In writing about your research when you have completed the project you need an explanation of your methodology so that others can understand the significance of what you have done and make sense of how it all worked. The methodology piece says why you did what you did. It also enables you to write about what you did not do and why, and about the weaknesses or limitations of your project as well as its strengths.
Every research has a limitation of some sort and it is perfectly acceptable to identify the weaknesses of your own study. Part 1, Chapter 3. S-Cool Revision. United Kingdom. Methods and the Methodology. Do not confuse the terms "methods" and "methodology. Descriptions of methods usually include defining and stating why you have chosen specific techniques to investigate a research problem, followed by an outline of the procedures you used to systematically select, gather, and process the data [remember to always save the interpretation of data for the discussion section of your paper].
The methodology refers to a discussion of the underlying reasoning why particular methods were used. This discussion includes describing the theoretical concepts that inform the choice of methods to be applied, placing the choice of methods within the more general nature of academic work, and reviewing its relevance to examining the research problem.
The methodology section also includes a thorough review of the methods other scholars have used to study the topic. Bryman, Alan. Chinese Department, University of Leiden, Netherlands. The Methodology. Search this Guide Search. Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper Offers detailed guidance on how to develop, organize, and write a college-level research paper in the social and behavioral sciences. The Abstract Executive Summary 4.
The Introduction The C. The Discussion Limitations of the Study 9. The Conclusion Appendices Importance of a Good Methodology Section You must explain how you obtained and analyzed your results for the following reasons: Readers need to know how the data was obtained because the method you chose affects the results and, by extension, how you interpreted their significance in the discussion section of your paper.
Methodology is crucial for any branch of scholarship because an unreliable method produces unreliable results and, as a consequence, undermines the value of your analysis of the findings. In most cases, there are a variety of different methods you can choose to investigate a research problem.
The methodology section of your paper should clearly articulate the reasons why you have chosen a particular procedure or technique. The reader wants to know that the data was collected or generated in a way that is consistent with accepted practice in the field of study. For example, if you are using a multiple choice questionnaire, readers need to know that it offered your respondents a reasonable range of answers to choose from. The method must be appropriate to fulfilling the overall aims of the study.
For example, you need to ensure that you have a large enough sample size to be able to generalize and make recommendations based upon the findings. The methodology should discuss the problems that were anticipated and the steps you took to prevent them from occurring.
For any problems that do arise, you must describe the ways in which they were minimized or why these problems do not impact in any meaningful way your interpretation of the findings. In the social and behavioral sciences, it is important to always provide sufficient information to allow other researchers to adopt or replicate your methodology.
This information is particularly important when a new method has been developed or an innovative use of an existing method is utilized. Structure and Writing Style I. Groups of Research Methods There are two main groups of research methods in the social sciences: The e mpirical-analytical group approaches the study of social sciences in a similar manner that researchers study the natural sciences.
This type of research focuses on objective knowledge, research questions that can be answered yes or no, and operational definitions of variables to be measured. The empirical-analytical group employs deductive reasoning that uses existing theory as a foundation for formulating hypotheses that need to be tested. This approach is focused on explanation. Build your knowledge with top universities and organisations.
Learn more about how FutureLearn is transforming access to education. Learn more about this course. Why methodologies are important? Watch Emma Thompson explain how the correct research methodology can help. View transcript. EMMA: Research is a vast and often cyclical process with no clear path from a to b.
But as with any kind of exploration, it is always worth following a path of some kind, the one that you think is most appropriate and you know that you can stick to. A methodology will give you that path. And choosing a wholly suitable and sound method that is right for your research project will give you the path to help you succeed.
A methodology will give you the guidelines to make your project manageable, smooth and effective. The most important thing is not to be led by your preconceptions. You might already have an idea of a method that you would like to use, say a survey or a questionnaire. The next step will give you some ideas of the different range of methodologies that you could possibly use.
That way, you can make an informed judgement about which method is best for you to use. Share this post. Developing your research proposa Somethings that I have been struggling with became clearer to me such as Visit the course. Even if the fellowship is not available at the finishing stage of Ph. What is good research?
Which universities and research institutions in your country do the best research? To distinguish one from another we can use various quantities. Like wise, to identify the best from among the available, one can use various quantities to measure the quality of them. Therefore, actual investigation must be directed towards obtaining novel results. A researcher should develop new ideas and obtain deep insight into the problem in order to get novel and new results which are the characteristics of a good research.
Trivial analysis should not be performed. Before applying any method, the researcher should familiarize with the features of the method.
If similar problems have already been done, for instance about ten years ago, then a researcher should not consider it as important but could treat it as a useful exercise. The work of some other researchers might have formed the basis of our research.
Similarly, our research outcomes should help other researchers. That is, the work should be such that it should invite others to read and more importantly use it and cite it in their research work.
Our work should lead to recognition and respect. It should fetch joy and benefits others and as well as us. As pointed out by Professor M. Lakshmanan, generally, each and every work of us may not produce novelty, but if we work towards novelty then definitely in the course of research there would come a fascinating and exciting breakthrough.
Actual work finally leads to results and conclusions of the research undertaken. The work should be free from mistakes. Important analysis must be repeated in order to make sure that they are free from human mistakes.
When analysing the data, appropriate statistical tools have to be employed. The number of data used, units of the data, error bars and other necessary details must be noted in the graphs.
Appropriate curve fitting can be done. In the case of development or modification of a theory and proposal of a new method the assumptions made, basic idea, and calculations should be clearly stated and analyzed. Various special cases of the theory or method must be identified. Merits and demerits have to be identified. Comparison of the proposed method with the already existing and widely used similar methods should be performed. The interpretation of the kind of data observed and explanation for the particular pattern must be made.
One has to check whether the generalizations are universal and true under different conditions. There are two indispensable rules of modern research. In the beginning any experimental research on a specific subject, imagination should give wings to the thought.
Proper interpretations of the results must be made. Conclusion is based on the study performed. It would bring out relations and processes that underlie the findings. The utility of the outcome of the research greatly lie on proper interpretations and is the hardest part of solving a scientific problem.
The basic rule in preparing results and conclusion is to give all the evidences relevant to the research problem and its solution. A bare statement of the findings are not enough. Their implications must be pointed out. Discuss your answers to the following questions with experts:. Such directions can help us minimize work and the quantity of presentation of the report. Do not rely on a bogus evidence which would increase the chances of errors.
The investigator has to give suggestions. These should be practical and based on logic, reasoning and fact. The suggestions should be such that they can be actually implemented. The researcher should not be in hurry while preparing the results and conclusion. After preparing them the researcher may ask the following questions:. Baseless statements should never be made. Researchers in certain research institutions not only discuss their own work but also have discussions on very recently reported work of other scientists.
An oral report provides a bridge between the researcher and audience and offers greater scope to the researcher for explaining the actual work performed, its outcome and significance. Oral reporting at a conference or a seminar requires more elaborate preparation than the written report. He is very anxious about it, and any feature in the new idea which differs from the old established ideas is a source of anxiety to him.
Before starting the preparation of an oral report, an outline can be drawn based on the time duration of the report and the quality of the audience. Departmental seminar is usually 45 minutes duration. For a minute, oral presentation one cannot find enough time to discuss complete details of the work. In this case less informative material must be dropped.
Methods and techniques used can be presented very briefly without going into technical details. Prepare a write-up of the oral presentation. It is a good and very helpful practice to write the talk before presenting it orally. Then evaluate the written material. Oral presentation can be made effective and attractive by using modern visual devises, power-points, slides and transparency sheets.
Important formulas, equations, tables, figures and photographs can be prepared using transparency sheets or slides. Researcher should not simply read the content in the sheets. An abstract or a short write-up of the presentation may be circulated to the participants of the meeting. Nowadays, the use of power-point of Microsoft Windows is common. One could use the audio aspects also to facilitate his presentation in a better way.
Scientific writing, a thesis or a paper, is intended to present clearly the purpose and outcome of a specific research investigation. It is the last but a major part of the research study. A report helps the researcher get feedback from other researchers and experts working in the same field. Without a report, a research study is incomplete and of no use.
Brilliant work and most striking findings are of little value if they are not effectively communicated to the scientific world. Some times delaying a publication of a result one would lose his claim. A research paper is a report published in a journal or magazine or conference proceedings, etc. Whereas a Ph. It should contain original contributions. It should also clearly point out the research competence of the researcher in his research field.
The work done for an M. His research results may be useful to another research problem. Several researchers doing same research work is a waste of time unless the solution of the problem is needed very urgently and is of great use. Repetition of a work should be avoided by the research community as much as possible. Unless a researcher reports his work to the world, the correctness, validity and originality of the work is under a question mark. To attract a reader, the reading matter of a report should be clear and interesting.
It should not be obscure and dull. The write-up should be logical, clear and concise. Based on their comments the structure of the report can be modified. Tables and charts can be typeset using computer and kept separately in order to avoid rewriting them. Further directions may be pointed out. Since a research paper is identified by its title it should be brief and not more than above words.
Therefore, few key words which are helpful to classify the paper can be included appropriately in the title. Abstract serves the purpose. By reading the abstract a reader would decide whether the content of the paper is useful to him.
Further, if the abstract has final results and main conclusion of the paper then a reader who has a general interest in the subject can know the outcome of the paper without reading the entire text by referring the abstract itself.
This is the most important and difficult part of the writing. Extreme care must be taken in writing this draft. Unclear points, jargons, weakness of the report have to be identified and revised.
Over-generalization of outcomes should be avoided. For example, Hermi- tian operators have real eigenvalues. Generalizing it as eigenvalues of operators are real or concluding that to have real eigenvalues, operators should be Hermitian are incorrect. Similarly, complex analytic functions satisfy Cauchy-Riemann conditions.
It doest not mean that functions satisfying Cauchy-Riemann conditions should be analytic. How do you avoid over-generalization? For some details see, for example, ref. Do these in each chapter. During the break time think over the revision made in the previous chapter or section. More importantly, grammar must be checked. Use simple words as far as possible. Indecisive words such as perhaps, somewhat, rather, etc.
After this only a researcher can submit the thesis. Similar sentences or sentences conveying same information must be eliminated. Check whether the words used clearly convey exactly the meaning intended. Proper references of related work should be included. This is the last stage. Make sure that the script clearly shows the originality of the author and importance of the outcome of the study performed. In all the three stages of report preparation one should follow a proper style of writing.
Use clear and unadorned English appropriate for the readers. One has to be aware of to whom the research report is intended. The report is not for the supervisor. It is better to avoid the use of personal pronoun. Venkataraman University Press, Hyderabad, Both active and passive voice should be used wherever necessary or appropriate.
However, when using them one should check whether the meaning is strictly correct. Care must be taken in using present and past tenses. Use past tense to describe the data collection and work done by others and you. For interpretation, assessments and discussions present tense is appropriate. Between various stages it is advisable to give gap of few days so that one can leisurely think of the manuscript and record how to revise it.
This will avoid unnecessary tension and half-hearted write up.
0コメント