method

Definitions of Method

1. (noun) A systematic way to do something.
2. (noun) A process, technique or tool for collecting or analyzing data.

Examples of Method

• interview
• survey
  

Method Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: meth·od

Audio Pronunciation

International Phonetic Alphabet

• American English – /ˈmɛθəd/
• British English – /ˈmɛθəd/

Usage Notes

• Plural: methods
• Not to be confused with methodology.
• Methodological pluralism refers to the idea that there is no single preferred research method and that a multitude of methods is beneficial.
• Also called:
  • research method
  • research technique
• An (noun) methodologist uses (adjective) methodologic or (adjective) methodologistic or (adjective) methodological ideas (adverb) methodologically.

Related Quotations

• “Although no single method can eliminate uncertainty, the steps embodied in the scientific method maximize the chances for deriving information that is relevant, unbiased, and economical” (Hughes and Kroehler 2008:31).
• “Bureaucracy represented a new group of rulers and a new method of government in contrast to monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. The concept of bureaucracy began to refer to power over the population. By the nineteenth century, the theme of bureaucracy as a threat to democracy developed into ideas that democracy was the fundamental corrective to the routine, inflexibility, and power that came to characterize bureaucracy” (Colignon 2007:179).
• “Sociology is the systematic study of human society and social interaction. It is a systematic study because sociologists apply both theoretical perspectives and research methods (or orderly approaches) to examinations of social behavior” (Kendall 2006:2).

Related Videos

Additional Information

• Qualitative Research Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Quantitative Research Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Word origin of “method” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com

Related Terms

• cohort
• data
• hypothesis
• interview
• reliability
• research
• statistical analysis
• study
• survey

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References

Colignon, Richard A. 1969. “The Sociology of Organization.” Pp. 179–88 in 21st Century Sociology: A Reference Handbook, edited by C. D. Bryant, and D. L. Peck. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Hughes, Michael, and Carolyn J. Kroehler. 2008. Sociology: The Core. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Kendall, Diana. 2006. Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Works Consulted

Marsh, Ian, and Mike Keating, eds. 2006. Sociology: Making Sense of Society. 3rd ed. Harlow, England: Pearson Education.

Merriam-Webster. (N.d.) Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/).

O’Leary, Zina. 2007. The Social Science Jargon Buster: The Key Terms You Need to Know. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).

Cite the Definition of Method

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “method.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved December 14, 2024 (https://sociologydictionary.org/method/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

method. (2014). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/method/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2014. “method.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed December 14, 2024. https://sociologydictionary.org/method/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“method.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2024. <https://sociologydictionary.org/method/>.