The Research method chapter of a research paper, or in our favorite word – “methodology” (always sounds smarter) – is usually the first chapter that those who skip from the abstract over the introduction and literature review will read. Typically, it’s constructed very clearly and precisely and to the point. We’ve encountered quite a few students who stretch the methodology chapter across more than three pages. In our opinion, there’s no need to write so much, unless you have a very specific method you devised yourself and it’s important to present it in great detail, because maybe one day you’ll receive a prestigious academic award for devising the best indicator for assessing the quality of Picasso’s paintings. In any case, write the methodology chapter clearly and concisely. The subsections of the methodology chapter should follow this structure:

Proposed Research Method

Research Question

Research Variables

Research Population

Sample and Demographic Characteristics of the Sample

Research Hypotheses

You may add and expand on these and add subchapters about the weaknesses of the research, ethics, studies that support your choice of research method, but not more than that. This is an important chapter that needs to be easily and clearly understandable.

The research method you chose shapes the methodology chapter in a research paper. For example, if you choose a research method based on collecting questionnaires and ask, “Does higher education increase the likelihood of divorce?”, typically you will discuss how you are investigating the effects of the variables based on Pearson correlation (one of the correlations we really like). You will also add how you collected the data and how you created statistical inferences.

You will also talk about your sample population, and present (preferably through output tables) the demographic data of the subjects, such as gender, average age, education, place of residence, average years of marriage, family status, number of children, etc. Remember, you need to include the demographic data at the beginning of the questionnaire you distribute to the subjects.

If your research method is based on interviews, it is advisable to discuss the demographic data of the interviewees, the questions asked, how the interview was conducted, if anything interfered with the interview, what strengthened or weakened the reliability of the interviewees, the ethical research practices, and of course, remember to maintain the anonymity of your interviewees.

If you wrote a theoretical paper without empirical research, writing the research method, if for example it involves a comparative study between countries, will be a sub-chapter in the introduction of the work where you will present the structure of the work and what you are going to discuss to establish your findings and conclusions.

Making this process more efficient and using recent innovation, simply provide RikiGPT with your research data and request a chapter on research methods, she will write an entire chapter in a minute! This feature significantly simplifies one of the most challenging parts of academic writing. Using AI like RikiGPT, students and researchers can focus more on their data gathering and analysis and less on the time-consuming process of writing detailed methodology sections. RikiGPT can handle the entire methodology chapter based on the input parameters and research requirements you set, turning a complex task into a straightforward one. This not only saves time but also ensures that the methodological framework is robust and well-articulated, ready for any scholarly scrutiny.

Tired? Well we are just halfway through; the next chapter will delve into quality statistical inference.