Research methodology is the specific procedures or techniques used to identify, select, process, and analyze information about a topic. In a research paper, the methodology section allows the reader to critically evaluate a study's overall validity and reliability. The methodology section answers two main questions:
- How was the data collected and generated?
- How was it analyzed?
Finding a research design strategy is similar to the research process as a whole. First, locate general information on research design and methodologies, then gain background knowledge on the methodology you feel would most appropriately address the type of data you will be collecting, and finally, choose a methodology and test/measurement to use in your research.
Source: Research Methodology : A Practical and Scientific Approach, edited by Vinayak Bairagi, and Mousami V. Munot, CRC Press LLC, 2019.