Dear Dr. Price,
I’m stuck. I know my thesis topic, I’ve started my literature review, but when it comes to the methodology section, I freeze. I don’t know what it’s supposed to look like, how detailed it needs to be, or how to design a study that actually matches my purpose. How do I move forward?
— Confused but Trying
Dear Confused but Trying,
You’re not alone—methodology tends to be the place where students feel the most uncertainty. I recently worked with a student who came in with the very same questions: How do I move forward? What goes where? How do I design this thing in a way that actually works?
We started by grounding her in the basics. First, we cleaned up her in-text APA citations—simple things like using et al. instead of listing every author’s full name and title. Tightening her citations helped her see the structure of her literature review more clearly, and from there, I provided her with a basic layout for how literature review discussions typically flow. Once those pieces felt steadier, we shifted into the part she was most unsure about: the methodology.
Her methodology needed work, so we slowed down and brainstormed her research design step by step. Sometimes, the best way forward is to talk it out. Together we adjusted the purpose of her study so it would be actually researchable. That one step alone clarified several of her next decisions. Then, we drafted additional sections of her methodology: her study sample, recruitment, data analysis, ethical considerations, and more. As each piece took shape, I helped her think through the rationales—the “why” behind every choice. Why this sample? Why this method? Why this analysis? Why this design?
By the end, she didn’t just have a methodology draft—she had a methodology she could explain.
So here’s my advice to you:
Don’t wait for the entire methodology to appear fully formed. Build it one decision at a time.
Brainstorm your design. Test your purpose statement. Draft your sections. And most importantly, write down the reasons why you made each choice.
That’s how a methodology grows—from questions, conversations, and the confidence that comes when your design finally makes sense.
You’ve got this.
Sincerely,
Dr. Price
A Writing Consultant Who Loves a Good Research Design