Methodology checklist

General
 Do you introduce your methodology chapter by referring back to your research question and objectives?
 Do you justify the method(s) you chose rather than describe, text-book like, all possible methods?
 Do you regularly cite the literature on research methods to explain or back up your decisions?
Perspectives and Aims
 If you based your theory, method or questions on previous studies, are these cited with modifications explained?
 For a deductive study, and if not previously stated, do you explain your theory/model and (if any) hypotheses?
 For an inductive study, do you explain how plausible theories or interpretations will emerge from your data?
 Is it clear whether you are exploring your topic, fully describing it or explaining causes – or a mixture?
Strategies
 Do you identify and then justify your research strategy of case study, survey, experiment etc.?
 If you use more than one method, do you have a clear diagram of the stages or description of their order?
 For case studies, are you clear on your ‘unit of analysis’ (individual, organisation, community etc.)?
 For case studies, do you justify your choice of sample/participants and show their relevance to the objective?
 For surveys, do you give and justify your method of sampling, the sample’s source and its size?
 For experiments, do you describe your research design, variables, controls and measuring techniques?
 For any secondary data, do you discuss their authority and validity when included within your own study?
 Do you talk about triangulation or other approaches that increase trustworthiness, authenticity or rigour?
 Do you make clear the schedule of your research – longitudinal, cross-sectional – perhaps with a diagram?
 Do you review ethical issues such as confidentiality and anonymity in data collection, processing and storage?
 Do you have BSREC approval (if required) and are the signed documents included as an appendix?
Tools
 Do you justify your choice of data collection techniques (interviews, questionnaires, documents, observation etc.)?
 Do you cite sources of measurement technique or describe how purpose-made instruments were developed?
 Do you describe pilot testing and discuss the modifications to your design that followed?
 Do you describe the sources of your data and how, where, when and from whom your data were gathered?
 For interviews and questionnaires, do you justify each of the questions, giving a table of reasons?
 For interviews, do you detail their context, location, duration, recording and transcription?
 For questionnaires, do you describe their distribution and any limitations of your approach?
 For questionnaires, do you discuss refusals, non-returns and factors introducing bias or unwanted variables?
 Do you include a sample questionnaire in an appendix and cite the URL of any on-line form or recording?
Analysis
 Do you explain how your data is to be analysed and the techniques to be used?
 If relevant, do you discuss the possibility of generalising from your sample to the population?
 For interviews, if you code or group responses into themes, is this procedure explained and justified?
 For statistics, do you explain and give reasons for, and limitations of, the tests you will use?
 For statistics, do you explain how levels of measurement (ordinal, interval etc.) affects your choices of tests?
 For statistics, do you describe your confidence level, interval, significance and the importance of effect sizes?
 Do you cite any software you will use to help with your analysis?
 Do you discuss validity and any limitations in the validity of your data and conclusions that might be made?
 Do you discuss reliability and any limitations in the reliability of your data and conclusions that might be made?
Methodology checklist
General
 Do you introduce your methodology chapter by referring back to your research question and objectives?
 Do you justify the method(s) you chose rather than describe, text-book like, all possible methods?
 Do you regularly cite the literature on research methods to explain or back up your decisions?
Perspectives and Aims
 If you based your theory, method or questions on previous studies, are these cited with modifications explained?
 For a deductive study, and if not previously stated, do you explain your theory/model and (if any) hypotheses?
 For an inductive study, do you explain how plausible theories or interpretations will emerge from your data?
 Is it clear whether you are exploring your topic, fully describing it or explaining causes – or a mixture?
Strategies
 Do you identify and then justify your research strategy of case study, survey, experiment etc.?
 If you use more than one method, do you have a clear diagram of the stages or description of their order?
 For case studies, are you clear on your ‘unit of analysis’ (individual, organisation, community etc.)?
 For case studies, do you justify your choice of sample/participants and show their relevance to the objective?
 For surveys, do you give and justify your method of sampling, the sample’s source and its size?
 For experiments, do you describe your research design, variables, controls and measuring techniques?
 For any secondary data, do you discuss their authority and validity when included within your own study?
 Do you talk about triangulation or other approaches that increase trustworthiness, authenticity or rigour?
 Do you make clear the schedule of your research – longitudinal, cross-sectional – perhaps with a diagram?
 Do you review ethical issues such as confidentiality and anonymity in data collection, processing and storage?
 Do you have BSREC approval (if required) and are the signed documents included as an appendix?
Tools
 Do you justify your choice of data collection techniques (interviews, questionnaires, documents, observation etc.)?
 Do you cite sources of measurement technique or describe how purpose-made instruments were developed?
 Do you describe pilot testing and discuss the modifications to your design that followed?
 Do you describe the sources of your data and how, where, when and from whom your data were gathered?
 For interviews and questionnaires, do you justify each of the questions, giving a table of reasons?
 For interviews, do you detail their context, location, duration, recording and transcription?
 For questionnaires, do you describe their distribution and any limitations of your approach?
 For questionnaires, do you discuss refusals, non-returns and factors introducing bias or unwanted variables?
 Do you include a sample questionnaire in an appendix and cite the URL of any on-line form or recording?
Analysis
 Do you explain how your data is to be analysed and the techniques to be used?
 If relevant, do you discuss the possibility of generalising from your sample to the population?
 For interviews, if you code or group responses into themes, is this procedure explained and justified?
 For statistics, do you explain and give reasons for, and limitations of, the tests you will use?
 For statistics, do you explain how levels of measurement (ordinal, interval etc.) affects your choices of tests?
 For statistics, do you describe your confidence level, interval, significance and the importance of effect sizes?
 Do you cite any software you will use to help with your analysis?
 Do you discuss validity and any limitations in the validity of your data and conclusions that might be made?
 Do you discuss reliability and any limitations in the reliability of your data and conclusions that might be made?