A Short Overview Of Methodologies for Graduate Dissertation

Graduate Dissertation
Submitting a graduate dissertation is mandatory for students. They can only get their degrees when they have written all the dissertation sections perfectly. The sections include an introduction, literature review, research methodology, results & analysis, and conclusion & recommendations. The research methodology is the key part of a graduate dissertation. In this section, you discuss which method you are going to use in your research and why you have chosen this particular method. “I thought”, “I was interested in it”, and “I thought it would be appropriate” will not work here. You have to give solid reasons for choosing a methodology.

Normally, there are two types of research methods that researchers use. The first is quantitative, and the second one is a qualitative research method. Both the methods use different research methods to research the problem. The research methods also depend on the field of your study. The technological fields follow different methods as compared to social sciences. In today’s article, I will give you a short overview of dissertation methodologies used in social science and human behaviour subject.
Short Overview Of Research Methodologies For Graduate Dissertation

Social science is dry and subjective. Mostly two methodologies are used in the subject, qualitative and quantitative. Sometimes a third type called the mixed-method approach is also used. A brief overview of all these methodologies along with their research instruments is as follows:
 

Quantitative Research Methodology

It is the first type of research methodology most commonly used in scientific fields. It aims at collecting and analysing numerical data. It emphasises the objective measurement of data. The common uses of this methodology include finding patterns and making predictions. The data used in this method is mostly primary. It means that the researcher himself collects the data and analyse it. The researcher can also do an analysis of the secondary data in this method. The most common research instruments in this method are as follows:
  • Experiments. The laboratory experiments often yield results that are numeric. In such methods, the researcher controls one variable to see its effect on the other.
  • Surveys. Surveys can be both qualitative as well quantitative. Here, it has come to collect the numerical data.
  • Secondary data research. The researcher analyses the already published numerical data.

Qualitative Research Methodology

This research methodology is the opposite of quantitative. The researcher in this methodology plays with the non-numerical data and concludes the topic. The researcher can use both data types, i.e., primary and secondary. The main purpose of this method is also to make future predictions based on the analysis. A brief description of the common research instruments is as follows:
  • Interviews. Face to face questioning and answering between interviewer and interviewee. The answers are non-numeric and in the form of expressions.
  • Observation. The researcher observes a population for some time and then draws the conclusion of the study.
  • Focus groups. Face to face interaction and discussion of a topic among a group

Conclusion

Methodologies for graduate dissertations differ with the field. Scientific studies mostly use an experimental approach to collect the quantitative data and research it. On the other hand, the social science field uses interviews, focus groups, and observation. The methods mentioned above are the major methods. If you feel any problems in implementing the above methods, you can get dissertation help online UK from best dissertation writers.
Albert Barkley

Hello, my name is Albert Barkley. I am working as education consultant with a UK based firm after completion of my PhD. I like to write on different social, tech and education trends.

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