Using Saunders Research Onion in Writing Your Thesis: A Detailed Guide for Success

Introduction

Writing a thesis is a cornerstone of academic research, requiring a structured approach to ensure methodological rigor and scholarly credibility. For graduate students, particularly those pursuing master’s or PhD degrees, the Saunders Research Onion provides a comprehensive framework to design and articulate a robust research methodology. Introduced by Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill in their seminal work on research methods, the Research Onion is a layered model that guides researchers through the process of defining their research philosophy, approach, strategy, and techniques. By systematically addressing each layer, students can create a coherent and well-justified thesis methodology that aligns with their research objectives. This article offers a detailed guide on applying the Saunders Research Onion to write a thesis, exploring each layer in depth, providing practical examples, and highlighting strategies to avoid common pitfalls, ensuring your research is methodologically sound and academically compelling.

Understanding the Saunders Research Onion

The Saunders Research Onion is a visual and conceptual framework that breaks down the research process into six concentric layers, each representing a critical decision point in designing your methodology. From the outermost layer (research philosophy) to the innermost (data collection and analysis techniques), the onion helps researchers make informed choices that align with their research question and objectives. For thesis writers, the model ensures clarity in justifying methodological decisions, a crucial aspect of defending your work to examiners or supervisors. The layers are: (1) Research Philosophy, (2) Research Approach, (3) Research Strategy, (4) Choices, (5) Time Horizon, and (6) Techniques and Procedures. By working through these layers systematically, you create a logical and transparent methodology that enhances the credibility of your thesis. For example, a thesis exploring the impact of remote work on employee productivity might use the Research Onion to justify a positivist philosophy, a deductive approach, and a quantitative survey strategy. This structured approach not only strengthens your methodology but also demonstrates your ability to engage with scholarly research design principles.

Layer 1: Defining Your Research Philosophy

The outermost layer of the Research Onion is the research philosophy, which shapes how you view and interpret your research topic. This layer defines the assumptions about knowledge and reality that underpin your study. The main philosophies include positivism, which emphasizes objective, measurable data (e.g., statistical analysis of employee performance metrics); interpretivism, which focuses on subjective meanings and experiences (e.g., understanding employees’ perceptions of remote work); realism, which blends objective and subjective elements; and pragmatism, which prioritizes practical solutions over strict adherence to one philosophy. Choosing a philosophy depends on your research question and discipline. For instance, a thesis in economics might adopt positivism to test hypotheses with quantitative data, while a sociology thesis might use interpretivism to explore cultural narratives through qualitative interviews. To apply this layer, clearly articulate your philosophy in your thesis methodology chapter, explaining why it suits your research. For example, state, “This study adopts a positivist philosophy to ensure objective measurement of remote work’s impact on productivity, aligning with the need for empirical evidence in organizational studies.” Justifying your choice with reference to your field’s conventions strengthens your thesis’s foundation and prepares you for examiner questions about your epistemological stance.

Layer 2: Selecting a Research Approach

The second layer, the research approach, determines how you develop and test your research framework. The two primary approaches are deductive and inductive. A deductive approach starts with a theory or hypothesis and tests it through data collection, suitable for quantitative studies. For example, a deductive thesis might hypothesize that “remote work increases productivity by 20%” and test this using survey data. In contrast, an inductive approach begins with data collection to generate theories, often used in qualitative research, such as exploring employee experiences to develop a model of remote work satisfaction. A third option, abductive, combines elements of both, starting with observations and refining theories iteratively. Your choice should align with your research philosophy and objectives. For instance, a positivist philosophy typically pairs with a deductive approach, while interpretivism aligns with induction. In your thesis, explicitly state your approach and justify it. For example, “A deductive approach was chosen to test the hypothesis that remote work enhances productivity, allowing for statistical validation of theoretical predictions.” This clarity demonstrates methodological rigor and helps examiners follow your research logic.

Layer 3: Choosing a Research Strategy

The research strategy layer defines the overall plan for conducting your study. Common strategies include experimental, survey, case study, ethnography, grounded theory, action research, and archival research. Your choice depends on your research question and philosophy. For example, a thesis examining remote work’s impact on productivity might use a survey strategy to collect quantitative data from a large sample of employees, aligning with a positivist, deductive approach. Alternatively, a case study strategy might be used for an interpretivist thesis, focusing on in-depth interviews with employees at a single organization to explore their experiences. Each strategy has strengths and limitations—surveys offer breadth but may lack depth, while case studies provide depth but may not generalize. In your thesis, describe your strategy and explain its suitability. For instance, “A survey strategy was employed to gather quantitative data from 500 employees across multiple industries, enabling generalizable findings on remote work’s productivity impacts.” Referencing methodological literature, such as Creswell’s Research Design, strengthens your justification and shows engagement with scholarly standards.

Layer 4: Making Methodological Choices

The methodological choices layer determines whether your study is quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods. Quantitative methods involve numerical data and statistical analysis, suitable for testing hypotheses (e.g., analyzing survey responses to measure productivity changes). Qualitative methods focus on non-numerical data, such as interviews or observations, to explore meanings or experiences (e.g., understanding barriers to effective remote work). Mixed methods combine both, offering a comprehensive approach—for instance, using surveys to quantify productivity and interviews to explore employee perceptions. Your choice should flow from your philosophy, approach, and strategy. A positivist, deductive survey study naturally leans toward quantitative methods, while an interpretivist, inductive case study aligns with qualitative methods. In your thesis, justify your choice clearly: “A mixed-methods approach was selected to combine the statistical rigor of survey data with the contextual depth of interviews, providing a holistic understanding of remote work’s impact.” Address potential limitations, such as the resource intensity of mixed methods, to demonstrate critical awareness.

Layer 5: Determining the Time Horizon

The time horizon layer addresses whether your study is cross-sectional (data collected at one point in time) or longitudinal (data collected over an extended period). Cross-sectional studies are common in theses due to time constraints, such as surveying employees about remote work in a single month. Longitudinal studies, while more resource-intensive, track changes over time, such as monitoring productivity before and after a remote work policy implementation. Your choice depends on your research question and practical constraints. For example, a cross-sectional study might suit a thesis with a tight deadline, while a longitudinal study could be ideal for examining long-term trends but requires more planning. In your methodology chapter, explain your choice: “A cross-sectional design was adopted due to time constraints, capturing employee productivity data in July 2025 to provide a snapshot of remote work’s immediate effects.” Justifying your time horizon shows examiners you’ve considered practical and theoretical implications.

Layer 6: Selecting Techniques and Procedures

The innermost layer involves choosing specific data collection and analysis techniques. Common data collection methods include surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or archival data analysis, while analysis techniques range from statistical tests (e.g., regression analysis) to qualitative approaches (e.g., thematic analysis). Your choices must align with previous layers. For instance, a quantitative survey strategy might use an online questionnaire to collect data, analyzed with SPSS for statistical significance. A qualitative case study might involve semi-structured interviews, analyzed using NVivo for thematic coding. In your thesis, detail your methods and tools, explaining their suitability. For example, “Data were collected via a structured online survey distributed to 500 employees, analyzed using multiple regression to identify factors influencing productivity in remote work settings.” Address reliability and validity—such as pilot testing your survey or ensuring inter-coder reliability in qualitative analysis—to strengthen your methodology’s credibility. Discuss ethical considerations, like obtaining informed consent, to demonstrate responsible research practices.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Using the Saunders Research Onion requires careful alignment across layers to avoid methodological inconsistencies. A common pitfall is misalignment, such as pairing a positivist philosophy with a qualitative, inductive approach without clear justification, which can confuse examiners. Ensure each layer logically supports the next, and explicitly address any unconventional choices. Another pitfall is vague justification, where students fail to explain why they chose a specific philosophy or method. For each layer, cite relevant literature (e.g., Saunders et al.’s Research Methods for Business Students) and connect your choices to your research question. Overcomplicating the methodology is also a risk—choosing mixed methods or longitudinal designs without sufficient resources can weaken your study. Be realistic about your time, budget, and expertise. Finally, neglecting limitations can undermine your credibility. Acknowledge potential weaknesses, such as the limited generalizability of a case study, and explain how you mitigated them, such as triangulating data sources.

Practical Tips for Applying the Research Onion

• Start with Your Research Question: Use your question as a guide to make consistent choices across all layers. For example, “How does remote work affect employee productivity?” suggests a measurable outcome, leaning toward positivism and quantitative methods.

• Document Your Decisions: Keep a research journal to track your choices and justifications for each layer, making it easier to write your methodology chapter and defend your decisions.

• Seek Feedback: Share your methodology draft with your supervisor or peers to ensure alignment and clarity, addressing any gaps before submission.

• Engage with Literature: Reference methodological texts and studies in your field to justify your choices, showing examiners your scholarly grounding.

• Practice Articulation: Be prepared to explain your Research Onion choices in a viva or presentation, as examiners may question your methodological rationale.

Conclusion

The Saunders Research Onion is an invaluable tool for thesis writers, providing a structured framework to design a methodologically robust study. By systematically addressing each layer—philosophy, approach, strategy, choices, time horizon, and techniques—you create a coherent and defensible methodology that enhances your thesis’s academic rigor. Whether you’re conducting a quantitative survey to measure productivity or a qualitative case study to explore employee experiences, the Research Onion ensures your choices are aligned and justified. By anticipating pitfalls, engaging with scholarly literature, and clearly articulating your decisions, you can craft a thesis that not only meets academic standards but also contributes meaningfully to your field. Embrace the Research Onion as a guide to navigate the complexities of thesis writing, and approach your methodology with confidence and clarity.