What you want to study and how to study it go hand in hand, though there is rarely one method that is uniquely best for any one aim. Often there will be competing methods, or designs, that can address a given aim, and, especially in the social sciences and humanities, a multi-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques can be stimulating and rewarding. The most appropriate research designs usually emerge when operationalising the aims of the research, that is, during the process of transforming the research question in its most general form, to a do­able focused task with clear inputs and manageable outcomes. Look at the correspondence, then, between your operationalised aims and available methods. By justifying to yourself why it is the best method, by sitting down and writing about it, you can examine the fit between aims and research design.

	I've gathered lots of data, finished the experiments, explored the literature. What do I do with it now and how do I put it together?
	Designing and planning research.
	Dealing with data.
	Now I see how I should have done it all along. Is it too late to change.
	I am three quarters of the way through but it isn't as fruitful as I thought it would be. How can I rescue my thesis.
	Deciding on your structure.
	Seeing a plot emerge.
	Developing a picture of the thesis as a whole.
	Preparing an outline.
	Is it really necessary to start with a really detailed outline of your thesis?
	Seeking, receiving and handling feedback.
	Strategies for getting the best feedback possible.
	Overcoming reluctance to seek feedback.
	Keeping your research focused.