Methodology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodology

Methodology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a field of study, or the theoretical analysis of the body of methods and principles associated with a branch of knowledge. It, typically, encompasses concepts such as paradigm, theoretical model, phases and quantitative or qualitative techniques.[1] A Methodology does not set out to provide solutions but offers the theoretical underpinning for understanding which method, set of methods or so called best practices can be applied to a specific case. It has been defined also as follows: 1. "the analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline"; [2] 2. "the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a discipline";[2] 3. "the study or description of methods".[3]

Contents
1 Relation to methods and theories 2 Methodology as a buzzword 3 Relation to paradigm and algorithm 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

Relation to methods and theories

Generally speaking, methodology does not describe specific methods, even though much attention is given to the nature and kinds of processes to be followed in a particular procedure or in attaining an objective. When proper to a study of methodology, such processes constitute a constructive generic framework ; thus they may be broken down in sub-processes, combined, or their sequence changed.[4]

Methodology as a buzzword
In recent years, the word methodology has become a "pretentious substitute for the word method".[5] Many recent uses of the word methodology mistakenly treat it a synonym for method or body of methods. Doing this shifts it away from its true epistemological meaning and reduces it to being the procedure itself, the set of tools or the instruments that should have been its outcome. A methodology is the design process for carrying out research or the development of a procedure and is not in itself an instrument for doing those things. Using it as a synonym for method or set of methods, leads to misinterpretation and undermines the proper analysis that should go into designing research. Generally for any research study both primary and secondary research are done which facilitates in the better understanding of the entire study. Primary research helps garner relevant and adequate data of the current state of affairs pertaining to any subject and provides an insight into the exact nature of the problem. Owing to the broad and complex nature of this research topic which would require delving into many aspects of the study including an ethnographic study which would in turn include a longitudinal time horizon which cannot be possibly encompassed within this

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Methodology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodology

research as it goes ".[5]

Relation to paradigm and algorithm

In theoretical work, the development of paradigms[6] satisfies most or all of the criteria for methodology. A paradigm, like an algorithm, is a constructive framework, meaning that the so-called construction is a logical, rather than a physical, array of connected elements.

See also
Art methodology

References
1. ^ Irny, S.I. and Rose, A.A. (2005) Designing a Strategic Information Systems Planning Methodology for Malaysian Institutes of Higher Learning (isp- ipta), Issues in Information System, Volume VI, No. 1, 2005. 2. ^ a b Methodology Usage Notes (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methodology), entry at Merriam Webster 3. ^ Baskerville, R. (1991). "Risk Analysis as a Source of Professional Knowledge". Computers & Security 10 (8): 749764. 4. ^ Katsicas, Sokratis K. (2009,20090). "Chapter 35". In Vacca, John. Computer and Information Security Handbook. Morgan Kaufmann Publications. Elsevier Inc. p. 605. ISBN 978-0-12-374354-1. 5. ^ a b misuse of the word Methodology in technical contexts (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/methodology) 6. ^ See, for example, Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (University of Chicago, 1970, 2nd ed.)

Further reading
Berg, Bruce L., 2009, Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Seventh Edition. Boston MA: Pearson Education Inc. Creswell, J. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Creswell, J. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Franklin, M.I. (2012). Understanding Research: Coping with the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide (http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415490801/). London and New York: Routledge. Guba, E. and Lincoln, Y. (1989). Fourth Generation Evaluation. Newbury Park, California: Sage Publications. Herrman, C. S. (2009). Fundamentals of Methodology, a series of papers On the Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN), online (http://www.ssrn.com/author=510356). James, E. Alana, Slater, T. and Bucknam, A. (2011). Action Research for Business, Nonprofit, and Public Administration - A Tool for Complex Times . (http://www.sagepub.com/books/Book235125) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Joubish, Farooq Dr. (2009). Educational Research Department of Education, Federal Urdu University, Karachi, Pakistan Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3rd edition). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Silverman, David (Ed). (2011). Qualitative Research: Issues of Theory, Method and Practice , Third Edition. London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage Publications Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language, Second Edition, Unabridged, W. A. Neilson, T. A. Knott, P. W. Carhart (eds.), G. & C. Merriam Company, Springfield, MA, 1950.

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Methodology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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External links
Usage note on the word Methodology (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/methodology) Why Most Published Research Findings Are False (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles /PMC1182327/) by John P. A. Ioannidis Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Methodology&oldid=587715216" Categories: Methodology This page was last modified on 26 December 2013 at 07:57. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

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