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 Howdy or Hello? Technical and Professional Communication

• Methods Section of a Recommendation Report
• Specific Guidelines on Headings
• Bulleted and Numbered Lists
• Use of Color

From LinkedIn Learning

• Video: “Include methodology and procedures” (4m 11s), from the Technical Writing: Reports course.

From Technical Communication

• Sample Report, Figure 18.8

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.
   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.

   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 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 for an example. See Bulleted and Numbered Lists 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 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 Sample Recommendation Report as a model.
   • Consult the advice in the Specific Guidelines on Headings section of Howdy or Hello?.

   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 long.
   • 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 first task in the Sample Recommendation Report for an example.

   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 mention (for instance, books, websites, or videos) as you explain your findings, following these guidelines:
     • Make sure that any information you quote from your primary or secondary research is enclosed in quotation marks.
     • Follow the documentation style your group has agreed upon.
     • 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 the section on “Chunking” on the Document Design: More Design Principles page.
   • See Task 1–6 in the Research Methods section of the Sample Recommendation Report for help.

4. Compare the subheadings you have included with the tasks 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. Share your draft with your group and make additional revisions as necessary to connect with the other sections of your report.