Methodology

That you...

• have determined whether you need a methodology section in your assignment in the first place
• know what you intend to use the methodology section for
• keep in mind that your reader is probably already familiar with the methods
• make it clear why your choice of methodology is relevant 

Methodology answers how you can properly investigate an academic question.

The academic community and methodology

Academic assignments are investigative, and the goal is to find answers that are acceptable to the academic community. This means it’s also important to do it the right way. There may not be one right way, but you show great academic skill by arguing in favour of your choice of method.

Methodology can be crucial to understanding

When experts disagree on how scientific results should be understood, it’s often because they disagree on the validity of the methodology used.

The method is the routine work

For example, if you work qualitatively, this is where you would write:

• How many informants do you have?
• Which informants?• How did you find them?
• When did you interview them?
• How did you choose your survey design?

No, you do not necessarily need to include a methodology section. However, you must always include your methodological considerations. Whether or not there should be a dedicated methodology section depends entirely on the academic tradition and the assignment.

Some subjects work with very clear methods, e.g. for data collection, while others are less clear. It can also sometimes be hard to tell the difference between an academic theory and an academic method.

When in doubt, consult your supervisor.

If you want/are required to include a methodology section, it’s important that you know/figure out what you want to achieve by doing so.

Why have you chosen this particular method?

On the one hand, you should describe your methods, but it’s more interesting for your reader to hear you argue why this particular method is relevant to your assignment.

It might also be a good idea somewhere in the methodology section to reflect on what would happen if you used a different method.

You could say that the method is a concretisation of the theory of science.

If you’re going to collect data through qualitative interviews, you’ll also use an underlying set of epistemological considerations.

Maybe. It depends on your assignment and the academic tradition you’re writing in.

Make sure to have a good chat with your supervisor about this.

Maybe. Some supervisors like to have a section that outlines what is currently known about the field. In some places it’s called a research overview, in others a literature review.

Either way, it’s important that you’re clear on what you want it to look like and what its purpose is before you get started.

Maybe, maybe not. This is a decision you make together with your supervisor.

Show your academic skill

However, it can be said that you show a lot of academic skill by conducting systematic and precise searches in scientific databases, and it makes a lot of sense to demonstrate this academic skill in the assignment text or perhaps in an appendix.

Ensure the following in relation to the methodology:

• Are you sure you need a methodology section?
• Have you struck the right balance between the description of your methodology and the arguments in favour of it?
• Have you considered including a section in which you reflect on your methodology?