How to Write a Methodological Contribution: From the Editors of Organizational Research Methods

While AOM members are often exposed to graduate training involving the application of research methods, few have been trained regarding the development of methodological contributions to the research methods literature. As such, authors may find the substance and form of a research methods article to be challenging. Authors benefit from advice regarding how to structure an empirical or theoretical paper using a discipline-based research question as foundation. Similarly, they may benefit from advice involving methodological contributions. The panel symposium will act as a source of advice by offering insight from the editorial team of Organizational Research Methods on how to conceptualize and write methodology articles. The presenters include the current Co-editors and Associate Editors of Organizational Research Methods. Collectively, these editors represent expertise in methods that span all divisions of the Academy from micro to macro and from quantitative to qualitative methods. We anticipate discussion topics to be broad, with specific topics prompted by attendees’ questions. Potential topics include how to identify and select a valuable methodology contribution, ways to compare existing methodological approaches, how to structure a methodological paper, the differences between quantitative and qualitative methods papers, discrepancies between micro and macro methodological topics, and how to effectively communicate methods research to a diverse audience.