Research Methods and the Confusion in Humanities Studies in Nigeria: The Example of Literary Studies

Abstract

Research remains an integral and critical concern in the academia, and it is the mainstay of all disciplines. But different disciplines have different ways of research, the reason why there are different styles, methods, and manuals for its conduct and presentation. This paper seeks to discuss the concept of research in the Humanities, which seems to be endangered by the encroachment of the methods of research in the Social Sciences. The paper therefore examines the methods employed by the Sciences, the Social Sciences, and the Humanities in their conduct of research, highlighting the relationship and the intersection between the disciplines. It argues that the encroachment of the methods of research in the other disciplines into those of the Humanities has brought in confusion for students and scholars in the Humanities - a very unhealthy development that is threatening the vibrant study of literature and the arts. The paper concludes by urging experienced researchers in the humanities to defend and popularize the methods of the Humanities rather than succumbing to the pressures of the other disciplines.