"...the strategy, plan of action, process, design lying behind the choice and use of particular methods..."
Michael Crotty (1998)
Methodology is the specific research ‘type’ that underpins the systems of research. At times, it establishes the researcher’s beliefs and values as part of the context for the research. For example, a narrative enquiry matches to qualitative methodology and experimental equals a quantitative methodology.
Methodologies can be overwhelming sometimes if you're new to the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Qualitative methodologies are quite different to quantitative methodologies.
For some science-discipline researchers qualitative methodologies appear to lack rigour. For social scientists and those whose discipline is education, qualitative research methodologies’ principles focus on rich data, often collaboratively gathered, rather than a positivist focus seeking to prove or disprove a hypothesis.
A good suggestion for SoTL researchers is 'Don’t start with trying to define, understand or select a methodology'. Instead, explore your research topic or subject in the SoTL literature. This will take some time (because it’s fun and we tend to get drawn into all sorts of new ideas not necessarily relevant) while you narrow the literature to your specific research interest.
Choosing your methodology is best guided by your research question, your own experience and your exploration of literature. A good place to start this thinking is to follow the prompt questions below to tease out the specifics of your project.
Combine your answers to the above questions with your exploration of your topic literature. What methodologies you identify in similar research papers will move you towards identifying your own methodology.
Some qualitative methodologies are described in brief below but more detailed exploration is supported by the Library’s Qualitative study design guide.
Click on the plus (+) icons below to explore some of the qualitative methodologies.
The aim is to focus on individual instances and conduct an in-depth study of the experiences of a singular nature. In teaching and learning, this includes a focus on one area of practice.
Case studies takes place in a natural setting (a situation that already exists) and considers the relationships and processes within this social setting. For this reason, case studies are often related (not exclusively) to a social constructivist learning theory. A teaching and learning case study might be an investigation into one area of educational practice. For example, designing a study that focuses on the effect on a group of students of verbal feedback versus written feedback for assessment could be considered a case study.
Case studies use multiple sources and usually a combination of methods. Note that case studies can often use a mixed-methods approach rather than solely qualitative.
Narrative inquiry can reveal unique perspectives and provide a deeper understanding of a situation by sharing the nature and order of events at particular times in history.
Narrative inquiry records the experiences of an individual or small group. People’s lived experiences, or particular perspectives of that individual, are documented in a chronological manner that reflects human interest and assists in our sense-making processes. The narrative is recounted for a particular audience and the meaning is dependent on the social context in which it was produced. This methodology is often linked to Vygotsky’s theory of cultural-historical theory of cognition.
Case studies use multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
This methodology emphasizes building theories using data collected from research participants, to provide well-grounded explanations and insights into teaching and learning processes. Grounded theory focuses on building well-grounded explanations and insights into teaching and learning processes, based on data collected from research participants.
Grounded theory proposes that careful observation of the social world can lead to the construction of theory (Rice & Ezzy, 1999). It is iterative and evolving, aiming to construct new theory from collected data (uses any and all types of data, both qualitative and quantitative data). It is also known as the “grounded theory method”, although the terms have become interchangeable (Bryant & Charmaz, 2007). Grounded theory is often linked to interpretist educational theory.
Grounded theory characteristics include:
Grounded theory uses multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
Action research assigns persons, communities and stakeholders as participates. Participates collaborate with researchers through questioning and sensemaking, to produce practical outcomes and new understandings that are useful to solve issues of pressing concern to both parties.
Action Research is linked to constructivist theories of learning. It has three primary characteristics:
Action Research uses multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
Some quantitative methodologies are described in brief below but more detailed exploration is supported by the Library’s Quantitative study design guide.
Click on the plus (+) icons below to explore some of the quantitative methodologies.
Experimental study methodology is used to investigate the impact of specific interventions or strategies in a controlled manner.
In an experimental study, researchers intentionally manipulate one or more variables to observe how these changes influence participant outcomes. The experiment is conducted in a systematic and controlled manner to determine if a cause-and-effect relationship exists (Bishop-Clark, Dietz-Uhler & Nelson, 2012).
Experimental study uses multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
Quasi-experimental methodology is a research approach that investigates causal relationships without using random assignment to groups or conditions.
Quasi-experimental study methodology is used to examine the causal impact of an intervention on a target outcome when random assignment is not feasible or ethical. This approach allows researchers to draw inferences about cause-and-effect relationships in situations where controlled experiments might be impractical or impossible.
Quasi-experimental methodology uses multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
The purpose of descriptive quantitative research is to systematically investigate, describe, and analyze the characteristics or attributes of a population, phenomenon, or situation in a way that can be quantified and summarized. This methodology helps in understanding patterns, relationships, and trends among variables, which can then be used to make predictions or inform decisions.
Descriptive quantitative research involves collecting numerical data to describe the variables of interest in a systematic manner. This type of research aims to provide a clear and accurate snapshot of a situation or phenomenon, based on data gathered from a sample that is representative of the whole population. Descriptive quantitative research does not focus on establishing causal relationships but rather on providing a detailed description of the situation as it exists.
Descriptive quantitative research uses multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as:
The purpose of correlational quantitative research is to determine the relationships between two or more variables. This type of research helps to understand if changes in one variable correspond with changes in another variable, and to what degree. Correlational research is often used to identify variables that may predict outcomes or to explore the relationships between variables when it is not possible or ethical to manipulate them.
Correlational quantitative research involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to determine the strength and direction of relationships between variables. The relationship between variables is expressed using a correlation coefficient, which ranges from -1 to +1. A positive correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to increase as well, and vice versa. A negative correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease, and vice versa. A correlation of 0 indicates no relationship between the variables.
Correlational quantitative research use multiple sources and usually a combination of methods, such as: