What is research methodology?

Research methodology is a way of explaining how a researcher intends

to carry out their research. It's a logical, systema c plan to resolve a
research problem. A methodology details a researcher's approach to
the research to ensure reliable, valid results that address their aims and
objec ves. It encompasses what data they're going to collect and where
from, as well as how it's being collected and analyzed. Why is a
research methodology important?
A research methodology gives research legi macy and provides
scien fically sound findings. It also provides a detailed plan that helps
to keep researchers on track, making the process smooth, effec ve and
manageable. A researcher's methodology allows the reader to
understand the approach and methods used to reach conclusions.
Having a sound research methodology in place provides the following
benefits:
 Other researchers who want to replicate the research have
enough informa on to do so.
 Researchers who receive cri cism can refer to the methodology
and explain their approach.
 It can help provide researchers with a specific plan to follow
throughout their research.
 The methodology design process helps researchers select the
correct methods for the objec ves.
 It allows researchers to document what they intend to achieve
with the research from the outset.
Types of research methodology
When designing a research methodology, a researcher has several
decisions to make. One of the most important is which data
methodology to use, qualita ve, quan ta ve or a combina on of the
two. No ma er the type of research, the data gathered will be as
numbers or descrip ons, and researchers can choose to focus on
collec ng words, numbers or both.
Here are the different methodologies and their applica ons:
Qualita ve
Qualita ve research involves collec ng and analyzing wri en or spoken
words and textual data. It may also focus on body language or visual
elements and help to create a detailed descrip on of a researcher's
observa ons. Researchers usually gather qualita ve data through
interviews, observa on and focus groups using a few carefully chosen
par cipants.
This research methodology is subjec ve and more me-consuming than
using quan ta ve data. Researchers o en use a qualita ve
methodology when the aims and objec ves of the research are
exploratory. For example, when they perform research to understand
human percep ons regarding an event, person or product.
Quan ta ve
Researchers usually use a quan ta ve methodology when the objec ve
of the research is to confirm something. It focuses on collec ng, tes ng
and measuring numerical data, usually from a large sample of
par cipants. They then analyze the data using sta s cal analysis and
comparisons. Popular methods used to gather quan ta ve data are:
 Surveys
 Ques onnaires
 Test
 Databases
 Organiza onal records
This research methodology is objec ve and is o en quicker as
researchers use so ware programs when analyzing the data. An
example of how researchers could use a quan ta ve methodology is to
measure the rela onship between two variables or test a set of
hypotheses.
Mixed-method
This contemporary research methodology combines quan ta ve and
qualita ve approaches to provide addi onal perspec ves, create a
richer picture and present mul ple findings. The quan ta ve
methodology provides defini ve facts and figures, while the qualita ve
provides a human aspect. This methodology can produce interes ng
results as it presents exact data while also being exploratory.
Types of sampling design in research methodology
When crea ng a sample design, a researcher decides from who or what
they'll collect data. They also choose the techniques and procedures
they'll use to select items or individuals for the sample. There are
several types of sample design that fall into two main categories:
Probability sampling
This sampling method uses a random sample from the pool of people or
items you're interested in, called the popula on, and is random or
chance sampling. Every person or item in the popula on has an equal
chance of being selected. Using this method is the best way to get a
truly representa ve sample, and researchers can generalize the study's
results to the en re popula on.
Nonprobability sampling
Nonprobability sampling is not random, as the researcher deliberately
selects people or items for the sample. Researchers also refer to this
method as deliberate sampling, judgment sampling or purposive
sampling. Every person or item in the popula on doesn't have an equal
chance of being selected, and the results are typically not generalizable
to the en re popula on.
Common data collec on methods
Once a researcher has finalized their popula on sample, they need to
decide how to collect data. There are several op ons for data collec on,
and the best research method to use will depend on the research topic,
methodology, type of data and the popula on sample.
Although there are many ways to collect data, people o en broadly
group them in these ways:
  Interviews: Researchers can carry out interviews in a structured,
semi-structured, or unstructured format, depending on how
formal the ques ons are.
 Surveys: Surveys can be online or in-person and have either free-
answer, essay-style ques ons, or closed, mul ple-choice style
ques ons. Depending on the data required, a survey could also
use a mixture.
 Focus groups: Focus groups have interviewees give their thoughts,
opinions, perspec ves and percep ons on specific topics. A
moderator usually leads the group to help guide the discussion
and ensure everyone has a chance to share their thoughts.
 Observa ons: Direct observa on involves observing the
spontaneous behavior of par cipants without interference from
the researcher, while par cipant observa on is more structured,
and the researcher interacts with the par cipants.
 Documents and records: Researchers collect data such as
published reports and official documents of interna onal bodies,
government agencies or private ins tutes and internal records
such as employees' payroll, raw material quan es and cash
receipts.
Common data analysis methods
Researchers use different data analysis methods depending on whether
the data is qualita ve or quan ta ve. For example:
Qualita ve data analysis
Qualita ve data is usually in spoken or wri en informa on, such as
interview transcripts, video and audio recordings, notes, images and
text documents. Qualita ve data analysis involves iden fying common
pa erns in par cipants' responses and cri cally analyzing them to
achieve research aims and objec ves.
The most commonly used qualita ve data analysis methods are:
 Content analysis: This is one of the most common methods used
to analyze documented informa on and is usually used to analyze
interviewees' responses.
 Narra ve analysis: Researchers use this method to analyze
content from several sources, including interviews, observa ons
and surveys. It focuses on using people's stories and experiences
to answer research ques ons.
 Discourse analysis: This method analyzes spoken or wri en
language in its social context and aims to understand how people
use language in day-to-day situa ons.
 Grounded theory: This method uses qualita ve data to discover
or construct a theory explaining why something happened. It uses
a compara ve analysis of data from similar cases in different
se ngs to derive explana ons.
Quan ta ve data analysis
Quan ta ve data analysis involves turning numbers into meaningful
data by applying ra onal and cri cal thinking. Most researchers use
analy cal so ware to assist with quan ta ve data analysis. The first
stage in analyzing quan ta ve data is valida ng, edi ng and coding the
data. Once completed, the data is ready for analysis.
The most commonly used quan ta ve data analysis methods are:
 Descrip ve analysis: This method uses descrip ve sta s cs like
mean, median, mode, percentage, frequency and range to find
pa erns.
 Inferen al analysis: This method shows the rela onships between
mul ple variables using correla on, regression and variance
analysis.
Factors to consider when choosing a research methodology
Here are some factors to consider when choosing a research
methodology:
 The research objec ve: Consider the research project objec ve.
When researchers know what informa on they require at the end
of the project to meet their objec ves, it helps them select the
correct methodology and research method.
 Significance of sta s cs: Another factor to consider is whether
you require concise, data-driven research results and sta s cal
answers. Or whether the research ques ons require an
understanding of reasons, percep ons, opinions and mo va ons.
 Nature of the research: If the aims and objec ves are exploratory,
the research will probably require qualita ve data collec on
 methods. However, if the aims and objec ves are to measure or
test something, the research will require quan ta ve data
collec on methods.
 Sample size: How big does the sample need to be to answer the
research ques ons and meet the objec ves? The sample size can
determine your data-gathering methods, such as whether to use
in-person interviews or smaller samples or online surveys for
larger ones.
 Time available: If there are me constraints, consider techniques
like random or convenience sampling and tools that allow for data
collec on in a few days. If there's more me available for data
collec on, in-person interviews and observa ons are possible.
Frequently asked ques ons
What's the difference between research methods and methodology?
Research methods are individual tools, techniques, or behaviors a
researcher uses to collect informa on. A research methodology is a
specific way of conduc ng research that may incorporate mul ple
research methods. It details the what, where and how of data collec on
and analysis.
What are the six basic research methods?
The six basic research methods, or tools for collec ng informa on, are:
 Social surveys
 Interviews
 Experiments
 Ethnography
 Longitudinal studies
  Par cipant observa on

How do you choose the right research methodology?

You can choose the right research methodology by determining the
type of data necessary for answering your research ques on. For
instance, you may require numerical data to generate concrete
measurements or test your hypothesis. If you want to explore more
abstract concepts, consider collec ng qualita ve data.
Researchers might also choose between primary and secondary data
when determining whether they want to collect data first-hand or
analyze vast amounts of exis ng informa on. Addi onally, note that
experimental methods are appropriate for establishing rela onships
between variables while descrip ve methods can help you be er
understand the characteris cs of whatever you're studying.
What are the main components of a research methodology?
What are the main components of a research methodology?
The main components of a research methodology are:
 Design
 Sampling
 Collec on procedures
 Tools
 Analysis
 Ethical considera ons