Research Methodology

Research Methodology DUN DUN DUN (dramatic scary music, a single scream in the background.) This was my reaction to the idea of writing a research methodology chapter for my thesis. My thinking was: what is a research methodology chapter and why does it deserve an entire chapter in my thesis? This is one chapter I have since the beginning, wanted to avoid. Unfortunately, I've done everything else I could to avoid writing this chapter. Now, the time has come. I can no longer avoid writing about my research methods.

As it has turned out, the research methodology chapter might be one of the easiest chapters to write. Put most simply, methodology explains the methods you used in your research. Examples of methods might include: case studies, surveys, interviews, data analysis, etc. The two basic questions a research methodology chapter should answer are:

1. How was the data collected or generated?

2. How was it analyzed?

According to this weeks course content:

Research methodology describes the manner in which data is collected for a research project. There are two primary types of research, qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research utilizes techniques in order to gain a better understanding of human behavior by trying to understand the “why.” Quantitative research primarily focuses on the collection of measurable data (typically statistical data).

Another type of research used is a mixed-methodology, which combines both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

When stated so simply in this way, the methodology chapter seems to be a breeze. Is that really all a research methodology chapter does?

State how you you are collecting data and conducting your research and then explaining how you will analyze the findings. That seems simple enough... time to get started.

Stay tuned later in the week to see just how simple (or hard) this chapter actually was for me to write.

DUN DUN DUN (dramatic music) What will happen next?