Kniffert, Silke, Buljan, Ivan, Azevedo, Flavio, Babinčák, Peter, Batinović, Lucija, Evans, Thomas Rhys ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6670-0718, Garofalo, Sara, Graham, Christopher, Groenink, Lucianne, Ihle, Malika, Klugar, Miloslav, Kočišová, Lucia, Kohút, Michal, Kostomitsopoulos, Nikolaos, Lacey, Seán, Lunić, Anita, Marušić, Ana, Nordström, Thomas, Pennington, Charlotte R., Pizzolato, Daniel, Toelch, Ulf, Topor, Marta, Vuković, Miro and de Boer, Michiel R. (2025) Research methodology education in Europe: a multi-country, cross-disciplinary survey of current practices and perspectives. Research Integrity and Peer Review, 10:24. ISSN 2058-8615 (Online) (doi:10.1186/s41073-025-00183-x)

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Abstract

Background
Research methodology education aims to equip students with the foundational knowledge of robust scientific practices, emphasizing deep understanding of scientific inquiry, integrity, and critical thinking in research practice. A literature review reveals that the observed diversity in research methods course design and instruction stems from a lack of consensus about the essential foundations required to critically engage with, design, and execute research in education. This is further compounded by a limited pedagogical innovation. However, no study has yet investigated how research methodology is taught and perceived across European universities. The objective of this study is to examine practices and attitudes regarding teaching research methodology in different European countries, across different disciplines and different training stages to identify commonalities and discrepancies.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was designed based on the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy and further developed in several rounds of expert input and feedback, ensuring comprehensive inclusion of diverse teaching formats and assessment types. The survey was distributed to research methodology and non-research methodology higher education teachers across Europe through stratified and snowball sampling methods.
Results
The survey was completed by 559 respondents across 24 countries and seven disciplinary categories. The findings identified a predominant reliance on traditional passive teaching formats, such as face-to-face or online lectures. Active methods such as flipped classroom (8.4% Bachelor, 4.8% Master, 2.3% PhD) and protocol writing (8.2% Bachelor, 6.6% Master, 3.9% PhD) were less frequently used. Written exams dominated assessment strategies at all levels. Across our stratification levels, all topics were rated very important, with hypothesis formulation, research integrity, and study design as the most necessary topics, while pre-registration, peer review, and data management plan were prioritized slightly less.
Conclusions
These findings reveal relative homogeneity in research methodology teaching across academic levels and disciplines in Europe. The persistence of passive teaching formats and the limited adoption of active methodologies reflects an untapped opportunity to improve the effectiveness of research methodology education in fostering critical thinking and ethical practices. Higher education institutions need to reevaluate research methodology curricula to better align with contemporary research demands.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.. Ethical approval (IRB approval number: 029-06/24-03/00002) for the study was granted by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split (reference number: 2181-190-24-00009).
Uncontrolled Keywords:	research methods, teaching research methods, research quality, Higher Education, teaching formats, teaching assessments
Subjects:	L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Professional Workforce Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > School of Human Sciences (HUM)
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2026 13:51
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/52852

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