Understanding research methods

Beverly Yuen Thompson

Chapter 2 in How To Write an Academic Journal Article in the Social Sciences, 2026, pp 32-45 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter overviews research methods and what type of information can be conveyed with each. Graduate students are trained into discipline-specific methods. It is helpful to take a broader view of methodology, so that other methods can be considered. Once the scholar has identified the gaps in the literature, the next step in the process is to establish an appropriate methodology to collect data that can provide that information. Examples of research that is designed to address specific gaps in the literature will be provided. Differences between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches will be overviewed. This chapter will address how to systematically understand the methodologies used in comparable studies and to expand upon the established research and the general methodological approach. It is important for academics not only to understand methods as practitioners, but as informed readers of studies.

Keywords: Key terms; Research methods; Quantitative; Qualitative; Mixed methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035366620
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