Research method

How it is used

Used in proposals, methods sections, and class discussions. It may refer to interviews, surveys, experiments, observation, or text analysis.

Example sentences

1. Because the project examined classroom interaction in detail, observation was a more suitable research method than a short online survey.

   Here the term means the practical approach chosen to gather evidence, based on what kind of answer the study needs.

2. In her proposal, she justified each research method by linking it directly to one research question and one type of data.

   In this sentence, the term refers to planned procedures within a study design, not to the overall theory behind the project.

Common collocations

• choose a research method
• appropriate research method
• mixed research methods
• research method section

Related terms

• methodologyThe overall approach and reasoning behind how a study is done, including the choice of design, methods, data and analysis, and the reasons for those choices.
• research questionA clear, focused question that a study is designed to answer; it guides the choice of methods, data and analysis.

More terms: Research Design

• research
• hypothesis
• qualitative
• quantitative
• sample
• participant
• questionnaire
• case study
• carry out
• validity
• reliability
• mixed methods