How to Choose a Research Methodology for a Capstone Project
Methodology should be a consequence of the research question—not a preference selected first and justified later.
Define what evidence would count as an answer
Before naming a design, ask what the final evidence would need to look like. Participant descriptions? Numerical comparisons? Patterns across documents? Changes over time? The answer narrows the range of defensible methods.
Match the design to the claim you want to make
If the design only explores participant experiences, do not frame the conclusions as proof of population-level effects. If the study compares measured outcomes, the sampling and analysis must support the comparison. The claim must stay inside what the design can actually establish.
Check feasibility early
A method can be theoretically appropriate but impossible within the capstone timeline. Consider access to participants, recruitment, permissions, data availability, software, analysis skills, and the amount of data you can reasonably collect and analyze.
Do not use method labels as substitutes for decisions
Saying “qualitative study” is not enough. The proposal still needs to explain who will participate, how they will be recruited, what data will be collected, how the instrument or protocol works, and how the data will be analyzed.
Make the analysis plan visible before data collection
You should be able to explain how raw data will become findings before you collect it. If that pathway is unclear, the method is not ready.
Use a fit check
- Does the method answer the research question?
- Does the population match the problem and purpose?
- Can the planned data source produce the needed evidence?
- Can the analysis answer the question?
- Can the study be completed ethically and practically within the capstone timeline?
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