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Methods, surveys and ethics

If your project collects data from people, you need a method that fits your question and a plan that protects participants. This page covers the essentials.

Last updated 2 November 2026

Start with the question

Your question decides your method, not the other way around. "How many?" and "how much?" point towards numbers (quantitative). "Why?" and "how do people experience...?" point towards words and meanings (qualitative). Many projects use both, which is called mixed methods.

Quantitative and qualitative

Using existing data

Secondary data, such as datasets from the Office for National Statistics or the UK Data Service, can answer many questions without collecting new data. This is often quicker, avoids some ethical issues and may give a much larger sample. Check the licence and cite the dataset properly.

Designing a survey

1. Define the purpose. Every question should help to answer your research question. Cut anything that doesn't.
2. Write clear questions. One idea per question. Avoid jargon and leading wording ("Don't you agree that...?").
3. Choose answer types. Closed questions (tick boxes, scales) are easier to analyse; open questions give richer detail but take longer.
4. Offer balanced options. For scales, give equal positive and negative choices, and an "other" or "prefer not to say" where appropriate.
5. Order sensibly. Start with easy questions, put sensitive ones later.
6. Keep it short. Respondents drop out of long surveys.
7. Pilot it. Ask a few people to complete it and tell you what confused them.

Sampling

You rarely study everyone. A sample is the group you actually collect data from. A random sample gives each person in the population an equal chance of being picked and is best for generalising. Convenience samples (people you can easily reach) are common in student projects, but you must say honestly that the results may not represent everyone. Whatever you do, describe your sampling and its limits in your method section.

Ethics: the basics

Ethics means protecting the people you study. Most UK universities require students to get approval from an ethics committee or supervisor before collecting data from people. Do not start collecting data until your approval is confirmed. Common principles include:

• Informed consent. Participants know what the study is about, what they will do, how long it takes, how their data will be used and that they can withdraw. Provide an information sheet and a consent form.
• Voluntary participation. No pressure, and no penalty for saying no.
• Anonymity and confidentiality. Don't identify people in your report unless they have clearly agreed. Store data securely.
• Avoiding harm. Think about distress, embarrassment or risk, especially if your topic is sensitive or involves children or vulnerable adults. Extra safeguards and checks apply.
• Honest reporting. Report what you found, not what you hoped to find.

Data protection

If you collect personal data, UK data protection law applies. Collect only what you need, keep it secure, tell participants how it will be used and delete it when you no longer need it. Your university will have guidance and a data protection officer; follow their instructions and ask them if unsure. The Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) publishes official guidance on research and data protection, and you should check it and your university's policy before collecting data.

Writing up your method

A method section should let another researcher repeat what you did. Include the design, participants and sampling, materials such as the survey or interview guide, procedure, analysis, ethics and limitations. Be honest about problems: markers value honesty about limits.

See how methods fit into a full project in dissertation structure, and how to find existing studies in searching the literature.

Spotted a mistake or have a question? Get in touch.