Methods or Methodology: Terms that are too often confused.

Abstract

There is a distinct difference between methodology and methods in research. However, too many students, researchers and authors of academic papers do not seem to pay attention to the crucial difference. This is true in the field of education research, but also in many other academic disciplines. In simple terms, the term methods refers to the research tools and techniques, for example in the qualitative field, interviews are a tool to collect data, and in the quantitative field, a questionnaire-based survey is an example of a data collection tool. Methodology is a broader concept as it refers to the overall approach to the research and includes a justification of this approach, and links to research philosophy, i.e. the way in which we produce knowledge. This Methodological Note aims to explain where the confusion comes from, drawing on some examples from the published literature in the field of education research and beyond. It also considers the complexities and crossovers. The final section ends with key advice to researchers and authors on key mistakes to avoid when it comes to the difference between methods and methodology including to cover this in early supervision discussions.