Direct comparison
Research Design vs Research Methodology: What Is the Difference? | CASRAI
Research design is the overall plan for a study; research methodology is the philosophical approach underpinning it. Both differ from a research method, which is a specific data-collection technique.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Research design | Research methodology |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The overall structural plan of the study. | The philosophical framework and rationale underpinning the study. |
| Core question | "What kind of study will this be, and how will it be structured?" | "Why is this approach the right way to answer this question?" |
| Level of abstraction | Practical — lays out the specific plan. | Abstract — addresses philosophical assumptions. |
| Examples | RCT, cohort study, case study, survey, ethnography. | Positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, grounded theory. |
| Relationship to methods | Specifies which methods will be used and in what sequence. | Justifies why those methods are epistemologically appropriate. |
| Informed by | The research question and available resources. | Ontological and epistemological commitments. |
| Position in a thesis | The structure of the methods chapter. | The opening philosophical justification of the methods chapter. |
| Confused with | Often collapsed into "methodology" — incorrectly. | Often used interchangeably with "method" — incorrectly. |
Common questions
FAQ
What is the difference between methodology and method?+
A method is a specific tool or technique for collecting or analysing data — a survey, an interview, a t-test. Methodology is the reasoning that justifies choosing those methods: the philosophical approach, paradigm, and overall strategy. Methodology is the "why"; method is the "how". Using them interchangeably is the most common error in methods chapters.
How does research design relate to methodology and methods?+
Think of three nested levels. Methodology is the philosophical foundation — the paradigm and its assumptions. Research design is the architectural plan — the type of study and overall structure. Methods are the building materials — the specific techniques used to collect and analyse data. Methodology justifies the design; the design operationalises the methodology; methods execute the design.
Why does the distinction matter in a dissertation?+
Examiners expect a methods chapter that moves from philosophy to plan to procedure in a coherent hierarchy. Opening with methodology shows that methods are a reasoned consequence of the paradigm, not an arbitrary choice. Conflating the terms signals that a researcher does not understand how the levels of a research design relate to each other.
Going deeper
