Skill Profile
Research Methods
"Selecting and applying an appropriate methodology—qualitative, quantitative or mixed—to design a study, collect data rigorously and draw conclusions that the data actually supports."
YOUR SKILLS
Problems This Skill Solves
- Studies producing unreliable conclusions because the method didn't fit the research question
- Sampling bias skewing results without the researcher realising
- Ethical breaches from poorly designed data collection or consent processes
- Findings that can't be replicated or defended under peer or regulatory scrutiny
Quantitative methods are always more rigorous than qualitative ones.
Rigour comes from matching the method to the question—qualitative methods are the right, rigorous choice for understanding experience and meaning.
A large sample size fixes a flawed study design.
A large biased sample just produces a large, confidently wrong result—design flaws aren't fixed by scale.
Research & Outlook
AI tools are speeding up literature reviews and basic qualitative coding, but designing a valid study, managing ethics and interpreting results in context remain core human research skills.
See This Skill In Action
Watch a professional demonstrate Research Methods in a real working environment — what it looks like, how it's applied, and why it matters.
Research / Methodology
Research Methods
Also Known As
Growth Path
Follows an established research protocol to collect and record data accurately.
Designs an appropriate study methodology for a given research question and analyses the resulting data.
Leads complex, multi-method research programmes and mentors others on methodological rigour and ethics.
How to Practise
- 1.Design a small study (survey or interview set) from research question through to ethics approval documentation
- 2.Practise coding qualitative interview transcripts thematically using NVivo or a manual method
- 3.Run a basic statistical analysis (t-test, regression) on a public dataset and interpret the output
- 4.Critique a published study's methodology section for potential bias or limitations
How to Prove
- ·A completed dissertation, thesis or published study you designed and conducted
- ·A recognised research methods qualification or module
- ·Peer-reviewed publication or conference presentation of original research