How To Write Methodology Step By Step Guide
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The methodology is the main section of your dissertation or thesis writing process. Because the ethics part shed light on the process of how you carried out your research. It explains what you included in your research and how you fulfilled its purpose. It also explains your ethical guidelines. Whether your research process was considerate regarding the ethical guidelines.
This holds great importance because this is where you justify the techniques you chose and explains the reasons behind them. This is where you highlight any exclusion or inclusion criteria you had in your research. The methodology is a section where you list down all your techniques regarding the data collection, sampling, and how you intend to carry out the research as well.
The methodology is important because a good Methodology makes your research reliable and authentic. And any errors found in this section will discredit your entire research. So coming up with an effective Methodology is very much important because the entire reputation of your research depends upon its Methodology.
You include the type of your research whether it is qualitative or quantitative. You add the mode of your data collection. Whether it was survey-based, experiment-based, or interview-based. You explain the method of your data analysis. Whether you did thematic analysis or used software like SPSS to analyze the data. You also list down all the materials and tools, like questionnaires and scale you used in your research. Last but not the least, you also provide a coherent rationale for e everything that is mentioned above. A good rationale should justify all the points mentioned above.
Now that we have established that the Methodology of your dissertation is very much important. So do you need help with dissertation? here we will give you a step-by-step guide on how to write a good Methodology section for your research.
Step 1: Describe Your Approach:
This is the first step where you first highlight your thesis statement again which is followed by your explanation of the mode of the research you have chosen. Whether it is qualitative or quantitate.
> Quantitative Research:
is survey-based research. You use this mode when you are working with measurable variables. You use this mode of research when you have to measure, pinpoint the pattern, or establish generalized statements regarding a particular population.
So you choose relevant scales that are measuring your selected variables. And ask your desired population to fill that questionnaire and then you analyze the data by running it through software, like SPSS.
> Qualitative Research:
this is interview-based research and you use this mode of research when you want to gain in-depth information regarding a certain topic. It is a subjective approach and you include open-ended questions in it. You cannot generalize your findings to the majority of the population because your participant quantity is limited. Whereas you include unlimited participants in quantitative research which makes it easy for generalizing the findings to the majority of the population.
> Mixed Research:
this is the mode of research that is a combination of both qualitative and quantitative research. This consists of open-ended questions which give the opportunity of gaining in-depth insight and it also includes close-ended questions which help in generalizing the data.
You explain your mode of research. And then give your rationale and ethical guidelines for it as well.
In some cases, students might opt for some unique Methodological approach as well. So this is where you explain your approach and give a coherent rationale for it as well. Your rationale is supposed to be good enough to justify your unique methodological approach.
Step 2: Your Mode Of Data Collection:
After you have thoroughly explained your Methodological approach and have given a satisfactory justification of it as well. You move on to the next heading where you explain the proper method of conducting your research. You list down all the materials, scales, and tools you incorporated in your research’s data collection process and you also mention your criteria for sampling your study participants as well.
- If your survey was quantitative then you explain the mechanism of your survey. For example, how did you formulate your questionnaire, and what scale did you use in your survey? You also mention how did you approach the participants for your study. What was the mode of data collection? Whether was it in person, through telephone, mail, or an online survey through Google docs? You also mention your sample size and response rate of your participants.
- If you did an experimental study then you explain the in-depth procedure of your experiment. You also provide ethical guidelines for your experiment. You give a rationale for the design of your experiment. In experimental studies, you have to provide a complete guide for experimenting so that other researchers can carry out the same experiment as well.
- If you did a qualitative study then you have to give complete details about your interview. You give the criteria for your participants. You explain how you approached your participants. How was your interview guide formulated? The maximum duration of your interview and whether they were recorded or not.
Step 3: Explain Your Method Of Data Analysis:
Now that you have explained how you collected the data in the above step. You move on to describe the process of analyzing that gathered data. Keep in mind, that in this step you briefly explain just the process of your data analysis and not discuss your entire data.
- In quantitative research, you give a brief description of the preparation of data, which questionnaire you include, and which one you excluded. You introduce any software you used for the data analysis and you also mention the statistical method which you used in the analyzing step of your data.
- In qualitative research, you analyze your data in the form of recordings and observations. You explain the method of your data analysis. You explain how you picked out themes in your data.
Step 4: Explain Your Methodological Choices:
This is where you analytically evaluate your Methodological approach. You justify it with evidence that why it is best suited for your research and you also mention any lacks it might have had. This is where you mention how your method helped in unearthing new knowledge and findings. But you also mention the lacking points of your Methodology but do it in such a way that your Methodology approach’s strengths outweigh its weaknesses. You also talk about any obstacles you faced in the entirety of your Methodological approach and explain the possible solutions you took to handle these problems as well.
This is a step-by-step guide we have provided you on how to write a good Methodological approach that will impress your tutor. There are also many dissertation help UK which helps students in writing top class methodology sections.
TIPS ON WRITING A GOOD METHODOLOGY
- You have to give the best rationale for the Methodological approach that you have chosen to convince your readers that this is the best-suited approach for your research. Make sure that you relate everything to the main objective of your research study.
- Cite all the relevant sources you incorporated in your methodology because ethics will increases the validity of your research study and will surely impress your readers.
Be specific with the information you are going to mention in your study. Do not add too much irrelevant information that might bore your readers. Your Methodology should be accurate and to the point with a good structure as well. You need to understand that your Methodology is a part of your research study and not a separate section for the technicalities of your researcher. So keep in mind that everything relates to the main purpose of your study. So your readers would know the reliability of your research
Frequently Asked Question
Methodology is a big picture, an overall plan of action for your study. Whereas, methods is the mode of your research whether it was survey-based or interview-based.
Methodology comes after the literature review section and before your results and discussion.
In the quantitative study you explain the data through numbers. Whereas in a qualitative study you explain your data through thematic analysis.
Sampling is the process through which you decide on your participants.