Methodology Definition: Learn More about Different Methods

Whenever you work on any task, you might think about a specific methodology that could be used to achieve your goal. But the methodology definition is not as clear as it seems. You can use for different areas and researches. In this article, you can find out more about methodology definition and you can use it for your own ideas.

What is methodology definition?

Definition of methodology is often complex and has multiple meanings. Methodology definition AP Gov has on offer can be very different from what is taught in universities. Definition methodology is based on a discipline you study. In general, methodology stands for a system of methods used in a specific field. It is a set of rules or principles that can be used for studies, product development, research, as well as many other things. Down below, you will find a few definitions of methodology in different areas.

Agile methodology definition

Agile methodology is widely used in the world of IT and software development. Agile is the method that allows developers to come up with quick solutions regarding any issues that might occur during the project completion. Usually, a team of software developers organizes a special meeting to discuss the product or project to make some improvements to it. Agile methodology has many benefits, and some of them are:

• Transparency. The customers will not only see the final product but the process of making it, too.
• Fast delivery. With the help of the agile methodology, projects are usually completed under a month.
• Fixed costs. Customers will have a much better understanding of approximate costs.
• Better quality. Projects are usually divided into units, which makes it easier for developers to improve each of them.

Research methodology definition

Definition research methodology has is pretty simple: it is used to collect, identify, select, and analyze data for a specific study. Research methods are widely used in almost all academic fields. The research methodology is divided into two methods: qualitative and quantitative. It can be used for writing such papers as dissertation, thesis, or research.

Quantitative methods are:

• Experiments
• Surveys
• Publications (books, journals, articles, etc.)

Qualitative methods include:

• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Case studies
• Observations

Research methodology helps the writer find important sources for the research. Without this method, many scientists would have been unable to discover new things based on the old researcher. No doubt, this method is the most common one. But anyone who is going to use should keep in mind that all of the used resources have to be mentioned in the annotated bibliography.

Waterfall methodology definition

Waterfall methodology (or waterfall model) is another popular methodology used in product management in development. The name of it is very symbolic: the main steps of this method are similar to the waterfall which moving downward. Waterfall methodology is divided into seven phases:

1. Guidelines. These include specific instructions and deadlines.
2. Analyzing. On this stage, the team has to create the product model and business plan.
3. Designing. Here, developers have to work on technical design.
4. Coding. This step requires the implementation of a program.
5. Testing. This stage is meant for making sure that the quality of the product is at its best.
6. Deployment. This step is for the finalization of the project.
7. Maintenance. The last stage is for releasing some improvements and new versions when the product has finally been carried out.

Waterfall model is great for defining clear goals and deadlines. It is simple and understandable. Also, it allows developers to make changes in the early stages whenever there is a need in it. On the other hand, the waterfall model does not involve much of a client’s feedback until the last stage. Testing is often put almost at the end when it might be a better idea to start testing as soon as possible.

Scientific methodology definition

As we can say from the name, scientific methodology is mostly used to make new discoveries in sciences, including chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and many others. It’s the most effective way to come up with a hypothesis and prove it (or otherwise). The scientific methodology consists of such steps:

1. Observation. For example, you notice something strange that you have not seen before. You make an observation.
2. Then, you ask yourself a question: why is it happening? What led to this situation?
3. Now, you offer a hypothesis: an explanation of the event.
4. After you came up with a hypothesis, you make a prediction. In other words, you think about the outcome in case your theory is right.
5. After that, you test your predictions.

The last thing you would do is your own reflection on the tests. If your hypothesis was not proven, you will have to come up with the new one. If it was supported, you would have to improve your research and back it up with additional information and tests.

One example of methodology is Construction methodology. It is a text describing the set of activities or steps that will be taken by the engineers to construct or build anything. Like a strange method of constructing buildings is top-down construction instead of typical down to up construction. Here's a very good explanation of top-down construction methodology in detail.

To conclude

In this article, we reviewed the methodology sample definition. There are different types of methodologies that you can use for your work. For example, if you are into mathematical formulas and models, you could look for statistical methodology definition. If you are interested in government, you should check out methodology definition AP gov.

There are also mixed methodologies, that combine different types of methods in one. You can use them to write a dissertation, thesis, or research paper. What you need to remember is that whenever you choose any type of methodology, you need to understand the main principles of it and how you can use it.