RETHINKING RESEARCH METHODS EDUCATION: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF GRADUATE PEDAGOGY IN WESTERN ACADEMIA

Resumo

This article critically examines the prevailing approaches to teaching research methodology in postgraduate programs, identifying a significant misalignment between instructional practices and the real world needs of academic researchers. Through an integrative literature review, it synthesizes evidence highlighting three core issues: the overemphasis on formulaic and theoretical instruction, insufficient practical and reflective training, and disconnects in mentorship and pedagogy. The analysis reveals that current curricula often prioritize procedural knowledge at the expense of critical, situated, and epistemologically informed methodological reasoning. Drawing on the best international practices, the article advocates for a transformative shift toward project-centered, flexible, and reflective methodology education that integrates real research environments and fosters methodological decision-making. Recommendations emphasize faculty development, curriculum redesign, and assessment reform as vital components to empower postgraduate researchers as critical thinkers and investigators. This work contributes to ongoing debates on enhancing methodological education better to prepare scholars for the complexities of contemporary research.