Research methods are the various procedures, schemes, steps and algorithms used in research. All the methods used by a researcher during a research study are termed as research methods. They are essentially planned, scientific and value-neutral. They include observations, theoretical procedures, experimental studies, numerical schemes, statistical approaches, etc. Research methods help us collect samples, data and find a solution to a problem. Particularly, business and scientific research methods call for explanations based on collected facts, measurements and observations and not on reasoning alone. They accept only those explanations which can be verified by experiments.
Research methodology is a systematic way to solve a problem. It is a science of studying how research is to be carried out. Essentially, the procedures by which researchers go about their work of describing, explaining and predicting phenomena are called research methodology. It is also defined as the study of methods by which knowledge is gained. Its aim is to give the work plan of research.
Do you know that there is a difference between research methods and research methodology? Researchers use them interchangeably but they are actually different. kindly share your idea?
I like everything that's been said in this thread. Let me attempt a simple analogy: building a house. Research methods are the tools in the carpenter's toolbox. Research methodology is the construction plans.
Asim - this is already common knowledge. Research methodology is the theoretical/philosophical positioning of a study. Research method/design is the 'doing' part of a study i.e. sampling, setting, ethics, data collection and data analysis. Yes - some do get confused and use the terms interchangeable - thinking them the same thing. Some know the differences - but still use the terms interchangeably. Thankfully, many more use the terms correctly - especially as headings for manuscripts/theses etc. It shouldn't be 'methods versus methodology' as in your title. You can't have one without the other.
Asim - Method is a research tool and methodology is the justification for using a particular research method. Research method implies the methods employed by the researcher to conduct research and research methodology signifies way to efficiently solving research problems. Also, the research method is defined as the procedure or technique applied by the researcher to undertake research and is concerned with carrying out experiment, test, surveys, interviews, etc. On the other hand, research methodology is a system of methods, used scientifically for solving the research problem.
Simply putting, 'Research Methodology' is the broad theoretical and philosophical framework within which a particular research is undertaken and 'Research Methods' are technical or procedural rules that are employed to generate and analyze data.
Moreover, I fully agree with Dean Whitehead that 'versus' is not appropriate to be used between them. This is because research methods form an integral part of the research methodology and as procedural rules, they fit themselves within the broad framework of research methodology.
Dr. Asim Farooq , I would say that the common methods employed for specific research is research methods, while the later one is approach towards problem solving in general.
Thank you.
There is some really good information in most of the above posts, beginning with the particularly accurate post by Dean Whitehead.
Without being flippant, I would add that one word is longer than the other, and therefore sounds more impressive. This isn't trivial in my view. When I read theses and journal articles, my evaluative antennae go out when I see researchers use "methodology" when they should have used "method". Often they do it, perhaps unconsciously, to make their research sound more impressive than it really is. Their doing so makes me alert to the possibility that they might have distorted their research in other ways that are unjustifiably favourable.
Thank you for the guidance and clarification Dean Whitehead , as the terms are quite lookalike, but now i Understand that Research methodology refers towards the the theoretical/philosophical approach, while the Research method is the application of methodology.
Thank you for the explanation Waheed Imran Amrit Kumar Bhandari Dr Manzoor Hussain
I like everything that's been said in this thread. Let me attempt a simple analogy: building a house. Research methods are the tools in the carpenter's toolbox. Research methodology is the construction plans.
Methodology
The theory of how research should be undertaken, including the theoretical and philosophical assumptions upon which research is based and the implications of these for the method or methods adopted (Saunders, 2007).
Method
The techniques and procedures used to obtain and analyze research data, including for example questionnaires, observation, interviews and statistical and non statistical techniques (Saunders, 2007).
Reference
Saunders, M.N., 2007. Research methods for business students, 5/e. Pearson Education India.
Sekaran, U., 2003. Research methods for business: A skill building approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Robert raise a good point - about terms used to 'impress' i.e. using incorrect terms to be over-technical or 'verbose'. I like T.L.'s analogy - and might pinch it for my students. That's what RG's all about - caring and sharing!!
Most journals use Methods rather than Methodology. The Methodology is about the philosophical and theoretical bases for the method to be used. It is about the big picture. The method is about the details, such as participants, the material, the experiment, the data to be collected, or questionnaire to be used, and data analysis and statistical work.
can we clarify further by involving research design. how the three terms be incorporated in a proposal ? can someone put the three in one paragraph?
I mean, in a proposal, how the narrative will look like. For example, the study will be quantitative using .....
Research Methods are ways of data collection and analysis. whereas Research Methodology is a broad term including theoretical and philosophical underpinnings along with Research methods.
Research Methods are the tools used for carrying out a research
The research methodology is the plan explain where and why the methods were used?
Research methods are the methods used by researchers to collect data to conduct research on a particular research topic.
A Research methodology is systematic approach to solve the research problem and to reach a new conclusion.
Research methods are the ways you choose to obtain data for your research. Will you do it by carrying out surveys, distributing questionnaires, or carry out interviews?
Research Methodology is the way/ moment you conclude if the method you used to carry out your research was good or not. It's the way you analyze and criticize the methods you chose and the information you gained from them.
Research methods is referred to as all the methods or techniques that are used whilst performing the research. Whereas, research methodology is the procedure of systematically solving the research problem.
Let me attempt a simple analogy. Research methodology is the constitution of the research world and research methods are the chapters or articles written in the constitution.
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