Written by Bess Chan

The research methods chapter is where you discuss how you collected the data for your research. Sometimes, this chapter may be referred to as “methods” or “methodology”, but in fact, they are different. While “methods” refer to the tools and procedures used, such as interviews, surveys, and experiments, “methodology” refers to the reasoning behind those methods. At the postgraduate level, dissertations are generally expected to explain both the methods used and the methodological reasoning behind them.

Here are a few strategies to help you produce a convincing research methods chapter in your dissertation:

Ensure the data collection is replicable

Your research methods chapter should be written as clearly as possible so that your readers can understand, evaluate, and potentially reproduce aspects of the research process. This level of transparency is important for verifying findings, identifying errors, and building trust, so that readers know the findings or conclusions are based on reliable evidence rather than coincidence.

Therefore, you should describe in detail:

• Research type (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods)
• Design strategy (experimental, observational, case study, survey, etc.)
• Sources (primary or secondary data)
• Tools, software, or platforms used
• Data collection procedures
• Sampling strategy (if applicable)
• Data analysis techniques (e.g. SPSS, NVivo)

Relate your research methods to research questions or hypotheses

One of the main purposes of a dissertation is to show how the findings or results help to answer the research questions or support the hypotheses. Therefore, the way data is collected is closely related to what the findings or results will be.

When writing the research methods chapter, you need to show the connections between the methodology and the research aims, research questions, and possibly the hypotheses. One suggestion is that, for every major method or data collection tool you describe, you should include a sentence explaining exactly which research sub-question it is designed to answer. If a method or procedure does not clearly support your research aims, questions, or hypotheses, you should reconsider whether it is necessary.

Justify your research choices

This chapter is not purely descriptive; at the postgraduate level, your research methods chapter should also demonstrate critical reasoning by explaining why particular methodological choices were made. Therefore, instead of simply saying, “A survey was conducted to collect data,” you need to strengthen this by explaining why surveys were appropriate for the study, why alternative approaches were less suitable, and how the methods align with the research aims and questions.

Include ethical considerations

When you conduct your research, you need to the make sure the whole process is safe, legal, and ethical. For example, when designing a survey or conducting interviews, you should obtain participants’ informed consent and ensure that their data is handled confidentially and responsibly. Be sure to address these ethical considerations clearly to demonstrate that your research was conducted professionally and responsibly.

If you have any questions about ethics, please consult your dissertation supervisor for further guidance.

Acknowledge limitations honestly

We need to understand that every research study has its own constraints, so after describing the data collection process, be honest when discussing the limitations. These may include sample limitations, time constraints, access restrictions, potential biases, and methodological trade-offs. In addition to identifying these limitations, you should also show how you tried to minimise their impact on your results. This process will help to build, rather than weaken, academic credibility.

Write this chapter early

You’ll probably agree that it’s difficult to remember every detail of something that happened a long time ago. Over time, people naturally forget small procedural decisions or unintentionally reconstruct events from incomplete memories. Of course, you’ll want to avoid this, as your research methods chapter needs to be as accurate as possible. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended that you write this chapter early, while the details of your research process are still fresh.

However, you also need to bear in mind that if you write it early and make changes to your methods while conducting the research, you should keep a record of these changes or add a note to the section so that you don’t forget. Remember: your supervisor will be able to tell whether your research methods chapter has been “cleaned up”.

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If you’d like to learn more about the writing the research methods chapter, please access this interactive presentation on methodologies. Also, if you have any questions about this chapter, I encourage you to book 1-2-1 meetings with me, Bess Chan, your London-based EAP Tutor, via email or the booking form.