The thesis methodology is the component of a dissertation that outlines the methods used to conduct research and gather data. In most dissertations, the thesis methodology provides information about the specific steps or procedures taken by the researcher to test a hypothesis or confirm results. This includes the type of statistical analysis used to evaluate the data. The type of methodology you choose for your dissertation depends on the type of information that you have gathered. Usually, you should choose the most convenient and feasible research methods.
Initial research methods are aimed at gathering background information about the subject area. This typically involves library research to find published articles and papers related to your thesis. Primary sources and interviews contain useful information and provide a reference point from which to expand and contribute additional knowledge through research in the subject area. Research that does not contribute something new or unique is useless and generally will not pass a dissertation committee.
After the background information has been studied and a thesis has been established, it is time to conduct field research. Your approach is dependent on the nature of the thesis and the goal of the research. If a hypothesis is being considered, usually you should plan an experiment to test it. When you require the opinions of a large group of individuals, you should conduct a survey. If you are studying the behavior of select individuals, then you could do a case study.
The thesis methodology should explain why you used a particular research method and what data you derived from it. In some instances, one method is enough to gather sufficient data, while other instances require two or more methods. The reasoning for using each method and how it was implemented should be clear. A step by step account of the procedure gives other researchers adequate information to replicate the study.
In addition to the methods, the thesis methodology describes the statistical tools used to analyze the data collected from the research. For example, in an experiment to test a hypothesis, the variables and constant must be clearly identified and a t-test should be performed to evaluate the results. The t-test compares two sets of data to see if they are similar or different. Another statistical method used by researchers to analyze data is the analysis of variance, which is a set of models in which the observed differences between each set are due to different sources of variation. Statistical analysis validates research methods and supports the conclusions presented in a dissertation.
