Wordcraft at Camp: Method vs. Methodology

Leslie H. Nicoll, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN

Writer’s Camp Director

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Wordcraft at Camp offers bite-size lessons on language, clarity, and scholarly style from the counselors at Writer’s Camp.

If you have ever paused mid-sentence and wondered whether to write method or methodology, you are not alone. These two words are often used interchangeably in manuscripts, but in scholarly writing, they do not mean the same thing. Choosing the right one helps clarify your work and signals precision to reviewers and editors.

Rule of Thumb

• If you are describing what you did → use method
• If you are explaining the theory behind your approach → use methodology

When in doubt, method is usually the safer and clearer choice.

Quick Definition

A method is a specific procedure, technique, or approach used to collect or analyze data.

Methodology is the theoretical, philosophical, or conceptual framework that underpins the choice of methods.

What is the Difference?

Method refers to what you did.

Methodology refers to why and how methods are chosen.

Think of the method as the way the researcher set up the study to collect pertinent information to answer the research question.  Most of the time, when authors describe their study design, data collection, or analysis, method is the correct choice. Methodology belongs in work that explicitly engages with research philosophy or theory. Many empirical studies do not require a methodology section.

In Practice

In practice, if you can replace the word with procedure or technique and the sentence still makes sense, method is likely the word you want.

Examples:

• survey method
• qualitative interview method
• statistical analysis method
• teaching method

You should use methodology when:

• the study explicitly discusses epistemological or theoretical foundations
• the choice of methods is grounded in a named research tradition
• the manuscript explains why certain methods align with a particular worldview

If the manuscript does not engage at that level, methodology is probably unnecessary.

Examples:

• qualitative methodology
• quantitative methodology
• feminist methodology
• mixed-methods methodology
• interpretive methodology

A Common Writing Pitfall

Authors often write “methodology” when they really mean “method.”

For example: “The methodology used in this study was a survey.”

This is almost always better written as: “The method used in this study was a survey.”

Using methodology here adds complexity without adding meaning.

Counselor’s Tip

Precision is a kindness to your reader. Using method when you mean method helps reviewers focus on the substance of your work rather than on terminology. Reserve methodology for moments when it truly adds meaning—and when you use it, make sure the manuscript delivers on that promise.

Author: Leslie H. Nicoll

Reviewed and Edited by: Patricia A. Normandin

Copyright © 2025 Writer’s Camp and Leslie H Nicoll. CC-BY ND 4.0

Citation: Nicoll LH. Wordcraft at Camp: Method versus methodology. The Writer’s Camp Journal, 2025; 1(3):16. doi:10.5281/zenodo.18091027