Results of scientific research or educational process directly depend on the chosen strategy. As a methodological basis at the same time the set of the principles and methods of knowledge of reality or actions performs with it. It is necessary to consider that the method of a research or training differs from a concrete technique in which the principles of the chosen approach to a task find direct reflection.
Method as way of knowledge and practical activities
In translation from Greek the term "method" literally means "way". It is applied to the description of reference interconnected and connected in a uniform frame, methods, ways and operations which are used purposefully in research activity or at practical implementation of process of training. The choice of a method directly depends on outlook of the one who will apply it, on the purposes and problems of activity.
Actually any area of human activity is characterized by own methods. Often speak about methods of literary creativity, methods of data collection and processing, conducting business activity. At the same time the speech most often goes about the most general principles and approaches which are the basis for knowledge of one of the parties of reality and actions with its objects.
Several independent classifications of methods are known. They can be divided into the general and private. Sometimes allocate special methods of concrete scientific disciplines, for example, a comparative method in linguistics or a method of system descriptions in psychology. But there are also most general methods which are widely used in any sciences and also in education. It is possible to refer direct observation, an experiment and modeling to them.
Difference of a technique from a method
The technique if to compare it to method, has more concrete and subject character. Inherently it represents the algorithm of actions which is well prepared and adapted to a specific objective within methodological approach. This more or less accurately set sequence of operations is based on the accepted method, on its basic principles. According to the contents the concept "technique" most closer costs to the term "technology". Distinctive sign of a technique – specification of receptions and their approach to the task facing the researcher or the teacher. If, for example, in a social research it is decided to use an interviewing method, then the technique of calculation of results and their interpretation can be different. It will depend on the adopted concept of a research, features of sample, level of equipment of the researcher and so on. Speaking in other words, the method is directly embodied in a technique. It is considered that the good scientist or the teacher working within a certain method owns the whole repertoire of techniques that allows it to show flexibility in approaches and to adapt to the changing activity conditions.