The methodology chapter is that chapter that discusses the methods that you will use when doing the research and writing for your dissertation. This is one of the most vital parts of the dissertation as the methodology chapter allows the readers to see how you were able to prove – or disprove – your claim, and if the results are viable. It is important that this section of the dissertation is clear and detailed, providing all of the information that the reader could benefit from.

In the methodology chapter, it is important to discuss the methods that you used and why, as well as the methods that could not be used and why. Each type of experiment or investigation involves different types of methods to reach a conclusion, so it must be clear which methods work best and which ones do not for each individual experiment. As the writer, you need to demonstrate that you understand that there are many ways to conduct the research, but there are only a few that fit the objectives of the dissertation. Some of the most common research methods are observation, interviews, and questionnaires.

Once the research method has been decided upon and described, you need to then describe how you plan to implement the method and identify the sampling frame, or those that are being targeted by the specific method. Indentify the independent and dependent variables and the roles that they play with or without each other.

Some methodologies use both data gathering and varying types of analysis, so it is important to point out which was used for your investigation. The data-gathering methodologies include interviews, questionnaires, and observation, while data-analysis methodologies include content analysis, semiotic analysis, and statistical analysis.

The purpose of the methodology chapter is to show the readers the different ways to arrive at the results of the research, as well as the ways that do not benefit the investigation.