Step by Step Guide in Writing Dissertation Methodology Chapter

Data collection is one of the most crucial parts in getting proper answers to your dissertation’s research questions and objectives. It is also the most confusing chapter among others mainly because of similar terminologies used and also requires proper alignment with different research chapters. In writing a methodology, it is important for students to justify the research design, explain the ways in which data is collected and analysed, and align with the research objectives and dissertation topic.

The ways in which a student structures the methodology chapter is crucial, as Singaporean universities like NUS, NTU and SMU are very specific with their guidelines on methodology chapters. Failing to provide proper justification can cost you marks because of their strict guidelines and requirements. This guide is therefore aimed at providing you step by step guidance by touching each and every aspect of the research methodology chapter with clear examples, and common mistakes to avoid.

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Important Steps in Writing Your Research Methodology with Examples

Step 1: Provide clear definition of your research approach

Start by explaining the main approach you are going to follow in collecting data for your research. Clearly specify whether it is a qualitative, quantitative or mixed research approach.

Example:

• Weak explanation: I have used surveys to collect data for my research.
• Strong explanation: This study utilises a quantitative approach because the main goal has been to analyse the impact of social media usage among Singaporean students on their study habits. A survey method is highly justified as it allows for quantitatively analysing the viewpoints of a large number of students about the social media usage pattern and its impact on their study.

By providing such a strong explanation, you can help your examiner identify that you are not selecting the approach randomly, rather it is closely linked with your research goals.

Step 2: Provide justification for your research design (not simply state it)

What many students do while writing their research design is they simply state the research design followed in their research without justifying it. This should be avoided, and a proper way to state the research design is:

• Example: Research on analysing the impact of distance learning on student motivation in Singapore can have a research design as:
• The research utilises a mixed method design including both qualitative and quantitative data. Surveys provide a viewpoint of many students about their motivation level whereas follow up interviews provide people insights about how students feel about distance learning.

Want to see how this is done in real dissertation? Check this dissertation sample for research design application with justification which is based on measuring staff performance in Singapore.

This particular explanation of utilising the mixed research design provides clear justification of why it is relevant, and not just what you did.

Step 3: Explain your sampling strategy with rationale

With respect to sampling strategy, it is important to provide justification for sampling size and why it is best for the research. Simply stating as “I have surveyed 100 students from SUSS to understand their satisfaction with courses and campus resources” is not appropriate. A strong sampling strategy is:

• Example: A simple random sampling strategy is applied to select 100 postgraduate students from SUSS, with 20 students each from 5 different courses to examine views of a diverse sample. They are selected because the study focuses on student satisfaction with courses and campus resources from SUSS, and their selection makes them ideal participants for the research.

This shows a strategic approach followed in selecting the sampling strategy, as it not only explains the specific sampling strategy used, but also justifies the sample size.

Step 4: Show the alignment between methodology and objectives

It is important to have a proper connection between the methodology and your objective of the research. It not only enhances the relevance of your research findings but also helps you in scoring good in your entire dissertation.

Example: In the above example, the objective was to understand the student satisfaction level with courses and campus resources from SUSS, surveys based on Likert-scale questions are more suitable as compared to open ended interviews because they provide quantifiable satisfaction scores which is essential to address the research objective.

By clearly establishing linkages between methods and objectives, you can make your chapter look strong and more persuasive.

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid in methodology section

It is possible to avoid mistakes while writing the research methodology section. All you need is a good understanding of methodological terms and their correct application so as to avoid any mistakes. Some of the common avoidable errors are:

1. writing methodology vaguely such as I have carried out interviews without explaining the process, methods and details.
2. failing to provide proper justification such as I have selected mixed method design for my research and no other details provided.
3. inappropriate selection of research approaches such as research on analysing student experience from e-learning needs surveys but students use observation.
4. samples not representative of the target population, such as a study on student learning from a course that uses interviews with teachers, is a big mistake.
5. ignoring ethical consideration in the form of forgetting to take informed consent from participants or ignoring their anonymity in sensitive cases.
6. forgetting to specify the method’s limitations such as small sample size, or lack of enough responses.

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Step 6: Always check your methodology against the below mentioned points

• Have a look at the quick checklist that you can consider to make sure that there is no mistake in the research methodology before submission:
• Check if the research approach is clearly stated with proper justification for qualitative, quantitative or mixed.
• Evaluate the research design against the topic to find its suitability and proper justification provided.
• Check if the sampling strategies specifying sampling method, size and justification are provided.
• Have you clearly described your data collection tools such as surveys or interviews or observation?
• Is there clear explanation of the data analysis technique provided?
• Analyse if proper consideration is made for ethical procedure in collecting data.
• Have you clearly acknowledged the limitations of the research?

These points will help in making your research methodology look stronger.

Final Thoughts: Take Help from Experts When Needed

The methodology chapter is an important chapter of research and you should not aim for just describing what you did. Your focus should be on clearly defending your argument as to why your approach was the best. A clear justification across each major methodology terms including research approach, design, data collection method and instruments, sampling strategy is essential to score good marks. Still if you are struggling with your research methodology chapter, connect with our professional dissertation writing experts in Singapore to get proper guidance and support.

Jonathan Wong

I am Jonathan Wong, an education blogger and academic content specialist. I write about assignment strategies, study skills, and university life to help students overcome common academic challenges. I also manage blog content at Assignment Help Singapore, where I share practical advice to support learners on their academic journey.