🎙️ PODCAST: Master The Methodology

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) and Ethar Al-Saraf (PhD) | Updated March 2025

Find yourself lost in a sea of complex terms and unsure where to begin? Fear not. In this episode of the Grad Coach Podcast, Derek and Ethar share four practical tips to help fast-track your methodology and bring clarity to your research process.

Episode Summary

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1: Take The IKEA Approach

Just like assembling furniture using an instruction manual, your methodology should provide clear, step-by-step guidance for others to replicate your research. By ensuring clarity and simplicity in your methodology, you set the foundation for reproducibility and a deeper understanding of your research process.

2: Align Your Choices with Your Research Aims and Questions

It’s essential that every methodological choice you make aligns with your research aims and research questions. In other words, you need to justify your methodology against the backdrop of your research aims. By evaluating whether your chosen methods effectively address your research goals, you ensure coherence and relevance in your research approach.

3: Rationalization by Elimination

When you’re overwhelmed by all the potential options, consider rationalization by elimination. Instead of overwhelming yourself with numerous methodological options, focus on eliminating choices that do not align with your research aims, or that are not practically feasible. By systematically narrowing down your options, you pave the way for a more focused and effective methodology that directly supports your research objectives.

4: Research Ethics as a Foundation

Last but certainly not least, understanding and adhering to your university’s research ethics policy is highlighted as a crucial cheat code. Research ethics underpin the integrity of your research and ensure the well-being and confidentiality of all involved parties. By prioritizing research ethics from the outset, you set a strong foundation for conducting ethical and impactful research.

These four pointers serve as powerful tools to guide you through the intricacies of research methodology. Remember to grab our free methodology chapter template for further guidance on structuring your methodology. Happy researching!