Method A method is simply the tool used to answer your research questions — how, in short, you will go about collecting your data. Examples of UX research methods include: Contextual inquiry Interview Usability study Survey Diary study Card sort The method is the set of logical procedures through which scientific problems are posed and the hypotheses and working instruments investigated are tested. a method refers to the technical steps taken to do research. Descriptions of methods usually include defining them and stating why you have chosen specific techniques to investigate a research problem, followed by an outline of the procedures you used to systematically select, gather, and process the data [remember to always save the interpretation of data for the discussion section of your paper]. Methodology Methodology is a branch of knowledge that deals with the general principles or axioms of the generation of new knowledge. It refers to the rational and philosophical assumptions that underline any natural, social or human science study. Methodology describes the general research strategy that outlines the way in which research is developed, it is the instrument that links the subject with the object of the investigation, without the methodology it is almost impossible to reach the logic that leads to scientific knowledge. Some Examples of methodologies include: Phenomenology: describes the lived experience of a particular phenomenon; Ethnography: explores the social world or culture, shared beliefs and behaviors; participatory: views the participants as active researchers; ethnomethodology: examines how people use dialogue and body language to construct a world view, grounding theory: assumes a blank slate and uses an inductive approach to develop a new theory. The methodology helps that methods are well developed when they are applied in the research work. This means that methods are not infallible, locating and substantiating the advantages and limitations of methods is the task that the methodology deals with. If the procedures characterize the content of the methods, the methodology reviews, analyzes and verifies them to corroborate that they have reliable properties when applied in the research work. Methodology refers to a discussion of the underlying reasoning why particular methods were used. This discussion includes describing the theoretical concepts that inform the choice of methods to be applied, placing the choice of methods within the more general nature of academic
work, and reviewing its relevance to examining the research problem. The discussion also includes a thorough review of the literature about methods other scholars have used to study the topic.