Methodology is also a term used in the sciences and humanities:
natural science,
sociology,
psychology,
economics,
mathematics,
computer science and even
philosophy.
Most commonly, it is meant to refer to the
axioms (or assumed beliefs) that act as the
foundation of our
inquiry, as well as the form that the inquiry should take. In a wide sense, it refers to the
form that an inquiry might take. A methodology, in most cases, does not include the
theoretical results of an inquiry, though certain results might be the aim. If a methodology gives rise to certain results by methodologically assuming them, the methodology will probably be considered
flawed. A methodology and an application generally aim to produce some sort of
result, some answer to our
inquiry.
Of course, this form will not always be
formally-
analyzable. In many cases, an explication of a methodology might be more confusing and difficult than an implementation of it (most methodologies are constructed
ad hoc, i.e., as we go).