Research methodology is one of the most crucial chapters of a thesis paper. Your research methodology contains the research method, design, data collection tools, and purpose of your study. This chapter contains a lot of weight considering it makes the thesis complete.
The chapter itself contains around 30 percent content of the thesis paper. Our main objective for this chapter should be to make create a smooth layout for the reader to understand the thesis topic. How can one make the most of a research methodology chapter? And how can they create a strong methodology for the thesis paper to be remembered?
The answer to these questions is by being organized and following five essential steps that will guarantee a strong methodology. Below is a step-by-step guide that will help build a solid research methodology chapter.
The research topic
Your research or study topic should be explained deeply in this chapter. Apart from the abstract of your thesis paper, your research methodology will be the chapter that introduces your research topic. Therefore, you have to explain your study in the most simple language so your reader can understand it without any trouble.
The research topic should no be composed vaguely. You should be very clear about what you need to say. There shouldn’t be any stone left unturned.
For example: “The effects of global warming on the taste of food and vanishing water resources”
The objective of your study
As the title entails you need to disclose to the readers what your objectives and aims are with this research study. What are you planning to achieve with this study and how do you plan to move forward from it.
Let’s put it into simple terms. The research methodology starts with; what your topic is? Why did you choose this study? And how will you conduct the research? These three main questions should be answered in this chapter.
While you explain your objective for this study, you also create the hypothesis or the research question. It depends on the type of research you are conducting. Your research approach is also considered for
Conduct literature review
The literature review is an important element of this chapter, even though the literature review is a chapter itself in a thesis paper but the literature review is the longest stage of the research process. It plays a vital role in the research.
For research methodology, we need to find the research gap through conducting a literature review. The main purpose of conducting a literature review is to get secondary data material such as previous research thesis, newspapers, journals and websites, etc.
Significance of the study
Every research has its importance and purpose. The research methodology chapter should also show the readers the importance of your study, why did you choose this study. What benefits it will provide to the general population and what benefits it will contribute to further studies.
The reader needs to be informed why you are conducting the research. Is there even any significance to your study? Will it bring any change to society? You need to use persuasive words to convince the person reading your thesis paper that, the study holds
Data collection tools/method
No matter what kind of research you do, and what methodology approach you use. You have to mention it in the research methodology chapter. The research methodology chapter contains the ways you conducted your research.
If you used the qualitative research method then you need to mention the data tools you utilized as well; Oral history, ethnography observation, one on one interviews, and past papers.
And if you have chosen the quantitative research method to get information then you have to mention the tools used for the said study; Surveys, questionnaires, and experiments.
Summing up
These are the essential elements of a research methodology and if it is not constructed properly it affects your thesis paper negatively. So make sure to have a solid grip on the type of research methodology your study requires. The methods and tools you will use and what results you want to achieve. If you find it difficult to conduct and write research then you can always look for the best PhD thesis services by The Research Guardian and become stress-free.
“Since research methodology is a chapter that holds the thesis paper done, you need to write it before any other chapter to make sure you have ducks lined in order.”
