Research methods and research methodology are two terms that are often confused as the same. Strictly speaking, they are not so and show differences between them.
If we zone in on the etymology of the word methodology, it refers to method+ology, ‘Ology’ typically means a discipline of study or a branch of knowledge. Thus, technically speaking, the methodology is the study of methods.
The most important difference between research method and research methodology is that the research method is the techniques and tools for research, whereas research methodology explains the research methods.
Understand the Differences between Research Method and Research Methodology
Research Method
Research method means the techniques or tools used for conducting research irrespective of whether the research belongs to physical or social sciences or other disciplines.
The methods include three broad groups.
- The first group includes methods dealing with the collection and description of data;
- The second group consists of techniques used for establishing a statistical relationship between variables;
- The third group deals with methods used to evaluate the reliability, validity, and accuracy of the results discerned by the data.
For example, a physical scientist may employ tools such as an electron microscope or a radio telescope to obtain his data.
In contrast, a social scientist or a manager may use, as a technique, an opinion poll or sample survey with a mail questionnaire or conduct a personal interview to obtain his data.
He might conduct a telephonic interview, group discussion, and case study approach to gather data. Still, they are employing the same technique, ‘observation‘ of some kind, that generates data for research.
Nevertheless, scientists in their disciplines employ tools and techniques that may differ widely in nature and complexity.
Research Methodology
The research methodology is a way to study the various steps generally adopted by a researcher in systematically studying his research problems, along with the logic, assumptions, justification, and rationale behind them.
Whenever we choose a research method, we must justify why we prefer this particular method over others. The methodology seeks to answer this question.
Thus, when we speak of research methodology, we not only talk of research methods but also keep the logic and justification behind the method we use in the context of our research undertaking.
A researcher’s methodology aims at answering such questions as:
- Why was this particular group of people interviewed and not the other groups?
- How has the research problem defined?
- How many individuals provided the answers on which the researcher’s conclusions were based?
- Why were these particular techniques used to analyze data?
- In what way and why has the research hypothesis been formulated?
- What evidence was used to determine whether or not to reject the stated hypothesis?
Difference between Research Method and Research Methodology
Suppose the subject into which you conduct research is a scientific subject or topic. In that case, the research methods include experiments, tests, the study of many other results of different experiments performed earlier about the topic or the subject, and the like.
| Research Method | Research Methodology |
|---|---|
| The research method seeks to answer: What did the researcher use to complete his research? | The research methodology seeks to answer; How did the researcher complete his study? |
| Research methods are the techniques and tools by which you research a subject or a topic. | Research methodology explains and justifies the techniques and tools by which you may proceed with your research. |
| Research methods involve conducting experiments, tests, surveys, and the like utilizing the knowledge and skills learned through research methodology. | Research methodology involves learning various techniques to conduct research and acquiring knowledge to perform tests, experiments, surveys, and critical analyses. |
| The research method aims at finding solutions to research problems. | Research methodology ensures the employment of the correct procedures to solve the problems. |
| Research methods are the end of any scientific or non-scientific research. | Research methodology paves the way to choosing appropriate research methods and thus is the beginning of any research. |
On the other hand, research methodology about the scientific topic involves the techniques regarding how to conduct the research, the justification of the use of particular research tools, advanced techniques that can be used in performing the experiments, and the like.
A method is what you did. It is a simple description. You selected, for example, 100 rats and measured their weights. You fed some rats and some not.
A week later, you measured their weights again.
The methodology is why that should give you a meaningful result and why you used some specified method and not some other one.
This would, in particular, include how you have controlled for errors, e.g., why you fed the rats for a week rather than a month and why 100 rats you thought were enough.
Conclusion
How are the terms “research methods” and “research methodology” often misconstrued?
“Research methods” and “research methodology” are two terms that are frequently confused as being identical. However, they are distinct and have different meanings and applications in the realm of research.
What is the primary difference between the objectives of research methods and research methodology?
The primary objective of research methods is to find solutions to research problems, while research methodology ensures the employment of the correct procedures to address these problems, providing a comprehensive understanding of the research process.
Why is the distinction between research method and research methodology crucial?
The distinction is vital because while the research method pertains to the techniques and tools used in research, the research methodology explains and justifies these techniques and tools, providing a broader context and rationale for the research process.
In the context of scientific research, how do research methods differ from research methodology?
In scientific research, research methods include conducting experiments, tests, and studying results from previous experiments related to the topic. In contrast, research methodology involves the techniques on how to conduct the research, the justification for using specific research tools, and advanced techniques that can be employed in the experiments.
