{"id":3671,"date":"2025-08-05T10:59:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T17:59:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/?p=3671"},"modified":"2025-08-07T10:28:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T17:28:34","slug":"dissertation-training-series-post-6-you-are-the-method-positionality-ethics-and-making-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-6-you-are-the-method-positionality-ethics-and-making-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"Dissertation Training Series, Post 6 &#8211; You Are the Method: Positionality, Ethics, and Making Knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Part 6 of the 10-part EDST Dissertation Training Series<\/em><br>By Ella Wright | Blog Editor, EDST | Insights from Dr. Autumn Knowlton<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More Than Just a Chapter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When students hear the word <strong>methodology<\/strong>, many think of a checklist: interviews, surveys, coding software, done. But Dr. Autumn Knowlton reminded us that <strong>methodology is much more than methods<\/strong>. It is about <strong>how you think knowledge is created<\/strong>, and <strong>how you position yourself in that process<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This chapter is where you show the reader <strong>how your study works<\/strong>\u2014from your assumptions about knowledge, to your ethical choices, to the tools you used to collect and analyze data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou are not just reporting what you did. You are explaining how and why you did it, and how your choices shaped the outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Methodology vs. Methods: Know the Difference<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Methodology<\/strong> is the <strong>approach to knowledge creation<\/strong>\u2014it includes your beliefs about what counts as knowledge, how you gather it, and how you make meaning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Methods<\/strong> are the specific <strong>tools or processes<\/strong> you used\u2014such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, or document analysis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of methodology as the <strong>framework for how you see the world<\/strong> as a researcher, and methods as <strong>how you act within that world<\/strong> to answer your question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Align Your Question with Your Methods<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your <strong>research question should guide your methods<\/strong>, and your methods should allow you to answer the question. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>quantitative<\/strong> approach seeks generalizable, measurable patterns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>qualitative<\/strong> approach explores meaning, experience, and nuance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mixed methods<\/strong> use both to complement each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Be clear about what you are trying to find out\u2014and choose methods that fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ethics Is More Than a Form<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many students think of ethics as the form they submit to the research ethics board. But ethics in your dissertation also includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>How you treat people and knowledge<\/strong> in your study.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How you <strong>refer to participants<\/strong> (e.g., co-researchers, collaborators).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How you <strong>acknowledge power, bias, and positionality<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Knowlton encouraged us to go deeper:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEthics is about care, respect, and trust. How are you showing the reader that your process is trustworthy?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Positionality and Self-Location: Who Are You as the Researcher?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are not a neutral observer. In this chapter, you explain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Who you are<\/strong> in relation to the research.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What <strong>assumptions and biases<\/strong> you bring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How you handled your <strong>presence in the data<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might include reflections such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Did you keep a research journal?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Did you share findings with participants for feedback?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How did your identity influence your interactions and interpretations?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrustworthiness means showing that your findings are not random or accidental. They came from a process your reader can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Writing With Integrity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Knowlton encouraged students to <strong>be intentional<\/strong> about their voice in this chapter. If you use \u201cI\u201d or \u201cwe,\u201d explain why. Footnotes can help clarify your choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be consistent with your <strong>ontological and epistemological assumptions<\/strong>. In other words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How do you see the world?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What counts as knowledge in your study?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who creates that knowledge?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Answering these questions helps you write a <strong>clear, ethical, and honest methodology<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Methodology<\/strong> is about how you create knowledge\u2014not just tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Align your <strong>question, methodology, and methods<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ethics is about care, trust, and positionality\u2014not just forms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Show <strong>who you are<\/strong> in the research and how that shaped your process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build <strong>trustworthiness<\/strong> by explaining how you ensured valid, thoughtful analysis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Explore the Full Dissertation Training Series<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/03\/dissertation-writing-workshops-with-dr-autumn-knowlton-10-part-special-blog-series\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Overview Post<\/strong> \u2013 About the Workshops and Series<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-1-not-a-book-not-a-mystery-what-your-dissertation-really-is\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 1<\/strong> \u2013 Not a Book, Not a Mystery: What Your Dissertation Really Is<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-2-from-jumble-sale-to-funnel-planning-your-dissertation-for-clarity-and-flow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 2<\/strong> \u2013 From Jumble Sale to Funnel: Planning Your Dissertation for Clarity and Flow<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-3-hold-the-target-not-the-dart-crafting-and-evolving-your-research-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 3<\/strong> \u2013 Hold the Target, Not the Dart: Crafting and Evolving Your Research Questions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-4-conversations-not-catalogues-writing-a-literature-review-with-purpose\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 4<\/strong> \u2013 Conversations, Not Catalogues: Writing a Literature Review with Purpose<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-5-kitchen-rules-conceptual-and-theoretical-frameworks-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 5<\/strong> \u2013 Kitchen Rules: Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks Explained<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-6-you-are-the-method-positionality-ethics-and-making-knowledge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 6<\/strong> \u2013 You Are the Method: Positionality, Ethics, and Making Knowledge<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-7-sock-time-presenting-your-findings-with-clarity-and-confidence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 7<\/strong> \u2013 Sock Time: Presenting Your Findings with Clarity and Confidence<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-8-weaving-the-threads-discussion-and-meaning-making\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 8<\/strong> \u2013 Weaving the Threads: Discussion and Meaning-Making<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-9-what-i-did-why-it-matters-writing-your-scholarly-conclusion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 9<\/strong> \u2013 What I Did, Why It Matters: Writing Your Scholarly Conclusion<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/2025\/08\/05\/dissertation-training-series-post-10-dont-go-in-circles-writing-editing-and-staying-sane\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Part 10<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t Go in Circles: Writing, Editing, and Staying Sane<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Dissertation Preparation and Policies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>UBC Grad Studies \u2013 Getting Started:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grad.ubc.ca\/current-students\/dissertation-thesis-preparation\">https:\/\/www.grad.ubc.ca\/current-students\/dissertation-thesis-preparation<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Style Guides and Computer Tools:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grad.ubc.ca\/current-students\/dissertation-thesis-preparation\/style-guides-computer-tools\">https:\/\/www.grad.ubc.ca\/current-students\/dissertation-thesis-preparation\/style-guides-computer-tools<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Writing Support and Self-Guided Modules<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>EDST Thesis Writing Module:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/\">https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developing a Dissertation (EDST Module):<br><a href=\"https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/module-library\/developing-a-dissertation\/\">https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/module-library\/developing-a-dissertation\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>UBC Library Dissertation Guide:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/guides.library.ubc.ca\/dissertation\">https:\/\/guides.library.ubc.ca\/dissertation<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Free One-on-One Writing Support<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>UBC Writing Consultations for Graduate Students (writing and referencing help):<br><a href=\"https:\/\/writing.library.ubc.ca\/graduates\/writing-consultations\/\">https:\/\/writing.library.ubc.ca\/graduates\/writing-consultations\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Workshop Recording and Presenter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Click to view Dr. Autumn Knowlton&#8217;s workshop <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/files\/2025\/08\/What-Is-Involved-in-Writing-a-Dissertation-final.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">presentation slides<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dr. Autumn Knowlton \u2013 (Re)Visions Website: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autumnrevisions.com\/\">https:\/\/www.autumnrevisions.com\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Explore More<\/strong><br>UBC EDST students can access free tools and support through the <a href=\"https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/\">Thesis Writing Module<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/thesismodules.edst.educ.ubc.ca\/module-library\/developing-a-dissertation\/\">Developing a Dissertation module<\/a>. For writing and referencing help, book a free <a href=\"https:\/\/writing.library.ubc.ca\/graduates\/writing-consultations\/\">graduate writing consultation<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Methodology is about how you create knowledge\u2014your ethics, positionality, and methods must align with your research purpose and values.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":85465,"featured_media":3653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,139],"tags":[174,171,176,147,45,107,177,159,160,145,179,173,178,172,175,170,44],"class_list":["post-3671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-posts","category-dissertation-support","tag-academic-analysis","tag-conceptual-framework","tag-dissertation-chapter","tag-doctoral-thesis","tag-edst","tag-educational-studies","tag-ethics-in-research","tag-how-to-write-a-dissertation","tag-how-to-write-a-thesis","tag-methodology","tag-positionality","tag-research-lens","tag-research-methods","tag-theoretical-framework","tag-thesis-help","tag-thesis-resources","tag-ubc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/85465"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3671"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3716,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3671\/revisions\/3716"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/edst\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}