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Methodology Guides

Quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods — pick the approach that fits your research question.

29
Articles
When to read this topic

Methodology chapter writing, research design, qualitative vs quantitative vs mixed-methods, sampling, instruments, data collection, data analysis frameworks, ethics approval. Use this when the post is about HOW THE RESEARCH IS DONE.

Research Methods articles29 guides · Sorted by Latest
Research Methods11 min read

Who qualifies as an author on a research paper?

You qualify as an author on a research paper only if you meet all four ICMJE criteria — not merely because you funded, supervised, or collected data.

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Research Methods10 min read

How do you keep your research paper from being retracted?

A paper gets retracted when its findings can no longer be trusted — and most causes are integrity mistakes you can prevent before you submit.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you write a dissertation abstract?

A dissertation abstract is a short, stand-alone summary that states your study's aim, methods, key findings, and contribution to knowledge.

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Research Methods9 min read

Do you have to pay to publish open access?

No — you do not have to pay to publish in a reputable journal: many charge no fee at all, and waivers exist for researchers in lower-income countries.

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Research Methods10 min read

Which reporting guideline does your study need?

A reporting guideline is a checklist of what your paper must include — and using the right one for your study type is now expected at most good journals.

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Research Methods8 min read

How do you get your published research read and cited?

A paper's reach depends on more than the journal: preprints, a researcher profile, self-archiving, and sharing decide how many people read and cite it.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you write a dissertation conclusion?

A dissertation conclusion is the final chapter that answers your research questions, states your contribution, and shows what your study changed.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you use AI to screen studies for a systematic review?

AI-assisted screening uses machine learning to rank the titles and abstracts a systematic review returns, so reviewers read the most relevant studies first.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you write a dissertation introduction?

A dissertation introduction is the opening chapter that defines your research problem, states your aims, and shows examiners why the study matters.

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Research Methods12 min read

What is a desk rejection, and how do you avoid one?

A desk rejection is an editor's decision to reject a paper before peer review, often within days, and it is the most common way manuscripts fail.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you identify a research gap for your paper?

A research gap is a specific, unresolved question your field has not yet answered, and finding a genuine one is the foundation of any publishable study.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you write a PhD research proposal?

A PhD research proposal sets out your research question, your method, and a realistic timeline that convinces a supervisor the project is feasible.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you respond to a major revision from a Scopus journal?

A major revision from a Scopus journal means the editor will likely publish your paper once you address every reviewer concern in full.

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Research Methods11 min read

How do you write the discussion section of a research paper?

The discussion section of a research paper is where you interpret your findings — what they mean, why they matter, and how they fit prior work. It is interpretation and argument, not a place to repeat your results.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you calculate the sample size for a research study?

Calculating the sample size for a research study means working out how many participants you need to detect a real effect before collecting data.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you make an AI health study reproducible for a Q1 journal?

An AI health study is reproducible when an independent team can rerun your code on the stated data and reach the same results you reported.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you run a meta-analysis as a first-time researcher?

A meta-analysis statistically combines results from multiple studies on one question into a single pooled estimate more precise than any single study.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you choose the right statistical test for a Q1 publication?

Choosing the right statistical test means matching one method to your research question, your data type, and your study design before you run any analysis.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you use AI ethically in your literature review?

Using AI ethically in your literature review means using it as a search and screening assistant, never as a source of citations you do not verify.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you avoid predatory journals when publishing your research?

A predatory journal takes your fee, skips real peer review, and can trap your paper, and for Vietnamese researchers it can damage a whole career.

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Research Methods11 min read

How do you design a systematic review in the health sciences?

A systematic review answers one focused health-sciences question by finding, appraising, and synthesising every relevant study with a reproducible method.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you publish a medical imaging AI study in a Q1 journal?

Publishing a medical imaging AI study in a Q1 journal takes clinical novelty, external validation, and transparent reporting, not a high accuracy score.

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Research Methods11 min read

How do you write a cover letter to a journal editor?

A cover letter to a journal editor is a one-page note framing your manuscript's fit, novelty, and ethics before an editor decides on peer review.

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Research Methods11 min read

How do you choose the right Scopus journal for your paper?

Choosing a Scopus journal means matching your paper to a journal by scope, citation fit, and realistic acceptance odds before you ever submit.

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Research Methods11 min read

What is the difference between a Q1 and a Q2 journal?

A journal's quartile is its rank within a Scopus subject category by citation impact, where Q1 is the top 25 percent and Q2 the next 25 percent.

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Research Methods10 min read

How do you respond to reviewer comments on a Scopus journal submission?

Responding to reviewer comments on a Scopus submission means answering every point in a structured letter — fixing what you agree with and defending the rest. Do it with evidence and courtesy.

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Research Methods13 min read

How does a Vietnamese researcher get published in a Scopus Q1 or Q2 journal?

Publishing in a Scopus Q1 or Q2 journal is the single hardest milestone for a Vietnamese researcher's first international submission — and the one with the highest career payoff.

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Research Methods12 min read

Why does the Outline → Draft → Final method work for Scopus Q1 publication?

The single biggest reason Vietnamese first-authors get desk-rejected from Scopus Q1 journals is not language and not methodology — it is that they write the introduction before they know what their core contribution is.

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Research Methods12 min read

How do you write a methodology section that examiners actually believe?

The methodology section is where examiners separate students who designed real research from students who improvised. It carries the highest mark weight in most rubrics — yet most international students treat it as a checklist.

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