What is a ‘research method’? The simple answer is to say that it is how someone did a particular piece of research, investigated a topic or attempted to answer a question. This could describe a specific part of the process, or it can relate to the process as a whole. Research methods can vary greatly, but they all attempt to gather information in order to provide answers that are systematic and reliable. Research methods are important because they provide the underlying validity for what we do. This is why it is important to critically engage with methodology. 

Most of the time, when people talk about ‘research methods’ they refer to aspects like: 

• An approach or technique for conducting research 

• How a study is completed

• How data was collected and analysed

• How findings were reported