Outline:

1. Intro: “Rejected for ‘methodology issues’”
   • Brief story: common reviewer comment “methodology is weak/unclear”.
   • State goal: show 5 fixable mistakes that block publication.
2. Mistake 1 – Vague research question
   • Symptom: topic is broad, objective unclear.
   • Example and quick fix: sharpen to a specific question and hypothesis.
3. Mistake 2 – Weak alignment between question and method
   • Using random sampling language without real sampling; using wrong design.
   • Show mapping: descriptive vs explanatory vs exploratory → suitable designs.
4. Mistake 3 – Poor sampling and data quality
   • Convenience sampling with no justification; too small N.
   • Talk about transparency and justification even when constraints exist.
5. Mistake 4 – Inadequate description of tools and procedures
   • Not explaining questionnaires, scales, reliability checks, software.
   • How to briefly but clearly document instruments and analysis steps.
6. Mistake 5 – Over‑claiming from limited data
   • Confusing correlation with causation; generalizing from tiny samples.
   • How to phrase conclusions cautiously and suggest future work.

Soft pitch for SATC training

One paragraph: SATC’s Research Methodology Training helps students avoid these exact mistakes through structured design, sampling, and analysis practice.