Key points at a glance
- Identify relevant software and the version actually used.
- Check the project’s or provider’s recommended citation.
- Explain your analyses and settings as well as naming the tool.
Which software belongs in the methods?
Software belongs in your methods when it materially shapes the processing, analysis or generation of results. This may include a statistics application, a package, a qualitative coding tool or a simulation system. A list of every program installed on your computer is rarely useful.
For each tool, ask which calculation or decision depends on it. Could a different version or setting change the outcome? These questions identify the information readers need to understand and potentially repeat your work.
Record the recommended reference and version
Look for citation guidance on the official project website, in its documentation or in a supplied citation file. The recommendation may identify the software, a specific release or a related methods paper. Use details that match the resource you actually used.
The Software Sustainability Institute distinguishes describing software from citing it bibliographically. A paper about a program does not automatically identify the executable release. Record the version and relevant extensions separately.
An original methods description pattern
Original wording pattern: “The analysis used [program and version]. For [analysis step], [package and version] was used. Models were fitted with [relevant setting].” Insert your real details and the appropriate citation. This pattern does not recommend a particular program.
Then describe the statistical or qualitative method itself. “Analysed with software X” does not explain model assumptions, a coding framework, exclusion rules or parameters. Software executes steps; you remain responsible for justifying those steps scientifically.
For randomised procedures, a recorded initialisation value may also matter. Include it when relevant to reproducing your analysis. Still avoid claiming complete reproducibility when data, dependencies or processing steps are unavailable.
Preserve the analysis environment before finishing
Capture version information during the analysis rather than after an automatic update. Keep scripts, settings and a readable log together. Screenshots may supplement the record but cannot replace an understandable procedure or reusable settings.
During revision, compare software references with the methods text. If several tools were used in sequence, explain the handovers, such as cleaning, analysis and visualisation. Readers should be able to distinguish where results were generated from where they were merely displayed.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Name tools that materially affect results.
- Record the versions actually used.
- Check official citation recommendations.
- Explain analytical methods and settings.
- Preserve scripts and the processing sequence.
Common mistakes
- Giving a product name without explaining the method.
- Reporting the current release instead of the one used.
- Treating a methods paper as a complete record of the analysis environment.
Print and bind your finished thesis
Once you have checked the content and final PDF, configure the printed copies to match your submission requirements.
Configure printing and bindingRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to cite my word processor?
Ordinary text preparation is usually not a methodological contribution. A feature that processes research data or produces results may need description. Follow your discipline’s requirements as well.
Does every package need its own reference?
Check project recommendations and your referencing style. Pay particular attention to packages implementing central analytical steps. A targeted account is often more useful than an indiscriminate list of every technical dependency.
What if there is no recommended citation?
Collect available details about the responsible organisation, software, version and official location. Format them according to your style without inventing missing authors or publication dates.