Research Methodologies: Research Methodology Basics

The purpose of a research methodology is to explain the reasoning behind your approach to your research--you'll need to support your collection methods, methods of analysis, and other key points of your work. Having a sound methodology in place can also help you in the following scenarios:

1. If another researcher at a later date wishes to try and replicate your research.
2. In the event you receive any criticism or questioning on the research you carried out at a later point, you will be able to refer back to it and succinctly explain the how and why of your approach.
3. It provides you with a plan to follow throughout your research. When you are drafting your methodology approach, you need to be sure that the method you are using is the right one for your goal. This will help you with both explaining and understanding your method.
4. It affords you the opportunity to document from the outset what you intend to achieve with your research, from start to finish.

How do you write out your standard approach to a research methodology? As a general plan, your methodology should include the following information:

1. Your research method. You need to state whether you plan to use quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, or mixed-method research method. This will often be determined by what you hope to achieve with your research.
2. Explain your reasoning. Why are you taking this methodological approach? Why is this particular methodology the best way to answer your research problem and achieve your objectives?
3. Explain your instruments. This will mainly be about your collection methods. There are varying instruments to use such as interviews, physical surveys, questionnaires, for example. Your methodology will need to detail your reasoning in choosing a particular instrument for your research.
4. What will you do with your results? How are you going to analyze the data once you have gathered it?
5. Advise your reader. If there is anything in your research methodology that your reader might be unfamiliar with, you should explain it in more detail. For example, you should give any background information to your methods that might be relevant or provide your reasoning if you are conducting your research in a non-standard way.
6. How will your sampling process go? What will your sampling procedure be and why? For example, if you will collect data through carrying out semi-structured or unstructured interviews, how will you choose your interviewees and how will you conduct the interviews themselves?
7. Any practical limitations? You should discuss any limitations you foresee being an issue when you’re carrying out your research.

What is a literature review?

A literature review is an assessment of sources on a chosen topic of research. The four main objectives of a literature review are:

• Studying the references of your research area
• Summarizing the main arguments
• Identifying current gaps, stances, and issues
• Finally, presenting all of the above in a text

How to Write a Literature Review 
This guide defines literature reviews and offers strategies for constructing them.