Chapters of a Guide
Methodology Dissertation: Description of Tools of Investigation
Writing your dissertation you advance a working hypothesis. Now you should confirm it. How to find evidence supporting your hypothesis? It is done by means of methods of investigation, which are ways of gathering and analyzing the evidence. Methods can be based on literary sources, interviews, gathered data, experiments. Methodology dissertation describes the methods you are using in your dissertation. Methodology dissertation comprises four parts:
- Research questions.
- Hypotheses to be investigated.
- Methods of investigation.
- Reasoning in support of these methods, i.e. explanation why these methods are the most appropriate ones. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of these methods in methodology dissertation. Usually, in order to be objective and get reliable data, the writer uses additional methodology.
No wonder, quantitative and qualitative researches are often combined in methodology dissertation.
Quantitative research is based on statistical data. But it can be used only if the data can be measured.
Quantitative research is based on description. Its drawback is that it is often subjective.
For example, regression method belongs to statistical tools. It can be used to conclude which is the most important factor for an elector when supporting a candidate. You can simply process the data obtained by means of questionnaires and interviews. But answering the question why this very factor is the most important, you are to use description and other suitable methods.
Methodology dissertation should not occupy too much space. Shorten it to minimum. Describe the application of research methods in methodology dissertation. Focus on major points of data gathering and processing. Your methodology dissertation will be accurate and concrete.
Think over methodology dissertation thoroughly. Careful choice of investigation methods will influence the course of your work. Use only suitable methods. Change them if results do not meet your expectations. The importance of methodology dissertation can scarcely be overestimated. The outcomes of your work depend much on methodology dissertation.







