Tips & Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Mixed methods: The MA thesis can be based around a single research method or use a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, often referred to as a “mixed methods” approach. Avoid using this term just because it sounds “trendy”. Make sure that you provide a clear justification for how the different methods complement one another and how this approach helps to answer the research questions more fully.
• Quantitative data vs. quantitative methods: You can discuss quantitative (i.e., numeric) data in your research, such as number of votes for a political party, statistics from a public opinion poll, or GDP, to describe the phenomenon that you are investigating or to illustrate a point, but this does not mean that you are using quantitative methods. Quantitative methods analyse the data by exploring numeric patterns using statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques. Likewise, if you use a mainly qualitative approach but include some quantitative data to illustrate a point, this does not mean that you use mixed methods.
• Avoid using specialised terminology without explanation: It is important to avoid simply mentioning methodological terms such as “critical discourse analysis” and “grounded theory” without further explanation. The methodological chapter of the thesis should clearly outline how and why you selected a particular method(s), how the method is defined in the literature on research methods and how you apply it to your own research, and how using this approach will enable you to interpret your data and generate relevant findings that help you answer your research questions. (It can be helpful to think of the methodological chapter as the recipe for your research, which enables someone else to follow the steps to cook the same food). Suggestions for further reading on research methods are provided in the list of recommended reading.
• Interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinarity: Research that crosses or draws on several different social science disciplines is encouraged within the CEERE programme. However, you should avoid using these terms simply because they are fashionable. Research claiming to combine or cross several disciplines should be accompanied by a clear explanation of how these approaches are being used to help achieve the central thesis objectives.
• Feasibility: Keep in mind issues of feasibility when selecting your data and research methods. Is the data accessible to you, either in-person or online? Do you have the necessary linguistic skills? Are there any ethical considerations? Are there likely to be any costs incurred (e.g., paid access to online content, subscriptions to software not provided by universities in the consortium, travel and accommodation for fieldwork, costs of hiring interpreter or translator)? 
• Realistic working schedule: Students often underestimate the time required to gain ethical approval for their research project and/or the process of collecting data. Research involving human subjects, such as recruiting participants to respond to a survey or scheduling interviews, often takes much longer than anticipated. Make sure that you allocate plenty of time in your work plan for these phases of the research process.
• Have a Plan B: It is good practice in the early stages of the research to explore multiple options for data sources and research methods for your MA thesis topic. This will allow you to provide a strong justification for why you chose to study your topic using these particular data and methods. Also, in the event that your initial idea does not work out, it is good to already have contingency plans in mind to avoid further delays.