Different Types of Research Paper Methods: Check the Characteristics

The methodology section presents the facts upon which the validity of your study will be judged. It is the anchor of your data and will affect the conclusions you make. When presenting your research paper methods section, you need to be highly professional and adhere to the rules provided for universal academic writing. Failure to adhere to these rules will lower the quality of your discussion and annul the conclusions made. You can also hire a writing papers services to improve on your work. This is the section that explains the methods used in collecting data, analyzing and presenting the data. There must be a justification of the choice of method and why it was most suitable for your case. You should also draw a connection between the methods used and the conclusions made. Lack of a logical connection will affect the validity of this section.

Characteristics of Different Methods

  • Empirical analytical method - this method focuses on objective knowledge. The questions used in this method can be answered with a yes or no response. The method also allows you to measure the operational definition variables. The foundations used in formulating the hypothesis under focus are existing theories through the deductive approach. The main focus of this method is to explain situations or results.
  • Interpretive method - this approach focuses on understanding the phenomenon in question. It is interpretive in nature that seeks to answer such questions as why, how and what. Through these questions, the reader can see the organization of practices and how outcomes are derived. Knowledge in this case is subjective. It therefore requires caution when making deductions to avoid being over biased.

What marks an effective methodology section?

To effectively complete the methodology section you need to meet certain criterion.

  • Introduce the general characteristic of your methods. Are you using qualitative or quantitative approach? Are you going to combine the two methods? Do you have a special approach or a neutral stand?
  • Justify why your approach fits within the overall design. How is the method suited for delivering the expectations from your question? In most cases, academic papers ignore the need to match the method with expected outcomes. When there is a mismatch or discord, problems will arise especially when interpreting the data to make conclusions.
  • Describe the exact methods to be used. The common ones include surveys, questionnaires, archival materials, and observation. If you are going to use existing data, remember to inform the reader how this data was collected and why it was better to use it other than collect your own. Explain the methods to be used in analysis- will you be using statistical analysis? Are there theoretical perspectives that will be guiding your work? How do you envision your approach helping you realize accurate assessments of relationships, trends, patterns, distributions, etc? Do you expect any contradictions in the data analyzed?

By following the guidance of methods in research paper examples you will master the expectations of presentation on this section. The examples give you the confidence required to craft a winning paper. A high quality section raises the profile of your paper especially among academicians.