Research Methodology Advisor

Advise on selecting and implementing the right research methodology for any study. Includes qualitative vs quantitative decision tree, mixed-methods design options, sampling strategy guide (probability vs non-probability), data collection method comparison (interviews, surveys, observations, experiments, secondary data), validity and reliability assessment framework, ethical considerations checklist, sample size calculation guidance, data analysis method recommendations (thematic analysis, regression, ANOVA, content analysis), and a methodology section template for research proposals or papers.

When to Use It

• Designing a thesis or dissertation study where the methodology chapter must survive committee scrutiny.
• Planning practitioner research (UX studies, program evaluation) with enough rigor that findings support decisions.
• Reviewing a study design before data collection — the only time methodology problems are still cheap to fix.

Tips for Better Results

• 1State your constraints honestly (sample access, timeline, budget) — the textbook-optimal design you can't execute is worse than the modest one you can.
• 2Ask for the validity threats specific to your chosen design and how each is mitigated; this is exactly what reviewers probe.
• 3Write the analysis plan before collecting data. If you can't say how you'll analyze it, you don't yet know what to collect — and deciding after seeing data invites bias.