectional) or at multiple points in time (longitudinal).

The choice you make here depends again on your research aims, objectives and research questions. If, for example, you aim to assess how a specific group of people’s perspectives regarding a topic change over time , you’d likely adopt a longitudinal time horizon.

Another important factor to consider is simply whether you have the time necessary to adopt a longitudinal approach (which could involve collecting data over multiple months or even years). Oftentimes, the time pressures of your degree program will force your hand into adopting a cross-sectional time horizon, so keep this in mind.

Methodological Choice #5 – Sampling Strategy

Next, you’ll need to discuss your sampling strategy . There are two main categories of sampling, probability and non-probability sampling.

Probability sampling involves a random (and therefore representative) selection of participants from a population, whereas non-probability sampling entails selecting participants in a non-random  (and therefore non-representative) manner. For example, selecting participants based on ease of access (this is called a convenience sample).

The right sampling approach depends largely on what you’re trying to achieve in your study. Specifically, whether you trying to develop findings that are generalisable to a population or not. Practicalities and resource constraints also play a large role here, as it can oftentimes be challenging to gain access to a truly random sample. In the video below, we explore some of the most common sampling strategies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmedyVv-Us Video can't be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How to use Mendeley Desktop, Web Importer & MS Word Plugin (Full Tutorial) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSmedyVv-Us) Methodological Choice #6 – Data Collection Method

Next up, you’ll need to explain how you’ll go about collecting the necessary data for your study. Your data collection method (or methods) will depend on the type of data that you plan to collect – in other words, qualitative or quantitative data.

Typically, quantitative research relies on surveys , data generated by lab equipment, analytics software or existing datasets. Qualitative research, on the other hand, often makes use of collection methods such as interviews , focus groups , participant observations, and ethnography.

So, as you can see, there is a tight link between this section and the design choices you outlined in earlier sections. Strong alignment between these sections, as well as your research aims and questions is therefore very important.

Methodological Choice #7 – Data Analysis Methods/Techniques

The final major methodological choice that you need to address is that of analysis techniques . In other words, how you’ll go about analysing your date once you’ve collected it. Here it’s important to be very specific about your analysis methods and/or techniques – don’t leave any room for interpretation. Also, as with all choices in this chapter, you need to justify each choice you make.

With the key methodological choices outlined and justified, the next step is to discuss the limitations of your design. No research methodology is perfect – there will always be trade-offs between the “ideal” methodology and what’s practical and viable, given your constraints. Therefore, this section of your methodology chapter is where you’ll discuss the trade-offs you had to make, and why these were justified given the context.

Methodological limitations can vary greatly from study to study, ranging from common issues such as time and budget constraints to issues of sample or selection bias . For example, you may find that you didn’t manage to draw in enough respondents to achieve the desired sample size (and therefore, statistically significant results), or your sample may be skewed heavily towards a certain demographic, thereby negatively impacting representativeness .

In this section, it’s important to be critical of the shortcomings of your study. There’s no use trying to hide them (your marker will be aware of them regardless). By being critical, you’ll demonstrate to your marker that you have a strong understanding of research theory, so don’t be shy here. At the same time, don’t beat your study to death . State the limitations, why these were justified, how you mitigated their impacts to the best degree possible, and how your study still provides value despite these limitations .

Section 4 – Concluding Summary

Finally, it’s time to wrap up the methodology chapter with a brief concluding summary. In this section, you’ll want to concisely summarise what you’ve presented in the chapter. Here, it can be a good idea to use a figure to summarise the key decisions, especially if your university recommends using a specific model (for example, Saunders’ Research Onion ).

Methodology Chapter Example

In the video below, we walk you through an example of a high-quality research methodology chapter from a dissertation. We also unpack our free methodology chapter template so that you can see how best to structure your chapter.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it – the methodology chapter in a nutshell. As we’ve mentioned, the exact contents and structure of this chapter can vary between universities , so be sure to check in with your institution before you start writing. If possible, try to find dissertations or theses from former students of your specific degree program – this will give you a strong indication of the expectations and norms when it comes to the methodology chapter (and all the other chapters!).

Also, remember the golden rule of the methodology chapter – justify every choice ! Make sure that you clearly explain the “why” for every “what”, and reference credible methodology textbooks or academic sources to back up your justifications.

If you need a helping hand with your research methodology (or any other component of your research), be sure to check out our private coaching service , where we hold your hand through every step of the research journey. Until next time, good luck!

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How to Write a Dissertation Methodology with Examples

Home >> Blog >> How to Write a Dissertation Methodology with Examples

The methodology builds the skeleton of the research work. It gives a reader a clear roadmap and outline of the research methods.

Moreover, the dissertation methodology is linked back to the literature review. It explains why you chose a certain data collection method for your dissertation.

Are you confused about writing a dissertation methodology? Are you stuck at the first step and can’t move forward? Then this blog is for you!

Read on and get to know about the dissertation methodology in detail.

What is Dissertation Methodology?

Types of dissertation methodology, dissertation methodology structure, how to write a dissertation methodology, dissertation methodology examples, what not to include in the dissertation methodology.

The dissertation methodology is one of the most challenging parts of the research project. In the methodology section, you will define the research question. Also, give a detailed review of the methods used within your research.

The main purpose of the dissertation methodology is to:

• Describe the methods of a study.
• Explain the data sources and sampling strategies.
• Discuss the data collection and data analysis procedures.
• Demonstrate the algorithms that you applied to analyze collected data.

Moreover, it helps the readers understand the broad philosophical approach behind the methods you used for your research work. Also, with methodology, you will be required to justify why you chose this method over others.

In the dissertation methodology, you should include:

• Tools and materials used for conducting the research.
• Data collection methods include quantitative methods, semi-structured interviews, surveys, groups of people, etc.
• Data analyzing methods.
• Research limitations.
• Discuss the problems that you faced during conducting the research.
• Details of when, where, and whom the research took place.

Normally, it comes after the literature review and explains data gathering techniques. Also, describe in which ways and how the research was conducted. It is a part of dissertation writing and it is an important part of it.

(back to top)

The dissertation methodology describes the philosophical research methods you use, their advantages, results, and how you conduct research. Also, it helps the readers to assess the validity and reliability of the research.

Also, the dissertation methodology has the following types:

• Scientific Study

In this methodology type, you need to elaborate on the reliability and show close attention to detail more than anything else. However, if your methods have flaws, no one is impressed. Therefore, make sure that your chosen dissertation methodology is powerful.

Furthermore, the information should clearly state the procedure, setup, and equipment. Therefore, researchers of the same field of study can work with the same method in the future.

The statistical models that are part of your scientific study should be included in the methodology. Also, the variables expected to falsify your data must hold into the equation to avoid vagueness. Therefore, it is better to use a comprehensive strategy to deal with these variables when collecting and analyzing the data.

• Behavioral or Social Sciences

The behavioral or social sciences methodology is built on the same lines as scientific or lab-based research. This type of methodology exhibits both firmness and reproducibility. Therefore, the other scientists can use your complete research methodology or recreate your examination according to their own research needs.

However, there are some inquiries to consider when working with human subjects. First, you need to decide if your analysis will be based on quantitative, qualitative, or blended research methodology.

The following are the questions that you need to consider:

• Will you notice or watch the participants undertaking some activity or other?
• Will you request them to fill a questionnaire or record their responses during the interview?
• Will you abstain from examining human subjects and base your research on existing evidence?
• What is the size of your information, and define its scope?
• Is the data exceptionally explicit to the location or social setting in which you carried your study?

Therefore, you will be required to show that you have taken care of the above questions. Also, you must address your research study’s ethical issues.

However, you have to get formal approval for your research design from suitable ethical committees.

• Humanities and Arts Dissertation

For humanities and arts-based dissertations, the thoroughness and dependability of the research methods employed remain unquestionable. However, the convincing strategy you will use to convince the readers is slightly different.

Furthermore, the humanities and arts-based dissertations must be directly linked to the literature review. However, the dissertation for humanities and arts is less complex, and there is no need to justify it in detail.

However, ensure that you have provided enough information about the theoretical frameworks your research methodology is based on.

• Creative Arts Dissertation

Numerous degree programs in the arts allow the students to take the portfolio of artworks or creative writing. Other than presenting the long dissertation research work.

However, your creative research will be required to be submitted along with a comprehensive evaluative paper. Also, as a scholar, you will be expected to show the ability to analyze your methodology critically. Besides, you are capable of critically evaluating your creative work.

Therefore, keep these types of research methodology in mind and choose the one according to your needs.

There are several ways in which you can structure your dissertation methodology. Below are some steps that will help you structure the dissertation methodology.

• 1. Give Research Overview

In this step, reiterate the topic of your research. You can also describe your data collection and analysis process. Also, discuss and answer the research question clearly in this section.

• 2. Research Design

You have to explain which data collection method (interviews, surveys, etc.) you used for your research work. Also, include the sample size and any attempts to defeat bias.

• 3. Data Analysis

In this step, you will have to describe what type of data you were working on. Also, your results are conclusive or not.

What to Include in Dissertation Methodology?

Here are the elements that you should include in the dissertation methodology.

• Research questions
• Design methods
• Discuss the reasons why you choose this design method
• Evaluation of your choice of method

Writing a dissertation methodology chapter is not difficult if you follow proper steps and guidelines. For your help, we compiled some steps that you will use to create a well-written dissertation methodology.

• 1. Explain Your Methodological Approach

It is the first step of writing the dissertation methodology. In this step, you need to explain your methodological approach like qualitative research, quantitative research, or any other.

• 2. Describe Data Collection Methods

After explaining the methodological approach, you should explain the data collection methods, such as interviews, surveys, etc., that you will use.

• 3. Describe Data Analysis Methods

Now, discuss how you processed and analyzed the quantitative or qualitative data. However, do not give too much information and the results at this stage.

• 4. Evaluate and Justify Your Methodological Choices

In this section of the dissertation, you describe why you chose these particular methods. Also, explain why other research methods were not suitable for your research goal and show how this approach contributes new knowledge.

Literature Based Dissertation Methodology

This type of methodology is also known as the secondary research methodology. The literature review dissertation methodology involves 4 steps:

• 1. Develop your research question(s): Like any other type of research, you have to develop a research question first. Then specify the general research area in which you research will fall. Finally, aim to fill the gaps in your literature review.
• 2. Identify a secondary data set: Look for some more past data that could be useful for your research. For example, you might need an author's permission to use their data.
• 3. Evaluate a secondary data set: Address the following questions:
• Aim of the original study?
• Who collected the data?
• When was the data collected?
• What methods were used for data collection?
• What is the final evaluation?
• Prepare and analyze secondary data: You will prepare and analyze the secondary data by:
• Outlining all variables
• Addressing missing data
• Recoding variables
• Computing final scores
• Crafting a questionnaire
• Analyzing the data.

Following is an example that explains how to write a dissertation methodology of secondary research:

Read the next section for some more examples to understand the dissertation methodology.

Here are some examples of the dissertation methodology for your ease.

Related: Dissertation Examples for Different Academic Levels & Fields

You might get tempted to overlap between literature review and dissertation methodology. You will find yourself moving back and forth and editing between the literature review and methodology sections.

Resist the urge of including the following in your dissertation methodology:

• Extensive Methodology Review: Do not extensively review the methodology based on practitioners’ or theorists' work. This review can be included in the literature review section.
• Excessive Procedural Detail: Your methodology should retain your reader’s interest and not provide detailed information about the equipment and the procedures.
• Raw Data: Do not provide any details of reproducing the data. You can present information regarding raw data in the appendix.

Hopefully, this blog must have helped in writing a great dissertation methodology. However, if you still have any issues in writing a dissertation methodology, you can contact GradSchoolGenius and get help from our professional writers.

Our professional writers will make your life easy and help you write a good dissertation methodology.

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How to Write the Methodology Section of your Dissertation or Thesis?

Introduction

Role of research design in methodology section, how to represent participants or sample data in the methodology section, how to segregate data collection methods in the methodology section, representation of instruments and materials in the methodology section, how to represent data analysis in the methodology section, listing of ethical considerations in methodology section, how to list limitations and delimitations in the methodology section, validity and reliability aspects in methodology section, representation of timeframe and resources in methodology section, segregation of data management in methodology section.

The methodology section is a crucial component of a PhD or Post Graduate dissertation. It plays a fundamental role in demonstrating the rigor and validity of the research conducted. The methodology section outlines the methods used to conduct the research and provides a clear roadmap for the reader to understand how the study was executed.

The methodology section allows researchers to explain their approach and provide the necessary details for others to reproduce or build upon their work. It is essential for establishing the credibility and scientific integrity of the research.

For example, in a dissertation focused on developing a new machine learning algorithm for image classification, the methodology section would describe the specific steps followed to design, implement, and evaluate the algorithm. It would include details such as the choice of programming languages and libraries, the dataset used for training and testing, and the evaluation metrics employed. This information allows other researchers to understand how the algorithm was developed, assess its strengths and limitations, and potentially apply it to their own work.

Similarly, in a dissertation that involves conducting experiments to evaluate the performance of a networking protocol, the methodology section would describe the experimental setup, the hardware and software used, and the metrics measured. It would explain the steps taken to control variables, ensure reproducibility, and analyze the collected data. By documenting the methodology, researchers can provide a clear understanding of how the experiments were conducted, enabling others to validate the results or compare them with alternative approaches.

In both examples, the methodology section serves as a foundation for the research and establishes its scientific validity. It allows researchers to communicate the methods used, justify their choices, and provide the necessary details for others to assess and build upon their work.

By outlining the methodology, researchers can demonstrate their expertise, attention to detail, and adherence to scientific principles. This section also serves as a reference for future researchers who may want to replicate or extend the study. The methodology section is essential for ensuring the transparency, reproducibility, and credibility of research in computer science and contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

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For any research domain, various research designs can be employed, depending on the nature of the study and the research goals. The choice of research design should align with the specific objectives of the research and the type of data being collected. Here are some examples of research designs commonly used:

• Quantitative Research Design: Quantitative research designs focus on collecting and analyzing numerical data to identify patterns, trends, and relationships. This can involve conducting experiments, surveys, or analyzing large datasets. For instance, a study aiming to evaluate the performance of different caching algorithms in a web server environment may use a quantitative design. The researcher could collect data on response times, cache hit rates, and system resource usage to compare the performance of the algorithms quantitatively.
• Qualitative Research Design: Qualitative research designs emphasize understanding and interpreting complex phenomena, often through in-depth interviews, observations, or case studies. Qualitative research can be employed to explore user experiences, perceptions, or challenges related to software systems or human-computer interaction. For example, a study investigating user satisfaction and feedback regarding a new mobile application could use qualitative research methods to collect and analyze user interviews or focus group discussions.
• Mixed Methods Research Design: Mixed methods research designs combine elements of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This design allows researchers to gather a comprehensive understanding of a research problem by leveraging the strengths of both types of data. A mixed methods approach can be useful when seeking to explore user behavior (qualitative) and simultaneously collect and analyze usage data (quantitative). For instance, a study on the effectiveness of a learning management system might involve administering surveys to gather user perceptions (qualitative) while also tracking user interactions and performance within the system (quantitative).

When choosing a research design, researchers should consider the specific research goals and the type of data that will provide the most relevant insights. The rationale for selecting a particular design should be based on the strengths of that approach in addressing the research questions or objectives. It is important to justify the chosen design by explaining how it aligns with the research goals and allows for a comprehensive investigation of the phenomenon under study.

For example, in a Ph.D. dissertation focused on developing a new algorithm for sentiment analysis in social media data, a mixed methods research design might be appropriate. The qualitative component could involve analyzing a smaller subset of data manually to gain insights into the nuances and context of sentiment expressions. The quantitative component could involve applying the developed algorithm to a large dataset to measure its performance objectively. The rationale for choosing a mixed methods design would be to combine the benefits of qualitative analysis for understanding the complexities of sentiment expressions with the quantitative analysis for evaluating the algorithm’s accuracy and efficiency.

By selecting an appropriate research design and justifying its suitability, researchers can ensure that their study is well-aligned with their research goals and has the potential to yield valuable and valid findings.

In research, the participants or sample refers to the individuals, organizations, or data sources from which the researcher collects data. The characteristics of the study participants or sample are important to consider, as they can influence the generalizability and applicability of the research findings. Here are some examples of considerations for participants or samples in research:

• Characteristics of Participants: Describe the relevant characteristics of the participants in your study. In computer science, participants can include users of a software system, developers, IT professionals, or other stakeholders. For example, if you are conducting a study on the usability of a mobile application, you might describe the age range, technical expertise, or familiarity with similar applications of the participants.
• Sample Selection Process: Explain how you selected the participants or sample for your study. In computer science, the sample selection process can vary depending on the research goals and methodologies employed. For instance, if you are conducting a survey on user preferences for a specific software feature, you might recruit participants through online platforms or professional networks. Alternatively, if you are conducting interviews with software developers, you might use purposive sampling to select participants with specific expertise or experience relevant to your research.
• Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria: Discuss any inclusion or exclusion criteria used during the participant selection process. In computer science, certain criteria may be relevant for ensuring the sample represents the desired population or meets specific research requirements. For example, if you are studying the impact of a new programming language on software development, you might include participants who have experience with multiple programming languages but exclude those who are novices or have limited experience.
• Data Sources: In some computer science research, the sample may refer to data sources rather than human participants. For example, if you are analyzing large datasets, such as social media data or sensor data, you might describe the characteristics of the data sources, such as the volume, variety, or origin of the data. You could also explain the data collection process and any steps taken to ensure data quality and representativeness.

By describing the characteristics of the study participants or sample and explaining the selection process, researchers can provide insights into the population under study and the considerations taken to ensure its relevance to the research objectives. It is important to consider the representativeness of the sample or data sources and to address any potential biases that may arise from the selection process. Transparency in describing the sample characteristics and selection process contributes to the credibility and generalizability of the research findings.

In research, various data collection methods can be employed to gather the necessary data for analysis. The choice of data collection methods should align with the research questions, objectives, and the type of data needed to answer them. Here are some examples of data collection methods commonly used:

• Surveys: Surveys involve collecting data through structured questionnaires or online forms. Surveys can be administered to gather information about user preferences, opinions, or experiences related to software systems, user interfaces, or technological adoption. For example, a survey could be conducted to assess user satisfaction with a newly developed mobile application, collecting quantitative data on ratings, feedback, and user demographics.
• Interviews: Interviews involve conducting one-on-one or group discussions with participants to gather in-depth qualitative or quantitative data. In computer science, interviews can be used to understand user needs, gather requirements for software development, or explore experiences and perceptions. For instance, interviews could be conducted with software developers to understand their challenges and preferences when using specific programming frameworks or tools.
• Observations: Observations involve directly observing participants or systems in their natural environment or controlled settings. In computer science, observations can be used to study user behavior, system interactions, or software development processes. For example, researchers may observe users interacting with a website to gather data on usability or conduct ethnographic observations to understand how users integrate technology into their daily lives.
• Experiments: Experiments involve manipulating variables in a controlled environment to assess cause-effect relationships. In computer science, experiments can be used to evaluate the performance of algorithms, software systems, or user interfaces. For example, an experiment might involve comparing the effectiveness of two different algorithms for image recognition by measuring their accuracy, processing time, and resource usage under controlled conditions.
• Data Mining and Analysis: Data mining and analysis involve extracting meaningful patterns, insights, or correlations from large datasets. In computer science, data mining techniques can be used to identify trends, anomalies, or patterns in various domains such as social networks, cybersecurity, or recommendation systems. For instance, data mining algorithms could be applied to analyze social media data to identify sentiment trends or to detect patterns of malicious activities in network traffic data.

When choosing specific data collection methods, researchers should consider the research questions or objectives and the type of data needed to answer them effectively. Each data collection method has its strengths and limitations, and the choice should be justified based on their relevance to the research goals. Researchers should also consider practical considerations such as time constraints, available resources, and ethical considerations when selecting data collection methods.

By selecting appropriate data collection methods and justifying their relevance, researchers can ensure the data collected is robust, aligned with the research objectives, and provides valuable insights into the research questions under investigation.

In research, the instruments and materials used for data collection play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and validity of the findings. These instruments can include questionnaires, scales, interview protocols, software tools, or hardware devices. Here are some examples of instruments and materials commonly used:

• Questionnaires: Questionnaires are structured sets of questions used to collect data from participants. In computer science, questionnaires can be used to gather information about user preferences, opinions, or demographics. When developing questionnaires, researchers should pay attention to the clarity, relevance, and appropriateness of the questions. They should also consider the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, which can be established through pilot testing and statistical analysis.
• Scales: Scales are instruments used to measure attitudes, opinions, or perceptions of participants on a specific construct. In computer science, scales can be used to assess user satisfaction, system usability, or technology acceptance. Commonly used scales in computer science research include the System Usability Scale (SUS) for evaluating usability and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for assessing users’ acceptance of technology. Researchers should ensure that the scales used have established validity and reliability through previous research studies.
• Interview Protocols: Interview protocols are guides or outlines used during interviews to ensure consistency and cover relevant topics. In computer science, interview protocols can be used to gather qualitative or quantitative data from participants. The development of interview protocols involves identifying the research objectives and research questions and designing open-ended or structured questions accordingly. Piloting the interview protocols and considering feedback from participants can help refine and improve their effectiveness.
• Software Tools: In computer science research, software tools are often used to collect, analyze, or process data. These tools can include programming languages, data collection platforms, data analysis software, or simulation environments. For example, researchers might use Python programming language and libraries such as TensorFlow or PyTorch for implementing machine learning algorithms. They might also use tools like Qualtrics or LimeSurvey for online survey data collection or tools like SPSS or R for statistical analysis.
• Hardware Devices: In certain computer science research, hardware devices are utilized for data collection purposes. For instance, in the field of human-computer interaction, eye-tracking devices or physiological sensors might be used to measure user attention or emotional responses. In such cases, researchers should describe the specific hardware devices used, their specifications, and any calibration or preprocessing steps undertaken to ensure accurate and reliable data collection.

When describing instruments and materials in the methodology section, researchers should provide details about their development, validity, and reliability. This can include information about the process of creating or adapting the instruments, any modifications made to suit the research context, and evidence of their psychometric properties, such as validity and reliability coefficients. Validity can be established through content validity, criterion-related validity, or construct validity, while reliability can be assessed through measures like internal consistency or test-retest reliability.

By providing a comprehensive overview of the instruments and materials used, their development process, and their validity and reliability, computer science researchers can ensure transparency and demonstrate the rigor of their data collection methods. This helps establish the credibility and trustworthiness of the research findings.

Data analysis is a critical step in research as it involves interpreting and deriving meaningful insights from the collected data. The chosen data analysis methods should align with the research objectives and the type of data collected. Here are some examples of data analysis techniques commonly used in research:

• Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis involves applying various statistical tests and techniques to analyze quantitative data. In computer science, statistical analysis can be used to examine relationships, identify patterns, or test hypotheses. For example, researchers may use t-tests, chi-square tests, or ANOVA to compare means or proportions between different groups. Regression analysis can be employed to assess the relationship between variables, and correlation analysis can measure the strength and direction of associations.
• Machine Learning: Machine learning techniques are widely used in computer science to analyze and make predictions from large datasets. These techniques include supervised learning algorithms (e.g., decision trees, support vector machines, neural networks) and unsupervised learning algorithms (e.g., clustering, dimensionality reduction). Researchers can employ machine learning techniques for tasks such as classification, regression, clustering, or anomaly detection. Popular machine learning libraries in computer science include scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
• Qualitative Analysis: Qualitative analysis involves interpreting and making sense of qualitative data such as interview transcripts, observation notes, or textual data. In computer science, qualitative analysis methods like thematic analysis, content analysis, or grounded theory can be used to derive themes, patterns, or categories from the data. Qualitative analysis often involves coding the data, categorizing information, and identifying emergent themes or concepts. Software tools such as NVivo or Atlas.ti can be employed to facilitate qualitative analysis.
• Text Mining and Natural Language Processing: Text mining and natural language processing (NLP) techniques are used to analyze textual data, such as social media posts, user reviews, or scientific articles. These techniques involve tasks like sentiment analysis, topic modeling, named entity recognition, or text classification. In computer science, researchers may employ libraries such as NLTK, spaCy, or gensim to preprocess and analyze text data and derive insights from it.

When justifying the chosen data analysis methods, researchers should explain how these methods align with the research objectives and research questions. The chosen analysis methods should allow researchers to address the research objectives effectively and extract meaningful insights from the data. Researchers should also consider the limitations and assumptions of the chosen methods and discuss any steps taken to address potential biases or limitations in the analysis process.

Additionally, it is important to mention the software packages or tools used for data analysis. This provides transparency and allows other researchers to replicate or validate the analysis. Researchers should provide information about the specific versions of software packages used, any preprocessing steps applied to the data, and the rationale behind choosing those particular tools.

Ethical considerations are of utmost importance in any research study. Researchers need to ensure that the rights, privacy, and well-being of participants are protected throughout the research process. Here are some examples of ethical considerations commonly addressed in research:

• Informed Consent: Informed consent is a fundamental ethical principle that requires researchers to obtain the voluntary and informed agreement of participants before their involvement in the study. In computer science research, participants should be provided with clear and understandable information about the study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, confidentiality, and their rights as participants. For example, if conducting user studies for a software evaluation, participants should be informed about the purpose of the study, the tasks they will be asked to perform, and how their data will be collected and used.
• Privacy and Confidentiality: Privacy and confidentiality are essential considerations, particularly when dealing with sensitive data or personal information. In computer science research, researchers must take steps to protect the privacy of participants and ensure the confidentiality of their data. For instance, if collecting user data through online platforms or mobile applications, researchers should clearly communicate how the data will be handled, stored securely, and anonymized or pseudonymized when necessary. Researchers should also obtain necessary permissions if accessing or using datasets or third-party data sources.
• Risks and Benefits: Researchers should carefully consider and communicate any potential risks or benefits associated with participation in the study. In computer science research, risks might include breaches of data security, potential harm to participants’ privacy, or adverse effects resulting from the use of experimental technologies. Researchers should proactively mitigate and minimize risks and ensure that the benefits of the research outweigh the potential risks to participants and society.
• Ethics Committee Approval: Many institutions require researchers to obtain ethics committee or review board approval before conducting research involving human participants. In computer science research, this typically involves submitting a research proposal detailing the research objectives, methods, ethical considerations, and participant protections. Examples include Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or Ethics Review Committees. Researchers should mention any approvals obtained and follow the ethical guidelines set forth by their institution or relevant regulatory bodies.

Researchers should also be aware of any specific ethical guidelines or standards in their field of study. For example, in areas like cybersecurity or data privacy, additional considerations such as vulnerability disclosure, data anonymization, or responsible data usage may be relevant.

By addressing ethical considerations in the methodology section, researchers demonstrate their commitment to conducting responsible and ethical research. They show that they have taken appropriate measures to protect participants’ rights, privacy, and well-being. Clear communication and transparency regarding informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, potential risks and benefits, and any approvals obtained contribute to the ethical integrity and credibility of the research.

In any research study, it is important to acknowledge the limitations and delimitations that may have influenced the research process or findings. Researchers should identify the constraints, boundaries, and scope of their study. Here are some examples of limitations and delimitations commonly addressed in research:

• Sample Size and Selection: Limitations related to sample size and selection can arise in research. For example, if the study involved user testing of a software system, the sample size might have been limited due to time and resource constraints. Researchers should acknowledge that the findings may not be generalizable to the entire population and discuss the implications of the limited sample size on the validity and generalizability of the results.
• Data Collection Methods: Limitations can arise from the data collection methods employed in the study. For instance, if the study relied solely on self-reported data through surveys or interviews, there may be a risk of response bias or recall bias. Researchers should acknowledge such limitations and discuss the potential impact on the reliability and validity of the findings. They could suggest future research directions that employ complementary data collection methods to enhance the robustness of the study.
• Time and Resource Constraints: Time and resource constraints can affect the scope and depth of a research study. Researchers may have had limited time to collect data, implement complex algorithms, or conduct extensive experiments. It is important to acknowledge these constraints and discuss how they may have influenced the research outcomes or limited the extent of the study’s analysis. Researchers should be transparent about the trade-offs made due to such limitations.
• Technological Constraints: In research, technological constraints can arise due to hardware limitations, software limitations, or the availability of data. For example, a study involving real-time analysis of large-scale data may have been limited by the computational power or storage capacity of the available infrastructure. Researchers should discuss these technological constraints and their potential impact on the study’s results or the generalizability of the findings.
• Delimitations: Delimitations define the boundaries or scope of the study. For example, a study may focus on a specific programming language, a particular software framework, or a specific user group. Researchers should clearly define and communicate these delimitations, explaining why they were chosen and discussing how they may affect the applicability of the findings to other contexts or populations.

By acknowledging the limitations and delimitations of the study, researchers demonstrate a thoughtful and reflective approach to their research. They provide transparency and context for the readers, enabling them to interpret the findings appropriately. Furthermore, by discussing the implications of these limitations and delimitations, researchers can suggest potential avenues for future research that can overcome these constraints and expand upon the current study’s limitations.

Ensuring the validity and reliability of the research findings is crucial in research. Validity refers to the extent to which the research measures what it intends to measure, while reliability refers to the consistency and stability of the research results. Here are some examples of steps taken to ensure validity and reliability in computer science research:

• Implementing proper control groups and experimental design to establish cause-effect relationships.
• Randomizing the assignment of participants to different conditions or treatments to minimize biases.
• Conducting pilot studies or pre-tests to refine measurement instruments and identify potential issues.
• Considering and addressing threats to internal validity, such as confounding variables or selection bias.
• Ensuring the representativeness of the sample or participants to the target population.
• Employing diverse data sources or datasets to increase the breadth of the study.
• Conducting research in multiple settings or environments to assess the generalizability of the findings.
• Transparently reporting the study’s context, methodology, and limitations to facilitate external validity assessments by other researchers.
• Employing established and validated measurement instruments or tools.
• Conducting pilot studies or test-retest reliability analyses to assess the stability of the measurements over time.
• Ensuring inter-rater reliability in cases where multiple researchers are involved in data coding or analysis.
• Documenting the procedures and steps taken during data collection, preprocessing, and analysis to enable replication and validation.
• Implementing blinding or double-blinding procedures to minimize biases in data collection or analysis.
• Using standardized protocols or procedures to ensure consistency across participants or conditions.
• Employing objective measures or automated data collection techniques to reduce subjective biases.
• Conducting sensitivity analyses or exploring alternative explanations to address potential biases or alternative interpretations of the findings.

By discussing the steps taken to ensure validity and reliability, researchers demonstrate the rigor and credibility of their research. Addressing internal and external validity, as well as measures taken to minimize biases, helps establish the trustworthiness of the research findings. Additionally, providing transparency about the research methodology and limitations enables other researchers to assess and build upon the study’s validity and reliability in future work.

The timeframe and resources utilized in a research study are important considerations that help provide a clear understanding of the project’s scope, duration, and support. Here are some examples of how this can be elaborated upon in the methodology section:

• Planning and designing the research: This involves formulating research questions, conducting literature reviews, and developing the research methodology.
• Data collection: This includes the time required to collect data through surveys, experiments, interviews, or other methods, as well as any pilot testing or data preprocessing steps.
• Data analysis: This phase covers the time needed for data processing, statistical analysis, coding, or machine learning model training and evaluation.
• Results interpretation and report writing: This entails analyzing the findings, drawing conclusions, and documenting the research outcomes in the form of a dissertation or research paper.
• Revisions and finalization: This stage accounts for any revisions, incorporating feedback, and finalizing the research document.
• Funding: Researchers can mention any grants, scholarships, or funding sources that supported the research project. For instance, if the study received funding from a research grant or institution, the details of the funding organization, grant number, and duration can be provided.
• Equipment and Software: Researchers can outline any specialized equipment, hardware, or software used in the study. For example, if the research involved running simulations on high-performance computing clusters or using specific software tools or libraries, these details can be mentioned.
• Datasets: If the study utilized existing datasets, researchers can specify the sources and describe any preprocessing steps or data cleaning procedures undertaken to ensure data quality and integrity.
• Personnel: Researchers can acknowledge the contributions of any collaborators, research assistants, or support staff involved in the study. This can include their roles and responsibilities, as well as any specific expertise they brought to the project.

By providing an overview of the research timeframe and the resources utilized, researchers give readers a sense of the project’s timeline and the support available. This information helps to contextualize the research, understand the feasibility of the study, and evaluate the availability of necessary resources. It also enhances the transparency and reproducibility of the research, allowing other researchers to replicate or build upon the study’s findings.

Data management is a critical aspect, ensuring that data is organized, stored securely, and managed throughout the research process. Here are some examples of how data management can be elaborated upon in the methodology section:

• Data Organization: Researchers should explain how data was organized to facilitate efficient analysis and interpretation. This may involve creating a data structure or schema that captures relevant variables, metadata, and relationships between data elements. For example, in a machine learning study, researchers may organize the data into training, validation, and test sets, each with specific features and labels.
• Data Storage: Researchers should describe the storage infrastructure used to house the research data. This can include local servers, cloud-based storage platforms (e.g., Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage), or institutional data repositories. It’s important to mention the capacity and scalability of the storage solution to accommodate the volume and variety of the collected data.
• Data Security: Data security measures are crucial to protect the privacy and integrity of research data. Researchers should discuss the protocols implemented to ensure data security throughout the research process. Examples may include encryption of sensitive information, access controls (e.g., user authentication, authorization levels), and network security measures (e.g., firewalls, intrusion detection systems). Compliance with relevant data protection regulations, such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), should also be addressed if applicable.
• Backup and Retention: Researchers should outline the procedures and protocols in place for data backup and retention. This includes regular backup schedules to prevent data loss, as well as the storage location and redundancy mechanisms. Researchers may also discuss data retention policies, specifying the duration for which the data will be retained after the completion of the research project, and any anonymization or pseudonymization processes applied to protect participant identities.
• Data Sharing and Access: Researchers should indicate whether the research data will be shared with other researchers or made publicly available. If data sharing is planned, details such as the repository or platform where the data will be deposited and any associated access restrictions or licenses should be provided. Researchers should also address any ethical or legal considerations related to data sharing, such as obtaining informed consent from participants for data sharing purposes.

By explaining the data management procedures, researchers demonstrate their commitment to maintaining data integrity, privacy, and security. Transparently documenting data organization, storage, security, backup, and retention protocols enhances the reproducibility and credibility of the research. It also ensures compliance with ethical guidelines and data protection regulations, while facilitating data sharing and future collaborations.

The methodology section of a dissertation plays a crucial role in providing a clear and comprehensive understanding of how the research was conducted. It serves as a roadmap that outlines the methods, procedures, and techniques employed to address the research questions or objectives.

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How to Write a Dissertation Methodology in 7 Steps

A methodology section explains the entire process of data collection and analysis based on logic and philosophy. This section is an unavoidable part of a dissertation or a research paper. Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire dissertation. Here, we bring you a general guide on the steps to compose a flawless methodology section for a dissertation.

This brief guide shows you how to write a methodology section for a dissertation. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

The term ‘‘methodology’’ itself invokes its definition. However, it is not just describing the methods. A perfect research methodology for a dissertation carries out the solid philosophical ground along with explaining the methods used. In simple words, a methodology section explains the entire process of data collection and analysis based on logic and philosophy. Initially, a methodology is written to provide enough information on how the entire research is completed.

The methodology is an unavoidable part of a dissertation or a research paper. Considering errors in the methodology section enervates the entire dissertation. Here, we bring you a general guide on the steps to compose a flawless methodology for a dissertation.

Steps to writing a perfect methodology for a dissertation

1. Give an outline of the research design

On the Internet, you may find various guides that completely overlook this integral part. Before writing a methodology for a dissertation, you need to clarify which research design you are utilizing. There are multiple aspects of research designs . The following three designs are considered the most common research designs used in academic studies and dissertations.

Experimental designs

Descriptive designs

Experimental design discusses the process in which the participants are divided into two or more groups to execute the same topics.

Descriptive designs explore the idea and connection between two inventions. Simply, its purpose is to state any topic precisely and systematically.

The review discusses the insights gained in secondary research. It also carries out how these insights influence research policies.

2. Don’t forget to define the philosophy behind the research

Research philosophy is the essence of any research. We often notice that some researchers knowingly or unknowingly avoid this part. They just put force on the collection and scrutiny of data. If your dissertation cannot connect to the philosophy of the reader, it is hard for readers to get the essence of the research. It not only makes the paper easier to understand but engaging enough to communicate with the readers. According to a study , there are mainly four types of research philosophies.

However, apart from these four, postmodernism is also a very popular philosophical idea that rejects the concept of gaining objective knowledge.

3. Mention the research approach

A perfect methodology is incomplete without mentioning the research approach. It is initially divided into two approaches: ‘‘deductive approach’’ and ‘‘inductive approach.’’

The deductive approach generally discusses a scientific investigation or specific theory. Though it is well-suited with the positivist philosophical theory, it is compatible with other philosophies too. The researchers need to study other researchers and also phenomenal theories on his or her topic in this approach.

Contrarily, inductive research is about exploring a specific phenomenon and utilizing the results to execute a new theory. It works with interpretivism or even with postmodernism.

In simple words, deductive research includes theory-based attempts, and inductive research consists of a findings-led approach.

4. Introduce the research methods

The methodology must introduce the research methods used in the dissertation whether it is quantitative or qualitative.

Quantitative research:  Quantitative research method is mainly utilized to collect numerical data. The method is specifically used when you are counting, categorizing, or tracing any data pattern. Students or researchers find quantitative data through experiments, existing data, and surveys. Simply, quantitative data are used in the statistical calculation.

Qualitative research: Qualitative research technique is utilized to find non-statistical data. Here, the researchers require categorizing the information based on data collection rather than utilizing numeric to generate graphs or charts. While developing a hypothesis , this research paper plays a crucial role. Researchers can collect data from interviews, focus groups, and personal observation.

Take note that choosing the research methods largely depends on the requirements of your research. However, after completing the methodology, make sure to get it checked by professional proofreaders and editors.

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5. Note these points to highlight in the methodology

No matter what methodology you have chosen, you have to focus on the following points:

Explain sampling strategy.

Clearly state the procedure of the research paper.

Mention how you collect the data. (Data collection)

Explain how data are analyzed for your research. (Data analysis). Suppose you have written in qualitative strategy like thematic analysis, mention the researcher you have followed.

Mention the validity of the data and result.

Discuss all ethical aspects of your research paper.

6. Avail professional proofreading and editing services

As we always mention it is common for humans to make mistakes. In dissertation writing, editing and proofreading services are essential to ensure the credibility of the content. There can be several mistakes related to grammar, punctuation, syntax, sentence construction, and other minor errors. Consulting an expert for amending such errors doesn’t only save your time but also ensures consistency and error-free writing in your dissertation.

Moreover, if your dissertation is traced with some major mistakes, an editor plays an exceptional role in editing the part and rewrite it for you. Where proofreading deals with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other minor errors, editing deals with the analysis and core amendments, including formatting, referencing, and many more. Irrespective of native or non-native speakers, it is a smart decision to seek assistance from experts.

7. Most important tips to compose an impactful methodology for a dissertation

Don’t drift from your objective and the purpose of your dissertation.

Explore scholarly research papers and their methodology sections to have a better idea.

Plan a proper writing structure.

Understand your audience and target group.

Don’t make mistakes in citing relevant sources. You may use APA and MLA citation

Refer to all the hurdles you have experienced while writing your dissertation.

Make sure to rectify grammatical and punctuation errors.

Ensure that the section is readable and doesn’t consist of long and complex sentences. Long sentences can hamper the tone of the methodology.

Take note that experts review your research paper for any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and sentence construction, etc., and fix all the issues to ensure the highest quality. Moreover, a professional service like Best Edit & Proof ensures that this part is free from plagiarism.

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Writing the Dissertation - Guides for Success: Methodology

• Writing the Dissertation Homepage
• Overview and Planning
• Research Question
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Results and Discussion
• Getting Started
• What to Avoid

Overview of writing the methodology

The methodology chapter precisely outlines the research method(s) employed in your dissertation and considers any relevant decisions you made, and challenges faced, when conducting your research. Getting this right is crucial because it lays the foundation for what’s to come: your results and discussion.

Disciplinary differences

Please note: this guide is not specific to any one discipline. The methodology can vary depending on the nature of the research and the expectations of the school or department. Please adapt the following advice to meet the demands of your dissertation and the expectations of your school or department. Consult your supervisor for further guidance; you can also check out our  Writing Across Subjects guide .

Guide contents

As part of the Writing the Dissertation series, this guide covers the most common conventions found in a methodology chapter, giving you the necessary knowledge, tips and guidance needed to impress your markers!  The sections are organised as follows:

• Getting Started  - Defines the methodology and its core characteristics.
• Structure  - Provides a detailed walk-through of common subsections or components of the methodology.
• What to Avoid  - Covers a few frequent mistakes you'll want to...avoid!
• FAQs  - Guidance on first- vs. third-person, secondary literature and more.
• Checklist  - Includes a summary of key points and a self-evaluation checklist.

Training and tools

• The Academic Skills team has recorded a Writing the Dissertation workshop series to help you with each section of a standard dissertation, including a video on writing the method/methodology .
• For more on methods and methodologies, you can check out USC's methodology research guide  and Huddersfield's guide to writing the methodology of an undergraduate dissertation .
• The dissertation planner tool can help you think through the timeline for planning, research, drafting and editing.
• iSolutions offers training and a Word template to help you digitally format and structure your dissertation.

What is the methodology?

The methodology of a dissertation is like constructing a house of cards. Having strong and stable foundations for your research relies on your ability to make informed and rational choices about the design of your study. Everything from this point on – your results and discussion –  rests on these decisions, like the bottom layer of a house of cards.

The methodology is where you explicitly state, in relevant detail, how you conducted your study in direct response to your research question(s) and/or hypotheses. You should work through the linear process of devising your study to implementing it, covering the important choices you made and any potential obstacles you faced along the way.

Methods or methodology?

Some disciplines refer to this chapter as the research methods , whilst others call it the methodology . The two are often used interchangeably, but they are slightly different:

• The methods chapter outlines the techniques used to conduct the research and the specific steps taken throughout the research process.
• The methodology also outlines how the research was conducted, but is particularly interested in the philosophical underpinning that shapes the research process. As indicated by the suffix, -ology , meaning the study of something, the methodology is like the study of research, as opposed to simply stating how the research was conducted.

This guide focuses on the methodology, as opposed to the methods, although the content and guidance can be tailored to a methods chapter. Every dissertation is different and every methodology has its own nuances, so ensure you adapt the content here to your research and always consult your supervisor for more detailed guidance.

What are my markers looking for?

Your markers are looking   for your understanding of the complex process behind original (see definition) research. They are assessing your ability to...

• Demonstrate   an understanding of the impact that methodological choices can have on the reliability and validity of your findings, meaning you should engage with ‘why’ you did that, as opposed to simply ‘what’ you did.
• Make   informed methodological choices that clearly relate to your research question(s).

But what does it mean to engage in 'original' research? Originality doesn’t strictly mean you should be inventing something entirely new. Originality comes in many forms, from updating the application of a theory, to adapting a previous experiment for new purposes – it’s about making a worthwhile contribution.

Structuring your methodology

The methodology chapter should outline the research process undertaken, from selecting the method to articulating the tool or approach adopted to analyse your results. Because you are outlining this process, it's important that you structure your methodology in a linear way, showing how certain decisions have impacted on subsequent choices.

Scroll to continue reading, or click a link below to jump immediately to that section:

The 'research onion'

To ensure you write your methodology in a linear way, it can be useful to think of the methodology in terms of layers, as shown in the figure below.

Figure: 'Research onion' from Saunders et al. (2007).

You don't need to precisely follow these exact layers as some won't be relevant to your research. However, the layered 'out to in' structure developed by Saunders et al. (2007) is appropriate for any methodology chapter because it guides your reader through the process in a linear fashion, demonstrating how certain decisions impacted on others. For example, you need to state whether your research is qualitative, quantitative or mixed before articulating your precise research method. Likewise, you need to explain how you collected your data before you inform the reader of how you subsequently analysed that data.

Using this linear approach from 'outer' layer to 'inner' layer, the next sections will take you through the most common layers used to structure a methodology chapter.

Introduction and research outline

Like any chapter, you should open your methodology with an introduction. It's good to start by briefly restating the research problem, or gap, that you're addressing, along with your research question(s) and/or hypotheses. Following this, it's common to provide a very condensed statement that outlines the most important elements of your research design. Here's a short example:

This study adopted qualitative research through a series of semi-structured interviews with seven experienced industry professionals.

Like any other introduction, you can then provide a brief statement outlining what the chapter is about and how it's structured (e.g., an essay map ).

Restating the research problem (or gap) and your research question(s) and/or hypotheses creates a natural transition from your previous review of the literature - which helped you to identify the gap or problem - to how you are now going to address such a problem. Your markers are also going to assess the relevance and suitability of your method and methodological choices against your research question(s), so it's good to 'frame' the entire chapter around the research question(s) by bringing them to the fore.

Research philosophy

A research philosophy is an underlying belief that shapes the way research is conducted. For this reason, as featured in the 'research onion' above, the philosophy should be the outermost layer - the first methodological issue you deal with following the introduction and research outline - because every subsequent choice, from the method employed to the way you analyse data, is directly influenced by your philosophical stance.

You can say something about other philosophies, but it's best to directly relate this to your research and the philosophy you have selected - why the other philosophy isn't appropriate for you to adopt, for instance. Otherwise, explain to your reader the philosophy you have selected (using secondary literature), its underlying principles, and why this philosophy, therefore, is particularly relevant to your research.

The research philosophy is sometimes featured in a methodology chapter, but not always. It depends on the conventions within your school or discipline , so only include this if it's expected.

The reason for outlining the research philosophy is to show your understanding of the role that your chosen philosophy plays in shaping the design and approach of your research study. The philosophy you adopt also indicates your worldview (in the context of this research), which is an important way of highlighting the role you, the researcher, play in shaping new knowledge.

Research method

This is where you state whether you're doing qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods research before outlining the exact instrument or strategy (see definition) adopted for research (interviews, case study, etc.). It's also important that you explain why you have chosen that particular method and strategy. You can also explain why you're not adopting an alternate form of research, or why you haven't used a particular instrument, but keep this brief and use it to reinforce why you have chosen your method and strategy.

Your research method, more than anything else, is going to directly influence how effectively you answer your research question(s). For that reason, it's crucial that you emphasise the suitability of your chosen method and instrument for the purposes of your research.                       

Data collection

The data collection part of your methodology explain the process of how you accessed and collected your data. Using an interview as a qualitative example, this might include the criteria for selecting participants, how you recruited the participants and how and where you conducted the interviews. There is often some overlap with data collection and research method, so don't worry about this. Just make sure you get the essential information across to your reader.

The details of how you accessed and collected your data are important for replicability purposes - the ability for someone to adopt the same approach and repeat the study. It's also important to include this information for reliability and consistency purposes (see  validity and reliability  on the next tab of this guide for more).

Data analysis

After describing how you collected the data, you need to identify your chosen method of data analysis. Inevitably, this will vary depending on whether your research is qualitative or quantitative (see note below).

Qualitative research tends to be narrative-based where forms of ‘coding’ are employed to categorise and group the data into meaningful themes and patterns (Bui, 2014). Quantitative deals with numerical data meaning some form of statistical approach is taken to measure the results against the research question(s).

Tell your reader which data analysis software (such as SPSS or Atlast.ti) or method you’ve used and why, using relevant literature. Again, you can mention other data analysis tools that you haven’t used, but keep this brief and relate it to your discussion of your chosen approach. This isn’t to be confused with the results and discussion chapters where you actually state and then analyse your results. This is simply a discussion of the approach taken, how you applied this approach to your data and why you opted for this method of data analysis.

Detail of how you analysed your data helps to contextualise your results and discussion chapters. This is also a validity issue (see next tab of guide), as you need to ensure that your chosen method for data analysis helps you to answer your research question(s) and/or respond to your hypotheses. To use an example from Bui (2014: 155), 'if one of the research questions asks whether the participants changed their behaviour before and after the study, then one of the procedures for data analysis needs to be a comparison of the pre- and postdata'.

Validity and reliability

Validity simply refers to whether the research method(s) and instrument(s) applied are directly suited to meet the purposes of your research – whether they help you to answer your research question(s), or allow you to formulate a response to your hypotheses.

Validity can be separated into two forms: internal and external. The difference between the two is defined by what exists inside the study (internal) and what exists outside the study (external).

• Internal validity is the extent to which ‘the results obtained can be attributed to the manipulation of the independent variable' (Salkind, 2011: 147).
• External validity refers to the application of your study’s findings outside the setting of your study. This is known as generalisability , meaning to what extent are the results applicable to a wider context or population.

Reliability

Reliability refers to the consistency with which you designed and implemented your research instrument(s). The idea behind this is to ensure that someone else could replicate your study and, by applying the instrument in the exact same way, would achieve the same results. This is crucial to quantitative and scientific based research, but isn’t strictly the case with qualitative research given the subjective nature of the data.

With qualitative data, it’s important to emphasise that data was collected in a consistent way to avoid any distortions. For example, let’s say you’ve circulated a questionnaire to participants. You would want to ensure that every participant receives the exact same questionnaire with precisely the same questions and wording, unless different questionnaires are required for different members of the sample for the purposes of the research.

Ethical considerations

Any research involving human participants needs to consider ethical factors. In response, you need to show your markers that you have implemented the necessary measures to cover the relevant ethical issues. These are some of the factors that are typically included:

• How did you gain the consent of participants, and how did you formally record this consent?
• What measures did you take to ensure participants had enough understanding of their role to make an informed decision, including the right to withdraw at any stage?
• What measures did you take to maintain the confidentiality of participants during the research and, potentially, for the write-up?
• What measures did you take to store the raw data and protect it from external access and use prior to the write-up?

These are only a few examples of the ethical factors you need to write about in your methodology. Depending on the nature of your research, ethical considerations might form a significant part of your methodology chapter, or may only constitute a few sentences. Either way, it’s imperative that you show your markers that you’ve considered the relevant ethical implications of your research.

Limitations

Don’t make the mistake of ignoring the limitations of your study (see the next tab, 'What to Avoid', for more on this) – it’s a common part of research and should be confronted. Limitations of research can be diverse, but tend to be logistical issues relating to time, scope and access . Whilst accepting that your study has certain limitations, the key is to put a positive spin on it, like the example below:

Despite having a limited sample size compared to other similar studies, the number of participants is enough to provide sufficient data, whilst the in-depth nature of the interviews facilitates detailed responses from participants.

• Bui, Y. N. (2014) How to Write a Master’s Thesis. 2dn Edtn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Guba, E. G. and Lincoln, Y. S. (1994) ‘Competing paradigms in qualitative research’, in Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, N. S. (eds.) Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 105-117.
• Salkind, N. J. (2011) ‘Internal and external validity’, in Moutinho, L. and Hutchenson, G. D. (eds.) The SAGE Dictionary of Quantitative Management Research . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, pp. 147-149.
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2007) Research Methods for Business Students . 4th Edtn. Harlow: Pearson.

What to avoid

This portion of the guide will cover some common missteps you should try to avoid in writing your methodology.

Ignoring limitations

It might seem instinctive to hide any flaws or limitations with your research to protect yourself from criticism. However, you need to highlight any problems you encountered during the research phase, or any limitations with your approach. Your markers are expecting you to engage with these limitations and highlight the kind of impact they may have had on your research.

Just be careful that you don’t overstress these limitations. Doing so could undermine the reliability and validity of your results, and your credibility as a researcher.

Literature review of methods

Don’t mistake your methodology chapter as a detailed review of methods employed in other studies. This level of detail should, where relevant, be incorporated in the literature review chapter, instead (see our Writing the Literature Review guide ). Any reference to methodological choices made by other researchers should come into your methodology chapter, but only in support of the decisions you made.

Unnecessary detail

It’s important to be thorough in a methodology chapter. However, don’t include unnecessary levels of detail. You should provide enough detail that allows other researchers to replicate or adapt your study, but don’t bore your reader with obvious or extraneous detail.

Any materials or content that you think is worth including, but not essential in the chapter, could be included in an appendix (see definition). These don’t count towards your word count (unless otherwise stated), and they can provide further detail and context for your reader. For instance, it’s quite common to include a copy of a questionnaire in an appendix, or a list of interview questions.

Q: Should the methodology be in the past or present tense?

A: The past tense. The study has already been conducted and the methodological decisions have been implemented, meaning the chapter should be written in the past tense. For example...

Data was collected over the course of four weeks.

I informed participants of their right to withdraw at any time.

The surveys included ten questions about job satisfaction and ten questions about familial life (see Appendix).

Q: Should the methodology include secondary literature?

A: Yes, where relevant. Unlike the literature review, the methodology is driven by what you did rather than what other people have done. However, you should still draw on secondary sources, when necessary, to support your methodological decisions.

Q: Do you still need to write a methodology for secondary research?

A: Yes, although it might not form a chapter, as such. Including some detail on how you approached the research phase is always a crucial part of a dissertation, whether primary or secondary. However, depending on the nature of your research, you may not have to provide the same level of detail as you would with a primary-based study.

For example, if you’re analysing two particular pieces of literature, then you probably need to clarify how you approached the analysis process, how you use the texts (whether you focus on particular passages, for example) and perhaps why these texts are scrutinised, as opposed to others from the relevant literary canon.

In such cases, the methodology may not be a chapter, but might constitute a small part of the introduction. Consult your supervisor for further guidance.

Q: Should the methodology be in the first-person or third?

A: It’s important to be consistent , so you should use whatever you’ve been using throughout your dissertation. Third-person is more commonly accepted, but certain disciplines are happy with the use of first-person. Just remember that the first-person pronoun can be a distracting, but powerful device, so use it sparingly. Consult your supervisor for further guidance.

It’s important to remember that all research is different and, as such, the methodology chapter is likely to be very different from dissertation to dissertation. Whilst this guide has covered the most common and essential layers featured in a methodology, your methodology might be very different in terms of what you focus on, the depth of focus and the wording used.

What’s important to remember, however, is that every methodology chapter needs to be structured in a linear, layered way that guides the reader through the methodological process in sequential order. Through this, your marker can see how certain decisions have impacted on others, showing your understanding of the research process.

Here’s a final checklist for writing your methodology. Remember that not all of these points will be relevant for your methodology, so make sure you cover whatever’s appropriate for your dissertation. The asterisk (*) indicates any content that might not be relevant for your dissertation. You can download a copy of the checklist to save and edit via the Word document, below.

• Methodology self-evaluation checklist

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• Next: Results and Discussion >>
• Last Updated: Oct 4, 2024 3:27 PM
• URL: https://library.soton.ac.uk/writing_the_dissertation

How to Write a Methods Section: A Guide for Literature Reviews and Research Articles

The methods section is the most dreaded and difficult part of academic articles, both to read and also to write. One of the reasons for this common opinion is because this section holds a lot of importance for the outcome of the entire article.   When you’re diving into an article, the methods section is your …

Derek Pankaew

Nov 1, 2024

The methods section is the most dreaded and difficult part of academic articles, both to read and also to write. One of the reasons for this common opinion is because this section holds a lot of importance for the outcome of the entire article.  

When you’re diving into an article, the methods section is your go-to for the “how” behind the research—how data was collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Understanding what’s included (and sometimes what’s left out) helps you gauge the study’s credibility and quality. Likewise, when writing your own methods section, it’s essential to keep the reader’s perspective in mind, aiming for clarity, thoroughness, and transparency to make it as digestible as possible.

In this guide, we’ll break down both reading and writing a methods section. We’ll also cover the nuances between crafting methods sections for literature reviews versus research articles, as each serves a distinct purpose and approach.

Key Take Aways

• Understand the Purpose Of A Methods Section
• Distinguish Between Literature Review and Research Article Methods
• Evaluate And Interoperate A Methods Sections
• Apply Writing Techniques To Write Your Own Methods Section

What is Important About A Methods Section

A study analyzing 400 submissions to a medical journal found that poor methodology was among the top five reasons for manuscript rejection , alongside issues like lack of new information and low scientific content.

When studies go wrong, they usually go wrong in the methods section. Investors, companies, and grading professors alike look for sound methods nearly above all else. Getting this section wrong could cost you big time in funding, second phase research acceptance, credibility, and in time and energy if you are trying to graduate. 

If you are writing this paper as a part of graduation requirements, plan on rewriting the methods section more than a few times before your principal investigator approves your paper for defense. Don’t take it personally, it is just a part of the graduate student experience.

Consider it a cannon event that contributes to the plot and to your overall character development. At least that is how most of the people we know who went through graduate school coped with the stress of endless edits on dissertation and thesis writing.

Save yourself a lot of rework and unnecessary revisions by continuing to read below. The info in the next few paragraphs will be sure to set you up for success in how to write a methods section for literature reviews and research articles.

What is NOT included in the Methods Section

Before we cover what is in a methods section and how to read and write one, let’s cover what is not included. What you wont find (and shouldn’t include) in a methods section is any comments on results, findings, or correlations of the data. 

While you will see HOW results, correlation and findings were obtained, you should not see what any of this means. Think of this section as the operations of how conclusions were made, but not language on the actual conclusions themselves. 

This is a tricky and nuanced but very important delineation to understand. The methods section is just the facts of how you gathered the data, how you organized it, and what types of process and tests you used to analyze it. Results of these tests and processes will go in, well, the Results section (which is not just a clever name).

What IS Included In The Methods Section

In academic writing, the methods section plays a pivotal role by outlining the processes involved in gathering and analyzing information, whether for synthesizing existing knowledge or presenting new findings. When you find yourself asking “but how did they come to that conclusion?” This section should answer that for you. In the same way, when you are writing a methods section, you will want to make sure readers are clear on how you came to the conclusions you highlight in your article.

For both literature reviews and research articles, this section sets the groundwork for credibility, rigor, and transparency, albeit in different ways. While both types of methods sections serve as blueprints for the work being discussed, their objectives are wildly different due to the difference in the main objective of the article and even the type of data and information each is presenting. 

How to Read and Interoperate A Methods Section

Once you have done a few of your own research projects you will realize just now important working with data to tell a story is. You will likely see first hand how choosing one type of testing method over another can and often does wildly change the results and the outcomes of the entire project. This is why it is so important to know exactly what to look for and how to interoperate the methods section. 

What to Look For In The Methods Section

Reading and interpreting a methods section is essential for evaluating the credibility and rigor of an academic work. Evaluating for credibility means looking for sound, ethical, and repeatable ways the author analyze the data. 

To effectively understand this section, begin by examining its structure and content. Look for key elements such as the research design, participant or sample characteristics, materials used, procedures followed, and data analysis methods. 

Each of these components provides insight into how the study was conducted and whether it aligns with best practices in the field. By carefully analyzing these details, you can assess the study’s validity, replicability, and relevance to your own research or interests. For literature reviews, focus on search criteria, databases used, and inclusion/exclusion criteria to judge the thoroughness and objectivity of the synthesis.

How to Interoperate The Methods  Section

Interpreting a methods section also involves considering its alignment with the study’s objectives or research questions. Ask yourself if the chosen methods logically support the study’s goals and if they are appropriate for the questions being explored. 

Pay attention to any limitations or potential biases noted by the authors, as these can impact the study’s findings or interpretations. For instance, a small sample size may limit the generalizability of results, while certain exclusion criteria in a literature review could introduce bias. Evaluating these factors allows you to determine how much confidence you should place in the findings and helps you better understand the study’s contribution to the broader field.

Methods for A Literature Review vs. A Research Article

While the methods sections in literature reviews and research articles have distinct goals, they both serve as essential indicators of credibility and rigor. 

In a literature review, transparency in study selection and analysis assures readers of a balanced perspective. In a research article, detailed procedures and clear data analysis reinforce the validity of findings, setting a standard for replicability.

Both methods sections build a foundation of trust with the reader, ensuring that the subsequent conclusions or findings are reliable. Whether synthesizing existing studies or presenting new research, the methods section ensures that academic work stands on a clear, credible, and rigorously documented foundation.

This table highlights the unique focus and components of each methods section, helping readers understand the distinct goals and foundations of credibility in both literature reviews and research articles.

Key Components of A Methods Section for Literature Reviews

In a literature review, the primary goal of the methods section is to detail the approach taken to identify, select, and analyze relevant studies. Since a literature review synthesizes findings from existing research rather than collecting new data, the methods section clarifies why certain studies were included and how they contribute to answering the review’s central question. 

This transparency is crucial because it establishes the credibility of the review’s conclusions. Readers need to trust that the sources were selected systematically, without bias, and that they truly represent the existing landscape of knowledge on the topic.

A well-written methods section for a literature review includes the following elements: search strategy, databases accessed, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the approach to analyzing the selected studies. 

For example, the author might describe specific keywords and Boolean operators used in search queries or list databases like PubMed or JSTOR where searches were conducted. These details demonstrate a systematic approach and help others replicate or verify the review if needed.

This methods section also sets the tone for objectivity. By clarifying inclusion and exclusion criteria, the author shows that the sources were not cherry-picked to support a particular viewpoint. Instead, they provide a balanced view, showcasing relevant studies from diverse perspectives. This transparency in selection not only strengthens the review’s reliability but also ensures that it is a valuable resource for others in the field.

Key Components of A Methods Section for Research Articles

For a research article, the methods section has a slightly different purpose, as it focuses on describing the procedures for collecting and analyzing new data. Here, the goal is to provide enough detail for another researcher to replicate the study under similar conditions, thereby validating its findings. A comprehensive and precise methods section is a hallmark of rigor in original research, as it ensures that the study’s results are credible and scientifically sound.

In a research article, the methods section typically covers information on participants or subjects, materials or tools, procedures, and data analysis methods. For instance, in a study on human subjects, details on the sample size, demographics, and selection criteria are essential for understanding the scope and applicability of the results. Similarly, explaining the tools or materials used, such as specialized equipment or software, allows readers to gauge the study’s reliability and precision.

The procedures section describes each step of the study, often in a chronological order. This transparency allows others to follow the same process, reinforcing the study’s validity. Additionally, data analysis methods, whether statistical tests or qualitative coding techniques, show how results were interpreted, helping readers assess the rigor of the analysis.

5 Tips for Writing A Methods Section That Passes The Test

Now that we have covered how to read a methods section and what purpose a method section plays for literature reviews vs research articles, let’s cover 5 tips for writing your own clear and engaging methods section to greatly enhance the readability and credibility of your research.

Again the key here is to make information clear and easy for readers to understand and potentially replicate your study. Here are the tips to guide you in creating a methods section that is both accessible and thorough.

Be Clear and Concise

Less is more and simple language goes a long way. Readers will appreciate it if you are as direct, to the point, and specific you can be. Avoid jargon and overly complex language when possible. The goal is to communicate your procedures clearly so that readers from different backgrounds can easily understand your methods. 

Break down each step logically and use straightforward language to explain each part of the process, whether detailing participant selection, materials used, or the procedures followed.

Organize with Subheadings

Use subheadings for each major component, such as “Participants,” “Materials,” “Procedure,” and “Data Analysis.” Organizing like this improves readability and also allows readers to quickly find specific information. 

If your study involves multiple steps or complex procedures, consider using bullet points or numbered lists to clarify the sequence.

Include Enough Detail for Replication

Being repeatable is the key to being credible. Make sure to include enough detail so that other researchers can follow your methods and get the same or very similar results.

Describe the conditions and variables precisely, specifying exact measurements or tools. For materials, name specific brands or models used, and for procedures, explain the exact order in which tasks were conducted. 

For a methods section in a literature review, be specific about search terms, databases, and criteria for inclusion and exclusion.

Anticipate Reader Questions

This one is important. It is always a good idea to write with your audience in mind. Imagine yourself as a reader unfamiliar with your study. 

Anticipate questions that may arise, such as why certain variables were controlled or why specific inclusion criteria were chosen. Addressing these potential questions within your methods section demonstrates transparency and helps build trust in your study.

Edit for Flow and Readability

While methods sections are inherently technical, that does not mean they have to be dry. After drafting, review the section to ensure that each sentence logically leads to the next. Avoid long, complex sentences that may be hard to follow; instead, opt for a clear, engaging style that holds readers’ attention while conveying all necessary details.

Whether you are writing a literature review or a research article, the methods section serves as the foundation upon which your findings rest, providing the detailed blueprint of your approach. By understanding the different goals and structures required for each type of methods section, you can better communicate your process and ensure your work is both replicable and rigorous.

Remember, a well-constructed methods section not only answers the “how” of your research but also strengthens the impact of your conclusions. And incase you missed it, check out our blog on how to write a complete research paper from start to finish.

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• November 7, 2023

How to Properly Write a Methods Section for Your Thesis

• By Denisa Cerna

Writing the methods section for your thesis sounds like a daunting task, but don’t worry – we’ve all been there.

The good news is that once you learn how to break your methodology down into specific steps, the whole writing process will become much easier.

Let’s unpack the purpose of a methods section, the elements it ought to comprise, and some of our top tips!

The Goal of a Methods Section

While a literature review provides an overview of the current knowledge in the field, a methodology chapter is where you explain how you went about researching your topic and why.

Methodology is a fundamental part of your thesis for three reasons:

• It shows how you procured your findings in detail, which gives your research credibility
• It makes your study replicable so that other researchers can compare their own findings to yours using the same process
• It displays your knowledge of research methods

What’s more, the methods section is where you get to point out any limitations to the study (for example, you may be working with a smaller sampler than would be preferable) and explain why your research matters in spite of these limitations.

How to Write a Methods Section: Checklist

Now that you know what the purpose of your methodology chapter is, it’s time to figure out what the best way to write it is.

First of all, let’s do a quick run through a checklist of all the essentials. No matter what type of research you’re conducting, your methods section should ideally include:

• The aim of your research (what you are hoping to achieve)
• An explanation of your research method and why you’ve picked it for this particular topic (this can be a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed method)
• A detailed description of your chosen research method (for example, interviews or focus groups for qualitative research, and surveys or experiments for quantitative research)
• A summary of all the equipment you used and how you went about collecting your data and analyzing it
• A section on your respondents, participants, or samples (where you found them, why you chose them – what criteria you based your decisions on – and how many there were)
• Limitations of the study (which difficulties you encountered, in which ways your study is limited, and why your conclusions are important to take into consideration nonetheless)

When writing your methods section, try to avoid adding unnecessary information. Any extra materials (such as a lot of detailed images) can go in the appendix, and your results belong in the results section, not here. In a great thesis , everything has its place.

How to Write a Methods Section: 4 Steps

That’s our checklist ticked off! Now comes the next question. In what order should you organize all this information?

While some methods chapters differ from others, there are essentially four steps you can follow:

• Describe your methodological approach and dive into the specifics of why and how you picked this approach (this is where you talk about research methods and the specific type of research you conducted, such as an experiment or a survey)
• Explain how you collected your data (if you collected it through a survey, how did you design the survey? What kinds of questions did you choose and in what form? How did you select and look for respondents? How many were there?)
• Show how you analyzed your data (again, if you created a survey, how did you go about turning your respondents’ answers into a statistical graph? Which software did you use?)
• Justify your choices (discuss why your research method was the right choice for the topic and acknowledge any limitations)

4 Extra Tips

Before we part for today, here are a few more tips that will help you make your methods section the best it can be:

• Write in the past tense (“I collected my data…”)
• If relevant, reference other credible sources that help show your knowledge of the field (but don’t go into too much detail – that’s what your literature review is for)
• Always keep the aim of the study in mind (the methodology section shows how you went about solving your primary problem, so don’t stray too far from it)
• Write for your reader, not for yourself (what would a complete outsider to the study need to hear in order to grasp all your concepts? Which information would be irrelevant or redundant?)

The methods section isn’t so scary after all, right? All you need to do is adhere to a checklist of all the essentials and organize your information in a logical order.

And if you still struggle with your methodology chapter, don’t worry – the dedicated team of subject matter experts and PhD editors at FirstEditing is here to help.

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Writing a Methodology for your Dissertation | Complete Guide & Steps

What is a methodology.

The methodology is perhaps the most challenging and laborious part of the dissertation . Essentially, the methodology helps in understanding the broad, philosophical approach behind the methods of research you chose to employ in your study. The research methodology elaborates on the ‘how’ part of your research.

This means that your methodology chapter should clearly state whether you chose to use quantitative or qualitative data collection techniques or a mix of both.

Your research methodology should explain the following:

• What was the purpose of your research?
• What type of research method was used?
• What were the data-collecting methods?
• How did you analyse the data?
• What kind of resources were used in your research?
• Why did you choose these methods?

You will be required to provide justifications as to why you preferred a certain method over the others. If you are trying to figure out exactly how to write methodology or the structure of a methodology for a dissertation, this article will point you in the right direction.

Students must be sure of why they chose a certain research method over another. “I figured out” or “In my opinion” statements will not be an acceptable justification. So, you will need to come up with concrete academic reasons for your selection of research methods.

What are the Standard Contents of a Research Methodology?

The methodology generally acts as a guideline or plan for exactly how you intend to carry out your research. This is especially true for students who must submit their methodology chapter before carrying out the research.

Your methodology should link back to the literature review and clearly state why you chose certain data collection and analysis methods for your research/dissertation project.

The methodology chapter consists of the following:

• Research Design
• Philosophical Approach
• Data Collection Methods
• Research Limitations
• Ethical Considerations (If Any)
• Data Analysis Methods

For those who are submitting their dissertation as a single paper, their methodology should also touch on any modifications they had to make as their work progressed.

However, it is essential to provide academic justifications for all choices made by the researcher.

How to Choose your Dissertation Methodology and Research Design?

The theme of your research methodology chapter should be related to your literature review and research question (s).

You can visit your college or university library to find textbooks and articles that provide information about the commonly employed research methods .

An intensive reading of such books can help you devise your research philosophy and choose the appropriate methods. Any limitations or weaknesses of your chosen research approach should also be explained, as well as the strategies to overcome them.

To research well, you should read well! Read as many research articles (from reputed journals) as you can. Seeing how other researchers use methods in their studies and why will help you justify, in the long run, your own research method(s).

Regardless of the chosen research approach, you will find researchers who either support it or don’t. Use the arguments for and against articulated in the literature to clarify why you decided to choose the selected research design and why the research limitations are irrelevant to your research.

How to Structure your Dissertation Methodology?

The typical structure of the methodology chapter is as follows:

• Research Design And Strategy
• Methods Of Data Collection And Data Analysis
• Ethical Considerations, Reliability , Limitations And Generalisability

In research jargon, generalisability is termed external validity . It means how generalisable your research findings are to other contexts, places, times, people, etc. External validity is expected to be significantly high, especially in quantitative studies.

According to USC-Research Guides (2017) , a research design’s primary function is to enable the researcher to answer the research questions through evidence effectively. Generally, this section will shed light on how you collected your data.

The researcher will have to justify their choice of data collection methods, such as the one that was reviewed, the use of data tools (interviews, phone surveys, questionnaires, observation, online surveys , etc.) and the like.

Moreover, data sampling choice should also be clearly explained with a focus on how you chose the ethnicity, group, profession and age of the participants.

• What type of questions do you intend to ask the respondents?
• How will they help to answer your research questions ?
• How will they help to test the hypothesis of the dissertation?

It is recommended to prepare these questions at the start of your research. You should develop your research problem and questions. This approach can allow the room to change or modify research questions if your data collection methods do not give the desired results.

It’s a good practice to keep referring to your research questions whilst planning or writing the research design section. This will help your reader recall what the research is about; why you have done what you did. Even though this technique is recommended to be applied at the start of every section within a dissertation, it’s especially beneficial in the methodology section.

In short, you will need to make sure that the data you are going to collect relates to the topic you are exploring. The complexity and length of the research design section will vary depending on your academic subject and the scope of your research, but a well-written research design will have the following characteristics:

• It sheds light on alternative research design options and justifies why your chosen design is the best to address the research problem.
• Clearly specifies the research questions that the research aims to address or the hypothesis to validate.
• Explain how the collected data will help address the research problem and discusses your research methodology to collect the data.

Philosophical Approach Behind Writing a Methodology

This will discuss your chosen philosophy to strengthen your research and the research model. Commonly employed philosophies in academia are

• Interpretivism,
• Positivism/Post-Positivism
• Constructivism

There are several other research philosophies that you could adopt.

The choice of philosophy will depend on many factors, including your academic subject and the type and complexity of the research study. Regardless of which philosophy is used, you will be required to make different assumptions about the world.

Once you have chosen your research philosophy, the next step will describe your research context to answer all the questions, including when, where, why, how and what of your research.

Essentially, as a researcher, you will be required to decide whether you will be using a qualitative method, a quantitative method or a mix of both.

Did you know?

Using both qualitative and quantitative methods leads to the use of a mixed-methods approach. This approach also goes by another seldom-used name: eclectic approach.

The process of data collection is different for each method. Typically, you would want to decide whether you will adopt the positivist approach, defining your hypothesis and testing it against reality.

If this is the case, you will be required to take the quantitative approach, collecting numerical data at a large scale (from 30 or more respondents) and testing your hypotheses with this data.

Collecting data from at least 30 respondents/participants ensures reliable statistical analysis . This is especially true for quantitative studies. If the data contains less than 30 responses, it won’t be enough to carry out reliable statistical analyses on such data.

The other option for you would be to base your research on a qualitative approach, which will point you in a direction where you will be investigating broader areas by identifying people’s emotions and perceptions of a subject.

With a qualitative approach, you will have to collect responses from respondents and look at them in all their richness to develop theories about the field you are exploring.

Finally, you can also use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods (which is becoming increasingly popular among researchers these days). This method is beneficial if you are interested in putting quantitative data into a real-world context or reflecting different perspectives on a subject.

Research philosophy in the ‘research onion.’

Methods of Data Collection and Data Analysis

This section will require you to clearly specify how you gathered the data and briefly discuss the tools you used to analyse it. For example, you may choose to conduct surveys and/or interviews as part of the data collection process.

Similarly, if you used software such as Excel or SPSS to process the data , you will have to justify your software choice. In this section of your methodology chapter , you will also have to explain how you arrived at your findings and how reliable they are.

It is important to note that your readers or supervisor would want to see a correlation between your findings and the hypothesis/research questions you based your study on at the very beginning.

Your supervisor or dissertation research assistant can play a key role in helping you write the methodology chapter according to established research standards. So, keep your supervisor in the loop to get their contributions and recommendations throughout the process.

In this section, you should briefly describe the methods you’ve used to analyse the data you’ve collected.

Qualitative Methods

The qualitative method includes analysing language, images, audio, videos, or any textual data (textual analysis). The following types of methods are used in textual analysis .

Discourse analysis:

Discourse analysis is an essential aspect of studying a language and its uses in day-to-day life.

Content analysis:

It is a method of studying and retrieving meaningful information from documents Thematic analysis:

It’s a method of identifying patterns of themes in the collected information, such as face-to-face interviews, texts, and transcripts.

Example: After collecting the data, it was checked thoroughly to find the missing information. The interviews were transcribed, and textual analysis was conducted. The repetitions of the text, types of colours displayed, and the tone of the speakers was measured.

Quantitative Methods

Quantitative data analysis is used for analysing numerical data. Include the following points:

• The methods of preparing data before analysing it.
• Which statistical test you have used? (one-ended test, two-ended test)
• The type of software you’ve used.

Ethical Considerations, Reliability and Limitations of a Dissertation Methodology

Other important sections of your methodology are:

Ethical Considerations

Always consider how your research will influence other individuals who are beyond the scope of the study. This is especially true for human subjects. As a researcher, you are always expected to make sure that your research and ideas do not harm anyone in any way.Discussion concerning data protection, data handling and data confidentiality will also be included in this brief segment.

• How did you ensure your participants’/respondents’ anonymity and/or confidentiality?
• Did you remove any identifiable markers after conducting the study (post-test stage) so that readers wouldn’t be able to guess the identity of the participant/respondent?
• Was personal information collected according to the purpose of the research? (For instance, asking respondents their age when it wasn’t even relevant in the study). All such ethical considerations need to be mentioned.

Even though there is no established rule to include ethical considerations and limitations within the methodology section, it’s generally recommended to include it in this section, as it makes more sense than including it, say, after the discussions section or within the conclusion.

This is mainly because limitations almost always occur in the methodology stage of research. And ethical considerations need to be taken while sampling, an important aspect of the research methodology.

Here are some examples of ethical issues that you should be mindful of

• Does your research involve participants recalling episodes of suffering and pain?
• Are you trying to find answers to questions considered culturally sensitive either by participants or the readers?
• Are your research, analysis and findings based on a specific location or a group of people?

All such issues should be categorically addressed and a justification provided for your chosen research methodology by highlighting the study’s benefits.

Reliability

Is your research study and findings reliable for other researchers in your field of work? To establish yourself as a reliable researcher, your study should be both authentic and reliable.

Reliability means the extent to which your research can yield similar results if it was replicated in another setting, at a different time, or under different circumstances. If replication occurs and different findings come to light, your (original) research would be deemed unreliable.

Limitations

Good dissertation writers will always acknowledge the limitations of their research study. Limitations in data sampling can decrease your results’ reliability.

A classic example of research limitation is collecting responses from people of a certain age group when you could have targeted a more representative cross-section of the population.Be humble and admit to your own study’s limitations. Doing so makes your referees, editors, supervisors, readers and anyone else involved in the research enterprise aware that you were also aware of the things that limited your study.

Limitations are NOT the same as implications. Sometimes, the two can be confused. Limitations lead to implications, that is, due to a certain factor being absent in the study (limitation) for instance, future research could be carried out in a setting where that factor is present (implication).

Dissertation Methodology Example

At this point, you might have a basic understanding of how to craft a well-written, organised, accurate methodology section for your dissertation. An example might help bring all the aforementioned points home. Here is a dissertation methodology example in pdf to better understand how to write methodology for a dissertation.

Sample Dissertation Methodology

Does your Research Methodology Have the Following?

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Types of Methodologies

A scientific or lab-based study.

A methodology section for a scientific study will need to elaborate on reproducibility and meticulousness more than anything else. If your methods have obvious flaws, the readers are not going to be impressed. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your chosen research methodology is vigorous in nature.

Any information related to the procedure, setup and equipment should be clearly stated so other researchers in your field of study can work with the same method in the future if needed.

Variables that are likely to falsify your data must be taken into the equation to avoid ambiguities. It is recommended to present a comprehensive strategy to deal with these variables when gathering and analysing the data and drawing conclusions.

Statistical models employed as part of your scientific study will have to be justified, and so your methodology should include details of those statistical models.

Another scholar in the future might use any aspect of your methodology as the starting point for their research. For example, they might base their research on your methodology but analyse the data using other statistical models. Hence, this is something you should be mindful of.

Behavioural or Social Sciences-Based Dissertation

Like scientific or lab-based research, a behavioural and social sciences methodology needs to be built along the same lines. The chosen methodology should demonstrate reproducibility and firmness so other scholars can use your whole dissertation methodology or a part of it based on their research needs.

But there are additional issues that the researcher must take into consideration when working with human subjects. As a starting point, you will need to decide whether your analysis will be based on qualitative data, quantitative data or mixed-method of research, where qualitative data is used to provide contextual background to quantitative data or the other way around.

Here are some questions for you to consider:

• Will you observe the participants undertaking some activity, ask them to fill out a questionnaire, or record their responses during the interviews ?
• Will you base your research on existing evidence and datasets and avoid working with human subjects?
• What are the length, width, and reach of your data? Define its scope.
• Is the data highly explicit to the location or cultural setting you carried your study in, or can it be generalised to other situations and frameworks (reliability)? What are your reasons and justifications?

While you will be required to demonstrate that you have taken care of the above questions, it is equally important to make sure that you address your research study’s ethical issues side-by-side.

Of course, the first step in that regard will be to obtain formal approval for your research design from the ethics bodies (such as IRBs – institutional review boards), but still, there will be many more issues that could trigger a sense of grief and discomfort among some of the readers.

Humanities and Arts Dissertation Project

The rigour and dependability of the methods of research employed remain undisputed and unquestionable for humanities and arts-based dissertations as well. However, the way you convince your readers of your dissertation’s thoroughness is slightly different.

Unlike social science dissertation or a scientific study, the methodology of dissertations in arts and humanities subjects needs to be directly linked to the literature review regardless of how innovative your dissertation’s topic might be.

For example, you could demonstrate the relationship between A and B to discover a new theoretical background or use existing theories in a new framework.

The methodology section of humanities and arts-based dissertations is less complex, so there might be no need to justify it in detail. Students can achieve a seamless transition from the literature review to the analysis section.

However, like with every other type of research methodology, it is important to provide a detailed justification of your chosen methodology and relate it to the research problem.

Failing to do so could leave some readers unconvinced of your theoretical foundations’ suitability, which could potentially jeopardise your whole research.

Make sure that you are paying attention to and giving enough information about the social and historical background of the theoretical frameworks your research methodology is based on. This is especially important if there is an essential difference of opinion between your research and the research done on the subject in the past.

A justification of why opposing schools of thought disagree and why you still went ahead to use aspects of these schools of thought in your methodology should be clearly presented for the readers to understand how they would support your readings.

A Dissertation in Creative Arts

Some degree programs in the arts allow students to undertake a portfolio of artworks or creative writing rather than produce an extended dissertation research project.However, in practice, your creative research will be required to be submitted along with a comprehensive evaluative paper, including background information and an explanation that hypothesises your innovative exercise.

While this might seem like an easy thing to do, critical evaluation of someone’s work is highly complex and notorious in nature. This further reinforces the argument of developing a rigorous methodology and adhering to it.

As a scholar, you will be expected to showcase the ability to critically analyse your methodology and show that you are capable of critically evaluating your own creative work.Such an approach will help you justify your method of creating the work, which will give the readers the impression that your research is grounded in theory.

What to Avoid in Methodology?

All chapters of a dissertation paper are interconnected. This means that there will undoubtedly be some information that would overlap between the different chapters of the dissertation .

For example, some of the text material may seem appropriate to both the literature review and methodology sections; you might even end up moving information from pillar to post between different chapters as you edit and improve your dissertation .

However, make sure that you are not making the following a part of your dissertation methodology, even though it may seem appropriate to fit them in there:

A Long Review of Methods Employed by Previous Researchers

It might seem relevant to include details of the models your dissertation methodology is based on. However, a detailed review of models and precedents used by other scholars and theorists will better fit in the literature review chapter, which you can link back to. This will help the readers understand why you decided to go in favour of or against a certain tactic.

Unnecessary Details Readers Might Not be Interested In

There is absolutely no need to provide extensive details of things like lab equipment and experiment procedures. Having such information in the methodology chapter would discourage some readers who might not be interested in your equipment, setup, lab environment, etc.

Your aim as the author of the document will be to retain the readers’ interest and make the methodology chapter as readable as possible.

While it is important to get all the information relating to how others can reproduce your experiment, it is equally important to ensure your methodology section isn’t unnecessarily long. Again, additional information is better to be placed within the appendices chapter.

The methodology is not the section to provide raw data, even if you are only discussing the data collection process. All such information should be moved to the appendices section.

Even if you feel some finding or numerical data is crucial to be presented within the methodology section, you can, at most, make brief comments about such data. Its discussion, however, is only allowed in the discussions section .

What Makes your Methodology Stand Out?

The factors which can determine if your dissertation methodology is ‘great’ depend on many factors, including the level of study you are currently enrolled in.

Undergraduate dissertations are, of course, less complex and less demanding. At most universities in the UK, undergraduate students are required to exhibit the ability to conduct thorough research as they engage for the first time with theoretical and conceptual frameworks in their chosen research area.

As an undergraduate student, you will be expected to showcase the capacity to reproduce what you have learnt from theorists in your academic subject, transform your leanings into a methodology that would help you address the research problem, and test the research hypothesis, as mentioned in the introduction chapter.

A great undergraduate-level dissertation will incorporate different schools of thought and make a valuable contribution to existing knowledge. However, in general, undergraduate-level dissertations’ focus should be to show thorough desk-based and independent research skills.

Postgraduate dissertation papers are much more compound and challenging because they are expected to make a substantial contribution to existing knowledge.

Depending on the academic institute, some postgraduate students are even required to develop a project published by leading academic journals as an approval of their research skills.

It is important to recognise the importance of a postgraduate dissertation towards building your professional career, especially if your work is considered impactful in your area of study and receives citations from multiple scholars, enhancing your reputation in academic communities.

Even if some academics cite your literature review and conclusion in their own work, it is a well-known fact that your methodology framework will result in many more citations regardless of your academic subject.

Other scholars and researchers in your area of study are likely to give much more value to a well-crafted methodology, especially one they can use as the starting point for their own research.

Of course, they can alter, refine and enhance your methodology in one way or another. They can even apply your methodological framework to a new data set or apply it in a completely new situation that is irrelevant to your work.

Finally, postgraduate dissertations are expected to be highly convincing and demonstrate in-depth engagement. They should be reproducible and show rigour, so the findings and conclusions can be regarded as authentic and reliable among scientific and academic communities.

The methodology is the door to success when it comes to dissertation projects. An original methodology that takes into consideration all aspects of research is likely to have an impact on the field of study.

As a postgraduate student, you should ask yourself, Is my dissertation methodology reproducible and transferable? Producing a methodology that others can reproduce in the future is as important as answering research questions .

The methodology chapter can either make or break the grade of your research/dissertation paper. It’s one of the research elements that leave a memorable impression on your readers. So, it would help if you took your time when it comes to choosing the right design and philosophical approach for your research.

Always use authentic academic sources and discuss your plans in detail with your supervisor if you believe your research design or approach has flaws in it.

Did this article help you learn how to write a dissertation methodology and how to structure a dissertation methodology? Let us know in your comments.

Are you struggling to create a thorough and well-rounded dissertation methodology?

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How To Write The Methods Section of a Thesis

Introduction.

What goes into a method section? That’s a classic question.

There are three main components, plus one additional element for theses, that you need to consider in your method section. The goal of each method section is to make research reproducible, not just to clarify what you did and help people understand. You want to provide all your tools, so the research can be replicated.

The three plus one elements of the methods section

The main ingredients that you find in every journal paper are three major building blocks, or questions.

First, who? Who did you ask? What’s your sample? What’s your population? How did you arrive at that sample and population? How does it look like? How can you describe that sample? This is usually the first subsection in a journal article.

Second, what? What did you ask those people? Is there a survey with instruments and scales involved that you can outline? Is there an interviewer guideline? Whatever it is, show it transparently. What is the end product? How did you arrive there?

Third, how do you analyze the data? Are you using qualitative content analysis? Are you using statistics? Describe what you’re doing after you have collected the data. These are the three fundamental components found in every journal paper.

Methodology (especially in theses)

For a thesis, it often makes sense to add one additional element upfront: the methodology. This is the broad outlook. What is your general approach? Is it more qualitative or quantitative? What kind of paradigm are you drawing from? This helps to position your whole method section and explain how this outlook will help answer your research question.

In a journal paper, you often do not find this information due to space limitations. However, in a thesis, you have the space, and supervisors are keen to know that you understand your general view and approach.

Test yourself

• What’s the goal of the method section?
• Make research reproducible
• Just clarify what was done
• Help people understand
• What’s the first major component in a method section?
• How data was analyzed?
• Who was asked?
• What methodology was used?
• What’s often added upfront in a thesis method section?
• Data analysis techniques
• Methodology
• Survey instruments
• How many main components are in every journal paper’s method section?
• What element is not typically found in a journal paper due to space?
• Sample description
• Methodology information
• Data analysis description

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Dissertations and research projects

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• Finding the gap
• Developing research questions
• Epistemology
• Ethical approval
• Methodology and Methods
• Recruiting participants
• Planning your analysis
• Writing your research proposal
• Hypothesis testing
• Reliability and validity
• Approaches to quantitative research
• Developing a theoretical framework
• Reflecting on your position
• Extended literature reviews
• Presenting qualitative data
• Introduction
• Literature review

Methodology

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• 5) Working with a supervisor
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What is the purpose of the methodology section?

The methodology outlines the procedure and process of your data collection. You should therefore provide enough detail so that a reader could replicate or adapt your methodology in their own research.

While the literature review focuses on the views and arguments of other authors, the methodology puts the spotlight on your project. Two of the key questions you should aim to answer in this section are:

• Why did you select the methods you used?
• How do these methods answer your research question(s)?

The methodology chapter should also justify and explain your choice of methodology and methods. At every point where you faced a decision, ask: Why did choose this approach? Why not something else? Why was this theory/method/tool the most relevant or suitable for my project? How did this decision contribute to answering my research questions?

Although most students write their methodology before carrying out their data collection, the methodology section should be written in the past tense, as if the research has already been completed.

What is the difference between my methodology and my methods?

There are three key aspects of any methodology section that you should aim to address:

• Methodology: Your choice of methodology will be grounded in a discipline-specific theory about how research should proceed, such as quantitative or qualitative. This overarching decision will help to provide rationale for the specific methods you go on to use.
• Research Design: An explanation of the approach that you have chosen, and the type of data you will collect. For example, case study or action research? Will the data you collect be quantitative, qualitative or a mix of both?
• Methods: The concrete research tools used to collect and analyse data: questionnaires, in-person surveys, observations etc.

You may also need to include information on epistemology and your philosophical approach to research. You can find more information on this in our research planning guide.

What should I include in the methodology section?

• Research paradigm: What is the underpinning philosophy of your research? How does this align with your research aim and objectives?
• Methodology: Qualitative or quantitative? Mixed? What are the advantages of your chosen methodology, and why were the other options discounted?
• Research design: Show how your research design is influenced by other studies in your field and justify your choice of approach.
• Methods: What methods did you use? Why? Do these naturally fit together or do you need to justify why you have used different methods in combination?
• Participants/Data Sources: What were your sources/who were your participants? Which sampling approach did you use and why? How were they identified as a suitable group to research, and how were they recruited?
• Procedure: What did you do to collect your data? Remember, a reader should be able to replicate or adapt your methodology in their own research from the information you provide here.
• Limitations: What are the general limitations of your chosen method(s)? Don’t be specific here about your project (ie. what you could have done differently), but instead focus on what the literature outlines as the disadvantages of your methods.

Should I reflect on my position as a researcher?

If you feel your position as a researcher has influenced your choice of methods or procedure in any way, the methodology is a good place to reflect on this. Positionality acknowledges that no researcher is entirely objective: we are all, to some extent, influenced by prior learning, experiences, knowledge, and personal biases. This is particularly true in qualitative research or practice-based research, where the student is acting as a researcher in their own workplace, where they are otherwise considered a practitioner/professional.

The following questions can help you to reflect on your positionality and gauge whether this is an important section to include in your dissertation (for some people, this section isn’t necessary or relevant):

• How might my personal history influence how I approach the topic?
• How am I positioned in relation to this knowledge? Am I being influenced by prior learning or knowledge from outside of this course?
• How does my gender/social class/ ethnicity/ culture influence my positioning in relation to this topic?
• Do I share any attributes with my participants? Are we part of a shared community? How might this have influenced our relationship and my role in interviews/observations?
• Am I invested in the outcomes on a personal level? Who is this research for and who will feel the benefits?
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How to Write a Dissertation Methodology: Guide & Examples

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The dissertation methodology is a section that explains how the research was conducted, connecting various important aspects. It outlines the research design and approach used, providing the overall framework for the study. In this section, you should identify the research strategies, data collection methods, analysis tools and ethical considerations. A well-written dissertation methodology should provide an explanation of why certain decisions were made in order to ensure reliable results.

Dissertation methodology is necessary for  writing a dissertation . Choosing suitable academic methods and applying them in a process is not an easy task. It is further complicated by the fact that each scientific area has its own applied methods. Below we will reveal how to write a dissertation methodology and discuss the instruments you used in a study. 

What Is Methodology in Dissertation?

Methodology in dissertation is a general system of scientific knowledge methods. Students usually use them to achieve a research paper goal they set at the beginning of a work. We can say that this is an instrumental basis. How many words should a  methodology  be in a dissertation? We would say it should be around 20% of the whole work. You should develop research problems and explain solutions to the main issues. Selection of suitable methods starts at the stage of preparing a dissertation plan. This section should be placed in  dissertation introduction . You should justify the choice of each method used in work. In the abstract, just list analysis of the main techniques that were used. Due to their huge number, there are different research methods classifications. Firstly, they are usually divided into two categories. The first category is applicable to all knowledge branches. The second has a narrower focus. It covers those methods that are applied strictly in a particular science area. We’ll consider quantitative and qualitative classifications in more detail.  

Methodology Dissertation: Purpose

The main goal of methodology chapter dissertation is to study methods you have chosen. It helps to acquire and substantiate new findings in science. But, in addition to this main task, this section also studies:

• knowledge structure in general,
• cognitional place and role’s various forms,
• analytical methods,
• various systems of scientific knowledge.

So, the purpose is to study an object, process, or phenomenon. You should capture scientific principles’ basis in written form and introduce useful results into production. Note that our  dissertation service includes help with methodology, too.

Methods vs Methodology Chapter: Dissertation

You might be confused with the difference between thesis and dissertation  methods, but the answer is simple. Researchers use the first term to proceed with studying research problems. Literally, this is a description of all material and information that was used in work. Methodology is a broader term. It is a system with methods for learning how research should be done systematically. It ensures that conclusions drawn are valid and reliable.

What to Include in the Methodology Section of Dissertation?

Let’s consider what to include in a dissertation methodology . No matter what scientific area you’re working on, it should include the same chapters. We recommend you focus on specific methods for your studying. But a general outline is universal for each case.

Aims in Methodology of Dissertation

In the dissertation methodology chapter, you should describe research methods and organization. Briefly, list method aims and techniques used in study. It is necessary to indicate methods’ authors and publishing year. For example:  

Following methods were used to solve tasks:

• Theoretical : analysis, synthesis, systematization, comparison, classification of scientific and psychological sources of information. They allow to generalize and systematize views of scientists on a problem being studied;
• Empirical: method of "Determining speed of mental process of junior high school students at time of transition to high school."
• Mathematical processing of research results: data processing and graphical presentation of results were carried out using spreadsheets MS Excel 2010.

Outline of Methods in Methodology Section: Dissertation

The dissertation methodology outline begins with a search. Find a subject area that can unite all gained empirical results. Some results often do not fit into a single structure and have to be discarded. But sometimes, necessary empirical results are lacking, so you should continue study's empirical part. Determine an appropriate outline to begin logical concept composition.

Explanation of Methods in Methodology for Dissertation

For the methodology section of the dissertation, you should determine the study base, respondents number, their age, gender. Explain your choice using specific arguments. Look at following example:  

Study was conducted based on the municipal higher educational institution of the regional council. The study covered 105 first-year students (including 77 students of Department of Primary Education (base 9 classes), aged 15.5 years and 28 students of department "Preschool Education" (base 11 classes), aged 17.5 years).

Qualitative Methods of Methodology in Dissertation

Qualitative dissertation methodology is aimed at identifying statistical survey characteristics. So you can reveal various types of deep social processes and mechanisms. For example, analyze the media's influence on individual consciousness. Or examine informational perception of different population layers. The main application area of these methods is marketing and sociological research. Let's consider the most important group methods:  

• In-depth interview. Here well-reasoned answers are required. Often, it is conducted in the free conversation form in an informal setting. Its purpose is to explore beliefs, values​, and respondents’ motivations.
• Expert interview. Invited specialists express their valuable opinion.
• Focus group discussions. Here conversation takes place with a focus group. It can consider 10-15 respondents who are directly related to study. Participants share their personal experiences and perception on the topic during discussion. Based on their statements, a social group’s "portrait" to which the focus group belongs is compiled.

Quantitative Methods of Dissertation Research: Methodology

The second dissertation methodology is quantitativ methods . It helps to identify phenomena based on statistical methods. It aims at initially collecting questionnaires and then measuring them to investigate large-scale phenomena. It also allows you to study the structure and research development’s dynamics. This includes counting publications number made or content analysis. For example, determination of various sources’ volume citation. It is possible to track studied circulation and the usage degree. The research results using this method are information with minor deviations.

How Data Is Analyzed in Your Dissertation Methodology Section

In the practical section, analyze results of research methodology dissertation. Provide detailed data on subjects and different research methods. Pay attention to results' validity and their interpretation. Research results should not be limited to statements of received facts. Interpret their scientific explanation and obtain results.

Materials Used in Your Methodology Chapter in Dissertation

Methodology chapter in the dissertation should include suitable materials. Data selection, critical comprehension, and processing are essential. First, you need to introduce primary literature (textbooks, theoretical articles) and applied materials (methodological developments, instructional materials, articles). Include only carefully selected and purposefully analyzed elements. As illustrative material, you can add sample documents, tables, diagrams, charts. They can be placed throughout your study.

Tips on How to Write a Dissertation Methodology

We have prepared some tips on how to write a methodology for a dissertation. Hope they will ease your writing.

• Pose a problem that your method solves and justify its relevance.
• Complete analysis of literary background.
• Write it concise and clear.
• Apply only those research methods that you will manage to use.
• Make qualified interpretations and observations to obtain results.
• Create an independent, original approach to processing of material.
• Provide all answers to hypothetical questions before your readers can ask them.

Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Methodology for Dissertation

We collected and identified 10 common mistakes in writing a dissertation methodology. Avoid them to make this section excellent!

• Conduction too complicated research.
• Non-disclosing chosen method.
• Non-compliance with general requirements.
• Plagiarism.
• Excessive volumes of sections.
• Faked background sources.
• Unrelated parts of description.
• Outdated methods.
• Grammatical errors.
• Weak impact on a scientific field.

Dissertation Methodology Example

We prepared a methodology example for your dissertation. Now you know all necessary information on how to write this chapter. We recommend you pay specific attention while writing. You can take our sample as a template.

Final Thoughts on Writing a Methodology for a Dissertation

Dissertation methodology occupies 20% of your text. It is significant for your scientific research. In this section you formulate provisions that determine the entire course of work. We recommend writing this section at the very beginning. So, research methods are steps that we take towards work goals. These are ways that our online dissertation help resolves study tasks.

Just order your work from our papers writing service ! In a few days, you’ll receive outstanding work with minimum energy wasted.  

Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.