# methodology

Pronunciation: US say "meth-uh-DAH-luh-jee" /ˌmɛθ.əˈdɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/; UK say "meth-uh-DOL-uh-jee" /ˌmɛθ.əˈdɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/

## Noun

1. The collection of methods, practices, procedures, and rules used by people working in a particular field.
   - Simple: A set of methods and rules that people use to do work in a certain field.
   - _The research group adopted a rigorous methodology combining surveys with field observation._
   - _Each consulting firm guards its proprietary methodology for managing large projects._
2. The branch of study concerned with the methods used within a particular field.
   - Simple: The study of the methods used in a subject or field of work.
   - _Her doctoral training emphasized methodology over the mere accumulation of facts._
   - _Courses in research methodology teach students how to evaluate competing approaches._
3. The putting into practice of the methods, practices, procedures, and rules used in a particular field.
   - Simple: The act of putting a set of methods and rules into practice.
   - _Careful methodology during the trial ensured that every sample was handled identically._
   - _Reviewers rejected the survey after finding that its methodology in the field had been sloppy, with interviewers skipping whole sections of questions._

## Origin

From French méthodologie; by surface analysis it breaks down into method plus the suffix -ology.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/methodology (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).