A COMPLETE GUIDE WRITING METHODOLOGY FOR YOUR DISSERTATION
WHAT IS METHODOLOGY, AND HOW DO WE WRITE IT?
After your literature review, the methodology section should be completed immediately and flow naturally from there. Before you begin writing your methodology, your research question will be defined and a thorough review of the work of other scholars on the topic will be conducted. You will also have to review the methods by which other scholars reached their results. This covers their presumptions, hypothesis development, and techniques for collecting, organising, and presenting their data. These observations will be used to help you plan your research. Planning how you will collect data, choosing models, or deciding which philosophical views will help you do your job best are all examples. Your dissertation methodology is a detailed description of your approach to your dissertation and the reasons that you chose this approach.
HOW OUGHT MY METHODS APPEAR?
Your methodology should illustrate a clear connection between your research question, the scholarly literature on your topic that you read as part of your literature review, and how you will obtain your conclusions. Regardless of the topic, the following should always be included in the methods section:
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION(S)
Rationalizing your approach methodology means that it can be used to solve the research problem. When introducing your methodology, you should briefly summarise the key questions that you are trying to answer. However, this does not have to be a complete restatement. You might also want to change the way your problem is stated so that it fits better with your literature review or your method.
DESCRIBE YOUR TECHNIQUE OR DESIGN.
Despite being the foundation of your approach, this is not a methodology in and of itself. This section of your methodology describes how you collect and analyse data, as well as the way you tackle your research problem. It should be simple enough for another researcher to understand and use the material. Your reader should be able to understand the theory you offer and then apply it to other texts or problems. If you are describing it, your reader should be able to reproduce your scientific experiment in a laboratory. After reading the methodology section, you should be able to help your reader apply the new statistical model to their data.
YOUR DESIGN DECISION SHOULD BE INFORMED BY CONTEXT AND LOGIC.
It's not just about how you choose your methodology. It also explains how you picked it and why you believe it will yield the greatest outcomes. Your literature review will be part of your methodology. This will portray your decisions as well-informed and based on the solid study while also demonstrating ingenuity and inventiveness. It is important that your rationale for the method you choose is clearly related to your research problem. Your reader should know that your choice of methodology is an intelligent and targeted response to the questions that you are trying to answer.
YOUR DESIGN DECISION SHOULD BE BASED ON CONTEXT AND REASON
There are no perfect research methods. It is possible that your chosen one has some trade-offs. For example, you might have selected a smaller number of interviews to get the individual views of the interviewees about the problem. This is because you are more likely to gain valuable information from them than you would from a larger collection of data on responses to the same question. This suggests you forewent a quantitative technique that may have yielded significant information. Be open and honest about the limitations of your chosen strategy, but do not apologise for it. Then, be ready to explain why it is the best option for you.
Regardless of the discipline, the format of your methodology chapter will be the same, and details can vary depending on what subject you are studying. Let's take a look at the most common forms of dissertation and the materials needed for each methodological part.
THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF DISSERTATION METHODOLOGY
A scientific investigation
For a scientific study, the methodology section must emphasise rigour and reproducibility. The reader must see that your methods are robust and have no apparent flaws in their execution or design. Not only should you include details about your appliances, laboratory configuration, and method so that another analyst can replicate your technique, but you should also demonstrate that you have considered any different factors that could misrepresent your information (for example, false positive results in your layout) and that you do have a plan in place to address these issues when picking up, analysing, or making judgments.
In your technique, offer reasoning and specifics regarding the statistical models you will use to analyse your data. Any component of your approach may be used by a scholar to begin their own study. They might decide to use your method for an experiment but look at the results in a different way.
LEARN ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES
A social or behavioural sciences methodology must be able to replicate your study either in its entirety or in part, just like a scientific study. There are many additional questions that must be considered due to the complexity of working on human subjects. You must answer some fundamental questions regarding the sort of analysis you are conducting. Is it quantitative or qualitative? Or a blended method that employs quantitative information to offer context and backdrop (or vice versa). Are you planning to record conversations with your subjects? Or Will you do your own research using human subjects? Or will your research be based on pre-existing evidence or documentary evidence? Is the scope of your data and judgments broad? Is there evidence to suggest it can be applied in other circumstances, or is it extremely specific to the context or region where your study was conducted?
You must answer all of these questions and also show your reader that your research has considered ethical issues. This includes obtaining approval for your design from the appropriate ethics bodies. However, there may be aspects of your research that readers find problematic or contentious, such as inviting participants to experience grief or trauma or discussing culturally sensitive issues within a specific target group. These issues must be tackled head-on. Justify your techniques if necessary by emphasising the possible significance of your findings.
A DISSERTATION IN THE HUMANITIES OR THE ARTS
The importance of scientific rigour in the arts and humanities can be on par with that of the hard sciences. If you're writing a thesis in the humanities or arts, the approach you use to persuade your readers of the importance of your work will be different. A methodology part for a dissertation in the arts or humanities will resemble a literature review more than a methodology section for a dissertation in science or social science. Adapting X theories to a new setting or combining X insights with Y insights to develop a new theoretical model is commonplace even for the most innovative research in the arts and humanities fields. When writing a dissertation in the humanities or arts, it is common practise to skip over the methodology part and get right into the analysis. Your frameworks, as well as how they relate to your research question, must be explained here. If you don't include this, a critical reader may doubt your entire analysis.
It is critical that the methodology of your dissertation reflects a grasp of the historical context of the theoretical frameworks used, especially when there is the point of disagreement. Your methodology section should explain why you have chosen to use certain aspects of each school of thought, and give an explanation of why you used them in your work.
A DISSERTATION IN THE CREATIVE ARTS
A creative dissertation, which might be a shorter, more concentrated piece of writing or a portfolio of artworks, is common in many arts degrees. A big analytical essay or an introduction to your creative endeavour is required in virtually all cases. It is not easy to critically engage with your own work. This makes it crucial to follow a strict methodology. It is important to show that you can detach yourself from your creative work and see it objectively. You also need to demonstrate that your creative practise can be viewed as a methodology, which means that it can be used to create work that is grounded and researched and can be compared against specific goals.
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN MY METHODOLOGY?
Your dissertation must not be separated from the rest of your work. There would be some overlap between your technique and research review sections. During editing, you may find yourself changing content across parts. You should not include the following in your dissertation method, even though they may seem natural:
A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF METHODOLOGY
As you write your dissertation, it's possible that you will refer to precedents and the work of practitioners or theorists. This is not the right place to review all of your methods. That work should be included in your review of related literature. You must return to that page for background on why you are utilising (or not utilising) a specific strategy.
EXTENSIVE PROCEDURAL DETAIL OR LONG, DETAILED EQUIPMENT LISTS/THOROUGH EQUIPMENT LISTS OR SUPERFLUOUS PROCEDURE DESCRIPTIONS
The methodology section should be useful for readers to replicate your analysis. It should, however, be a section of your research that is accessible and holds the user's attention. You can communicate all the information that a scholar will need to reproduce your work in the body of your dissertation if you feel it is possible. If your technique section appears to be a checklist, consider transferring some of the more specific content to an attachment.
RAW DATA
Even if you are demonstrating how to use a questionnaire, the methods section is not the place to replicate data. You can also place this information in an appendix so that you can refer to it.
DECIDING ON YOUR METHODOLOGY
The approach you want to utilise when writing your dissertation may already be a part of your pre-planning stage. These ideas will be refined by your supervisor, as well as the knowledge gained from reading about other researchers' approaches to your topic area. If you're working on a graduate dissertation, you're probably already familiar with the ideas and schools of thought in your profession. This will allow you to identify the schools and those that you identify most strongly with. This may be your first attempt at an undergraduate thesis. It could also be the first time you've been expected to engage with such a broad range of books.
No matter your level of education, your dissertation method will evolve as you examine the literature and improve your preliminary research queries. The literature review and the methodology will be developed together. The literature review will guide you in your decision-making process. However, by the time you finish your review of the literature, you will know what your method will be. This means that your methodology can be framed so that it is a natural, organic, and natural progression of your field survey. Choosing a methodology is not a matter of selecting schools or styles of investigation you find most appealing. Your approach to the problem is likely to be influenced by considerations of utility. To study quantum field theory effectively, you must have access to an experimental particle collider in order to conduct real-world experiments.
WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DISTINGUISH A GREAT METHODOLOGY?
The answer to this question depends on whether you're writing a postgraduate or undergraduate thesis. An undergraduate thesis is, for most students, their first chance to learn about scholarship and to plan and carry out a comprehensive research study. You must be able to engage in a wide range of research and synthesise different approaches to a problem. Then, at the proper level of scholarship, you must construct a research project that addresses your research questions. A successful undergraduate dissertation will require you to be able to synthesise the knowledge you have gained from other scholars and create a method that can be used to answer your research questions. While the best bachelor's dissertations will demonstrate uniqueness and the desire to participate in their area, the major goal of the dissertation will be to demonstrate that you should have the basic research abilities required to perform background research in your field.
“To write an effective bachelor dissertation, you must be able to synthesise how much you've learned from experts in your field and transform it into a technique that addresses your research problems”.
A postgraduate thesis, on the other hand, can be expected to make significant contributions to original research of the highest calibre in the discipline. Postgraduate dissertations that are of high quality will be published in leading journals or scholarly monographs. Your academic reputation will improve as you begin your early career research career. The number of citations your dissertation receives from other academics is an important factor in determining your future academic standing. It is important to remember that the dissertation's significance to other researchers will not be based on its conclusions or findings. Your research's worth to the field will be determined by the number of scholars who read and respond to it. While some scholars might cite your conclusions in their work, others will likely cite them as an example. However, it is possible to generate a greater number of citations (regardless of what discipline) by creating a framework that other scholars can draw from for their own work. Your work will be valued by other scholars if it is original and grounded in research. Your work may be influenced by your own. They may question your findings using a different set of data based on your methods. Alternatively, they may take your method and apply it to a different situation.
These are the best postgraduate theses. They are convincing at all levels. The dissertation and its possible impact on the field hinge on the technique. You should consider not only how it answers your question but how transferable it could be—whether other scholars can use it to answer similar questions or if it can be modified without compromising your own use. Make sure to emphasise the importance of any research methodology you have built when presenting your dissertation, especially if it can be used in other contexts. If you think your research is only valuable in its final conclusions, then it's a mistake to suggest that. The approach takes in reaching those conclusions with your data and source material could be of equal or greater value.
PRESENTING YOUR METHODOLOGY
As we have discussed, your dissertation methodology is the engine driving your dissertation. It must be strong, theoretically sound, and adaptable enough to be employed in diverse circumstances to address various research problems in your discipline. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that dissertations, even those with the most scientific content, are primarily compelling works of writing. Their main goal is to persuade the reader of the quality and validity of your research as well as the merits of your conclusions. Rhetoric is a crucial component of this persuasive function. It helps convince your audience about the merits and value of your work. In mainstream discourse, rhetoric has been given a bad rap. Phrases such as "pure rhetoric" and "empty rhetoric", which are used to denote superficiality and/or dishonesty, have been described as "empty rhetoric". This is certainly not a good thing! But rhetoric is an essential component of academic writing. It is especially vital when attempting to persuade your readers of the soundness of a particular option, such as your technique. As we have discussed, your dissertation methodology is the engine driving your dissertation. In order to answer different research issues in your subject, it must be grounded, theoretically sound, and adaptable enough to be employed in multiple situations. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that dissertations, even those with the most scientific content, are essentially pieces of persuasive writing. Their major goal is to persuade the reader of the accuracy and validity of your study, as well as the importance of your conclusions. Rhetoric is a crucial component of this persuasive function. It helps convince your audience about the merits and value of your work. In mainstream discourse, rhetoric has been given a bad rap. Phrases such as "pure rhetoric" and "empty rhetoric", which are used to denote superficiality and/or dishonesty, have not been interpreted in a positive light. But it is an essential component of academic writing. It's especially helpful when trying to persuade your readers of the soundness of a particular option, including your technique.
Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Cathy Birkenstein explore metacommentary in their important book "They say/I say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. This is a technique for commenting on statements and instructing others on how not to think about them. This form of criticism can assist you in controlling the conversation regarding your work and avoiding potential objections. A well-written rhetorical explanation of your methodology can be more than just "decoration." It is an essential component of the overall structure and rigour of your work and can mean the difference between a 2:2 and a 1:3. These are just a few examples of how metacommentary might be used to impact your audience's attitude to a given strategy.
THE ROADS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TAKEN
It is extremely likely that the strategy you have chosen to solve your research question is only one of several alternative approaches. You will almost certainly engage with and read about many different approaches that you did not select to use in your literature evaluations. Although your methodology chapter should not go into great detail about each of these strategies (this must be done by your review of the literature), you must inform the readers that you considered all conceivable approaches before finalising your conclusion. If you decided on your approach early in the research process, it should be presented rhetorically as the result of careful consideration of all conflicting aspects before making your final decision.
A LITTLE BIT OF REASSURANCE GOES FAR
The Metacommentary can be used to rectify any flaws in the method section or to find the right balance between innovation and academic relatability if your approach appears to be leaning too much one way or the other. You can acknowledge that your methodology is taking a bold step, but also make sure to highlight its connection to prior projects on the topic. For example, you might refer to your review of literature often and say things like, "This approach may seem to be a departure from established methods in this field, but it combines data-gathering techniques from X with the statistical analysis models of Y, as well as the following innovations." If your technique is mostly original or a composite of what has come before, you might take advantage of this chance to explain why your synthesis is distinct. For example, "This project’s key innovation is not in its approach to human subjects nor in the statistical models it uses, but in the combination of theory X with approach Y to problemZ."
SIGNPOSTING
It is important to identify the purpose of each argument in your dissertation. This is especially true for the methodology section. The methodology section of your dissertation can be strengthened by drawing attention to your literature reviews. You can also remind your readers of the conclusions you have drawn. If you are feeling very comfortable, you might softly hint to the viewers that you agree with them, utilising terms like: "As we've seen, method X can be extremely useful in approaching questions related to Y but less so for problem Z." This approach is not recommended. Claiming that you have proved something is not true is not going to win your readers over. But if your argument is already strong, you can use the following techniques to show how well your work fits together structurally.
DEFINE YOUR TERMS
If you ever fail to specify your specific achievement or failure criteria, your readers will be able to deduce from your argument which terms you were attempting to succeed on and then judge your work accordingly. However, your readers will be able to evaluate your work based on your set of success criteria. Your dissertation methodology is an important space to define these criteria. However, the methodology may be adaptable to analogous events in contexts Z and Y. You could also avoid unwanted assumptions by anticipating your readers' requirements. By adopting the methodology, I am not suggesting the statistical analysis of responses is a reliable predictor for X. However, I do believe that the strong correlation of Y and Z are valuable insights in themselves.
IN SUMMARY
Our technique is an important part of your research. It demonstrates your ability to replicate knowledge in your field as well as plan research that draws on precedents and conventions from your subject to solve your research problem(s).
Your results and conclusions may not be the only things that scholars in your subject will find your work useful. They could also choose to modify or apply your technique in a different context, which may be something you did not think of. So, your dissertation's method should be useful on its own and be able to be repeated. It should also be rigorous.
The methodology section is where you can justify and defend your method to answer your research issues. It also allows you to set your criteria for project success. To ensure that your dissertation methodology is presented in the best light, you should be careful with its rhetoric. Students often think about adding a final scholarly revision to the methodology part to make sure it has all the steps needed to turn in great writing.
BENEFIT FROM SOME ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR DISSERTATION METHOD
There is no need to worry about where you've ended up. Our experts that can help you every step of the way in your subject of study. They can tutor you to write your complete dissertation—you determine how much or how little help you need. If you need assistance with your dissertation method, there are many resources available to you. The method section of a dissertation is crucial, as it outlines the steps you took to conduct your research. It also provides a framework for others who may want to replicate your study. Many universities offer writing centers or workshops where you can receive guidance on crafting a strong method section. Additionally, there are online resources such as writing guides or instructional videos that can help you understand the process better. It is also essential to seek feedback from your dissertation committee or advisor, as they can offer specific suggestions for improvement. Remember that the method section is an essential component of your dissertation and receiving guidance can help you produce a high-quality paper.
