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How to Write Your Dissertation Methodology
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If you are taking a taught or research-based masters course, or doing a PhD, then you will likely be asked to present a dissertation that includes research and data from a project of your own design. One of the key factors in writing a dissertation that successfully presents your research is the Dissertation Methodology.
But what is a dissertation methodology, and what are the steps to writing one? This article gives you the lowdown.
What is a dissertation methodology?
A dissertation methodology is the section of your dissertation that explains how you carried out your research, where your data came from, and what sort of data gathering techniques you used. The methodology stage of your dissertation directly follows your literature review and should organically flow from the work you have done to identify and review past research.
Generally, someone reading your methodology should have enough information to be able to create methods very similar to the ones you used to obtain your data, but you do not have to include any questionnaires, reviews, interviews, etc that you used to conduct your research here. This section is primarily for explaining why you chose to use those particular techniques to gather your data. Read more about postgraduate research projects.
The difference between methods and methodology
It's essential to define the difference between the two terms ‘method’ and ‘methodology’, as they are often used interchangeably.
The methods are the techniques and processes used to obtain data and carry out your research. These can include primary and secondary research methods, qualitative and quantitative methods, or a combination of all four.
The methodology explains the reasoning behind your chosen methods and provides the framework of how your research will be undertaken.
How to approach your dissertation methodology
The information included in the dissertation methodology is similar to the process of creating a science project: you need to present the subject that you aim to examine, and explain the way you chose to go about approaching your research. There are several different types of research, and research analysis, including primary and secondary research, and qualitative and quantitative analysis, and in your dissertation methodology, you will explain what types you have employed in assembling and analysing your data.
Research methods
You may also want to do some research into these research techniques – it sounds redundant, but it will help you identify what type of research you are doing, and what types will be best to achieve the most cohesive results from your project.
Quantitative
Quantitative research is widely used in scientific study and involves collecting and analysing numerical data. It is used to quantify results and find patterns and averages. It makes numerical predictions, tests relationships and generalises results from a sample population.
Qualitative
The qualitative research method provides context around the data used and a subjective interpretation of your findings. It relies on data obtained by the researcher such as interviews, questionnaires and focus groups.
Your dissertation methodology section will also be easier to write if you define your research methods since you will not have to guess whether a document written in one period, reprinted in another, and published in a third period, is a primary, secondary or tertiary source.
Mixed methods
Mixed method includes a combination of quantitative and qualitative research. It allows researchers to present multiple findings by comparing, integrating and interpreting both sets of data.
For example, a mixed methods language study investigating the use of the word ‘like’ in spoken conversation might use quantitative analysis to count how many times speakers use the word, and qualitative analysis to investigate why speakers use the word.
Primary and secondary research
There are two main types of data sources used in dissertation methodologies: primary and secondary data.
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Primary research involves original data-collection sourced by the researcher. For example, data from questionnaires that have been collected for the purpose of the dissertation.
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Secondary research uses existing research data as the basis of analysis. For example, data that has been collected through previously conducted studies.
Whether or not you have conducted your research using primary sources, you will still want to be sure that you include relevant references to existing studies on your topic. It is important to show that you have carefully researched what data already exists, and are seeking to build on the knowledge that has already been collected. As with all of your dissertation, be sure that you’ve fully supported your research with a strong academic basis. Use research that has already been conducted to illustrate that you know your subject well.
How to explain your methods
This aspect of the methodology section is important, not just for detailing how your research was conducted, but also how the methods you used served your purposes, and were more appropriate to your area of study than other methods. For example, if you create and use a series of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ survey questions, which you then processed into percentages per response, then the quantitative method of data analysis to determine the results of data gathered using a primary research method. You would then want to explain why this combination was more appropriate to your topic than say, a review of a book that included interviews with participants asking open-ended questions: a combination of secondary research and qualitative data analysis.
How to write your dissertation methodology
It's important to keep in mind that your dissertation methodology is about description: you need to include details that will help others understand exactly what you aimed to do, how you went about doing it, and why you chose to do it that way. Don’t get too bogged down in listing methods and sources, and forget to include why and how they were suitable for your particular research. Be sure you speak to your course advisor about what specific requirements there may be for your particular course. It is possible that you may need to include more or less information depending on your subject. The type of research you conducted will also determine how much detail you will need to include in the description of your methods. If you have created a series of primary research sources, such as interviews, surveys, and other first hand accounts taken by either yourself or another person active during the time period you are examining, then you will need to include more detail in specifically breaking down the steps you took to both create your sources and use them in conducting your research. If you are using secondary sources when writing your dissertation methodology, or books containing data collected by other researchers, then you won’t necessarily need to include quite as much detail in your description of your methods, although you may want to be more thorough in your description of your analysis.
Draft your methodology as you go
Because your dissertation methodology is basically an explanation of your research, you may want to consider writing it – or at least drafting it – as you gather your data. If you are on a PhD course, or a longer masters course, then you may be able to finish researching before you begin writing, but it doesn’t hurt to start working on it early, that way you can keep on top of what you need to do. Analysing your own methods of research may help you spot any errors in data collection, interpretation or sources.
How to structure your dissertation methodology: an example
There are several ways that you can structure your dissertation methodology, and the following headings are designed to further give you a better idea of what you may want to include, as well as how you might want to present your findings. By referring to this example you should be able to effectively structure your dissertation methodology.
Section 1 – Introduction:
Introduce your topic of study and your research aims. Explain what you aim to achieve from your methodology.
Section 2 – Research design:
In this section explain the philosophy behind your approach to gathering, analysing and using data. Explain the research methods you used and how you conducted your research.
Section 2 - Data collection:
This section details the methods used to collect the data, such as surveys, questionnaires, interviews and trials. Include detail on the timeframes involved in collecting your data, and discuss how you formed your participant sampling strategy.
Don’t forget to include sample size and any attempts to defeat bias.
Section 3 - Methodology limitations
Address any potential limitations you encountered during your research. This may include practical limitations that can affect the way you gather data.
Section 4 - Data analysis:
Finally, what does your data mean in the context of your research? Were your results conclusive or not? Remember to include what type of data you were working with (qualitative or quantitative? Primary or secondary sources?) and how any variables, spurious or otherwise, factor into your results.
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