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• What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips

Published on August 25, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023.

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 and your dissertation topic .

It should include:

• The type of research you conducted
• How you collected and analyzed your data
• Any tools or materials you used in the research
• How you mitigated or avoided research biases
• 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, other interesting articles, 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 ? How did you prevent bias from affecting your data?

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 generalizable, you should describe quantitative research methods in enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study.

Here, explain how you operationalized your concepts and measured your variables. Discuss your sampling method or inclusion and 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 July 4–8, 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.

• Information bias
• Omitted variable bias
• Regression to the mean
• Survivorship bias
• Undercoverage bias
• Sampling bias

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 analyze?
• How did you select them?

In order to gain better insight into possibilities for future improvement of the fitness store’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.

• The Hawthorne effect
• Observer bias
• The placebo effect
• Response bias and Nonresponse bias
• The Pygmalion effect
• Recall bias
• Social desirability bias
• Self-selection bias

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.

Next, you should indicate how you processed and analyzed 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 analyzing 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 : Categorizing 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 behaviors, but they are effective for testing causal relationships between variables .
• Qualitative: Unstructured interviews usually produce results that cannot be generalized 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 generalizable.

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.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Measures of central tendency
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles

Methodology

• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Thematic analysis
• Cohort study
• Peer review
• Ethnography

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Conformity bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Availability heuristic
• Attrition bias

Methodology refers to the overarching strategy and rationale of your research project . It involves studying the methods used in your field and the theories or principles behind them, in order to develop an approach that matches your objectives.

Methods are the specific tools and procedures you use to collect and analyze data (for example, experiments, surveys , and statistical tests ).

In shorter scientific papers, where the aim is to report the findings of a specific study, you might simply describe what you did in a methods section .

In a longer or more complex research project, such as a thesis or dissertation , you will probably include a methodology section , where you explain your approach to answering the research questions and cite relevant sources to support your choice of methods.

In a scientific paper, the methodology always comes after the introduction and before the results , discussion and conclusion . The same basic structure also applies to a thesis, dissertation , or research proposal .

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 systematically measure variables and test hypotheses . Qualitative methods allow you to explore concepts and experiences in more detail.

Reliability and validity are both about how well a method measures something:

• Reliability refers to the  consistency of a measure (whether the results can be reproduced under the same conditions).
• Validity   refers to the  accuracy of a measure (whether the results really do represent what they are supposed to measure).

If you are doing experimental research, you also have to consider the internal and external validity of your experiment.

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.

In statistics, sampling allows you to test a hypothesis about the characteristics of a population.

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What Is a Dissertation Methodology?

How to choose your methodology, final thoughts, how to write your dissertation methodology.

Updated September 30, 2021

Due to the complexities of the different research methods, writing your dissertation methodology can often be the most challenging and time-consuming part of your postgraduate dissertation .

This article focuses on the importance of writing a good PhD or master's dissertation methodology – and how to achieve this.

A postgraduate dissertation (or thesis) is usually formed of several detailed sections, including:

Abstract – A summary of your research topic.

Introduction – Provides background information on your topic, putting it into context. You will also confirm the main focus of your study, explain why it will add value to your area of interest and specify your key objectives.

Literature Review – A critical review of literature that relates to your chosen research topic. You will also need to identify which gap in the literature your study aims to address.

Methodology – Focuses on the research methods used within your research.

Results – Used to report on your main findings and how these relate to your research question.

Conclusion – Used to confirm the answer to your main research question, reflect on the research process and offer recommendations on future research.

The dissertation methodology forms the skeleton of any research project. It provides the reader with a clear outline of the methods you decided to use when carrying out your research.

By studying your dissertation methodology, the reader will be able to assess your research in terms of its validity and reliability.

In line with the outline given above, the methodology chapter usually appears after the literature review . Your methodology should be closely linked to the research that you conducted as part of this review, as well as the questions you aim to answer through your research and analysis.

Taking the time to find out about the different types of research available to you will allow you to identify any potential drawbacks to the method you have chosen to use. You should then be able to make allowances or adjustments to address these when it comes to carrying out your research.

Choosing your methodology will largely depend on the discipline of the qualification you are studying for and the question your dissertation will seek to answer. In most cases, you will use quantitative or qualitative research methods, although some projects will benefit from using a combination of both.

Quantitative research methods are used to gather numerical information. This research method is particularly useful if you are seeking to count, categorise, measure or identify patterns in data. To collect quantitative data, you might choose to conduct experiments, tests or surveys.

Qualitative research methods are used to gather non-statistical data. Instead of using numbers to create charts or graphs, you will need to categorise the information according to identifiers. This research method is most useful if you are seeking to develop a hypothesis. To collect qualitative data, you might choose to conduct focus groups, interviews or observations.

What to Include in Your Dissertation Methodology

Below is a dissertation methodology example to show you what information to include:

You will need to reiterate your research topic or question and give an overview of how you plan to investigate this. If there were any ethical or philosophical considerations to be made, give details.

For example, you may have sought informed consent from the people taking part in interviews or surveys.

Outline of the Methods Chosen

Confirm whether you have chosen to use quantitative research, qualitative research or a combination of both.

When choosing between qualitative and quantitative research methods, you will need to carry out initial literature and textbook research to establish the standard research methods that are normally used within your chosen area of research.

If you are not sure where to start, you could visit the library at your college or university and ask one of the librarians to help you to identify the most relevant texts.

Explanation of the Methods Chosen

Explain your rationale for selecting your chosen research methods. You should also give an overview of why these were more appropriate than using another research method.

Think about where and when the research took place and who was involved. For example, this might include information on the venue used for interviews or focus groups, dates and timescales, and whether participants were part of a particular demographic group.

Here are some examples of the type of information you may wish to include:

Qualitative Research Methods

Personal observations – Where and when did you conduct the observations? Who did you observe? Were they part of a particular community or group? How long did each observation take? How did you record your findings – did you collect audio recordings, video footage or written observations?

Focus groups – Where and when did the focus group take place? Who was involved? How were they selected? How many people took part? Were the questions asked structured, unstructured or semi-structured? Remember to include a copy of the questions that were used as an appendix.

Interviews – Where and when did the interviews take place? Who took part? How did you select the participants? What type of questions did you ask? How did you record your findings? Remember to include a copy of the questions that were used as an appendix.

The researcher’s objective was to find out customer perceptions on improving the product range currently offered by Company Y. Semi-structured interviews were held with 15 returning customers from the key target demographic for Company Y (18- to 35-year-olds). For research purposes, a returning customer was defined as somebody who purchased products from Company Y at least two times per week during the past three months. The interviews were held in an office in the staff area of the retail premises. Each interview lasted approximately 25 minutes. Responses were recorded through note-taking as none of the respondents wished to give their consent to be filmed.

Quantitative Research Methods

Existing information or data – What were the sources of the material used? How did you select material? Did you only use data published within a particular time frame?

Experiments – What tools or equipment did you use? What techniques were required? Note that when conducting experiments, it is particularly important to provide enough information to allow another researcher to conduct the experiment and obtain the same results.

Surveys – Were respondents asked to answer multiple-choice questions or complete free-text fields? How many questions were used? How long were people given to answer all of the questions? What were the demographics of the participants? Remember to include a copy of the survey in the appendices.

The survey was made up of 10 multiple-choice questions and 5 questions to be rated using a 5-point Lickert scale. The objective was to have 250 customers of Company Z complete the survey at the Company Z HQ between 1st and 5th February 2019, between the hours of 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. For research purposes, a customer was defined as any person who had purchased a product from Company Z during 2018. Customers completing the survey were allowed a maximum of 10 minutes to answer all of the questions. 200 customers responded, however not all of the surveys were completed in full, so only 150 survey results were able to be used in the data analysis.

How Was the Data Analysed?

If you have chosen to use quantitative research methods, you will need to prepare the data before analysing it – for example, you will need to check for variables, missing data and outliers. If you have used computer software to aid with analysis, information on this should also be included.

For qualitative data, you will need to categorise and code the ideas and themes that are identified from the raw data. You may also need to use techniques such as narrative analysis or discourse analysis to interpret the meaning behind responses given.

What Materials and Equipment Were Used During the Research?

This could include anything from laboratory equipment used in a scientific experiment to computer software used to analyse the results.

Were There Any Hurdles or Difficulties Faced During the Research?

If so, what were they and how did you manage to overcome them? This could be anything from difficulties in finding participants, problems obtaining consent or a shortage of the required resources needed to conduct a scientific experiment.

This paragraph should be used to evaluate the research you have conducted and justify your reasons for choosing this approach.

You do not need to go into great detail, as you will present and discuss your results in-depth within your dissertation’s ‘Results’ section.

You will need to briefly explain whether your results were conclusive, whether there were any variables and whether your choice of methodology was effective in practice.

Tips for Writing Your Dissertation Methodology

The objective for the methodology is not only to describe the methods that you used for your research. You will also need to demonstrate why you chose to use them and how you applied them.

The key point is to show that your research was conducted meticulously.

Try to keep your writing style concise and clear; this will ensure that it is easy for the reader to understand and digest.

Here are five top tips to consider when writing your dissertation methodology:

1. Look at Other Methodology Sections

Ask your supervisor to provide you with a few different examples of previously written dissertations. Reading through methodologies that have been written by past students will give you a good idea of what your finished methodology section should look like.

2. Plan Your Structure

Whichever research methods you have chosen to use, your dissertation methodology should be a clearly structured, well written section that gives a strong and justified argument for your chosen research methods.

You may wish to use headings such as:

• Research methods
• Explanation of research methods chosen
• Data analysis and references

Once you have drafted an outline, ask your supervisor for advice on whether there is anything you have missed and whether your structure looks logical.

3. Consider Your Audience

When writing your methodology, have regard for the people who are likely to be reading it. For example, if you have chosen to use research methods that are commonly chosen within your area of research or discipline, there is no need to give a great deal of justification or background information.

If you decide to use a less popular approach, it is advisable to give much more detailed information on how and why you chose to use this method.

4. Remain Focused on Your Aims and Research Questions

Your dissertation methodology should give a clear indication as to why the research methods you have chosen are suitable for the aims of your research.

When writing your dissertation methodology, ensure that you link your research choices back to the overall aims and objectives of your dissertation. To help you to remain focused, it can be helpful to include a clear definition of the question you are aiming to answer at the start of your methodology section.

5. Refer to Any Obstacles or Difficulties That You Dealt With

If you faced any problems during the data collection or analysis phases, use the methodology section to talk about what you did to address these issues and minimise the impact.

Whether you are completing a PhD or master's degree, writing your thesis or dissertation methodology is often considered to be the most difficult and time-consuming part of completing your major research project.

The key to success when writing a methodology section is to have a clear structure. Remember, the purpose of the methodology section of your research project is to ensure that the reader has a full understanding of the methods you have chosen.

You should use your methodology section to provide clear justification as to why you have chosen a particular research method instead of other potential methods. Avoid referring to your personal opinions, thoughts or interests within your methodology; keep the information that you include factual and ensure that everything is backed up by appropriate academic references.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Postgraduate / PHD sections.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• 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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No dissertation or research paper is complete without the research methodology section. Since this is the chapter where you explain how you carried out your research, this is where all the meat is! Here’s where you clearly lay out the steps you have taken to test your hypothesis or research problem.

Through this blog, we’ll unravel the complexities and meaning of research methodology in academic writing , from its fundamental principles and ethics to the diverse types of research methodology in use today. Alongside offering research methodology examples, we aim to guide you on how to write research methodology, ensuring your research endeavors are both impactful and impeccably grounded!

Ensure your research methodology is foolproof. Learn more

Let’s first take a closer look at a simple research methodology definition:

Defining what is research methodology

Research methodology is the set of procedures and techniques used to collect, analyze, and interpret data to understand and solve a research problem. Methodology in research not only includes the design and methods but also the basic principles that guide the choice of specific methods.

Grasping the concept of methodology in research is essential for students and scholars, as it demonstrates the thorough and structured method used to explore a hypothesis or research question. Understanding the definition of methodology in research aids in identifying the methods used to collect data. Be it through any type of research method approach, ensuring adherence to the proper research paper format is crucial.

Now let’s explore some research methodology types:

Types of research methodology

1. qualitative research methodology.

Qualitative research methodology is aimed at understanding concepts, thoughts, or experiences. This approach is descriptive and is often utilized to gather in-depth insights into people’s attitudes, behaviors, or cultures. Qualitative research methodology involves methods like interviews, focus groups, and observation. The strength of this methodology lies in its ability to provide contextual richness.

2. Quantitative research methodology

Quantitative research methodology, on the other hand, is focused on quantifying the problem by generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics. It uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative research methodology typically involves surveys, experiments, or statistical analysis. This methodology is appreciated for its ability to produce objective results that are generalizable to a larger population.

3. Mixed-Methods research methodology

Mixed-methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the research problem. This approach leverages the strengths of both methodologies to provide a deeper insight into the research question of a research paper .

Research methodology vs. research methods

The research methodology or design is the overall strategy and rationale that you used to carry out the research. Whereas, research methods are the specific tools and processes you use to gather and understand the data you need to test your hypothesis.

Research methodology examples and application

To further understand research methodology, let’s explore some examples of research methodology:

a. Qualitative research methodology example: A study exploring the impact of author branding on author popularity might utilize in-depth interviews to gather personal experiences and perspectives.

b. Quantitative research methodology example: A research project investigating the effects of a book promotion technique on book sales could employ a statistical analysis of profit margins and sales before and after the implementation of the method.

c. Mixed-Methods research methodology example: A study examining the relationship between social media use and academic performance might combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It could include surveys to quantitatively assess the frequency of social media usage and its correlation with grades, alongside focus groups or interviews to qualitatively explore students’ perceptions and experiences regarding how social media affects their study habits and academic engagement.

These examples highlight the meaning of methodology in research and how it guides the research process, from data collection to analysis, ensuring the study’s objectives are met efficiently.

Importance of methodology in research papers

When it comes to writing your study, the methodology in research papers or a dissertation plays a pivotal role. A well-crafted methodology section of a research paper or thesis not only enhances the credibility of your research but also provides a roadmap for others to replicate or build upon your work.

How to structure the research methods chapter

Wondering how to write the research methodology section? Follow these steps to create a strong methods chapter:

Step 1: Explain your research methodology

At the start of a research paper , you would have provided the background of your research and stated your hypothesis or research problem. In this section, you will elaborate on your research strategy. 

Begin by restating your research question and proceed to explain what type of research you opted for to test it. Depending on your research, here are some questions you can consider: 

a. Did you use qualitative or quantitative data to test the hypothesis? 

b. Did you perform an experiment where you collected data or are you writing a dissertation that is descriptive/theoretical without data collection? 

c. Did you use primary data that you collected or analyze secondary research data or existing data as part of your study? 

These questions will help you establish the rationale for your study on a broader level, which you will follow by elaborating on the specific methods you used to collect and understand your data. 

Step 2: Explain the methods you used to test your hypothesis 

Now that you have told your reader what type of research you’ve undertaken for the dissertation, it’s time to dig into specifics. State what specific methods you used and explain the conditions and variables involved. Explain what the theoretical framework behind the method was, what samples you used for testing it, and what tools and materials you used to collect the data. 

Step 3: Explain how you analyzed the results

Once you have explained the data collection process, explain how you analyzed and studied the data. Here, your focus is simply to explain the methods of analysis rather than the results of the study. 

Here are some questions you can answer at this stage: 

a. What tools or software did you use to analyze your results? 

b. What parameters or variables did you consider while understanding and studying the data you’ve collected? 

c. Was your analysis based on a theoretical framework? 

Your mode of analysis will change depending on whether you used a quantitative or qualitative research methodology in your study. If you’re working within the hard sciences or physical sciences, you are likely to use a quantitative research methodology (relying on numbers and hard data). If you’re doing a qualitative study, in the social sciences or humanities, your analysis may rely on understanding language and socio-political contexts around your topic. This is why it’s important to establish what kind of study you’re undertaking at the onset. 

Step 4: Defend your choice of methodology 

Now that you have gone through your research process in detail, you’ll also have to make a case for it. Justify your choice of methodology and methods, explaining why it is the best choice for your research question. This is especially important if you have chosen an unconventional approach or you’ve simply chosen to study an existing research problem from a different perspective. Compare it with other methodologies, especially ones attempted by previous researchers, and discuss what contributions using your methodology makes.  

Step 5: Discuss the obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them

No matter how thorough a methodology is, it doesn’t come without its hurdles. This is a natural part of scientific research that is important to document so that your peers and future researchers are aware of it. Writing in a research paper about this aspect of your research process also tells your evaluator that you have actively worked to overcome the pitfalls that came your way and you have refined the research process. 

Tips to write an effective methodology chapter

1. Remember who you are writing for. Keeping sight of the reader/evaluator will help you know what to elaborate on and what information they are already likely to have. You’re condensing months’ work of research in just a few pages, so you should omit basic definitions and information about general phenomena people already know.

2. Do not give an overly elaborate explanation of every single condition in your study. 

3. Skip details and findings irrelevant to the results.

4. Cite references that back your claim and choice of methodology. 

5. Consistently emphasize the relationship between your research question and the methodology you adopted to study it. 

To sum it up, what is methodology in research? It’s the blueprint of your research, essential for ensuring that your study is systematic, rigorous, and credible. Whether your focus is on qualitative research methodology, quantitative research methodology, or a combination of both, understanding and clearly defining your methodology is key to the success of your research.

Once you write the research methodology and complete writing the entire research paper, the next step is to edit your paper. As experts in research paper editing and proofreading services , we’d love to help you perfect your paper!

Here are some other articles that you might find useful: 

• Essential Research Tips for Essay Writing
• How to Write a Lab Report: Examples from Academic Editors
• The Essential Types of Editing Every Writer Needs to Know
• Editing and Proofreading Academic Papers: A Short Guide
• The Top 10 Editing and Proofreading Services of 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

What does research methodology mean, what types of research methodologies are there, what is qualitative research methodology, how to determine sample size in research methodology, what is action research methodology.

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This is very simplified and direct. Very helpful to understand the research methodology section of a dissertation

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Here's What You Need to Understand About Research Methodology

Table of Contents

Research methodology involves a systematic and well-structured approach to conducting scholarly or scientific inquiries. Knowing the significance of research methodology and its different components is crucial as it serves as the basis for any study.

Typically, your research topic will start as a broad idea you want to investigate more thoroughly. Once you’ve identified a research problem and created research questions , you must choose the appropriate methodology and frameworks to address those questions effectively.

What is the definition of a research methodology?

Research methodology is the process or the way you intend to execute your study. The methodology section of a research paper outlines how you plan to conduct your study. It covers various steps such as collecting data, statistical analysis, observing participants, and other procedures involved in the research process

The methods section should give a description of the process that will convert your idea into a study. Additionally, the outcomes of your process must provide valid and reliable results resonant with the aims and objectives of your research. This thumb rule holds complete validity, no matter whether your paper has inclinations for qualitative or quantitative usage.

Studying research methods used in related studies can provide helpful insights and direction for your own research. Now easily discover papers related to your topic on SciSpace and utilize our AI research assistant, Copilot , to quickly review the methodologies applied in different papers.

The need for a good research methodology

While deciding on your approach towards your research, the reason or factors you weighed in choosing a particular problem and formulating a research topic need to be validated and explained. A research methodology helps you do exactly that. Moreover, a good research methodology lets you build your argument to validate your research work performed through various data collection methods, analytical methods, and other essential points.

Just imagine it as a strategy documented to provide an overview of what you intend to do.

While undertaking any research writing or performing the research itself, you may get drifted in not something of much importance. In such a case, a research methodology helps you to get back to your outlined work methodology.

A research methodology helps in keeping you accountable for your work. Additionally, it can help you evaluate whether your work is in sync with your original aims and objectives or not. Besides, a good research methodology enables you to navigate your research process smoothly and swiftly while providing effective planning to achieve your desired results.

What is the basic structure of a research methodology?

Usually, you must ensure to include the following stated aspects while deciding over the basic structure of your research methodology:

1. Your research procedure

Explain what research methods you’re going to use. Whether you intend to proceed with quantitative or qualitative, or a composite of both approaches, you need to state that explicitly. The option among the three depends on your research’s aim, objectives, and scope.

2. Provide the rationality behind your chosen approach

Based on logic and reason, let your readers know why you have chosen said research methodologies. Additionally, you have to build strong arguments supporting why your chosen research method is the best way to achieve the desired outcome.

3. Explain your mechanism

The mechanism encompasses the research methods or instruments you will use to develop your research methodology. It usually refers to your data collection methods. You can use interviews, surveys, physical questionnaires, etc., of the many available mechanisms as research methodology instruments. The data collection method is determined by the type of research and whether the data is quantitative data(includes numerical data) or qualitative data (perception, morale, etc.) Moreover, you need to put logical reasoning behind choosing a particular instrument.

4. Significance of outcomes

The results will be available once you have finished experimenting. However, you should also explain how you plan to use the data to interpret the findings. This section also aids in understanding the problem from within, breaking it down into pieces, and viewing the research problem from various perspectives.

5. Reader’s advice

Anything that you feel must be explained to spread more awareness among readers and focus groups must be included and described in detail. You should not just specify your research methodology on the assumption that a reader is aware of the topic.  

All the relevant information that explains and simplifies your research paper must be included in the methodology section. If you are conducting your research in a non-traditional manner, give a logical justification and list its benefits.

6. Explain your sample space

Include information about the sample and sample space in the methodology section. The term "sample" refers to a smaller set of data that a researcher selects or chooses from a larger group of people or focus groups using a predetermined selection method. Let your readers know how you are going to distinguish between relevant and non-relevant samples. How you figured out those exact numbers to back your research methodology, i.e. the sample spacing of instruments, must be discussed thoroughly.

For example, if you are going to conduct a survey or interview, then by what procedure will you select the interviewees (or sample size in case of surveys), and how exactly will the interview or survey be conducted.

7. Challenges and limitations

This part, which is frequently assumed to be unnecessary, is actually very important. The challenges and limitations that your chosen strategy inherently possesses must be specified while you are conducting different types of research.

The importance of a good research methodology

You must have observed that all research papers, dissertations, or theses carry a chapter entirely dedicated to research methodology. This section helps maintain your credibility as a better interpreter of results rather than a manipulator.

A good research methodology always explains the procedure, data collection methods and techniques, aim, and scope of the research. In a research study, it leads to a well-organized, rationality-based approach, while the paper lacking it is often observed as messy or disorganized.

You should pay special attention to validating your chosen way towards the research methodology. This becomes extremely important in case you select an unconventional or a distinct method of execution.

Curating and developing a strong, effective research methodology can assist you in addressing a variety of situations, such as:

• When someone tries to duplicate or expand upon your research after few years.
• If a contradiction or conflict of facts occurs at a later time. This gives you the security you need to deal with these contradictions while still being able to defend your approach.
• Gaining a tactical approach in getting your research completed in time. Just ensure you are using the right approach while drafting your research methodology, and it can help you achieve your desired outcomes. Additionally, it provides a better explanation and understanding of the research question itself.
• Documenting the results so that the final outcome of the research stays as you intended it to be while starting.

Instruments you could use while writing a good research methodology

As a researcher, you must choose which tools or data collection methods that fit best in terms of the relevance of your research. This decision has to be wise.

There exists many research equipments or tools that you can use to carry out your research process. These are classified as:

a. Interviews (One-on-One or a Group)

An interview aimed to get your desired research outcomes can be undertaken in many different ways. For example, you can design your interview as structured, semi-structured, or unstructured. What sets them apart is the degree of formality in the questions. On the other hand, in a group interview, your aim should be to collect more opinions and group perceptions from the focus groups on a certain topic rather than looking out for some formal answers.

In surveys, you are in better control if you specifically draft the questions you seek the response for. For example, you may choose to include free-style questions that can be answered descriptively, or you may provide a multiple-choice type response for questions. Besides, you can also opt to choose both ways, deciding what suits your research process and purpose better.

c. Sample Groups

Similar to the group interviews, here, you can select a group of individuals and assign them a topic to discuss or freely express their opinions over that. You can simultaneously note down the answers and later draft them appropriately, deciding on the relevance of every response.

d. Observations

If your research domain is humanities or sociology, observations are the best-proven method to draw your research methodology. Of course, you can always include studying the spontaneous response of the participants towards a situation or conducting the same but in a more structured manner. A structured observation means putting the participants in a situation at a previously decided time and then studying their responses.

Of all the tools described above, it is you who should wisely choose the instruments and decide what’s the best fit for your research. You must not restrict yourself from multiple methods or a combination of a few instruments if appropriate in drafting a good research methodology.

Types of research methodology

A research methodology exists in various forms. Depending upon their approach, whether centered around words, numbers, or both, methodologies are distinguished as qualitative, quantitative, or an amalgamation of both.

1. Qualitative research methodology

When a research methodology primarily focuses on words and textual data, then it is generally referred to as qualitative research methodology. This type is usually preferred among researchers when the aim and scope of the research are mainly theoretical and explanatory.

The instruments used are observations, interviews, and sample groups. You can use this methodology if you are trying to study human behavior or response in some situations. Generally, qualitative research methodology is widely used in sociology, psychology, and other related domains.

2. Quantitative research methodology

If your research is majorly centered on data, figures, and stats, then analyzing these numerical data is often referred to as quantitative research methodology. You can use quantitative research methodology if your research requires you to validate or justify the obtained results.

In quantitative methods, surveys, tests, experiments, and evaluations of current databases can be advantageously used as instruments If your research involves testing some hypothesis, then use this methodology.

3. Amalgam methodology

As the name suggests, the amalgam methodology uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This methodology is used when a part of the research requires you to verify the facts and figures, whereas the other part demands you to discover the theoretical and explanatory nature of the research question.

The instruments for the amalgam methodology require you to conduct interviews and surveys, including tests and experiments. The outcome of this methodology can be insightful and valuable as it provides precise test results in line with theoretical explanations and reasoning.

The amalgam method, makes your work both factual and rational at the same time.

Final words: How to decide which is the best research methodology?

If you have kept your sincerity and awareness intact with the aims and scope of research well enough, you must have got an idea of which research methodology suits your work best.

Before deciding which research methodology answers your research question, you must invest significant time in reading and doing your homework for that. Taking references that yield relevant results should be your first approach to establishing a research methodology.

Moreover, you should never refrain from exploring other options. Before setting your work in stone, you must try all the available options as it explains why the choice of research methodology that you finally make is more appropriate than the other available options.

You should always go for a quantitative research methodology if your research requires gathering large amounts of data, figures, and statistics. This research methodology will provide you with results if your research paper involves the validation of some hypothesis.

Whereas, if  you are looking for more explanations, reasons, opinions, and public perceptions around a theory, you must use qualitative research methodology.The choice of an appropriate research methodology ultimately depends on what you want to achieve through your research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Research Methodology

1. how to write a research methodology.

You can always provide a separate section for research methodology where you should specify details about the methods and instruments used during the research, discussions on result analysis, including insights into the background information, and conveying the research limitations.

2. What are the types of research methodology?

There generally exists four types of research methodology i.e.

• Observation
• Experimental
• Derivational

3. What is the true meaning of research methodology?

The set of techniques or procedures followed to discover and analyze the information gathered to validate or justify a research outcome is generally called Research Methodology.

4. Where lies the importance of research methodology?

Your research methodology directly reflects the validity of your research outcomes and how well-informed your research work is. Moreover, it can help future researchers cite or refer to your research if they plan to use a similar research methodology.

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Guide for Thesis Research

• Introduction to the Thesis Process
• Project Planning
• Literature Review
• Theoretical Frameworks
• Research Methodology
• GC Honors Program Theses
• Thesis Submission Instructions This link opens in a new window
• Accessing Guilford Theses from 1898 to 2020 This link opens in a new window

Basics of Methodology

Research is a process of inquiry that is carried out in a pondered, organized, and strategic manner. In order to obtain high quality results, it is important to understand methodology.

Research methodology refers to how your project will be designed, what you will observe or measure, and how you will collect and analyze data. The methods you choose must be appropriate for your field and for the specific research questions you are setting out to answer.

A strong understanding of methodology will help you:

• apply appropriate research techniques
• design effective data collection instruments
• analyze and interpret your data
• develop well-founded conclusions

Below, you will find resources that mostly cover general aspects of research methodology. In the left column, you will find resources that specifically cover qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research.

General Works on Methodology

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Mixed Methods Research

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Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria. Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

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Home » Thesis – Structure, Example and Writing Guide

Thesis – Structure, Example and Writing Guide

Table of contents.

Definition:

Thesis is a scholarly document that presents a student’s original research and findings on a particular topic or question. It is usually written as a requirement for a graduate degree program and is intended to demonstrate the student’s mastery of the subject matter and their ability to conduct independent research.

History of Thesis

The concept of a thesis can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was used as a way for students to demonstrate their knowledge of a particular subject. However, the modern form of the thesis as a scholarly document used to earn a degree is a relatively recent development.

The origin of the modern thesis can be traced back to medieval universities in Europe. During this time, students were required to present a “disputation” in which they would defend a particular thesis in front of their peers and faculty members. These disputations served as a way to demonstrate the student’s mastery of the subject matter and were often the final requirement for earning a degree.

In the 17th century, the concept of the thesis was formalized further with the creation of the modern research university. Students were now required to complete a research project and present their findings in a written document, which would serve as the basis for their degree.

The modern thesis as we know it today has evolved over time, with different disciplines and institutions adopting their own standards and formats. However, the basic elements of a thesis – original research, a clear research question, a thorough review of the literature, and a well-argued conclusion – remain the same.

Structure of Thesis

The structure of a thesis may vary slightly depending on the specific requirements of the institution, department, or field of study, but generally, it follows a specific format.

Here’s a breakdown of the structure of a thesis:

This is the first page of the thesis that includes the title of the thesis, the name of the author, the name of the institution, the department, the date, and any other relevant information required by the institution.

This is a brief summary of the thesis that provides an overview of the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions.

This page provides a list of all the chapters and sections in the thesis and their page numbers.

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the research question, the context of the research, and the purpose of the study. The introduction should also outline the methodology and the scope of the research.

Literature Review

This chapter provides a critical analysis of the relevant literature on the research topic. It should demonstrate the gap in the existing knowledge and justify the need for the research.

Methodology

This chapter provides a detailed description of the research methods used to gather and analyze data. It should explain the research design, the sampling method, data collection techniques, and data analysis procedures.

This chapter presents the findings of the research. It should include tables, graphs, and charts to illustrate the results.

This chapter interprets the results and relates them to the research question. It should explain the significance of the findings and their implications for the research topic.

This chapter summarizes the key findings and the main conclusions of the research. It should also provide recommendations for future research.

This section provides a list of all the sources cited in the thesis. The citation style may vary depending on the requirements of the institution or the field of study.

This section includes any additional material that supports the research, such as raw data, survey questionnaires, or other relevant documents.

How to write Thesis

Here are some steps to help you write a thesis:

• Choose a Topic: The first step in writing a thesis is to choose a topic that interests you and is relevant to your field of study. You should also consider the scope of the topic and the availability of resources for research.
• Develop a Research Question: Once you have chosen a topic, you need to develop a research question that you will answer in your thesis. The research question should be specific, clear, and feasible.
• Conduct a Literature Review: Before you start your research, you need to conduct a literature review to identify the existing knowledge and gaps in the field. This will help you refine your research question and develop a research methodology.
• Develop a Research Methodology: Once you have refined your research question, you need to develop a research methodology that includes the research design, data collection methods, and data analysis procedures.
• Collect and Analyze Data: After developing your research methodology, you need to collect and analyze data. This may involve conducting surveys, interviews, experiments, or analyzing existing data.
• Write the Thesis: Once you have analyzed the data, you need to write the thesis. The thesis should follow a specific structure that includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references.
• Edit and Proofread: After completing the thesis, you need to edit and proofread it carefully. You should also have someone else review it to ensure that it is clear, concise, and free of errors.
• Submit the Thesis: Finally, you need to submit the thesis to your academic advisor or committee for review and evaluation.

Example of Thesis

Example of Thesis template for Students:

Title of Thesis

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

Chapter 4: Results

Chapter 5: Discussion

Chapter 6: Conclusion

References:

Appendices:

Note: That’s just a basic template, but it should give you an idea of the structure and content that a typical thesis might include. Be sure to consult with your department or supervisor for any specific formatting requirements they may have. Good luck with your thesis!

Application of Thesis

Thesis is an important academic document that serves several purposes. Here are some of the applications of thesis:

• Academic Requirement: A thesis is a requirement for many academic programs, especially at the graduate level. It is an essential component of the evaluation process and demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct original research and contribute to the knowledge in their field.
• Career Advancement: A thesis can also help in career advancement. Employers often value candidates who have completed a thesis as it demonstrates their research skills, critical thinking abilities, and their dedication to their field of study.
• Publication : A thesis can serve as a basis for future publications in academic journals, books, or conference proceedings. It provides the researcher with an opportunity to present their research to a wider audience and contribute to the body of knowledge in their field.
• Personal Development: Writing a thesis is a challenging task that requires time, dedication, and perseverance. It provides the student with an opportunity to develop critical thinking, research, and writing skills that are essential for their personal and professional development.
• Impact on Society: The findings of a thesis can have an impact on society by addressing important issues, providing insights into complex problems, and contributing to the development of policies and practices.

Purpose of Thesis

The purpose of a thesis is to present original research findings in a clear and organized manner. It is a formal document that demonstrates a student’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the knowledge in their field of study. The primary purposes of a thesis are:

• To Contribute to Knowledge: The main purpose of a thesis is to contribute to the knowledge in a particular field of study. By conducting original research and presenting their findings, the student adds new insights and perspectives to the existing body of knowledge.
• To Demonstrate Research Skills: A thesis is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate their research skills. This includes the ability to formulate a research question, design a research methodology, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
• To Develop Critical Thinking: Writing a thesis requires critical thinking and analysis. The student must evaluate existing literature and identify gaps in the field, as well as develop and defend their own ideas.
• To Provide Evidence of Competence : A thesis provides evidence of the student’s competence in their field of study. It demonstrates their ability to apply theoretical concepts to real-world problems, and their ability to communicate their ideas effectively.
• To Facilitate Career Advancement : Completing a thesis can help the student advance their career by demonstrating their research skills and dedication to their field of study. It can also provide a basis for future publications, presentations, or research projects.

When to Write Thesis

The timing for writing a thesis depends on the specific requirements of the academic program or institution. In most cases, the opportunity to write a thesis is typically offered at the graduate level, but there may be exceptions.

Generally, students should plan to write their thesis during the final year of their graduate program. This allows sufficient time for conducting research, analyzing data, and writing the thesis. It is important to start planning the thesis early and to identify a research topic and research advisor as soon as possible.

In some cases, students may be able to write a thesis as part of an undergraduate program or as an independent research project outside of an academic program. In such cases, it is important to consult with faculty advisors or mentors to ensure that the research is appropriately designed and executed.

It is important to note that the process of writing a thesis can be time-consuming and requires a significant amount of effort and dedication. It is important to plan accordingly and to allocate sufficient time for conducting research, analyzing data, and writing the thesis.

Characteristics of Thesis

The characteristics of a thesis vary depending on the specific academic program or institution. However, some general characteristics of a thesis include:

• Originality : A thesis should present original research findings or insights. It should demonstrate the student’s ability to conduct independent research and contribute to the knowledge in their field of study.
• Clarity : A thesis should be clear and concise. It should present the research question, methodology, findings, and conclusions in a logical and organized manner. It should also be well-written, with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Research-Based: A thesis should be based on rigorous research, which involves collecting and analyzing data from various sources. The research should be well-designed, with appropriate research methods and techniques.
• Evidence-Based : A thesis should be based on evidence, which means that all claims made in the thesis should be supported by data or literature. The evidence should be properly cited using appropriate citation styles.
• Critical Thinking: A thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to critically analyze and evaluate information. It should present the student’s own ideas and arguments, and engage with existing literature in the field.
• Academic Style : A thesis should adhere to the conventions of academic writing. It should be well-structured, with clear headings and subheadings, and should use appropriate academic language.

Advantages of Thesis

There are several advantages to writing a thesis, including:

• Development of Research Skills: Writing a thesis requires extensive research and analytical skills. It helps to develop the student’s research skills, including the ability to formulate research questions, design and execute research methodologies, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
• Contribution to Knowledge: Writing a thesis provides an opportunity for the student to contribute to the knowledge in their field of study. By conducting original research, they can add new insights and perspectives to the existing body of knowledge.
• Preparation for Future Research: Completing a thesis prepares the student for future research projects. It provides them with the necessary skills to design and execute research methodologies, analyze data, and draw conclusions based on their findings.
• Career Advancement: Writing a thesis can help to advance the student’s career. It demonstrates their research skills and dedication to their field of study, and provides a basis for future publications, presentations, or research projects.
• Personal Growth: Completing a thesis can be a challenging and rewarding experience. It requires dedication, hard work, and perseverance. It can help the student to develop self-confidence, independence, and a sense of accomplishment.

Limitations of Thesis

There are also some limitations to writing a thesis, including:

• Time and Resources: Writing a thesis requires a significant amount of time and resources. It can be a time-consuming and expensive process, as it may involve conducting original research, analyzing data, and producing a lengthy document.
• Narrow Focus: A thesis is typically focused on a specific research question or topic, which may limit the student’s exposure to other areas within their field of study.
• Limited Audience: A thesis is usually only read by a small number of people, such as the student’s thesis advisor and committee members. This limits the potential impact of the research findings.
• Lack of Real-World Application : Some thesis topics may be highly theoretical or academic in nature, which may limit their practical application in the real world.
• Pressure and Stress : Writing a thesis can be a stressful and pressure-filled experience, as it may involve meeting strict deadlines, conducting original research, and producing a high-quality document.
• Potential for Isolation: Writing a thesis can be a solitary experience, as the student may spend a significant amount of time working independently on their research and writing.

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Example Dissertation Methodologies

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Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information

The doctoral curriculum integrates analytical methods, research design, a rigorous understanding of urbanization dynamics, and an examination of broader social theories, processes and policies.

Students address complex systems that typically encompass an array of spatial, environmental, social, political, technical, and economic factors. The emphasis is on theory, analysis, and action.

Each student is also expected to demonstrate an understanding of the literature, theory, and research in a specialization area within the larger discipline of urban and regional planning.

Required Courses

Four courses are required of all Ph.D. students: two doctoral-level planning theory courses and a two-course research seminar sequence.

• Advanced Urban Theory (URP 700)
• Epistemology and Reasoning for Planning Research (URP 701)
• Research Design (URP 801)
• Ph.D. Research Seminar (URP 802)

Recent students have engaged in subjects as diverse as:

• The political economy of public transit, inner-city revitalization
• Global city urbanization
• Information technology and cyberspace
• The crisis of modernist urbanism
• Suburbanization in developing countries
• Regional planning institutions
• The effects of environmental contamination on patterns of urban and regional development
• The culture of suburban commuting
• The impact of tourism on historical Mediterranean cities
• The application of complex systems analysis to sustainable development

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

Doctoral students specialize in a wide range of possible topics.

• Planning theory
• Analytic methods
• Research design
• Primary area of specialization

Students meet these requirements through coursework and exams over a two-year period. During this time, a student’s cumulative grade point average may not fall below a B without academic discipline or probation.

Analytic Methods Courses

Students are expected to be skilled in statistics, in at least two analytic research techniques, and reasonably knowledgeable about several others. Students qualify in analytic techniques by completing the following:

Satisfactory performance (B or higher) in two cumulative graduate-level statistics courses.

Students entering with previous statistics experience may wish to enter directly into a second semester statistics course. In the past, students have typically selected one of the following sequences:

• Statistics 402 (Introduction to Statistics & Data Analysis), Statistics 403 (Statistics & Data Analysis II)
• Sociology 510 (Statistics); Sociology 610 (Statistical Methods)
• Natural Resources 438 (Natural Resources Biometrics), Natural Resources 538 (Natural Resources Data Analysis)
• Biostatistics 503 (Introductory Biostatistics), Biostatistics 523 (Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Fields)
• The sequence in political science

NOTE:  Students wishing to study statistics during the spring or summer terms may want to investigate the Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research sponsored by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and/or the Summer Institute in Survey Research Techniques conducted by the research staff of the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research. Choice of courses to meet requirements should be discussed with your advisor.

Competence in at least two analytic/research methods satisfied through six credit hours of total coursework.

These are methods used in planning research and should prepare the student for their likely area of dissertation work. The requirement is met through completion of nine credits of course work in two analytic/research methods (in addition to statistics), to be defined by the student in conjunction with his or her advisor. (The two methods may be interrelated.) Depending on the research method and the student’s background, more courses may be needed. Courses in these two areas must be completed with a grade of B or higher in order to fulfill this requirement. Graduate level courses that are audited can count for this requirement, as long as the student completes all the work of the course and the instructor provides a letter indicating the grade the student would have received had he or she been enrolled. All plans for satisfying this requirement are the joint responsibility of the student and his or her advisor.

The methods a student selects should relate to their dissertation area. Below are several analytic/research methods in which students have been examined in recent years. Numerous analytic/research methods are appropriate, and students need not be restricted to choices on the list:

• Anthropological methods
• Case study methods
• Complex systems analysis
• Cost benefit & cost effectiveness analysis
• Decision theory & general risk analysis
• Demographic analysis
• Discrete choice analysis
• Differential equations
• Diffusion models
• Economic & other forecasting models
• Evaluation research
• Graph theory
• Historical analysis
• Institutional analysis
• Interview techniques
• Linear programming and general analysis using linear models
• Network & flow methods
• Population growth models
• Probability, both theoretical & heuristic
• Simulation/gaming & game theory
• Spatial analysis
• Survey research
• Time series

Annual Review of Progress

At the end of each year of study, students are required to complete an Annual Review.  The advisor and the Director of Doctoral Studies may make recommendations for any modifications deemed necessary prior to the start of the following academic year. Note: financial support for the subsequent year, if applicable, depends on timely completion of a satisfactory annual review.

Annual Review Steps

By April 15, the student submits:

• A draft annual review form to their advisor, including a concise narrative of and goals for the upcoming summer and academic year.
• An up-to-date CV

The student and advisor meet; the advisor provides comments to the student and, where necessary, recommends changes in the academic plan in the annual review form.

Once the advisor has approved the plan of study for the coming year, they send the Director of Doctoral Studies a short narrative of student progress.

The URP Ph.D. Advisory Committee reviews the materials, and sends a letter to the student, either confirming their good standing in the program or specifying additional requirements to be in good standing.

Comprehensive Exam

The comprehensive exam tests a student’s knowledge of both their primary and secondary areas of specialization. The exam consists of a take-home, written examination followed by an oral exam. The examination normally occurs at the end of the student’s second year, after completion of all relevant coursework.

The Committee

The student convenes an examination committee of three faculty members, choosing faculty who have expertise in the areas of specialization. At least one member of the committee should be a member of the urban and regional planning faculty. The chair or co-chair of the committee must be a regular member of the planning faculty and cannot be an affiliate faculty member. At least one committee member should represent the student’s secondary area of specialization. (If the student has identified a secondary area of specialization that is traditionally housed in another department on campus, then the student is encouraged to select a faculty member from that outside department as their third committee member.) On occasion, examiners from outside the university have served on students’ examining committees. While this practice is generally not encouraged, written requests for an outside examiner by students are treated on an individual basis by the director of doctoral studies.

The Field Statement

The student meets with the committee chair to plan for the exam and agree on expectations prior to the construction of the exam. In consultation with the chair and committee members, the student identifies appropriate readings and prepares a detailed “field statement” that defines the primary and secondary fields, contains a detailed bibliography of readings, organizes the readings into subfields, and outlines a set of major questions for the fields. The field statement is normally designed principally with the chair and is sometimes analogous to a detailed syllabus that one would prepare for a year-long graduate-level course on the selected specializations. The student often writes possible exam questions that he/she feels are appropriate for the area the exam will cover. The questions are not the questions the committee asks the student; their major function is to help the committee and the student to agree on the scope of the exam.

Scheduling the Exam

The exam must be completed by the end of May, at the end of a student’s second year in the program, and is scheduled on the student’s initiative. Prior to the exam, the student should have completed all coursework (including all incompletes). A student may delay the exam for exceptional circumstances with approval of the faculty adviser and the Director of Doctoral Studies. Students must notify the Director of Doctoral Studies of their intent to take the exam, with a date and time, location, and names of committee members at least one month prior to the exam.

The written part of the exam is in the form of a take-home essay. The committee chair typically solicits exam questions from the committee, selects questions to be used, and composes the final examination. The allotted time period to write the exam is determined by the chair, and typically is over three days. The student must submit the exam in the form as directed by the chair (usually as a Word document submitted by email), plus one copy to the program administrator to be placed in the student’s records. The written exam is followed by a two-hour oral exam, generally scheduled to take place within about one week after the written exam. The exam is evaluated on a “Pass/Fail” or “Conditional Pass” basis. If the student does not achieve a passing evaluation, he/she may take the exam one additional time to achieve a “Pass” or “Conditional Pass” status. A “Conditional Pass” indicates that additional requirements must be met, but the exam need not be retaken. Upon completion of the oral portion of the exam, please refer to the Applying for Candidacy section for next steps.

Applying for Candidacy

A student advances to candidacy when all program requirements except the dissertation proposal and dissertation have been satisfied. The normal and expected time to achieve candidacy is two years from the date of first enrollment in the doctoral program. In addition to urban and regional planning program requirements, a student must also meet  Rackham Candidacy Requirements . Any incomplete courses that are critical to satisfying requirements must be completed before applying for candidacy.

Once all required coursework and the comprehensive exam are successfully completed, a student applies for Candidacy by sending a request by email to the URP Director of Doctoral Studies, along with a signed Comprehensive Exam Certification Form.

The Director of Doctoral Studies will recommend a doctoral student for candidacy by submitting a recommendation to the Rackham Graduate School. When candidacy is approved, a student is ready to begin work on the dissertation and is eligible for URP 995 candidacy registration.

Sample Schedule

Sample First Year

Sample Second Year

Spring – Summer
(scheduled by student; typically taken by the end of May)
(by the start of the third year of study) Sample Years Three – Four Dissertation Proposal Presentation (reviewed and approved by the student’s dissertation committee and the URP Doctoral Committee) Dissertation research and writing Informal “Full Draft Review” (at least 6-8 weeks before the formal defense) Dissertation Defense Submittal of the final version of the dissertation Dissertation Forming dissertation committee. After completing the comprehensive exam and advancing to candidacy, the student must form a dissertation committee, in accordance with the Rackham Graduate School’s  “Guidelines for Dissertation Committee Service.” The Dissertation Committee should be formed prior to defending the dissertation proposal, which should be formed several months before the student expects to defend their proposal URP. When prepared to do so, the student should send the Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser the completed “Dissertation Committee Worksheet for Students to submit to Program”, which can be obtained from the link above. The Director of Doctoral Studies and Lisa Hauser will then submit the formal request to the Rackham Graduate School. Dissertation Proposal Dissertation proposals can be defended anytime after taking the Comprehensive Exam, but no later than the end of the fifth semester (i.e. December). It is the student’s responsibility to schedule the proposal defense attended by the dissertation committee. The student must notify Lisa Hauser by email of the proposal defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, a title, and an abstract. After gaining approval from the dissertation committee, the dissertation chair must send an email to the Director of Doctoral Studies that includes (a) the date of the proposal defense, (b) a list of all committee members present at the defense, (c) a title of the proposal, (d) an abstract of the proposal (250 – 350 words), and (e) a copy of the final dissertation proposal to be filed with URP records. Receipt of the email from the dissertation chair will constitute formal approval of the proposal by the committee and readiness to proceed with dissertation work. Dissertation Process The dissertation is prepared in accordance with the  Rackham Graduate School’s Doctoral Dissertation Requirements , and as outlined in the URP Ph.D. Program Overview Schedule and Policies document. The student is responsible for several steps: (a) scheduling and reserving rooms (and/or a Zoom link if virtual or hybrid) for the URP pre-defense hearing (which ordinarily should occur at least six weeks and no less than three weeks prior to the dissertation defense) and the defense meeting, both in a timely manner; (b) notifying Lisa Hauser by email of the defense date at least three weeks prior to the meeting, including the location of the defense meeting, (and Zoom link, if relevant), a title, and an abstract; (c) providing a complete dissertation draft, including an abstract and bibliography, to committee members at least two weeks (longer is advised) before the defense date; and (d) registering for an eight-hour candidacy enrollment (995 Dissertation Research) for the term in which the defense is held. A dissertation defense typically consists of two parts: the first is a formal, public presentation of the dissertation research, followed by questions and answers from both the dissertation committee and the audience. Defenses are advertised and open to the public, and other students and faculty are frequently in attendance. The second part is a closed session for the candidate and the dissertation committee. During the defense, the student may be asked to reconsider certain aspects of the work and to make changes or corrections in the dissertation. At the end of the session, the chair will discuss the oral defense with other members of the committee and inform the student of the outcome. The duration of a defense can vary, but the candidate should reserve the room for a three-hour period. Formal approval of the dissertation (e.g., formatting of the final document) and applying for graduation are governed by the Rackham Graduate School. How it works How to Write a Dedication Dissertation – Types & Examples Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 30th, 2024 , Revised On August 30, 2024 Imagine you’re writing a research paper, a thesis, or a dissertation. You instantly feel that you should thank those people in your life who are not even helping you in your writing process, but who you are pleased and honoured to have in life. This is when you would consider writing a dedication dissertation. It helps you to thank and show love to the people you value and cherish in your life. Moreover, dedication also allows the person to add personal and emotional value to their esteemed work. It significantly impacts the motivation and inspiration of the person to work hard and achieve their goals efficiently. A dedication at the start of the dissertation significantly also adds to the appeal of the dissertation and makes the readers think about the writer’s generosity and ingenuity. This blog comprehensively discusses what a dissertation dedication is, dedication dissertation examples, and the effective steps to write one. You can write a dissertation dedication efficiently by understanding all these important steps. What is Dissertation Dedication? A dissertation dedication is a line, paragraph, or page at the start of a master’s or PhD thesis or dissertation. It is a personal type of acknowledgement and appreciation to the people in the writer’s life who provided him with sufficient motivation and inspiration to keep up with his dissertation. By adding a dedication section to their book, writers show their love and obligation to those who supported them and cheered them up during their work. This makes them not just academic geniuses but also emotionally vulnerable and generous people. Moreover, when dedicatees read their names and the love writer shows them in the dissertation, they feel pleased and honoured. It also provides them with the fulfilling sensation that their support and prayers have led to a beneficial fruit of success. I dedicate this book to my wife… I dedicate this project to my supervisor…. Dissertation Dedication and Poem Dedication in a dissertation does not always have to be a line or a paragraph; it can also be a poem. Sometimes, writers add a poem to dedicate their dissertation to anyone. They can write the poem themselves in their own words or select a line or two from famous poems by reputable poets and writers. Adding a poem in the dedication section shows not only the writer’s emotional vulnerability and softness but also their creativity and devotion to literacy pieces. Can You Dedicate Your Dissertation to Someone? Yes, you can dedicate your dissertation to anyone by naming them and appreciating their presence in your life and by your side. There are many amazing ways that you can dedicate your dissertation to someone. Whether you want to dedicate your dissertation to your parents, colleagues, classmates, teachers, or husband, you can effortlessly add their names and the part they played in your life. This blog brings you different types of dedication you can add to your dissertation. Types of Dissertation Dedication Here are the types of dissertation dedication given in the following: Dedication to Family Dedication to the family is added under the dedication when writers want to appreciate and cherish the presence of their parents, siblings, and cousin. I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my parents [names], who were there when no one was. I dedicate my dissertation to my sister [name], who supported me through thick and thin. Dedication to Friends  Sometimes, writers want to thank and dedicate their work to their friends who supported them and helped them through thick and thin. I dedicate my dissertation to my best friend [name], who stood up for me during the process. Dedication to Special Person Dedication to a special person or loved one can also be added to the dissertation to show love and dedication to that person. I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my girlfriend [name], who supported me at my lowest. Dedication to Mentor or Advisor Students also tend to dedicate their theses or dissertations to their mentors and advisors, who advised them and helped them address issues promptly. I dedicate my dissertation to my advisor [name], who advised me and helped me make this successful. Dedication to Colleagues or Peers When writers complete their dissertations with the assistance of their colleagues and peers, they also tend to dedicate their projects to them. I dedicate my dissertation to my colleague and good friend [name], without whose support this would never have been completed. Dedication to Institution Being and working in a particular institution also compels the writers to dedicate their dissertations to that institution. I dedicate this dissertation to this amazing institution [name] that made me feel at home, nurtured me, and sprouted this seed. Dedication to Additional People Sometimes writers give dedication to those additional people who were there around them during work who maybe haven’t cheered them up but their presence meant a lot. I would also like to dedicate this dissertation to [name1] and [name2]…. Whose presence meant a lot to me. Dedication to the Deceased One If a loved one has recently or in the past died, the writers also tend to dedicate their dissertation to that person. I dedicate this dissertation to my grandmother [name], who is not with us but is always with us in our memories. Dedication to the Almighty Dedication to the Almighty allows the writers to be thankful to God and divine forces that help them and remove any hurdles from their lives. To the God Almighty, who is most beneficial and most merciful, who blessed me with the power to fulfil this task. Dedication to Inspirational Personality Sometimes writers also dedicate their dissertations to inspirational personalities who inspired them by adding their famous quotes to the dedication. I dedicate my dissertation to Martin Luther King whose endurance and patience brought the emancipation of the Black. Dedication Vs. Acknowledgements in Dissertation Here is the difference between dedication and acknowledgement in a dissertation: Dedication Acknowledgement Dedication is the writer’s personal acknowledgement and appreciation for the people he values in life. Acknowledgement is the recognition and appreciation of those people who supported the writer in completing his dissertation. It contains appreciation for family, friends, colleagues, and special people. It contains thanks to the members, advisors, and individuals who helped complete the dissertation. It has an emotional and personal value. It has a professional value. It comes before the acknowledgement. It comes after the dedication. How to Write a Dedication for a Dissertation? Here are the steps that will significantly help you to write your dissertation dedication efficiently: Step 1: Choose the Person You Want To Dedicate To The first step to writing a dissertation dedication is to choose the people you want to dedicate to. This could be your family, friend, colleague, or personal mentor. Remember to think about who was there for you during your writing process. Make a list of people if you want to add multiple dedicatees. Step 2: Describe the Person The second step of writing a dissertation syndication is describing the person that you have chosen to give dedication to. You should describe the relation that you have with that person and what he/she did to make your dissertation successful. Step 3: Name the Person After describing the person, name the person you chose to dedicate your dissertation. Naming the person will let readers know about the identity of the dedicatees, no matter if they have met them or not. Step 4: Keep the Tone Honest and Sincere It is also important to be honest and sincere while writing the dedication for your dissertation. The people who were there for you, who supported you through everything deserve to be cheered and appreciated in the most sincere and loving way possible. Step 5: Maintain the Order for Multiple Personnel When you have chosen multiple personnel to dedicate your life to, it is essential to appreciate their order according to their relation to and association with you. The person who is closer comes at the start. This also lets the readers know whose presence you cherish the most. Step 6: Maintain the Length It is essential to maintain the length of the dedication. Avoid overwriting and over-explaining in the deviation. It will unexpectedly lose the interest of readers to read the extensive paragraph of appreciation for someone. Write in a length that makes a powerful impact. Step 7: Review, Revise, and Finalise When you have successfully written the dedication for someone you chose to dedicate to your dissertation, it’s time to review it. Review to identify any mistakes and ensure the appropriate use of words. After making the necessary changes, finalise it. Dissertation dedication Sample Here is a sample of the dissertation dedication: Dedication Dissertation Examples These are the examples of dissertation dedication that can significantly help you write an amazing dedication your dissertation: I dedicate this dissertation to my beloved family. I love you all too much. I especially thank and appreciate my parents, Martha and George Johansson, who supported me in this course and made me believe that I dream well and I can achieve well. Their spiritual and mental strength helped me and guided me through everything. I also thank my sister Kloe, who always made me believe that I am enough. I just have to believe in myself, and everything will come my way. I also dedicate this dissertation to my best friend Josh, who was always there for me when no one was, who taught me how to swim through deeper waters and how to stand when you have no strength left in your limbs. I also dedicate this dissertation to my therapist, Mr.Henry Neilson, who was always there through thick and thin. He made me realise that ups and downs are inevitable in life. You have to accept both sides in order to make peace with yourself and with the world. Finally, I dedicate this dissertation to God Almighty, who granted me all my strengths and weaknesses, all sickness and health, and all happiness and sorrow. I dedicate this dissertation to my parents, Henry Alwyn and Taylor Hathaway, who were always there for me every step of the way. Their advice of resilience and hard work made me believe I can do and achieve everything in my life if I am determined and believe in myself. To my brother Abernathy, who always made me laugh with his silly jokes and made me realise that whatever happens in life, the most powerful move that you can make is to smile. I also dedicate this dissertation to my talented sister Catherine, who taught me that creativity is within you; you just have to pull it out by using her exquisite textile designs. I also dedicate this dissertation to my best friend and colleague, Elijah Benjamin, who embodies true devotion and love for his work. He believed perfection is not about controlling something; it’s about letting go. Last but not least, to my girlfriend Emily, who was there to love me, pamper me, and provide her gentle touch and warmth. I love you, darling. Frequently Asked Questions Can i dedicate my dissertation to someone. Yes, you can dedicate your dissertation to someone by naming and describing their part in supporting and completing your research process . How to write a dedication for a dissertation? Choose the Person Describe the Person Name the Person How much time should I dedicate to the dissertation? You should dedicate 300-400 hours to a dissertation You May Also Like Do dissertations scare you? Struggling with writing a flawless dissertation? Well, congratulations, you have landed in the perfect place. In this blog, we will take you through the detailed process of writing a dissertation. Sounds fun? We thought so! The list of figures and tables in dissertation help the readers find tables and figures of their interest without looking through the whole dissertation. Stuck on the recommendations section of your research? Read our guide on how to write recommendations for a research study and get started. USEFUL LINKS LEARNING RESOURCES COMPANY DETAILS How It Works Recommended pages New staff intranet Student Welcome Online registration MyUoB mobile app Campus maps Lecture timetables Study spaces Student digital services Student support Student printing Car parking Room bookings Core systems Staff development Presenting your thesis  formatting your thesis. Please refer to Regulation 7.4.2 for important information on how to format your thesis. The Library Services guide 'Presenting your thesis' has been written as the standard for all theses presented for research degrees in the University of Birmingham.  It offers guidance on the practicalities of producing your thesis in a format that is acceptable for examination and for deposit in the library. This guide does not deal with the content and academic standard required of a thesis and on these matters you are advised to consult University Regulations, your supervisor and guidance issued by your School. Please also see the  Getting your thesis ready workshop webpage .  Thesis word limit On submitting your thesis for examination you are required to complete a declaration form confirming the word length of your thesis. You should therefore be aware of the maximum word length for your thesis. See  Regulation 7.4.2 (d). The stated maximum number of words excludes tables, diagrams (including associated legends), appendices, list of references, footnotes and endnotes, the bibliography and any bound published material. For information on referencing styles see the  iCite – referencing at the University of Birmingham  webpages. A thesis that exceeds the maximum number of words will not be accepted for examination unless permission to exceed the stated word count has been granted by the Research Progress & Awards Sub Panel. Permission to exceed the stated word count is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you consider that you will not be able to meet the stated word limited, you are advised to discuss this with your supervisor at an early stage.  Language of your thesis  acknowledging collaborative work. If any material is included in your thesis which is a result of collaborative working, you must include details of how much of the work is your own and how much is that of other people. See Regulation 7.4.1 (h). It is also important to seek the prior agreement of those other people to make your thesis available in the University eTheses Repository.   Previously published or submitted work You may include work that has already been published providing the work is properly integrated, either in the thesis or as an appendix to which reference is made - see  Regulation 7.4.1 (g). It must be adequately referenced and you are advised to consult with your supervisor if you are unsure about the inclusion of any previously published work in your thesis.  For additional information please refer to the Copyright for Researchers web page You may not include material for assessment which has already been submitted for another degree awarded at this or any other University, unless all of the conditions set out in Regulation 7.4.1 (f) are satisfied. If you are considering including published papers in your thesis, please read the alternative format thesis guide (Word - 22KB).  Plagiarism Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is a serious academic offence. It arises where work submitted is not the student's own and has been taken from another source. The original material is then hidden from the marker, either by not referencing it properly, by paraphrasing it or by not mentioning it at all. For further information see the University’s Guidance on plagiarism for students . All theses submitted for examination are checked through plagiarism detection software.  Editorial help for PGR theses A thesis submitted for examination at the University of Birmingham must be solely the postgraduate researcher’s own work (except where University Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work – see Regulation 7.4.1 . A postgraduate researcher must not employ a ‘ghost writer’ to write parts or all of the thesis, whether in draft or as a final version, on his/her behalf. Editors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professional, need to be clear about the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of University of Birmingham PGRs theses and dissertations. Supervisors of PGRs also need to be clear about the role of the third party editors as well as their own editorial role. PGRs may use third party editorial assistance (paid or voluntary) from an outside source.  This must be with the knowledge and support of supervisors and the use of third party editorial assistance must be stated in the thesis acknowledgement page. A ‘third party’ editor cannot be used : To change the text of the thesis so as to clarify and/or develop the ideas and arguments; To reduce the length of the thesis so it falls within the specified word limit; To correct information within the thesis; To change ideas and arguments put forward within the thesis; and/or To translate the thesis into English. A ‘third party’ editor can be used to offer advice on: Spelling and punctuation; Formatting and sorting of footnotes and endnotes for consistency and order; Ensuring the thesis follows the conventions of grammar and syntax in written English; Shortening long sentences and editing long paragraphs; Changing passives and impersonal usages into actives, vice versa as may be appropriate; Improving the positioning of tables and illustrations and the clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation of any text in or under tables and illustrations; and Ensuring consistency of page numbers, headers and footers. Where a third party editor is used it is the PGR’s responsibility to provide the third party editor with a copy of this statement (Word - 20KB)  and ensure they complete the Third Party Editor Declaration Form (Word - 32KB)  confirming their compliance with this statement. When submitting the thesis the PGR must record in the Acknowledgements page the form of contribution the ‘third party’ editor has made, by stating for example, “this thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by ABC Editing Ltd”. Please also see the Code of Practice on Academic Integrity .  Intellectual property rights These rights generally belong to the student, but if your work is considered to be commercially significant students may be required to assign their rights to the University.  For further information please see: University Regulation 5.4 covering Intellectual Property Regulation 3.16 covering Patents and The Exploitation of Inventions The Copyright for Researchers webpage  Can't find what you're looking for? College of Arts and Law College of Engineering and Physical Sciences College of Life and Environmental Sciences College of Medicine and Health College of Social Sciences Professional Services Academic Services Campus Services Development and Alumni Relations Executive Support External Relations Human Resources IT Services Legal Services Research Strategy and Services How to Write a Research Proposal: A Complete Guide A research proposal is a piece of writing that basically serves as your plan for a research project. It spells out what you’ll study, how you’ll go about it, and why it matters. Think of it as your pitch to show professors or funding bodies that your project is worth their attention and support. This task is standard for grad students, especially those in research-intensive fields. It’s your chance to showcase your ability to think critically, design a solid study, and articulate why your research could make a difference. In this article, we'll talk about how to craft a good research proposal, covering everything from the standard format of a research proposal to the specific details you'll need to include.  Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of putting one together? That’s where DoMyEssay comes in handy.  Whether you need a little push or more extensive guidance, we’ll help you nail your proposal and move your project forward.  Research Proposal Format When you're putting together a research proposal, think of it as setting up a roadmap for your project. You want it to be clear and easy to follow so everyone knows what you’re planning to do, how you’re going to do it, and why it matters.  Whether you’re following APA or Chicago style, the key is to keep your formatting clean so that it’s easy for committees or funding bodies to read through and understand. Here’s a breakdown of each section, with a special focus on formatting a research proposal: Title Page : This is your first impression. Make sure it includes the title of your research proposal, your name, and your affiliations. Your title should grab attention and make it clear what your research is about. Abstract : This is your elevator pitch. In about 250 words, you need to sum up what you plan to research, how you plan to do it, and what impact you think it will have. Introduction : Here’s where you draw them in. Lay out your research question or problem, highlight its importance, and clearly outline what you aim to achieve with your study. Literature Review : Show that you’ve done your homework. In this section, demonstrate that you know the field and how your research fits into it. It’s your chance to connect your ideas to what’s already out there and show off a bit about what makes your approach unique or necessary. Methodology : Dive into the details of how you’ll get your research done. Explain your methods for gathering data and how you’ll analyze it. This is where you reassure them that your project is doable and you’ve thought through all the steps. Timeline : Keep it realistic. Provide an estimated schedule for your research, breaking down the process into manageable stages and assigning a timeline for each phase. Budget : If you need funding, lay out a budget that spells out what you need money for. Be clear and precise so there’s no guesswork involved about what you’re asking for. References/Bibliography : List out all the works you cited in your proposal. Stick to one citation style to keep things consistent. Get Your Research Proposal Right  Let our experts guide you through crafting a research proposal that stands out. From idea to submission, we've got you covered. Research Proposal Structure When you're writing a research proposal, you're laying out your questions and explaining the path you're planning to take to tackle them. Here’s how to structure your proposal so that it speaks to why your research matters and should get some attention. Introduction An introduction is where you grab attention and make everyone see why what you're doing matters. Here, you’ll pose the big question of your research proposal topic and show off the potential of your research right from the get-go: Grab attention : Start with something that makes the reader sit up — maybe a surprising fact, a challenging question, or a brief anecdote that highlights the urgency of your topic. Set the scene : What’s the broader context of your work? Give a snapshot of the landscape and zoom in on where your research fits. This helps readers see the big picture and the niche you’re filling. Lay out your plan : Briefly mention the main goals or questions of your research. If you have a hypothesis, state it clearly here. Make it matter : Show why your research needs to happen now. What gaps are you filling? What changes could your findings inspire? Make sure the reader understands the impact and significance of your work. Literature Review In your research proposal, the literature review does more than just recap what’s already out there. It's where you get to show off how your research connects with the big ideas and ongoing debates in your field. Here’s how to make this section work hard for you: Connect the dots : First up, highlight how your study fits into the current landscape by listing what others have done and positioning your research within it. You want to make it clear that you’re not just following the crowd but actually engaging with and contributing to real conversations.  Critique what’s out there : Explore what others have done well and where they’ve fallen short. Pointing out the gaps or where others might have missed the mark helps set up why your research is needed and how it offers something different. Build on what’s known : Explain how your research will use, challenge, or advance the existing knowledge. Are you closing a key gap? Applying old ideas in new ways? Make it clear how your work is going to add something new or push existing boundaries. Aims and Objectives Let's talk about the aims and objectives of your research. This is where you set out what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there: Main Goal : Start by stating your primary aim. What big question are you trying to answer, or what hypothesis are you testing? This is your research's main driving force. Detailed Objectives : Now, break down your main goal into smaller, actionable objectives. These should be clear and specific steps that will help you reach your overall aim. Think of these as the building blocks of your research, each one designed to contribute to the larger goal. Research Design and Method This part of your proposal outlines the practical steps you’ll take to answer your research questions: Type of Research : First off, what kind of research are you conducting? Will it be qualitative or quantitative research , or perhaps a mix of both? Clearly define whether you'll be gathering numerical data for statistical analysis or exploring patterns and theories in depth. Research Approach : Specify whether your approach is experimental, correlational, or descriptive. Each of these frameworks has its own way of uncovering insights, so choose the one that best fits the questions you’re trying to answer. Data Collection : Discuss the specifics of your data. If you’re in the social sciences, for instance, describe who or what you’ll be studying. How will you select your subjects or sources? What criteria will you use, and how will you gather your data? Be clear about the methods you’ll use, whether that’s surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments. Tools and Techniques : Detail the tools and techniques you'll use to collect your data. Explain why these tools are the best fit for your research goals. Timeline and Budget : Sketch out a timeline for your research activities. How long will each phase take? This helps everyone see that your project is organized and feasible. Potential Challenges : What might go wrong? Think about potential obstacles and how you plan to handle them. This shows you’re thinking ahead and preparing for all possibilities. Ethical Considerations When you're conducting research, especially involving people, you've got to think about ethics. This is all about ensuring everyone's rights are respected throughout your study. Here’s a quick rundown: Participant Rights : You need to protect your participants' rights to privacy, autonomy, and confidentiality. This means they should know what the study involves and agree to participate willingly—this is what we call informed consent. Informed Consent : You've got to be clear with participants about what they’re signing up for, what you’ll do with the data, and how you'll keep it confidential. Plus, they need the freedom to drop out any time they want. Ethical Approval : Before you even start collecting data, your research plan needs a green light from an ethics committee. This group checks that you’re set up to keep your participants safe and treated fairly. You need to carefully calculate the costs for every aspect of your project. Make sure to include a bit extra for those just-in-case scenarios like unexpected delays or price hikes. Every dollar should have a clear purpose, so justify each part of your budget to ensure it’s all above board. This approach keeps your project on track financially and avoids any surprises down the line. The appendices in your research proposal are where you stash all the extra documents that back up your main points. Depending on your project, this could include things like consent forms, questionnaires, measurement tools, or even a simple explanation of your study for participants.  Just like any academic paper, your research proposal needs to include citations for all the sources you’ve referenced. Whether you call it a references list or a bibliography, the idea is the same — crediting the work that has informed your research. Make sure every source you’ve cited is listed properly, keeping everything consistent and easy to follow. Research Proposal Got You Stuck?  Get expert help with your literature review, ensuring your research is grounded in solid scholarship.  How to Write a Research Proposal? Whether you're new to this process or looking to refine your skills, here are some practical tips to help you create a strong and compelling proposal.  Tip What to Do Stay on Target 🎯 Stick to the main points and avoid getting sidetracked. A focused proposal is easier to follow and more compelling. Use Visuals 🖼️ Consider adding charts, graphs, or tables if they help explain your ideas better. Visuals can make complex info clearer. Embrace Feedback 🔄 Be open to revising your proposal based on feedback. The best proposals often go through several drafts. Prepare Your Pitch 🎤 If you’re going to present your proposal, practice explaining it clearly and confidently. Being able to pitch it well can make a big difference. Anticipate Questions ❓ Think about the questions or challenges reviewers might have and prepare clear responses. Think Bigger 🌍 Consider how your research could impact your field or even broader society. This can make your proposal more persuasive. Use Strong Sources 📚 Always use credible and up-to-date sources. This strengthens your arguments and builds trust with your readers. Keep It Professional ✏️ While clarity is key, make sure your tone stays professional throughout your proposal. Highlight What’s New 💡 Emphasize what’s innovative or unique about your research. This can be a big selling point for your proposal. Research Proposal Template Here’s a simple and handy research proposal example in PDF format to help you get started and keep your work organized: Writing a research proposal can be straightforward if you break it down into manageable steps: Pick a strong research proposal topic that interests you and has enough material to explore. Craft an engaging introduction that clearly states your research question and objectives. Do a thorough literature review to see how your work fits into the existing research landscape. Plan out your research design and method , deciding whether you’ll use qualitative or quantitative research. Consider the ethical aspects to ensure your research is conducted responsibly. Set up a budget and gather any necessary appendices to support your proposal. Make sure all your sources are cited properly to add credibility to your work. If you need some extra support, DoMyEssay is ready to help with any type of paper, including crafting a strong research proposal.  What Is a Research Proposal? How long should a research proposal be, how do you start writing a research proposal. Examples of Research proposals | York St John University. (n.d.). York St John University. https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/apply/examples-of-research-proposals/ Search UNH.edu Search Hamel Honors & Scholars College Commonly Searched Items: Hamel Scholars Program Honors Program Admission Registration & Advising Why Honors? Honors Admissions Scholarships & Awards Request Information Honors Discovery Gateway Experiences Cocurricular Learning Culminating Experiences Designated Honors Courses Scholarships For Current Students UNH Exchange: University College Utrecht Honors Thesis Honors in Major Interdisciplinary Honors Contact Us / Staff Frequently Asked Questions Honors Faculty Honors Community Mission and Values Honors withdrawal form Create opportunities for your future with an Honors Thesis. An honors thesis a sustained, independent research project in a student’s field of study. the thesis is an opportunity to work on unique research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. it often provides a writing sample for graduate school, and is also something you can share with employers to show what kind of work you can do. , what is an honors thesis. Most of your work in college involves learning information and ideas generated by other people. When you write a thesis, you are engaging with previous work, but also adding new knowledge to your field. That means you have to know what's already been done--what counts as established knowledge; what's the current state of research; what methods and kinds of evidence are acceptable; what debates are going on. (Usually, you'll recount that knowledge in a review of the literature.) Then, you need to form a research question  that you can answer given your available skills, resources, and time . With your advisor, you'll plan the method you will use to answer it, which might involve lab work, field work, surveys, interviews, secondary research, textual analysis, or something else; research methods will depend upon your question and your field. Once your research is carried out, you'll write a substantial paper (usually 20-50 pages) according to the standards of your field.  When and how should I register for my thesis? Register for your major's Honors Thesis course (often numbered 799) in the spring and/or fall of your Senior year. In most cases, departmental permission is needed to register, and you will need to have a commitment from your thesis advisor in advance. The thesis course is an independent study, overseen by your Thesis Advisor. Your advisor sets the standards, due dates, and grades for your project. You must earn at least a B to qualify for Honors. Your thesis must count for at least 4 credits (some majors require that the thesis be completed over 2 semesters, and some require more than 4 credits). What do theses look like? The exact structure will vary by discipline, and your thesis advisor should provide you with an outline. As a rough guideline, we would expect to see something like the following: 1. Introduction 2. Review of the literature 3. Methods 4. Results 5. Analysis 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography or works cited In 2012, we began digitally archiving Honors theses. Students are encouraged to peruse the Honors Thesis Repository to see what past students' work has looked like. Use the link below and type your major in the search field on the left to find relevant examples. Older Honors theses are available in the Special Collections & Archives department at Dimond Library.  Browse Previous Theses Will my thesis count as my capstone? Most majors accept an Honors Thesis as fulfilling the Capstone requirement. However, there are exceptions. In some majors, the thesis counts as a major elective, and in a few, it is an elective that does not fulfill major requirements. Your major advisor and your Honors advisor can help you figure out how your thesis will count. Please note that while in many majors the thesis counts as the capstone, the converse does not necessarily apply. There are many capstone experiences that do not take the form of an Honors thesis.  Can I do a poster and presentation for my thesis? No. While you do need to present your thesis (see below), a poster and presentation are not a thesis. They may be part of a different Culminating Experience, however.  How do I choose my thesis advisor? The best thesis advisor is an experienced researcher, familiar with disciplinary standards for research and writing, with expertise in your area of interest. You might connect with a thesis advisor during Honors coursework, but   Honors advisors can assist students who are having trouble identifying an advisor. You should approach and confirm your thesis advisor before the semester in which your research will begin. What if I need funds for my research? The  Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research  offers research grants, including summer support. During the academic year, students registered in credit-bearing thesis courses may apply for an  Undergraduate Research Award  for up to $600 in research expenses (no stipend).  Students who are not otherwise registered in a credit-bearing course for their thesis research may enroll in  INCO 790: Advanced Research Experience,  which offers up to $200 for research expenses. What if I need research materials for a lengthy period? No problem! Honors Students can access Extended Time borrowing privileges at Dimond Library, which are otherwise reserved for faculty and graduate students. Email [email protected] with note requesting "extended borrowing privileges" and we'll work with the Library to extend your privileges. What happens with my completed thesis? Present your thesis. Many students present at the  Undergraduate Research Conference  in April; other departmentally-approved public events are also acceptable. Publish your thesis: Honors students are asked to make their thesis papers available on  scholars.unh.edu/honors/ . This creates a resource for future students and other researchers, and also helps students professionalize their online personas. These theses are publicly available online. If a student or their advisor prefers not to make the work available, they may upload an abstract and/or excerpts from the work instead. Students may also publish research in  Inquiry , UNH's undergraduate research journal. 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By: Derek Jansen (MBA). Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2021 Without a doubt, one of the most common questions we receive at Grad Coach is “ How do I choose the right methodology for my research? ”. It’s easy to see why – with so many options on the research design table, it’s easy to get intimidated, especially with all the complex lingo! In this post, we’ll explain the three overarching types of research – qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods – and how you can go about choosing the best methodological approach for your research. Overview: Choosing Your Methodology Understanding the options – Qualitative research – Quantitative research – Mixed methods-based research Choosing a research methodology – Nature of the research – Research area norms – Practicalities 1. Understanding the options Before we jump into the question of how to choose a research methodology, it’s useful to take a step back to understand the three overarching types of research – qualitative , quantitative and mixed methods -based research. Each of these options takes a different methodological approach. Qualitative research utilises data that is not numbers-based. In other words, qualitative research focuses on words , descriptions , concepts or ideas – while quantitative research makes use of numbers and statistics. Qualitative research investigates the “softer side” of things to explore and describe, while quantitative research focuses on the “hard numbers”, to measure differences between variables and the relationships between them. Importantly, qualitative research methods are typically used to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of a situation – to draw a rich picture . In contrast to this, quantitative methods are usually used to confirm or test hypotheses . In other words, they have distinctly different purposes. The table below highlights a few of the key differences between qualitative and quantitative research – you can learn more about the differences here. Uses an inductive approach Is used to build theories Takes a subjective approach Adopts an open and flexible approach The researcher is close to the respondents Interviews and focus groups are oftentimes used to collect word-based data. Generally, draws on small sample sizes Uses qualitative data analysis techniques (e.g. content analysis , thematic analysis , etc) Uses a deductive approach Is used to test theories Takes an objective approach Adopts a closed, highly planned approach The research is disconnected from respondents Surveys or laboratory equipment are often used to collect number-based data. Generally, requires large sample sizes Uses statistical analysis techniques to make sense of the data Mixed methods -based research, as you’d expect, attempts to bring these two types of research together, drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data. Quite often, mixed methods-based studies will use qualitative research to explore a situation and develop a potential model of understanding (this is called a conceptual framework), and then go on to use quantitative methods to test that model empirically. In other words, while qualitative and quantitative methods (and the philosophies that underpin them) are completely different, they are not at odds with each other. It’s not a competition of qualitative vs quantitative. On the contrary, they can be used together to develop a high-quality piece of research. Of course, this is easier said than done, so we usually recommend that first-time researchers stick to a single approach , unless the nature of their study truly warrants a mixed-methods approach. The key takeaway here, and the reason we started by looking at the three options, is that it’s important to understand that each methodological approach has a different purpose – for example, to explore and understand situations (qualitative), to test and measure (quantitative) or to do both. They’re not simply alternative tools for the same job.  Right – now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at how you can go about choosing the right methodology for your research. 2. How to choose a research methodology To choose the right research methodology for your dissertation or thesis, you need to consider three important factors . Based on these three factors, you can decide on your overarching approach – qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. Once you’ve made that decision, you can flesh out the finer details of your methodology, such as the sampling , data collection methods and analysis techniques (we discuss these separately in other posts ). The three factors you need to consider are: The nature of your research aims, objectives and research questions The methodological approaches taken in the existing literature Practicalities and constraints Let’s take a look at each of these. Factor #1: The nature of your research As I mentioned earlier, each type of research (and therefore, research methodology), whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed, has a different purpose and helps solve a different type of question. So, it’s logical that the key deciding factor in terms of which research methodology you adopt is the nature of your research aims, objectives and research questions . But, what types of research exist? Broadly speaking, research can fall into one of three categories: Exploratory – getting a better understanding of an issue and potentially developing a theory regarding it Confirmatory – confirming a potential theory or hypothesis by testing it empirically A mix of both – building a potential theory or hypothesis and then testing it As a rule of thumb, exploratory research tends to adopt a qualitative approach , whereas confirmatory research tends to use quantitative methods . This isn’t set in stone, but it’s a very useful heuristic. Naturally then, research that combines a mix of both, or is seeking to develop a theory from the ground up and then test that theory, would utilize a mixed-methods approach. Let’s look at an example in action. If your research aims were to understand the perspectives of war veterans regarding certain political matters, you’d likely adopt a qualitative methodology, making use of interviews to collect data and one or more qualitative data analysis methods to make sense of the data. If, on the other hand, your research aims involved testing a set of hypotheses regarding the link between political leaning and income levels, you’d likely adopt a quantitative methodology, using numbers-based data from a survey to measure the links between variables and/or constructs . So, the first (and most important thing) thing you need to consider when deciding which methodological approach to use for your research project is the nature of your research aims , objectives and research questions. Specifically, you need to assess whether your research leans in an exploratory or confirmatory direction or involves a mix of both. The importance of achieving solid alignment between these three factors and your methodology can’t be overstated. If they’re misaligned, you’re going to be forcing a square peg into a round hole. In other words, you’ll be using the wrong tool for the job, and your research will become a disjointed mess. If your research is a mix of both exploratory and confirmatory, but you have a tight word count limit, you may need to consider trimming down the scope a little and focusing on one or the other. One methodology executed well has a far better chance of earning marks than a poorly executed mixed methods approach. So, don’t try to be a hero, unless there is a very strong underpinning logic. Need a helping hand? Factor #2: The disciplinary norms Choosing the right methodology for your research also involves looking at the approaches used by other researchers in the field, and studies with similar research aims and objectives to yours. Oftentimes, within a discipline, there is a common methodological approach (or set of approaches) used in studies. While this doesn’t mean you should follow the herd “just because”, you should at least consider these approaches and evaluate their merit within your context. A major benefit of reviewing the research methodologies used by similar studies in your field is that you can often piggyback on the data collection techniques that other (more experienced) researchers have developed. For example, if you’re undertaking a quantitative study, you can often find tried and tested survey scales with high Cronbach’s alphas. These are usually included in the appendices of journal articles, so you don’t even have to contact the original authors. By using these, you’ll save a lot of time and ensure that your study stands on the proverbial “shoulders of giants” by using high-quality measurement instruments . Of course, when reviewing existing literature, keep point #1 front of mind. In other words, your methodology needs to align with your research aims, objectives and questions. Don’t fall into the trap of adopting the methodological “norm” of other studies just because it’s popular. Only adopt that which is relevant to your research. Factor #3: Practicalities When choosing a research methodology, there will always be a tension between doing what’s theoretically best (i.e., the most scientifically rigorous research design ) and doing what’s practical , given your constraints . This is the nature of doing research and there are always trade-offs, as with anything else. But what constraints, you ask? When you’re evaluating your methodological options, you need to consider the following constraints: Data access Equipment and software Your knowledge and skills Let’s look at each of these. Constraint #1: Data access The first practical constraint you need to consider is your access to data . If you’re going to be undertaking primary research , you need to think critically about the sample of respondents you realistically have access to. For example, if you plan to use in-person interviews , you need to ask yourself how many people you’ll need to interview, whether they’ll be agreeable to being interviewed, where they’re located, and so on. If you’re wanting to undertake a quantitative approach using surveys to collect data, you’ll need to consider how many responses you’ll require to achieve statistically significant results. For many statistical tests, a sample of a few hundred respondents is typically needed to develop convincing conclusions. So, think carefully about what data you’ll need access to, how much data you’ll need and how you’ll collect it. The last thing you want is to spend a huge amount of time on your research only to find that you can’t get access to the required data. Constraint #2: Time The next constraint is time. If you’re undertaking research as part of a PhD, you may have a fairly open-ended time limit, but this is unlikely to be the case for undergrad and Masters-level projects. So, pay attention to your timeline, as the data collection and analysis components of different methodologies have a major impact on time requirements . Also, keep in mind that these stages of the research often take a lot longer than originally anticipated. Another practical implication of time limits is that it will directly impact which time horizon you can use – i.e. longitudinal vs cross-sectional . For example, if you’ve got a 6-month limit for your entire research project, it’s quite unlikely that you’ll be able to adopt a longitudinal time horizon.  Constraint #3: Money As with so many things, money is another important constraint you’ll need to consider when deciding on your research methodology. While some research designs will cost near zero to execute, others may require a substantial budget . Some of the costs that may arise include: Software costs – e.g. survey hosting services, analysis software, etc. Promotion costs – e.g. advertising a survey to attract respondents Incentive costs – e.g. providing a prize or cash payment incentive to attract respondents Equipment rental costs – e.g. recording equipment, lab equipment, etc. Travel costs Food & beverages These are just a handful of costs that can creep into your research budget. Like most projects, the actual costs tend to be higher than the estimates, so be sure to err on the conservative side and expect the unexpected. It’s critically important that you’re honest with yourself about these costs, or you could end up getting stuck midway through your project because you’ve run out of money. Constraint #4: Equipment & software Another practical consideration is the hardware and/or software you’ll need in order to undertake your research. Of course, this variable will depend on the type of data you’re collecting and analysing. For example, you may need lab equipment to analyse substances, or you may need specific analysis software to analyse statistical data. So, be sure to think about what hardware and/or software you’ll need for each potential methodological approach, and whether you have access to these. Constraint #5: Your knowledge and skillset The final practical constraint is a big one. Naturally, the research process involves a lot of learning and development along the way, so you will accrue knowledge and skills as you progress. However, when considering your methodological options, you should still consider your current position on the ladder. Some of the questions you should ask yourself are: Am I more of a “numbers person” or a “words person”? How much do I know about the analysis methods I’ll potentially use (e.g. statistical analysis)? How much do I know about the software and/or hardware that I’ll potentially use? How excited am I to learn new research skills and gain new knowledge? How much time do I have to learn the things I need to learn? Answering these questions honestly will provide you with another set of criteria against which you can evaluate the research methodology options you’ve shortlisted. So, as you can see, there is a wide range of practicalities and constraints that you need to take into account when you’re deciding on a research methodology. These practicalities create a tension between the “ideal” methodology and the methodology that you can realistically pull off. This is perfectly normal, and it’s your job to find the option that presents the best set of trade-offs. Recap: Choosing a methodology In this post, we’ve discussed how to go about choosing a research methodology. The three major deciding factors we looked at were: Exploratory Confirmatory Combination Research area norms Hardware and software Your knowledge and skillset If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. If you’d like a helping hand with your research methodology, check out our 1-on-1 research coaching service , or book a free consultation with a friendly Grad Coach. Psst... there’s more! This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ... Very useful and informative especially for beginners Nice article! I’m a beginner in the field of cybersecurity research. I am a Telecom and Network Engineer and Also aiming for PhD scholarship. I find the article very informative especially for my decitation it has been helpful and an eye opener. Hi I am Anna , I am a PHD candidate in the area of cyber security, maybe we can link up The Examples shows by you, for sure they are really direct me and others to knows and practices the Research Design and prepration. I found the post very informative and practical. I struggle so much with designs of the research for sure! I’m the process of constructing my research design and I want to know if the data analysis I plan to present in my thesis defense proposal possibly change especially after I gathered the data already. Thank you so much this site is such a life saver. How I wish 1-1 coaching is available in our country but sadly it’s not. Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Print Friendly We Trust in Human Precision 20,000+ Professional Language Experts Ready to Help. Expertise in a variety of Niches. API Solutions API Pricing Cost estimate Customer loyalty program Educational Discount Non-Profit Discount Green Initiative Discount1 Value-Driven Pricing Unmatched expertise at affordable rates tailored for your needs. Our services empower you to boost your productivity. Special Discounts Enterprise transcription solutions Enterprise translation solutions Transcription/Caption API AI Transcription Proofreading API Trusted by Global Leaders GoTranscript is the chosen service for top media organizations, universities, and Fortune 50 companies. GoTranscript One of the Largest Online Transcription and Translation Agencies in the World. Founded in 2005. Speaker 1: Hey guys, welcome to Grad Coach TV, where we demystify and simplify the oftentimes confusing world of academic research. My name's David, and today I'm chatting to one of our trusted coaches, Alexandra, about five common mistakes students make during their qualitative research analysis. This discussion is based on one of the many, many articles over at the Grad Coach blog. So, if you'd like to learn more about qualitative research analysis, head over to gradcoach.com forward slash blog. Also, if you're looking for a helping hand with your dissertation, thesis or research project, be sure to check out our one-on-one private coaching service, where we hold your hand throughout the research journey, step-by-step. For more information and to book a free consultation, head over to gradcoach.com. Hey, Alexandra, welcome back to the CoachCast. It's really great to have you back on board. Speaker 2: Hey, David. always a pleasure to be here and happy to talk with you today. So today we are talking about Speaker 1: five common mistakes students make about qualitative research analysis, and let us just dive into it. The first one that comes up quite frequently is a lack of alignment between the analysis and the golden thread. Alexandra, what am I getting at with this? Yes, so this idea Speaker 2: of the golden thread, you will hear it in all walks of research, whether it is quantitative, mixed methods and qualitative so really what you want to do and consider for this golden thread are these three fundamental we'll call them puzzle pieces of the research aims the research objectives and the research questions so these are kind of the foundation of your qualitative research study and so how you consider these and you know what you're trying to do and answer and how you're going to do it will then help you determine what methodology you should choose that would be the most appropriate or suitable to answer those questions and this is not particularly easy because there are several different kinds of qualitative methodologies out there but it can have some some positive outcomes or some negative consequences depending on which methodology you choose to answer those aims objectives and questions of your golden thread so that's Speaker 1: really helpful alexandra maybe you can give us an example or two of where there's alignment or a Speaker 2: lack of alignment sure so two of the most common methodologies in qualitative research that we see at grad coach or elsewhere are case studies versus grounded theory and so the first thing to keep in mind with any study is that your the methodology that you choose should be the most suitable one to answer those golden thread notions of the aims objectives research questions not the other way around and so for example with the case study the case study should be used if in your golden thread ideas of the aims objectives and research questions you already have some sort of working knowledge of a group or an event and so you're using this case study methodology because it will appropriately answer those foundational aspects of the golden thread on the other hand let's say your research aims or objectives or questions are about something that you really have limited knowledge about or there's scarce research out there and you're wanting to kind of build up a framework or a theory in that case using a methodology like grounded theory would be more suitable. So you can see there with those two examples of case study versus grounded theory, these two methodology should be applied to answer different golden thread foundational aspects. Speaker 1: That is really helpful, Alexandra. And I know it can seem a little bit overwhelming to think about getting this alignment right. In cases like this, do not necessarily just rely on your own judgment. It can be really helpful to get a friend or someone from your cohort just to take a look through and read of what you are working on. They will be able to help you identify where there is a lack of alignment. For instance, if you ask them to sort of give you the elevator pitch back of what you set out to do, and it is not lining up with your thinking, then maybe it is a good point to sort of identify where those lack of alignments are, and use that to help you sort of address that. But try and do this earlier rather than later. It's definitely going to make your life easier. So our second mistake is making use of a transcription program software without checking the transcripts. Alexandra, why is this such a problem? Yes. So first of all, you know, there Speaker 2: are programs, an increasing number out there that are cost effective, mostly free, and for the most part accurate things like zoom transcription software otter ai atlas ti and these certainly have a lot of benefits for convenience sake and cost effectiveness however um that's not to say that these programs are perfect because with a lot of ai and other kinds of automated software it does lose that human element that can miss some of the more nuanced or minute pieces of information that are important. So for instance, in my own dissertation research, I had about 100 participants who all verbally reacted to a stimulus. And half of my participants were doing this in English and the other half in French. And each of these were about 30 minutes long, each participant 30 minutes now with qualitative research you know you have to have something to analyze and it's difficult to do that directly from the audio files so what you have to do is transcribe these from audio to text and so i was going through and i was doing these manually myself from about participant 80 i was beyond exhausted and so i decided to use one of these outside services or programs to kind of expedite this, kind of help me. And of course it was convenient. However, when I got the transcripts back, I noticed as I was going through the first few of them, some errors to content, to spelling, different words were showing up where other words had been said actually in the audio files. And as I was going along through the rest of them, I noticed that pretty much all 20 or so of these outside transcribed files had errors. So I ended up having to go back myself regardless and going through them again and fixing them. So this is all to kind of say that even though these programs can be very convenient and cost effective, there are some drawbacks. most of that has to do with kind of content, the words that they miss, spelling, punctuation, grammar, et cetera, et cetera. And you'll oftentimes definitely actually still have to go in and check these for quality and accuracy. This is why it's very important to kind of think about, even though these programs might be convenient, they're never going to replace kind of that human element of being able to really read and understand what's going on, make sure that it matches what was said in the audio files. And so one of the things that you can do if it's not yourself, you should check it yourself, but even go beyond that and ask someone else to check these transcripts for accuracy. Because either if you've used an outside service or program, or if you've done all the transcriptions by yourself, sometimes we miss things. Having someone else, an outside person, an actual person look at these and kind of make sure that they're accurate will not only help you catch potential errors, but in doing so, it kind of promotes the credibility of the transcripts because they're accurate, they're clear, they're actually what was said in the audio files and so sometimes what might be happen if you don't do this having that like human element it can diminish the credibility of the rest of your transcripts if they are accurate because the reader or your marker might say well this one was not accurate so maybe there's some flaws in the other ones as well but beyond that I mean other than the marking your transcriptions this is your this is really your raw data in qualitative analysis and so if you have errors or missing information in your transcripts that were there in the audio files this makes the coding and analysis flawed this puts things in misalignment and as such there's kind of a domino effect of repercussions that can happen if these things aren't transcribed Speaker 1: accurately. I think that in the same way that in quantitative research your actual data is key to your analysis, it is the same for qualitative. So we really want to make sure we are doing due diligence to assess the quality of the work. That is not to say you cannot use services to help out. It will depend on your type of research as well. For instance, from a business perspective, you might be less interested in the specific nuance of how someone presented an idea compared to a language study. So in cases like that, there is a bit of a cost benefit to consider, but regardless of whether you are using a service or not, getting a second run through of it can be super helpful. And there are a range of services out there that you can use, both in terms of software or human run services. If you are interested in it, we even do it here at Grad Coach. So do take a look for the link down below. So our third mistake that frequently comes up is not specifying what type of coding you are doing in advance of actually jumping into the analysis. Alexandra, why do we need to be aware of what coding type we are using so early in the process? Speaker 2: This goes back to the idea of making sure that all steps of your research align with the previous one and are justifiable in terms of it makes sense. There's a reason why you're doing what you're doing in the order that you're doing it. And coding is no exception to this. So the reason why coding is so important in qualitative research is that qualitative research is inherently kind of subjective. There is this inherent human interpretation that can happen. And so one of the reasons why it is so important to do coding appropriately is to kind of add the systematicity and the academic rigor to your research that is inherently not there. And so to kind of ensure this increased objectivity of something that is inherently subjective, doing this coding, you need to consider which kind of coding will be the most appropriate to answer your research goals that you've outlined prior, going back to that notion of the golden thread. And coding inherently kind of falls into two camps. There is inductive coding and deductive coding. So on the one hand, inductive coding is an approach where you are going into your data analysis and you are kind of, you're letting the themes and the codes emerge from the data. You don't have any preconceived notions, no existing ideas of what to expect. You're really letting the data, whether it comes from interviews or focus groups, you're letting the data from those transcripts emerge into these codes. And this is best for studies such as grounded theory approaches where you don't really have any idea of what to expect or anticipate. And you're really kind of trying to explore what is out there. You're letting these codes emerge directly from the data. On the other hand, deductive coding is another coding approach where you are actually, you have some ideas about what is out there, what you're looking for, what you hope your final findings to be. And for this coding approach, it's top down where prior to even collect the data, the interviews, focus groups what have you you have developed an initial set of codes into a code book whether you've put this in say Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word or Google Sheets etc and you have kind of looked through the existing literature on your research topic and seen what what are the potential codes out there what are the themes you're looking for And then once you have collected your data and transcribed it, you're assigning pieces of that data to those codes that you've already created in advance. And you are not looking for new codes to emerge like you did in inductive. So all codes should go into something from your codebook. Speaker 1: I think deductive coding is most commonly used where you have a theoretical framework that you're working within or a field that is really, really well researched. There, you're not going to be starting something new. Similarly, it's also become really popular to use a mixed approach of inductive and deductive. This is primarily starting deductively with a codebook and using that codebook to lead your coding and then develop further from that with an inductive approach. It is worth noting this is a fairly new way to go about coding, and so it is important that if you are choosing to go this way, that you can justify why it is appropriate and why it is useful relative to that golden thread, those research aims, objectives, and questions. Because you You don't want to be overcomplicating things or stepping too far out of your comfort zone just because it's novel. Rather, make sure it is what you need to do, where you need to do it. Speaker 2: That's great advice, because sometimes as graduate students, we have this urge to do something novel or do it a different way. And that should not be your motivation or your justification to do something. So even though this this kind of new way is developing and coming and becoming increasingly popular, that doesn't mean that it's right for your study. So how you know it's right for your study is going back to that notion of the golden thread. And this idea extends even beyond inductive and deductive coding, because those are kind of your your starting idea of how you're going to code. Beyond that, there are additional specific approaches that you will use for your initial or your first set of coding versus your second set of coding. As an aside here, you should absolutely do more than one round of coding. Again, this will increase the systematicity, the rigor, and kind of the credibility, so to speak, of your data analysis. and so there are many different specific coding approaches but some of the the most common ones we'll name here are starting with your open coding and so for this one this kind of approach it's very loose it's very tentative as indicated from its name it's open and so this is more suitable when you're starting out other common approaches are things like in vivo coding and so with in vivo coding, this is actually using the participants own words in your analysis, not putting your interpretation of what they said or suggesting what they meant, but actually letting the participants own words do the talking, so to speak. And so this is typically most suitable to things where you're really interested in the perspectives or points of view or experiences of your participants and then the last one we'll mention but there are still plenty more is structural coding and so we use structural coding specifically well not specifically but commonly in cases where you say have conducted an interview or focus group discussion and you want to use those questions that you posed in the interview or the focus group kind of as headings all of the codes that go under one specific column for instance should be related to one specific question that was asked in the data collection and so this is really best if you are kind of looking for specific answers or codes or themes in response to one of your interview questions so or focus group questions so again there are still plenty more out there but these are some of the more common coding approaches. Speaker 1: That's really helpful, Alexandra. And it can feel a little overwhelming that there are so many options to choose from. Don't worry, there are a ton of resources out there. Definitely take a look at any of your methodological textbooks from a qualitative perspective. You can take a look at methodology papers that have been published, YouTube tutorials, blog posts, you name it, it's out there. We even have some videos and some content about coding as well on the Grad Coach blog. Links to that will be down in the description below. But importantly, when you are considering these coding decisions, it is important to realize again what you are using them for. So look for that alignment, make sure it is on track, and then it will flow much smoother going forward as well. So our fourth common mistake is students downplay the importance of organization during both coding and analysis. How important is organization, Alexandra? It is so important. The reason why Speaker 2: this is so important is that oftentimes we kind of assume that qualitative research and qualitative data cannot be structured. Of course, it's not as black and white or objective as quantitative research. And so what you need to do as a qualitative research is to kind of apply a framework that yourself that will promote this kind of objectivity, systematicity. And part of this relies on organization. And organization is important not only for the coding, but also the analysis. So part of the difficulty, but the importance of organizing is that sometimes the codes that you end up with after you've transcribed and done your, let's say, initial round of coding, you can end up with very high numbers of codes. For instance, I've seen some where it's upwards of 1000 codes. And so this number is very overwhelming, very large. and some of the ways to tackle this large amount of codes is one to make sure that you're organizing all of your codes in a spreadsheet of sorts whether it's excel or google sheets having them all in one place will then further facilitate you doing additional rounds of coding which we recommended previously and in doing so having these additional rounds of coding on your codes that are organized in one place, it will help you kind of whittle down these codes to the point where you have the codes that you need. There's none that are kind of superfluous or repeated, but it's very important to keep these organized in one place and to go through multiple rounds of coding. And this will make your life a whole lot easier and make sure that you have only the Speaker 1: codes that you need and can justify. I think that's super helpful. It's also worth emphasizing that coding and organization it's a back and forth you're going to be moving from one to the next and back again and that's a good thing to do it enriches your analysis but it also allows your organization to inform your coding and your coding to inform your organizational structure and through that iterative process you're really going to develop the analysis so don't think I've coded it once, I'm done and dusted. Sorry to say it's a multiple approach. In terms of organization helping analysis, Alexandra, why is it also important to keep a track in that Google document Speaker 2: or sheet of all your codes? Yeah, so this goes back to that notion we've repeated several times of the golden thread. So if you think of dominoes, for instance, you need to have your dominoes set up in such a way that if you knock one down, the rest go down. We can think of that, our qualitative research in such a way. And so if in the coding stage, everything has aligned with that golden thread and we move on to the analysis, the analysis will be further aligned with the coding, the transcription, the data collection, going back to the research questions, aims and objectives. And so having our codes organized in a sheet will then allow us to start to analyze our codes in a way that we can see themes and patterns emerging that are aligned with the codes, which will then add this rigor and systematicity of your study by having analysis that you know is based on very organized, solid foundations of your coding and your transcription. And so through this analysis, if we have our analysis organized, we can keep track of our patterns, our themes, and then going beyond that, actually, when we get to the point where we're writing our findings chapter, we have this set organization that will then kind of allow us to know how we're going to present these results because everything has been organized and justified up to that point. Speaker 1: I think that's really helpful. It's also worth noting that having your codebook organized can be really helpful in sort of preventing you from getting stuck with your analysis or feeling like you're unsure of how to code because, you know, things are feeling uncertain. If you have an Excel sheet that you've developed before you start your coding process, you have it organized by the different rounds and you start bringing it from a large number of codes to the specific codes you are going to be using, that organization really helps make that process move forward. And it can be kind of cathartic to really work through that process, get it from a hundred transcripts of 30 minutes each down to some key findings. So our fifth and final mistake that we're covering today is not considering your researcher influence on your analysis. Alexandra, how do we affect our analysis and why is this something that we need to even think about? Speaker 2: Yeah, so this kind of just goes back to the innate nature of qualitative research. It relies a lot on interpretation. It is subjective. It's not inherently black and white, such as quantitative research. And so the ways that this is kind of mitigated is through things like positionality and reflexivity. So these two concepts are becoming much more prominent and required in qualitative dissertations and theses. And so what these essentially mean is that you have your positionality, which are the underlying kind of beliefs, judgments, opinions, perceptions, all of those things that kind of make you you, the human elements. And so the way that you think about things might be different than the way someone else thinks about them. And so why we need to state our positionality in qualitative research is that it can impact our interpretation of the data, which then impacts the findings. And so, for example, in an example study where someone is exploring the perceptions of the tech industry of men versus women, a researcher who kind of identifies as a feminist versus one who identifies as more conservative or traditional, they might have underlying beliefs or assumptions about gender when it comes to the workplace or just in general. and so acknowledging that that you have these kind of underlying preferences or perspectives what have you it's important to acknowledge that because like i said it can have consequences for your analysis and your findings taking this a step further typically now we also have to to talk about our reflexivity in qualitative research and so essentially what this refers to is how our positionality affects our kind of interpretation so whereas positionality has to do more with the underlying assumptions reflexivity is taking those underlying assumptions and acknowledging how they might actually impact our interpretation and our findings and so the reason oftentimes why these are required now in qualitative studies is that this idea of you know validity and reliability we don't really use those in qualitative research we use more of these ideas of trustworthiness and that connects to our positionality and our reflexivity this reflexivity how it can impact you know it can impact the coding of your data the themes that you pull from the coding how you interpret it how you present it so in my example of the researcher who has more feminist underlying beliefs versus more traditional conservatives even if they're exploring the same phenomenon they can have vastly different interpretations and so acknowledging your positionality and indicating with your reflexivity how it might impact those steps of the research analysis can lend more credibility and more kind of trustworthiness to your your Speaker 1: findings and ultimately your study. So that's really helpful to think about these aspects because we do need to consider how our positionality and our reflexivity might affect how we proceed with our analysis. There are potential opportunities for bias and if we're engaging in these behaviors we are able to a mitigate them during the analysis and in cases where you cannot mitigate it you can at least acknowledge it so other researchers can interpret that going forward but bias goes a little bit beyond just your positionality and reflexivity so Alexandra what other biases can come up because of research effect yes this idea of bias so going Speaker 2: further beyond positionality and reflexivity it can be very easy to have biased interpretations and there are a few ways this can manifest so for instance spending too much time presenting the the findings from one particular participant in your study and neglecting those of the others and so one reason why this might happen is either you as the researcher totally agree personally with their perspective or even totally disagree and you want to to present that in um in some for some sort of reason um so it's very important to kind of mitigate that bias by presenting a balanced approach of all participants on the other hand there's also things like spending a lot of time presenting on one particular theme that emerged from your qualitative analysis and you know, kind of avoiding or neglecting the other ones. So this can happen where you found a theme that emerged from your analysis that was particularly interesting to you, whether it was novel, whether it confirmed what you thought, or even aligned with your personal beliefs. It's very important to make sure that you are giving enough attention to all the different themes that have emerged. And a third common bias that we see is that sometimes it can be easy to make claims or assumptions such as this means that or people should do this. So for instance, in my example of the tech industry and gender norms, making claims in your writing such as women in the tech industry felt that, or the way that the women in the tech industry talked means that, or the tech industry should do that. So making those kinds of grand sweeping claims that your qualitative findings mean some sort of big, big thing. We really have to try to avoid that in qualitative writing, despite it being tempting, especially if it aligns with our personal perspective. So, those are some common biases we see. Speaker 1: I think that is super helpful to think through, particularly because biases are inherent to us. So, it is important to take that step back, to think about how you might interpret, interact with things, and then engage with that. One way to really go back to this is take a look at the data. We do not want to be making statements or assumptions that do not have support in the data. that is just gonna undermine your argument and your position as the researcher. So wherever possible, if you don't have data to support it, maybe consider not including it. If you do have data to support it, maybe just confirm with a second opinion, your supervisor or someone else, just to make sure that there's not bias coming in. But I think the most important part here is to think about the fact that we do have biases. And so as long as we're considering this, we're doing our due diligence as researchers. Speaker 2: Yeah, and so one of the ways that you can also make sure that you are kind of following what you said you were going to do from the get-go is not to step out of your codes and your themes that you've established. The reason why this might be tempting to do, again, is going back to that fact that maybe you found something super interesting to you and you want to present it. What I would caution you towards is making sure that any findings that you're presenting fit or align with what your objectives, aims, and research questions were. Another reason why this might happen is because the dissertation or the thesis is such a long process, sometimes we can kind of get away from our original intent of our study. And so presenting these things that are outside of our codes or our themes, we think we can get away with but in reality this kind of minimizes the the rigor of of your findings and so even though you might find something very interesting like you said David be really careful make sure that you're still kind of staying within your codes within your themes and following that golden thread that you've been establishing throughout yeah you've Speaker 1: probably heard it so much today but golden thread is key we want to make sure that we're maintaining alignment with our research. It is only going to improve the impact. So Alexandra, thank you so much for joining us today. It has been really great. There are some great insights here and thank you again for joining us on the CoachCasts. Always a pleasure, David. Thanks so much for Speaker 2: having me and letting me kind of chat about these qualitative foibles. Speaker 1: Alright, so that pretty much wraps up this episode of Grad Coach TV. Remember, if you are looking for more information about qualitative research analysis, be sure to check out our blog at gradcoach.com forward slash blog. There you can also get access to our free dissertation and thesis writing mini course that'll give you all the information you need to get started with your research journey. Also, if you're looking for a helping hand with your dissertation, thesis or research project, be sure to check out our one-on-one private coaching service where you can work with one of our friendly coaches, just like Alexandra. For more information and to book a free consultation, head over to gradcoach.com. 380 COMMENTS How To Write The Methodology Chapter (With Examples) 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 ... Dissertation Methodology In any research, the methodology chapter is one of the key components of your dissertation. It provides a detailed description of the methods you used to conduct your research and helps readers understand how you obtained your data and how you plan to analyze it. This section is crucial for replicating the study and validating its results. What Is a Research Methodology? What Is a Research Methodology? | Steps & Tips. Published on August 25, 2022 by Shona McCombes and Tegan George. Revised on November 20, 2023. 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 ... Research Methodology Example (PDF + Template) Research Methodology Example. Detailed Walkthrough + Free Methodology Chapter Template. If you're working on a dissertation or thesis and are looking for an example of a research methodology chapter, you've come to the right place. In this video, we walk you through a research methodology from a dissertation that earned full distinction ... How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis (+ Examples) Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal. Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter. Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review. Undertake your own research. Present and interpret your findings. Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications. How to Write Your Dissertation Methodology [With Examples] The key point is to show that your research was conducted meticulously. Try to keep your writing style concise and clear; this will ensure that it is easy for the reader to understand and digest. Here are five top tips to consider when writing your dissertation methodology: 1. Look at Other Methodology Sections. What Is a Research Methodology? 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. PDF A Complete Dissertation • Overview of methodology: This section out-lines the methodological type or approach, the research setting, the sample, instrumen-tation (if relevant), and methods of data collection and analysis used. • Rationale and significance: Rationale is the justification for the study presented as a logical argument. Significance addresses the PDF 3 Methodology 3 Methodology3. Methodology(In this unit I use the word Methodology as a general term to cover whatever you decide to include in the chapter where you discuss alternative methodological approaches, justify your chosen research method, and describe the process and participants i. your study).The Methodology chapter is perhaps the part of a ... Research Methodology Research Methodology Example. An Example of Research Methodology could be the following: ... The research methodology is an important section of any research paper or thesis, as it describes the methods and procedures that will be used to conduct the research. It should include details about the research design, data collection methods, data ... Research Methodology Guide: Writing Tips, Types, & Examples 1. Qualitative research methodology. Qualitative research methodology is aimed at understanding concepts, thoughts, or experiences. This approach is descriptive and is often utilized to gather in-depth insights into people's attitudes, behaviors, or cultures. Qualitative research methodology involves methods like interviews, focus groups, and ... Your Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Good Research Methodology Provide the rationality behind your chosen approach. Based on logic and reason, let your readers know why you have chosen said research methodologies. Additionally, you have to build strong arguments supporting why your chosen research method is the best way to achieve the desired outcome. 3. Explain your mechanism. Writing a Methodology for your Dissertation 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. CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. 3.1 Introduction. As it is indicated in the title, this chapter includes the research methodology of. the dissertation. In more details, in this part the author ... How To Write A Methodology Chapter For A Dissertation Or Thesis (4 Learn how to write a high-quality methodology chapter/section for your dissertation, thesis or research project. In this video, Emma unpacks and explains wha... LibGuides: Guide for Thesis Research: Research Methodology ISBN: 9788132105961. Publication Date: 2010. A Gentle Guide to Research Methods Gordon Rugg. Provides an overview of research methods, including research design, data collection methods, statistics, and academic writing. This book also includes a coverage of data collection methods - from interviews to indirect observation to card sorts. Chapter 3 The chapter will discuss in detail the various stages of developing the methodology of the current study. This includes a detailed discussion of the philosophical background of the research method chosen. In addition to this, the chapter describes the data collection strategy, including the selection of research instrumentation and sampling. Dissertation examples Dissertation examples. Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. What Is Research Methodology? Definition + Examples As we mentioned, research methodology refers to the collection of practical decisions regarding what data you'll collect, from who, how you'll collect it and how you'll analyse it. Research design, on the other hand, is more about the overall strategy you'll adopt in your study. For example, whether you'll use an experimental design ... Thesis Example of Thesis. Example of Thesis template for Students: Title of Thesis. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of [Name of University] ... Chapter 3: Research Methodology [The methodology chapter describes the research methods you used to collect and analyze your data. It should include a description of your research design, sample population ... Example Dissertation Methodologies If you are looking for dissertation methodology examples to help inspire your own then take a look at the below examples covering various subjects. For help with writing your dissertation methodology, ... Research Methodology On Customer Service Behaviour. The main purpose of this research is to explain how rewards and recognition impact the ... Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning Degree Information The methods a student selects should relate to their dissertation area. Below are several analytic/research methods in which students have been examined in recent years. Numerous analytic/research methods are appropriate, and students need not be restricted to choices on the list: Anthropological methods; Case study methods; Complex systems ... How to Write a Dedication Dissertation Example 1: DEDICATION. I dedicate this dissertation to my beloved family. I love you all too much. I especially thank and appreciate my parents, Martha and George Johansson, who supported me in this course and made me believe that I dream well and I can achieve well. Mastering Qualitative Analysis: A Deep Dive into the Six ... Of course, the narrative approach has its weaknesses just like all analysis methods. Sample sizes are generally quite small due to the time-consuming process of capturing narratives. ... to help you craft a winning dissertation, thesis, or research project. If that sounds interesting to you, book a free consultation with a friendly coach at www ... Presenting your thesis A thesis submitted for examination at the University of Birmingham must be solely the postgraduate researcher's own work (except where University Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work - see Regulation 7.4.1.A postgraduate researcher must not employ a 'ghost writer' to write parts or all of the thesis, whether in draft or as a final ... How to Write a Research Proposal To Sum Up. Writing a research proposal can be straightforward if you break it down into manageable steps: Pick a strong research proposal topic that interests you and has enough material to explore.; Craft an engaging introduction that clearly states your research question and objectives.; Do a thorough literature review to see how your work fits into the existing research landscape. Mastering Qualitative Coding: A Step-by-Step Guide for Research Speaker 1: In this video, we're going to dive into the topic of qualitative coding, which you'll need to understand if you plan to undertake qualitative analysis for any dissertation, thesis, or research project. We'll explain what exactly qualitative coding is, the different coding approaches and methods, and how to go about coding your data step by step. Honors Thesis The best thesis advisor is an experienced researcher, familiar with disciplinary standards for research and writing, with expertise in your area of interest. You might connect with a thesis advisor during Honors coursework, but Honors advisors can assist students who are having trouble identifying an advisor. How To Choose The Right Research Methodology 1. Understanding the options. Before we jump into the question of how to choose a research methodology, it's useful to take a step back to understand the three overarching types of research - qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods -based research. Each of these options takes a different methodological approach. 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid During Qualitative Research Analysis Join David and Alexandra on Grad Coach TV as they discuss the five most common mistakes students make during qualitative research analysis. Learn how to maintain alignment with your golden thread, the importance of transcription accuracy, and the necessity of choosing the right coding method. Perfect for anyone working on a dissertation, thesis, or research project. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis