metodologiczny

Metodologiczny is a Polish adjective meaning relating to methodology, the system of methods used to conduct research, analysis, or theory development. It describes aspects that concern the design, validity, and epistemological basis of a study, rather than the practical execution of specific tasks.

Metodologiczny is distinguished from metodyczny (methodical) in that it emphasizes the theoretical framework, the rationale for choosing certain methods, and the overall approach to inquiry. It is commonly used in phrases such as podejście metodologiczne (methodological approach), ramy metodologiczne (methodological framework), kwestie metodologiczne (methodological issues), or analiza metodologiczna (methodological analysis). In contrast, metodiczny may refer more to disciplined, routine, or practical aspects of work.

In scholarly writing, the term appears in sections on research design, discussions of data collection and analysis, and critiques of the chosen methodology. It signals attention to how knowledge about a phenomenon is produced, including potential biases, limitations, and generalizability. It is used across disciplines—from social sciences and humanities to natural and formal sciences—to describe the methodological dimension of inquiry, arrangements of procedures, and the theoretical underpinnings of methods.

Etymology: derived from metodologia (the study of methods) with the suffix -iczny, yielding an adjective that characterizes things pertaining to methodologies.