ABSTRACT
The distinction between methodology and method is a fine one, but it helps novice researchers understand that there are many ways to carry out experiments, case studies, and other methodologies that have specific frames. Researchers look for an exact prescription for data collection and analysis strategies when they instead should be able to understand the requirements of the methodology and use the most effective/relevant method for their context. A researcher’s conceptual framework, epistemology, and paradigm position the researcher to make decisions based on individual beliefs and perspectives. Experimental research examines the connection between two or more variables in order to determine whether a cause-and-effect relationship exists. Ethnography relies heavily on open-ended forms of participant observation and interviews and privileges active participant interaction and analysis, with findings that integrate researchers’ and participants’ perspectives. Some contemporary scholars, though, propose action research on a larger scale, in order to allow its use to impact broader societal concerns.
