ABSTRACT
Methodologies are perspectives on research; they set out a vision for what research is and how it should be conducted. They are the connection between axioms and methods; methods are tools—techniques of data gathering, techniques of analysis, and techniques of writing. Because it is a tool, a particular method can often be used by many different methodologies (both qualitative and quantitative). Therefore, methodologies are at a more abstract (or general) level than are methods. Methodology is like a strategy—or plan—for achieving some goal; methods are the tactics that can be used to service the goals of the methodology. In essence, methodologies provide the blueprints that prescribe how the tools should be used. Those prescriptions can be traced to the axioms—beliefs about how research should be conducted.
