Related Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmX0wLoJJcg

Link to ResearchGate

The trick in a methodological article is to cast aside the idea that a research method is a one-size-fits all recipe and recognize that all methods are adapted to fit the context and purpose.

Doctoral students in disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences are generally well socialized to the disciplinary conventions for writing an empirical article reporting on the results of research study. Far fewer have received any training about how to write a methodological article that reports on the innovative use of a research method or tool. Originality is demonstrated in the type of article by reflexivity about how you adapted a research method or analytical procedure to fit the needs in your research setting. It could also be about an innovative strategy you used to collect data. In many cases, the adaptation is not one that you anticipated would be necessary at the onset. 

Penning a methodological article has two distinct advantages for an aspiring coming academic. One advantage is that it opens up a new selection of potential venues for publication. Most academic disciplines have their own set of journals that prioritize methodological articles. For example, Nursing Inquiry is an example of a methodological journal in nursing. In psychology, both Frontiers in Psychology and Methods in Psychology publish methodological articles. The International Journal of Social Research Methodology invites discussion of methodological debates, while the International Journal of Qualitative Inquiry describes itself as a forum for articles exploring innovations and advances in methods and research designs.

A second huge advantage of publishing a methodological article is that it widens the potential impact of your research to researchers in other disciplines who are interested in the method. Clear labelling of the method you are writing about in the title and abstract helps others find it during an internet search. The references supplied in this type of article help readers locate valuable resources related to the research method. 

The video (1) defines the characteristics of a methodological article, (2)  provides examples of topics that would be appropriate for a methodological article in MMR, (3) illustrates how a methodological aim weaves through every section of this type of article, (4) provides some commentary about two examples, and (5) recognizes some challenges in writing this kind of article.

I’d love to hear your feedback about the video so to that I can figure out what might be most useful to do next!