The methodology introduction is a paragraph that describes both the design of the study and the organization of the chapter. This prepares the reader for what is to follow and provides a framework within which to incorporate the materials.
This paragraph says to the reader, “This is the methodology chapter, this is how it is organized, and this is the type of design I used.”
In this introduction, you can also state:
The objectives of your research and/or
The research question or hypothesis to be tested
Carrying out your own research for your dissertation means that you are engaging in the creation of knowledge. Research philosophy is an aspect of this. It is belief about the way studies should be conducted, how data should be collected and how it is then analysed and used. At its deepest level, it includes considerations of what is (ontology), like, is there an objective truth or is it everything subjective, and how to know (epistemology), like, can we know the truth, and how can we get to know it.
Writing about your research philosophy, therefore, involves reflecting on your assumptions and beliefs about data collection to develop, analyse, challenge and evaluate them.
If you need to have a research philosophy section in your dissertation, the handout attached below provides some guidance.
