Methodology Template

The methodology chapter template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

Any formal academic research project, qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods. It’s loosely based on Saunders’ research onion, which many universities recommend as a methodological framework. Check your own program’s requirements too.

Any level of study. A doctoral methodology chapter usually needs more depth defending each choice, but the structure stays the same.

This depends on your level of study, field and university requirements, so it’s best to check with them or review a recent dissertation from your program for an accurate estimate.

As a rule of thumb, you should provide enough detail for another researcher to replicate your study. This includes clear descriptions of procedures, tools, and techniques you used to collect and analyze your data, as well as your sampling approach.

Precise enough to name your methods and procedures exactly, but not so dense with jargon that a reader in your field has to stop and decode it. If a term needs defining, define it once.

If you conducted a pilot study, you can include it in the methodology to demonstrate the feasibility and refinement of your methods. Be sure to obtain the necessary permissions from your research advisor before conducting any pilot studies, though. 

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template in its original format (no editing allowed). If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, we kindly request that you reference this page as your source.

Yes, we do. You can find our full collection of templates here.

Yes, we can assist with your methodology chapter (or any other chapter) on a coaching basis. If you’re interested, feel free to get in touch to discuss our private coaching services.