How to write a research methodology section

The more methodological rigor your thesis has, the better it will be. By looking at broad areas of interest, you are aiming to generate theories about the area you are investigating.

External secondary data research — represents a study that uses existing data on a certain research subject from government statistics, published market research reports from different organizations, international agencies such as IMF, World Bank, etc.

Comment on how the limitations could have skewed the data or the conclusions. Next, we discuss empirical analysis and results. Every stage of your research needs to be explained and justified with clear information on why you chose those particular methods, and how they help you answer your research question or purpose.

Another thing to remember is that you need to convince the reader that the results you obtain are valid and reliable. In most cases, there are a variety of different methods you can choose to investigate a research problem.

And, how was it analyzed. How did you choose your sample. The Methodology section portrays the reasoning for the application of certain techniques and methods in the context of the study.

This section should not be structured as a simple textbook-like description of different research designs, but rather focused on the effort to find the most rational design appropriate to your study.

Mary Dowd Student working on laptop while lying on grass field Methodology is the process used to gather and analyze data needed to answer the research questions guiding a study.

Here are a few things your methodology section should contain Mention your methods: Use references to add credibility to your writing. In this section you have to explain very clearly how you arrived at your findings and state clearly why they are reliable and how they answer your research questions or test the hypotheses on which your research was based.

Tips for writing a sound methodology A research project is always as good as its methodology. Summarize all you have written in the last part of this section. In addition, an effectively written methodology section should: Examples of limitations include: It is actually better to write this at the start of your research, so that it can be changed if your methods are not producing the results you need.

Will you use theoretical frameworks to help you and your Readers analyze a set of hypotheses or relationships. The methods section should fully explain the reasons for choosing a specific methodology or technique.

As the Authors, in this section you get to explain the rationale of your article for other Researchers. Discuss Data Analysis Summarize the strategies used to analyze empirical data or make meaning out of subjective reports gathered during the course of the study.

What questions did you ask and how have these contributed towards answering your research question or how did these test your hypothesis which formed the basis of your research. 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.

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. No data sample is complete, nor is any method devoid of drawbacks. How will you attempt to control for potential confounding variables and errors. 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.

Problems to Avoid Irrelevant Detail The methodology section of your paper should be thorough but to the point. The Steps involved in writing a Dissertation. Descriptions of methods usually include defining them 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 data [remember to always save the interpretation of data for the discussion section of your paper].

This is how scholarship grows and branches out into new intellectual territory. Purdue University; Methods and Materials. By looking at broad areas of interest, you are aiming to generate theories about the area you are investigating.

3 Methodology (In this unit I use the word Methodology as a general term to cover whatever you decide to In the ‘Research Methodology’ section: How you position yourself in relation to current and past discussion.

Jun 11,  · Write your research methodology section in past tense, unless you're submitting the methodology section before the research described has been carried out. Discuss your plans in detail with your advisor or supervisor before committing to a particular methodology.

They can help identify possible flaws in your study%(5). Always write the method section in the past tense. Provide enough detail that another researcher could replicate your experiment, but focus on brevity.

Avoid unnecessary detail that is not relevant to the outcome of the experiment. Remember to use proper APA format. This article will discover basic methods that can assist students in writing methodology for a dissertation The research design should establish a strong sequence of the events in a research process.

The size of this section depends on the number of experiments performed and results expected. 11 simple steps to help you write a research. How To Write The Research Methodology Section Of Your Dissertation Those who arepursuing a Masters or doctoral degree must be familiar with the term research methodology.

It provides a sound rationale for your choice of research methods and analytical toolsand hence is a vital component of dissertations and theses.5/5().

See also our section on Research Methods for some further ideas. Such books will help you to identify your broad research philosophy, and then choose methods which relate to that. This section of your dissertation or thesis should set your research in the context of its theoretical underpinnings.

How to write a research methodology section