Overview

The Methods section tells your readers how you conducted your research. You explain exactly what you did to gather the information for your report. Save the details on what you found out for the Results section. Do not include them in your Methods section.

Where You Can Find Help

• From Markel & Selber, Chapter 18:
  
  • The details on the Methods Section, from p. 493:
    “The methods section answers the question ‘What did you do?’ In drafting the methods section, consider your readers’ knowledge of the field, their perception of you, and the uniqueness of the project, as well as their reasons for reading the report and their attitudes toward the project. Provide enough information to enable readers to understand what you did and why you did it that way. If others will be using the report to duplicate your methods, include sufficient detail.”
  • Example Methods Section, on pp. 512–515 (part of the sample recommendation report in Figure 18.8).
• LinkedIn Learning video, “Include methodology and procedures” (4m 11s), from the Technical Writing: Reports course.

How You Do It

1. Add the heading for your Methods section:
   1. Add the word Methods as the heading at the top of the page and center the line. You can also choose the heading Research Methods.
   2. Format the word so that it is clearly the heading for the page. You can use the built-in headings in your word processor. See the Tech Tip on p. 55 for help.
   3. Skip a blank line.
2. Write the opening paragraphs for the Methods section, following the general pattern below:
   

   Paragraph 1

   Open your Methods section with background information that shaped your research process. This paragraph can include overarching goals that guided your research. See the first paragraph of the Research Methods section in the Sample Recommendation Report on p. 512.

   Paragraph 2

   Identify any key sources that guided your research process and/or specific issues that your research focused on. See the second paragraph of the Research Methods section in the Sample Recommendation Report on p. 512 of the textbook for help.

   Paragraph 3

   Provide an advance organizer that outlines the tasks comprising your research process. Use a numbered list for these research tasks. See the third paragraph and bulleted list in the Research Methods section of the Sample Recommendation Report on p. 512 for an example. See Guidelines: Creating Effective Lists on pp. 205–206 for additional help.

   Paragraph 4

   Add a sentence that introduces your task-by-task explanation of your research methods. See the fourth paragraph in the Research Methods section of the Sample Recommendation Report on p. 512 for an example.

3. .For each task you identified in your research process, add a subsection with details on your research methods. Follow these guidelines for each Task subsection:
   

   Tips for Writing Subheadings

   • Use the subheadings in the Methods Section of the sample recommendation report in Figure 18.8 of the textbook as a model.
   • Consult the advice in the “Writing Clear, Informative Headings,” section on pp. 199–202 (in Chapter 9 of the textbook).

   Task Heading

   • Begin the subsection with a subheading that identifies the task by number and provides a brief statement of the task. Ideally your subheading should be approximately 1 to 1½ lines.
   • Format your subheading so that it is different from the paragraphs in the body. You can use the built-in headings in your word processor. See the Tech Tip on p. 55 for help.

   Task Details

   Provide the relevant details under each heading. Include the following information:

   • Explain background on how your began the task, including details on people involved.
   • Provide information on how you conducted your research, moving generally in a chronological order.
   • Explain the logic behind your methods to ensure that your readers understand your thinking.
   • Mention any specific materials used in your research, such as questionnaires, surveys, and interview questions. Include the materials themselves in your Appendix. Add a page number to the materials in the Appendix when you first mention them in the Methods section.
   • Add in-text citations for outside sources that you consulted (for instance, books, websites, or videos). Follow the documentation style that is used in your field. See the Documentation and Citations for Your Projects page for help.
   • Review the information in your subsection, and chunk the information into short paragraphs. The exact number of paragraphs in each of subsections will depend upon the specific details of your research process. See p. 265 for information on chunking.
   • See Task 1–6 in the Research Methods section of the Sample Recommendation Report on p. 512–515 of the textbook for help.

4. Compare the subheadings you have included with the tasks you have listed elsewhere in the document. Ensure that they all use the same phrasing.
5. Review your Methods section to make sure that you have included everything that answers the question, “What did you do?”
6. Move on to the next part of the report that you want to work on.