Image: Wikimedia Commons

methodology

System of methods, principles, and rules used in a particular discipline or investigative procedure

Also known as research methodology · working methodology · methodology of work

Instance of: academic discipline
Subclass of: analysis

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

In its most common sense, methodology is the study of research methods. However, the term can also refer to the methods themselves or to the philosophical discussion of associated background assumptions. A method is a structured procedure for bringing about a certain goal, like acquiring knowledge or verifying knowledge claims. This normally involves various steps, like choosing a sample, collecting data from this sample, and interpreting the data. The study of methods concerns a detailed description and analysis of these processes. It includes evaluative aspects by comparing different methods. This way, it is assessed what advantages and disadvantages they have and for what research goals they may be used. These descriptions and evaluations depend on philosophical background assumptions. Examples are how to conceptualize the studied phenomena and what constitutes evidence for or against them. When understood in the widest sense, methodology also includes the discussion of these more abstract issues.

Overview

All data

51 statements · 18% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Different from: methodics
Practiced by: methodologist
Partially coincident with: method
Properties for this type: used by
Is the study of: scholarly method
scientific method

On other databases

42 identifiers linking methodology across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

18%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 10, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

Suggest a fact or correction

Links

Use this data

curl https://aidb.si/api/v1/entities/Q185698

API docs, limits & keys

Cite this page

AIDB. (2026). methodology (Q185698). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/methodology-Q185698