Begin by checking the relevant proposal, milestone or review requirements.
A methodology section might use the following structure:
Briefly state what the study is trying to find out. This establishes the basis for the design choices that follow.
Name the overarching methodology or design and explain why it suits the question. Where relevant, state the ontological and epistemological assumptions that underpin it.
Avoid relying on labels alone. Explain what the position means for this particular study.
Explain the study’s overall structure, including cases, groups, phases, settings, timeframes or points of comparison.
For each method, outline:
Use criteria appropriate to your approach. Describe the practical steps you will take rather than simply naming concepts such as validity, credibility or reflexivity.
Acknowledge what the design cannot establish, whose perspectives may be absent, and how ethical or practical constraints shape the study.
Conclude by showing how the question, methodology, methods and analysis work together to produce an appropriate answer.
A strong methodology is not defined by using a particular method or correctly applying a paradigm label. It is defined by a coherent and defensible relationship between the question, assumptions, evidence, design, analysis and claims.