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Harvey, Orlanda, Regmi, Pramod Raj, Mahato, Preeti, Dhakal Adhikari, Shovita, Dhital, Rolina and Van Teijlingen, Edwin (2023) Methods or methodology: terms that are too often confused. Journal of Education and Research, 13 (2). pp. 94-105. ISSN 2091-2560
There is a distinct difference between methodology and methods in research. However, too many students, researchers, and authors of academic papers do not seem to pay attention to the crucial difference. This is true not only in education research but also in many other academic disciplines. In simple terms, the term methods refers to the research tools and techniques; for example, in the qualitative field, interviews are a tool to collect data, and in the quantitative field, a questionnaire-based survey is an example of a data collection tool. Methodology is a broader concept as it refers to the overall approach to the research, includes a justification for this approach, and links to research philosophy, i.e., how we produce knowledge. This methodological note aims to explain the confusion, drawing on examples from the published literature in education research and beyond. It also considers the complexities and crossovers. The final section ends with key advice to researchers and authors on key mistakes to avoid regarding the difference between methods and methodology, including covering this in early supervision discussions.
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