Firstly, do we mean the same thing by Methods and Methodology? A lot of researchers may call them as synonyms and use them interchangeably. However there is some distinction that is there, between both the terms and that is very important for researchers to know.
Methodology, to understand better is primarily the theory of the document. It is the theory of the research methods that would be used in research. This theory brings forth various crucial and significant decisions that the researcher has taken regarding the research. These decisions could pertain to what is the area of study, who are the subject of the study, where is the study to be done, what to include or exclude in the study, and to not forget the relational and ethical concerns that are associated with the study.
When we talk of research in the field of social sciences and arts, they have to incorporate somewhere in the beginning of the research itself, the way in which the research is planned and will be carried out. This design for their research elucidates on what the research is all about, why it is the way it is and how it is planned to be taken forward?
When talking about methodology, there isn’t a need to go in complete detail about the discussion chapter, just to focus on the fact that the research has been undertake with a critical perspective is enough, where by some basic principles about the research are highlighted together.
When you writing research methodology, you got to primarily focus upon fitting the discussion in the discipline of the topic. It is basically, that you got to be writing about what is of prime importance to the reader to understand the research thoroughly and be able to comprehend the research in the best possible way that is to be read in the remaining part of the document.
This, I hope makes it very clear what methodology is all about. So, now what is methods?
Methods, are just one part of the methodology chapter. Though the most important and critical part which gives the different tools that have been used in research. Both the methodology and the methods collectively make the research design of the study and it is actually the unique way in which, among all the possible subjectivity, the researcher has assembled and sequenced the tools and their application in synchronisation with the principles that have been elaborated through the methodological choices.