How Do You Write a Dissertation Methodology in 4 Steps?

How Do You Write a Dissertation Methodology in 4 Steps?

A dissertation methodology is an important part of your dissertation because it explains the entire process of data collection and analysis methods that you have used in your research. It is one of the most unavoidable parts of a dissertation or a research paper. 

Your dissertation methodology should have the:

  • The type of research that you have conducted
  • How you collected your data and analyzed it
  • The tools and technologies that you have used in your research
  • Reason “Why you have chosen these methods”

In this blog post, we will guide you on how to write a flawless dissertation methodology in 4 simple steps.

What Is A Research Methodology?

Simply put, a research methodology is a way of explaining your intentions to carry out your research. It is a completely logical systematic plan to resolve research-related problems. The sole purpose of research methodology is to ensure authentic, reliable, and valid results that address your aims and objectives. It encompasses what type of data you are interested to collect and from what resources. Research Methodology provides a detailed plan that helps to make the process smooth and keep your research on track. It allows the reader to understand the approach and methods used to reach some conclusion.

What Are The Types of Research Methodology?

A research methodology is based on different categories. Sometimes the researchers combine more than two methods and very few methods in some. Some of the most common types of research methodology are described below. 

Qualitative Research Methodology

Qualitative research methodology relies on non-numerical elements in the research. It comes to the aid of the researchers who cannot grasp the data in terms of numbers. The qualitative research methodology is not as reliable as the quantitative research methodology but it helps to form better summaries of theoretical data.

The qualitative research methodology focuses on discovering the motivating factors behind human behavior, i.e How people think and act in a particular way. Through this research, people can understand the variables that drive people to behave in a certain way. 

Quantitative Research Methodology

As understood by the name, quantitative research relies on quantitative data. Quantitative research methodology focuses on gathering and analyzing data to predict outcomes. The qualitative research methodology falls within two primary categories of research and basically relies on numbers. Through qualitative research methodology, you can drive conclusions using tables, graphs, and facts. Researchers primarily use this methodology for research.

Analytical Research Methodology

Analytical research methodology makes use of proven facts and statements as a basis of research. In analytical research methodology researchers continuously look to find the supporting data that authenticates and strengthens their earlier findings. It helps to develop new concepts related to the subject under research. It combines minute details to produce a better hypothesis.

Fundamental Research Methodology

Fundamental research methodology primarily focuses on the formulation of a theory and generalizes primary concerns. It covers a wide range of applications, boosting ideas that are already known in the industry. In fundamental research methodology, several domains are interconnected with the aim to develop something new. An example of fundamental research methodology is research on pure mathematics. 

Exploratory Research Methodology

Giving theories and providing their explanations are the basis of exploratory research methodology. It focuses on investigating the questions instead of providing a defined and conclusive solution to that problem. The goal of exploratory research methodologies is to increase our understanding of a particular problem. It has an improper structure and flexible methods that are used for the investigation. The exploratory research methodology is usually done to improve research.  It is a qualitative research methodology and due to its flexible nature, it is often known as a ground theory approach.

What Is Secondary Research Dissertation Methodology?

Secondary research dissertation methodology is also known as a desk research methodology. It involves compiling existing data gathered from a variety of channels. These channels include internal (in-house) sources and external sources such as the internet, organizational bodies, and government statistics.

It comes in several formats such as reports, surveys, published datasets, etc. The information gathered through secondary research methodology is usually free or available at a minimal cost. Secondary research dissertation methodology does not only involve discovering something new or proving a hypothesis but it can also be used to review and update the previously completed work.

The Advantages of Secondary Research Dissertation Methodology

The advantages of secondary research methodology are countless. However, some of the most common advantages of secondary research in writing a dissertation are described below.

  • There are several advantages to choosing a secondary research dissertation methodology and the biggest advantage is that the data is free and easy to access. Because in most cases the data is gathered from online sources, government archives, and libraries which are easy to explore and collect a wider range of useful data. 
  • The secondary research dissertation methodology is cost-effective and efficient at the same time. It allows the researchers to identify knowledge gaps in the study area at an early stage of the investigation. In other words, it provides them with initiative before they proceed to gather primary data.
  • In secondary research methodology, the data is already available in the public domain making it easily accessible and permission-free. Also, the data researched through secondary research methodology is mostly appropriate, hence eliminating the risk of potential ethics.

Sources of Secondary Research Methodology To Write Your Dissertation

There are two main types of secondary research sources. 

  • Internal Sources 
  • External Sources

Internal sources refer to in-house sources i.e gathered from the researchers’ organizations. However, external sources refer to published work, i.e all the data on the internet, newspapers, books, government statistics, etc. Let’s dive into the explanations of these sources to develop a better sense of understanding of secondary research dissertation methodology.

Internal Sources

Internal sources refer to the internal data which is already stored in your system. You just have to look into that stored data to gather useful information. The main advantage of using this information is that it is only stored in your system which makes it inaccessible to other researchers. 

Some examples of internal sources data include:

  • Data collected from web applications and mobile sites.
  • Your stored database information on sales history and business goals.
  • Customer-generated data on a particular service or product.
  • Data gathered by your firm through campaigns.

External Sources

External sources data is more useful when:

  • You need information on something new.
  • Wants to update the already researched work

Some of the examples of external sources data include:

  • Non-government agencies and government statistics
  • Company researches and reports
  • Libraries stored data
  • Journals
  • Media Documentaries and Newspapers
  • Internet

Writing A Dissertation Methodology In 4 Simple Steps

Students more often ask “How Do You Write a Dissertation Methodology in 4 Steps?” So following is Writing A Dissertation Methodology In 4 Simple Steps:

1. Explaining Your Methodological Approach

The first step involves writing a dissertation methodology to specify the problem that you want to study and then explain the approach that you will use for performing your research. Three methodological approaches that are used generally are

Quantitative Approach

This approach is usually effective when you seek to measure or categorize something. Examples of the quantitative approach include online surveys, mobile surveys, telephone interviews, paper surveys, longitudinal studies, face-to-face interviews, etc.

Qualitative Approach

The qualitative approach intends to describe a phenomenon. Instead of providing a straightforward answer, it focuses on providing complete logic with a suitable explanation. One of the best examples of a qualitative approach is the unstructured interviews.

Mixed Approach

It is a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It intends to provide a numerical answer to a certain problem while explaining the whole process and hidden aspects. 

2. Including The Information For Data Collection

Once you have mentioned the methodological approach that you will be using, the next step involves providing complete details about the methods that you are going to use to carry out your research. There are two basic research methods. Both of them are described below:

Quantitative Methods

The quantitative methods include:

  • Existing Data
  • Surveys
  • Experiments

Qualitative Methods

Researchers mainly make use of three types of qualitative methods. These qualitative methods include

  • Interviews
  • Customer Reviews
  • Existed Data

In order to write a perfect secondary research dissertation methodology, you must include the information for the data collection process.

3. Describing Ways of Data Analysis

How have you analyzed the gathered data? What was the end result? What conclusion did you make from your analysis? In this section, you should describe your data analysis and answer these questions briefly. Normally there are three types of data analysis.

  • Content Analysis (The content analysis includes categorizing ideas and themes)
  • Narrative Analysis (Narrative analysis involves analyzing your story-telling techniques or how you explain your answer)
  • Discourse Analysis (Discourse analysis involves analyzing social context)

4. Evaluation Process

In the evaluation process, you provide a conclusive numerical answer or an explanation in the support of your research. What have you accomplished by choosing the particular research methodology for a specific field and what was the desired objective of your study? You need to provide answers to these questions in the evaluation process. 

It is a very crucial part and should be demonstrated in a way that contributes to some new knowledge. In the evaluation process, you can also write the limitations of your research and study. What are its pros and cons and how is it better or worse than others? All of these facts are included in the evaluation process.

Top Secondary Research Dissertation Examples

Listed below are some of the top secondary research dissertation examples.

In Psychology Field:

  1. Investigation of The Relationship Between Brand Loyalty And Early Exposure
  2. The Relationship Between Sustained And Divided Attentional Abilities And Autistic Spectrum Disorder Traits
  3. The Key To Employee Performance And Workplace Success

In Business:

  1. Electric Cars: Investigation Into Consumer Attitudes In The UK Car Industry
  2. Dressed to Disrupt: Motivations Behind Millennial Women Consuming Feminist Fashion

You can take help from these above-mentioned secondary research dissertation examples for a head start.

Conclusion

In defining the methodology chapter of your dissertation, you need a good problem that requires solving, a perfectly applicable methodological approach, thoroughly researched and properly analyzed data, and a conclusive answer in the form of a numerical statement or an explanation. If you do not follow the above-mentioned techniques provided by the experts of Premium Dissertation Help, you will not be able to write a perfect and eye-catchy dissertation that attracts readers’ attention and make them love your dissertation.

However, you can always turn to the experts of Premium Dissertation Help to seek aid and get perfectly written dissertations at the lowest possible rates. Because our state-of-the-art services are always top-notch and up-to-the-mark, making us better than any other dissertation writing services.

OUR FREE SERVICES

dissertation services