ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses issues to consider in writing a methodology chapter or methodology section of a chapter that are particularly relevant to second language speakers of English. It presents several examples of methodology chapters and sections to illustrate the diversity of approaches to conceptualising a study’s methodological choices. One of the key functions of the methodology section is to enable other researchers to replicate the study; this may account for the lengthier methodology components of research theses as opposed to the more terse research article. The methodology develops an explanation as to why the research methods under discussion have been chosen. A sophisticated methodology chapter will review the methods used by other, often seminal, studies in the student’s area and comment on their limitations and strengths in terms of the methods utilised. The methodology section should explain how the research was conducted and how the data were obtained–how the particular method(s) were used.
