The close word to research is

Research means a systematic and objective study to find facts which can be answers to questions and solutions to problems.

Social sciences Encyclopedia defines research as the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalizing to extend, correct as to verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aid in the construction of a theory or in the practice of art.

In a different way effort to reach definiteness or certainty, to collect facts and ascertain truth constitute research. In research, we examine facts for truth. When facts are repeatedly examined and tested, truth is established. This leads to certainty and incorporates a generalization which is unique.

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Types of Research

Basically, research is classified in two types.

• Basic or pure research
• Applied or practical research

Basic or pure research

Basic or pure research explores broad, inclusive laws, rules, theories and tendencies with precise causation. Pure research is an intellectual response to great questions and seemingly difficult causal complexities.

Theory of gravity (Newton), a theory of relativity (Einstein), and birth of the universe theory (Hoyle and Naralikar theory) are examples of pure research. Such pure research may or may not be practical and socially useful immediately.

Applied or practical research

Applied or practical research aims at making existing, available knowledge useful in solving present problems of the society and individuals vis-a-vis production, distribution, consumption, and minimization of pain.

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According to Pauline Young, social research is defined in the following words. “We may define social research as the systematic method of discovering new facts or verifying old facts, through sequence, interrelationship, causal explanations and the natural laws which cover them.

Prof. M. H. Copal, a senior Indian social scientist defined social research as the study of phenomena resulting from an interaction between different human groups in the process of their living together.

This study helps us in generalizing, theorizing and policy planning.

Social research is intrinsically dynamic and involves a large number of variables, some controllable some not so controllable.

As a result, social research involves a process of continuous revision of existing laws, theories, periodic refutation and/or modification of the same laws and theories. Freshly generated or collected data i.e. primary data give us new insights and evidence to arrive at new conclusions.

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Purpose of Research

Purpose and functions of social research can be enumerated as below

• Search for truth
• Application of knowledge for better human life.
• Examining phenomena or events for identifying causes and establishing generalizations, and theories about human behaviour.
• Predicting the future on the basis of existing knowledge and study methods.
• Verifying, correlating or modifying existing generalizations or theories, differences of opinion and settling debates if any.

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Characteristics of Research

Following are the essential characteristics of an ideal researcher.

• An unquenchable and strong desire to find out the truth
• Ability to identify similarity in diverse situations and diversity in similar Situations
• Curiosity, quest, doubt, patient, slow thinking, willingness to reexamine, discipline, no dogmatism are according to Francis Beacon, essential attributes of a researcher
• According to John Thompson, a researcher should have
  • insistence for data
  • caution in statements
  • clear right/understanding
  • awareness about multiplicity in varied social interrelations
• According to Carl Pearson, disciplined imagination is the distinguishable characteristics of an ideal researcher
• According to Sidney and Beatrice Web, a researcher must always avoid the influence of his personal biases
• A researcher, according to C. Luther Fry, must possess intellectual honesty and integrity
• According to Spaher and Swanson, a researcher must love his work, have abundant patience and perseverance, insist on authority and correctness of data, posses equity of consideration, thoughtfulness, and broadly responsible and always focused

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Research process

To make your research efforts successful and socially meaningful, the whole approach has to be carefully planned and executed step by step in a scientific and logical way. It is, therefore, necessary to explain and present steps and design of any research work carefully.

Following are the steps in research process:

• Explain the objectives of research, present the problem and state the hypothesis/es.
• Elaborate on the research design mainly with reference to methodology of data collection and analysis.
• System of data collection with clear understanding of sampling techniques and/or census approach.
• Description, tabulation, coding, analysis of data and statement of analytical results/findings.
• Interpretation of these findings/results and reaching objective conclusions.
• Attempting reliable prediction.

Selection of the research topic/question is the first critically important step. Practical problems, emerging needs, scientific curiosity, intellectual quest values of life, life experiences are the main sources of research topics or questions.

Secondly, formation of the hypothesis is the next step. Before we start collecting, tabulating and analyzing data, it is necessary to have ‘a priori’ causal relationship which may explain the phenomenon under study, this is known as hypothesis/es.

A hypothesis/es explain the cause-effect relationship at a logical level. The hypothesis gives us basic concepts on the basis of which we collect data generate data, for empirical evidence.

In formulation of hypothesis, we in a way, organize our research question in a scientific way. The words hypothesis and concepts are explained elaborately in subsequent units.

In formulating research question and research design it is necessary that

• the researcher has advanced in-depth reading in related literature,
• he is fully aware of the current theories and research in related area
• he has close interaction with peers in the field and
• he must possess an inquisitive imaginative scientific mindset.

Thirdly, it is necessary to have a well planned research design. It helps in focussing work, precise explanation of events / questions and most importantly a research design helps in minimization of variance in the research system.

According to R. L. Ackoff there are two types of research design- Ideal Research Design – a design without practical limitation, the other research design is practical / feasible research design. In this, we consider limitations like time, resources availability of data and intellectual skills of the researcher.

Normally a practical research design has four important constituents.

• Sampling Design
• Statistical design
• Observational Design
• Operational Design

In preparing a practical research design, the researcher has to consider following aspects,

i. What is the primary research focus?
ii. What is the data required for the research?
iii. What are the exact objectives of the research?
iv. Sources of data?
v. Places to be visited for research
vi. Time limits
vii. A number of entities to be involved in the research
viii. Criteria of sampling
ix. Methods of data collection
x. Methods of data coding classification and tabulation.
xi. Material / financial resources available for research.

Broadly, there are five types of research design, according to Mac-Grant.

i. Controlled experiment
ii. Study / case study
iii. Survey sample / census
iv. Investigation
v. Action research

According to Seltiz and others, there are basically three types of research design,

i. Exploratory or formulative
ii. Descriptive or diagnostic
iii. Studies testing causal hypothesis.

Exploratory research relies heavily on review of literature, review of experience and entities/cases encouraging intuitions or inspiration. This depends heavily on the attitude of scientist, intensity of/or depth of his study/integrative powers of the researcher normally, reaction of indifferent individuals, behaviour of marginal individuals/groups, developmental transition, isolates, deviants and pathological cases and pure cases constitute factors which induce a researcher to explore.

In the case of many social sciences, majority of researchers collect and describe information regarding various groups, communities and sets of experiences consumption patterns, saving habits, investment, likes and dislikes, work culture, price responses, management decisions and practices, entrepreneurial behaviours, business leadership etc are such areas of research.

In the case of studies testing causal hypothesis the main objective of research is to verify an assumed causation, either positively or negatively. In such researches, experimental method is more frequently used.

However, with the passage of time and revolutionary changes in technology of analysis, experimental method is now used, as in natural sciences, in social sciences also. In a very formal way experiment is a way of organizing evidence so as to reach inference about the appropriateness of a hypothesis which essentially is a statement of relationship between a cause (set of causes) and a result (set of results).

In the case of experimental design two approaches are mainly practiced

• after only experiment
• before after experiment.

The search for knowledge is closely linked to the object of study; that is, to the reconstruction of the facts that will provide an explanation to an observed event and that at first sight can be considered as a problem. It is very human to seek answers and satisfy our curiosity. Let’s talk about research.

Research is the careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or research problem using scientific methods. According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, “research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods.”

Inductive methods analyze an observed event, while deductive methods verify the observed event. Inductive approaches are associated with qualitative research, and deductive methods are more commonly associated with quantitative analysis.

Research is conducted with a purpose to:

• Identify potential and new customers
• Understand existing customers
• Set pragmatic goals
• Develop productive market strategies
• Address business challenges
• Put together a business expansion plan
• Identify new business opportunities

What are the characteristics of research?

1. Good research follows a systematic approach to capture accurate data. Researchers need to practice ethics and a code of conduct while making observations or drawing conclusions.
2. The analysis is based on logical reasoning and involves both inductive and deductive methods.
3. Real-time data and knowledge is derived from actual observations in natural settings.
4. There is an in-depth analysis of all data collected so that there are no anomalies associated with it.
5. It creates a path for generating new questions. Existing data helps create more research opportunities.
6. It is analytical and uses all the available data so that there is no ambiguity in inference.
7. Accuracy is one of the most critical aspects of research. The information must be accurate and correct. For example, laboratories provide a controlled environment to collect data. Accuracy is measured in the instruments used, the calibrations of instruments or tools, and the experiment’s final result.

What is the purpose of research?

There are three main purposes:

1. Exploratory: As the name suggests, researchers conduct exploratory studies to explore a group of questions. The answers and analytics may not offer a conclusion to the perceived problem. It is undertaken to handle new problem areas that haven’t been explored before. This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive data collection and analysis.
2. Descriptive: It focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues through a process of data collection. Descriptive research describe the behavior of a sample population. Only one variable is required to conduct the study. The three primary purposes of descriptive studies are describing, explaining, and validating the findings. For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management leaders in the 21st century possess the moral right to receive a considerable sum of money from the company profit.
3. Explanatory: Causal or explanatory research is conducted to understand the impact of specific changes in existing standard procedures. Running experiments is the most popular form. For example, a study that is conducted to understand the effect of rebranding on customer loyalty.

Here is a comparative analysis chart for a better understanding:

	Exploratory Research	Descriptive Research	Explanatory Research
Approach used	Unstructured	Structured	Highly structured
Conducted through	Asking questions	Asking questions	By using hypotheses.
Time	Early stages of decision making	Later stages of decision making	Later stages of decision making

It begins by asking the right questions and choosing an appropriate method to investigate the problem. After collecting answers to your questions, you can analyze the findings or observations to draw reasonable conclusions.

When it comes to customers and market studies, the more thorough your questions, the better the analysis. You get essential insights into brand perception and product needs by thoroughly collecting customer data through surveys and questionnaires. You can use this data to make smart decisions about your marketing strategies to position your business effectively.

To make sense of your study and get insights faster, it helps to use a research repository as a single source of truth in your organization and manage your research data in one centralized repository.

Types of research methods and Examples

Research methods are broadly classified as Qualitative and Quantitative.

Both methods have distinctive properties and data collection methods.

Qualitative methods

Qualitative research is a method that collects data using conversational methods, usually open-ended questions. The responses collected are essentially non-numerical. This method helps a researcher understand what participants think and why they think in a particular way.

Types of qualitative methods include:

1. One-to-one Interview
2. Focus Groups
3. Ethnographic studies
4. Text Analysis
5. Case Study

Quantitative methods

Quantitative methods deal with numbers and measurable forms. It uses a systematic way of investigating events or data. It answers questions to justify relationships with measurable variables to either explain, predict, or control a phenomenon.

Types of quantitative methods include:

1. Survey research
2. Descriptive research
3. Correlational research

Remember, it is only valuable and useful when it is valid, accurate, and reliable. Incorrect results can lead to customer churn and a decrease in sales.

It is essential to ensure that your data is:

• Valid – founded, logical, rigorous, and impartial.
• Accurate – free of errors and including required details.
• Reliable – other people who investigate in the same way can produce similar results.
• Timely – current and collected within an appropriate time frame.
• Complete – includes all the data you need to support your business decisions.

Gather insights

8 tips for conducting accurate research

1. Identify the main trends and issues, opportunities, and problems you observe. Write a sentence describing each one.
2. Keep track of the frequency with which each of the main findings appears.
3. Make a list of your findings from the most common to the least common.
4. Evaluate a list of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified in a SWOT analysis.
5. Prepare conclusions and recommendations about your study.
6. Act on your strategies
7. Look for gaps in the information, and consider doing additional inquiry if necessary
8. Plan to review the results and consider efficient methods to analyze and interpret results.

Review your goals before making any conclusions about your study. Remember how the process you have completed and the data you have gathered help answer your questions. Ask yourself if what your analysis revealed facilitates the identification of your conclusions and recommendations.

«Researched» redirects here. For the organisation, see ResearchED.

Research is «creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge».^[1] It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to controlling sources of bias and error. These activities are characterized by accounting and controlling for biases. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.

The primary purposes of basic research (as opposed to applied research) are documentation, discovery, interpretation, and the research and development (R&D) of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge. Approaches to research depend on epistemologies, which vary considerably both within and between humanities and sciences. There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities, artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practitioner research, life, technological, etc. The scientific study of research practices is known as meta-research.

A researcher is a person engaged in conducting research, possibly recognized as an occupation by a formal job title. Researchers are either Social Scientist or Natural Science Scientist. In order to be social researcher or social scientist, one should have enormous knowledge of subject related to social science that they are specialized in. Similarly, in order to be natural science researcher, the person should have knowledge on field related to natural science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Zoology and so on).

Etymology[edit]

The word research is derived from the Middle French «recherche«, which means «to go about seeking», the term itself being derived from the Old French term «recerchier» a compound word from «re-» + «cerchier», or «sercher», meaning ‘search’.^[3] The earliest recorded use of the term was in 1577.^[3]

Definitions[edit]

Research has been defined in a number of different ways, and while there are similarities, there does not appear to be a single, all-encompassing definition that is embraced by all who engage in it.

Research in simplest terms is searching for knowledge and searching for truth. In a formal sense, it is a systematic study of a problem attacked by a deliberately chosen strategy which starts with choosing an approach to preparing a blueprint (design) and acting upon it in terms of designing research hypotheses, choosing methods and techniques, selecting or developing data collection tools, processing the data, interpretation and ends with presenting solution/s of the problem.^[4]

Another definition of research is given by John W. Creswell, who states that «research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue». It consists of three steps: pose a question, collect data to answer the question, and present an answer to the question.^[5]

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines research in more detail as «studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws»^[3]

Forms of research[edit]

Original research[edit]

«Original research» redirects here. For the Wikipedia prohibition against user-generated, unpublished research, see Wikipedia:No original research.

Original research, also called primary research, is research that is not exclusively based on a summary, review, or synthesis of earlier publications on the subject of research. This material is of a primary-source character. The purpose of the original research is to produce new knowledge, rather than to present the existing knowledge in a new form (e.g., summarized or classified).^[6][7] Original research can be in various forms, depending on the discipline it pertains to. In experimental work, it typically involves direct or indirect observation of the researched subject(s), e.g., in the laboratory or in the field, documents the methodology, results, and conclusions of an experiment or set of experiments, or offers a novel interpretation of previous results. In analytical work, there are typically some new (for example) mathematical results produced, or a new way of approaching an existing problem. In some subjects which do not typically carry out experimentation or analysis of this kind, the originality is in the particular way existing understanding is changed or re-interpreted based on the outcome of the work of the researcher.^[8]

The degree of originality of the research is among major criteria for articles to be published in academic journals and usually established by means of peer review.^[9] Graduate students are commonly required to perform original research as part of a dissertation.^[10]

Scientific research[edit]

Scientific research is a systematic way of gathering data and harnessing curiosity. This research provides scientific information and theories for the explanation of the nature and the properties of the world. It makes practical applications possible. Scientific research is funded by public authorities, by charitable organizations and by private groups, including many companies. Scientific research can be subdivided into different classifications according to their academic and application disciplines. Scientific research is a widely used criterion for judging the standing of an academic institution, but some argue that such is an inaccurate assessment of the institution, because the quality of research does not tell about the quality of teaching (these do not necessarily correlate).^[11]

Generally, research is understood to follow a certain structural process. Though step order may vary depending on the subject matter and researcher, the following steps are usually part of most formal research, both basic and applied:

1. Observations and formation of the topic: Consists of the subject area of one’s interest and following that subject area to conduct subject-related research. The subject area should not be randomly chosen since it requires reading a vast amount of literature on the topic to determine the gap in the literature the researcher intends to narrow. A keen interest in the chosen subject area is advisable. The research will have to be justified by linking its importance to already existing knowledge about the topic.
2. Hypothesis: A testable prediction which designates the relationship between two or more variables.
3. Conceptual definition: Description of a concept by relating it to other concepts.
4. Operational definition: Details in regards to defining the variables and how they will be measured/assessed in the study.
5. Gathering of data: Consists of identifying a population and selecting samples, gathering information from or about these samples by using specific research instruments. The instruments used for data collection must be valid and reliable.
6. Analysis of data: Involves breaking down the individual pieces of data to draw conclusions about it.
7. Data Interpretation: This can be represented through tables, figures, and pictures, and then described in words.
8. Test, revising of hypothesis
9. Conclusion, reiteration if necessary

A common misconception is that a hypothesis will be proven (see, rather, null hypothesis). Generally, a hypothesis is used to make predictions that can be tested by observing the outcome of an experiment. If the outcome is inconsistent with the hypothesis, then the hypothesis is rejected (see falsifiability). However, if the outcome is consistent with the hypothesis, the experiment is said to support the hypothesis. This careful language is used because researchers recognize that alternative hypotheses may also be consistent with the observations. In this sense, a hypothesis can never be proven, but rather only supported by surviving rounds of scientific testing and, eventually, becoming widely thought of as true.

A useful hypothesis allows prediction and within the accuracy of observation of the time, the prediction will be verified. As the accuracy of observation improves with time, the hypothesis may no longer provide an accurate prediction. In this case, a new hypothesis will arise to challenge the old, and to the extent that the new hypothesis makes more accurate predictions than the old, the new will supplant it. Researchers can also use a null hypothesis, which states no relationship or difference between the independent or dependent variables.

Research in the humanities[edit]

Research in the humanities involves different methods such as for example hermeneutics and semiotics. Humanities scholars usually do not search for the ultimate correct answer to a question, but instead, explore the issues and details that surround it. Context is always important, and context can be social, historical, political, cultural, or ethnic. An example of research in the humanities is historical research, which is embodied in historical method. Historians use primary sources and other evidence to systematically investigate a topic, and then to write histories in the form of accounts of the past. Other studies aim to merely examine the occurrence of behaviours in societies and communities, without particularly looking for reasons or motivations to explain these. These studies may be qualitative or quantitative, and can use a variety of approaches, such as queer theory or feminist theory.^[12]

Artistic research[edit]

Artistic research, also seen as ‘practice-based research’, can take form when creative works are considered both the research and the object of research itself. It is the debatable body of thought which offers an alternative to purely scientific methods in research in its search for knowledge and truth.

The controversial trend of artistic teaching becoming more academics-oriented is leading to artistic research being accepted as the primary mode of enquiry in art as in the case of other disciplines.^[13] One of the characteristics of artistic research is that it must accept subjectivity as opposed to the classical scientific methods. As such, it is similar to the social sciences in using qualitative research and intersubjectivity as tools to apply measurement and critical analysis.^[14]

Artistic research has been defined by the School of Dance and Circus (Dans och Cirkushögskolan, DOCH), Stockholm in the following manner – «Artistic research is to investigate and test with the purpose of gaining knowledge within and for our artistic disciplines. It is based on artistic practices, methods, and criticality. Through presented documentation, the insights gained shall be placed in a context.»^[15] Artistic research aims to enhance knowledge and understanding with presentation of the arts.^[16] A simpler understanding by Julian Klein defines artistic research as any kind of research employing the artistic mode of perception.^[17] For a survey of the central problematics of today’s artistic research, see Giaco Schiesser.^[18]

According to artist Hakan Topal, in artistic research, «perhaps more so than other disciplines, intuition is utilized as a method to identify a wide range of new and unexpected productive modalities».^[19] Most writers, whether of fiction or non-fiction books, also have to do research to support their creative work. This may be factual, historical, or background research. Background research could include, for example, geographical or procedural research.^[20]

The Society for Artistic Research (SAR) publishes the triannual Journal for Artistic Research (JAR),^[21][22] an international, online, open access, and peer-reviewed journal for the identification, publication, and dissemination of artistic research and its methodologies, from all arts disciplines and it runs the Research Catalogue (RC),^[23][24][25] a searchable, documentary database of artistic research, to which anyone can contribute.

Patricia Leavy addresses eight arts-based research (ABR) genres: narrative inquiry, fiction-based research, poetry, music, dance, theatre, film, and visual art.^[26]

In 2016, the European League of Institutes of the Arts launched The Florence Principles’ on the Doctorate in the Arts.^[27] The Florence Principles relating to the Salzburg Principles and the Salzburg Recommendations of the European University Association name seven points of attention to specify the Doctorate / PhD in the Arts compared to a scientific doctorate / PhD. The Florence Principles have been endorsed and are supported also by AEC, CILECT, CUMULUS and SAR.

Historical research[edit]

The historical method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians use historical sources and other evidence to research and then to write history. There are various history guidelines that are commonly used by historians in their work, under the headings of external criticism, internal criticism, and synthesis. This includes lower criticism and sensual criticism. Though items may vary depending on the subject matter and researcher, the following concepts are part of most formal historical research:^[28]

• Identification of origin date
• Evidence of localization
• Recognition of authorship
• Analysis of data
• Identification of integrity
• Attribution of credibility

Documentary research[edit]

Steps in conducting research[edit]

Research is often conducted using the hourglass model structure of research.^[29] The hourglass model starts with a broad spectrum for research, focusing in on the required information through the method of the project (like the neck of the hourglass), then expands the research in the form of discussion and results. The major steps in conducting research are:^[30]

• Identification of research problem
• Literature review
• Specifying the purpose of research
• Determining specific research questions
• Specification of a conceptual framework, sometimes including a set of hypotheses^[31]
• Choice of a methodology (for data collection)
• Data collection
• Verifying data
• Analyzing and interpreting the data
• Reporting and evaluating research
• Communicating the research findings and, possibly, recommendations

The steps generally represent the overall process; however, they should be viewed as an ever-changing iterative process rather than a fixed set of steps.^[32] Most research begins with a general statement of the problem, or rather, the purpose for engaging in the study.^[33] The literature review identifies flaws or holes in previous research which provides justification for the study. Often, a literature review is conducted in a given subject area before a research question is identified. A gap in the current literature, as identified by a researcher, then engenders a research question. The research question may be parallel to the hypothesis. The hypothesis is the supposition to be tested. The researcher(s) collects data to test the hypothesis. The researcher(s) then analyzes and interprets the data via a variety of statistical methods, engaging in what is known as empirical research. The results of the data analysis in rejecting or failing to reject the null hypothesis are then reported and evaluated. At the end, the researcher may discuss avenues for further research. However, some researchers advocate for the reverse approach: starting with articulating findings and discussion of them, moving «up» to identification of a research problem that emerges in the findings and literature review. The reverse approach is justified by the transactional nature of the research endeavor where research inquiry, research questions, research method, relevant research literature, and so on are not fully known until the findings have fully emerged and been interpreted.

Rudolph Rummel says, «… no researcher should accept any one or two tests as definitive. It is only when a range of tests are consistent over many kinds of data, researchers, and methods can one have confidence in the results.»^[34]

Plato in Meno talks about an inherent difficulty, if not a paradox, of doing research that can be paraphrased in the following way, «If you know what you’re searching for, why do you search for it?! [i.e., you have already found it] If you don’t know what you’re searching for, what are you searching for?!»^[35]

Research methods[edit]

The goal of the research process is to produce new knowledge or deepen understanding of a topic or issue. This process takes three main forms (although, as previously discussed, the boundaries between them may be obscure):

• Exploratory research, which helps to identify and define a problem or question.
• Constructive research, which tests theories and proposes solutions to a problem or question.
• Empirical research, which tests the feasibility of a solution using empirical evidence.

There are two major types of empirical research design: qualitative research and quantitative research. Researchers choose qualitative or quantitative methods according to the nature of the research topic they want to investigate and the research questions they aim to answer:

Qualitative research

Qualitative research refers to much more subjective non- quantitative, use different methods of collecting data, analyzing data, interpreting data for meanings, definitions, characteristics, symbols metaphors of things.Qualitative research further classified into following types: Ethnography: This research mainly focus on culture of group of people which includes share attributes, language, practices, structure, value, norms and material things, evaluate human lifestyle. Ethno: people, Grapho: to write, this disciple may include ethnic groups, ethno genesis, composition, resettlement and social welfare characteristics. Phenomenology: It is very powerful strategy for demonstrating methodology to health professions education as well as best suited for exploring challenging problems in health professions educations.^[37]

Quantitative research

This involves systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships, by asking a narrow question and collecting numerical data to analyze it utilizing statistical methods. The quantitative research designs are experimental, correlational, and survey (or descriptive).^[38] Statistics derived from quantitative research can be used to establish the existence of associative or causal relationships between variables. Quantitative research is linked with the philosophical and theoretical stance of positivism.

The quantitative data collection methods rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories.^{[citation needed]} These methods produce results that can be summarized, compared, and generalized to larger populations if the data are collected using proper sampling and data collection strategies.^[39] Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest.^[39]

If the research question is about people, participants may be randomly assigned to different treatments (this is the only way that a quantitative study can be considered a true experiment).^{[citation needed]} If this is not feasible, the researcher may collect data on participant and situational characteristics to statistically control for their influence on the dependent, or outcome, variable. If the intent is to generalize from the research participants to a larger population, the researcher will employ probability sampling to select participants.^[40]

In either qualitative or quantitative research, the researcher(s) may collect primary or secondary data.^[39] Primary data is data collected specifically for the research, such as through interviews or questionnaires. Secondary data is data that already exists, such as census data, which can be re-used for the research. It is good ethical research practice to use secondary data wherever possible.^[41]

Mixed-method research, i.e. research that includes qualitative and quantitative elements, using both primary and secondary data, is becoming more common.^[42] This method has benefits that using one method alone cannot offer. For example, a researcher may choose to conduct a qualitative study and follow it up with a quantitative study to gain additional insights.^[43]

Big data has brought big impacts on research methods so that now many researchers do not put much effort into data collection; furthermore, methods to analyze easily available huge amounts of data have also been developed.
Types of Research Method
1. Observatory Research Method
2. Correlation Research Method ^[44]

Non-empirical research

Non-empirical (theoretical) research is an approach that involves the development of theory as opposed to using observation and experimentation. As such, non-empirical research seeks solutions to problems using existing knowledge as its source. This, however, does not mean that new ideas and innovations cannot be found within the pool of existing and established knowledge. Non-empirical research is not an absolute alternative to empirical research because they may be used together to strengthen a research approach. Neither one is less effective than the other since they have their particular purpose in science. Typically empirical research produces observations that need to be explained; then theoretical research tries to explain them, and in so doing generates empirically testable hypotheses; these hypotheses are then tested empirically, giving more observations that may need further explanation; and so on. See Scientific method.

A simple example of a non-empirical task is the prototyping of a new drug using a differentiated application of existing knowledge; another is the development of a business process in the form of a flow chart and texts where all the ingredients are from established knowledge. Much of cosmological research is theoretical in nature. Mathematics research does not rely on externally available data; rather, it seeks to prove theorems about mathematical objects.

Research ethics[edit]

Research ethics is concerned with the moral issues that arise during or as a result of research activities, as well as the conduct of individual researchers, and the implications for research communities.^[45] Historically, scandals such as Nazi human experimentation and the Tuskegee syphilis experiment led to the realisation that clear measures are needed for the ethical governance of research to ensure that people, animals and environments are not unduly harmed by scientific inquiry. The management of research ethics is inconsistent across countries and there is no universally accepted approach to how it should be addressed.^[46][47][48] Research ethics committees (Institutional review board in the US) have emerged as one governance mechanism to ensure research is conducted responsibly.

When making moral judgments, we may be guided by different values. Philosophers commonly distinguish between approaches like deontology, consequentialism, Confucianism, virtue ethics, and Ubuntu ethics, to list a few. Regardless of approach, the application of ethical theory to specific contexts is known as applied ethics, and research ethics can be viewed as a subfield of applied ethics because ethical theory is applied in real-world research scenarios.

Ethical issues may arise in the design and implementation of research involving human experimentation or animal experimentation. There may also be consequences for the environment, for society or for future generations that need to be considered. Research ethics is most developed as a concept in medical research, with typically cited codes being the 1947 Nuremberg Code, the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki, and the 1978 Belmont Report. Informed consent is a key concept in research ethics thanks to these codes. Research in other fields such as social sciences, information technology, biotechnology, or engineering may generate different types of ethical concerns to those in medical research.^{[46][47][49][50][51][52]}

In countries such as Canada, mandatory research ethics training is required for students, professors and others who work in research,^[53][54] whilst the US has legislated on how institutional review boards operate since the 1974 National Research Act.

Research ethics is commonly distinguished from the promotion of academic or research integrity, which includes issues such as scientific misconduct (e.g. fraud, fabrication of data or plagiarism). Because of the close interaction with integrity, increasingly research ethics is included as part of the broader field of responsible conduct of research (RCR in North America) or Responsible Research and Innovation in Europe, and with government agencies such as the United States Office of Research Integrity or the Canadian Interagency Advisory Panel on Responsible Conduct of Research promoting or requiring interdisciplinary training for researchers.

Problems in research[edit]

Meta-research[edit]

Meta-research is the study of research through the use of research methods. Also known as «research on research», it aims to reduce waste and increase the quality of research in all fields. Meta-research concerns itself with the detection of bias, methodological flaws, and other errors and inefficiencies. Among the finding of meta-research is a low rates of reproducibility across a large number of fields. This widespread difficulty in reproducing research has been termed the «replication crisis.»^[55]

Methods of research[edit]

In many disciplines, Western methods of conducting research are predominant.^[56] Researchers are overwhelmingly taught Western methods of data collection and study. The increasing participation of indigenous peoples as researchers has brought increased attention to the scientific lacuna in culturally sensitive methods of data collection.^[57] Western methods of data collection may not be the most accurate or relevant for research on non-Western societies. For example, «Hua Oranga» was created as a criterion for psychological evaluation in Māori populations, and is based on dimensions of mental health important to the Māori people – «taha wairua (the spiritual dimension), taha hinengaro (the mental dimension), taha tinana (the physical dimension), and taha whanau (the family dimension)».^[58]

Bias[edit]

Research is often biased in the languages that are preferred (linguicism) and the geographic locations where research occurs.
Periphery scholars face the challenges of exclusion and linguicism in research and academic publication. As the great majority of mainstream academic journals are written in English, multilingual periphery scholars often must translate their work to be accepted to elite Western-dominated journals.^[59] Multilingual scholars’ influences from their native communicative styles can be assumed to be incompetence instead of difference.^[60]

For comparative politics, Western countries are over-represented in single-country studies, with heavy emphasis on Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Since 2000, Latin American countries have become more popular in single-country studies. In contrast, countries in Oceania and the Caribbean are the focus of very few studies. Patterns of geographic bias also show a relationship with linguicism: countries whose official languages are French or Arabic are far less likely to be the focus of single-country studies than countries with different official languages. Within Africa, English-speaking countries are more represented than other countries.^[61]

Generalizability[edit]

Generalization is the process of more broadly applying the valid results of one study.^[62] Studies with a narrow scope can result in a lack of generalizability, meaning that the results may not be applicable to other populations or regions. In comparative politics, this can result from using a single-country study, rather than a study design that uses data from multiple countries. Despite the issue of generalizability, single-country studies have risen in prevalence since the late 2000s.^[61]

Publication peer review[edit]

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: This subsection’s claims are potentially outdated in the «digital age» given that near-total penetration of Web access among scholars worldwide enables any scholar[s] to submit papers to any journal anywhere. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (May 2017)

Peer review is a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards of quality, improve performance, and provide credibility. In academia, scholarly peer review is often used to determine an academic paper’s suitability for publication. Usually, the peer review process involves experts in the same field who are consulted by editors to give a review of the scholarly works produced by a colleague of theirs from an unbiased and impartial point of view, and this is usually done free of charge. The tradition of peer reviews being done for free has however brought many pitfalls which are also indicative of why most peer reviewers decline many invitations to review.^[63] It was observed that publications from periphery countries rarely rise to the same elite status as those of North America and Europe, because limitations on the availability of resources including high-quality paper and sophisticated image-rendering software and printing tools render these publications less able to satisfy standards currently carrying formal or informal authority in the publishing industry.^[60] These limitations in turn result in the under-representation of scholars from periphery nations among the set of publications holding prestige status relative to the quantity and quality of those scholars’ research efforts, and this under-representation in turn results in disproportionately reduced acceptance of the results of their efforts as contributions to the body of knowledge available worldwide.

Influence of the open-access movement[edit]

The open access movement assumes that all information generally deemed useful should be free and belongs to a «public domain», that of «humanity».^[64] This idea gained prevalence as a result of Western colonial history and ignores alternative conceptions of knowledge circulation. For instance, most indigenous communities consider that access to certain information proper to the group should be determined by relationships.^[64]

There is alleged to be a double standard in the Western knowledge system. On the one hand, «digital right management» used to restrict access to personal information on social networking platforms is celebrated as a protection of privacy, while simultaneously when similar functions are used by cultural groups (i.e. indigenous communities) this is denounced as «access control» and reprehended as censorship.^[64]

Future perspectives[edit]

Even though Western dominance seems to be prominent in research, some scholars, such as Simon Marginson, argue for «the need [for] a plural university world».^[65] Marginson argues that the East Asian Confucian model could take over the Western model.

This could be due to changes in funding for research both in the East and the West. Focused on emphasizing educational achievement, East Asian cultures, mainly in China and South Korea, have encouraged the increase of funding for research expansion.^[65] In contrast, in the Western academic world, notably in the United Kingdom as well as in some state governments in the United States, funding cuts for university research have occurred, which some^[who?] say may lead to the future decline of Western dominance in research.

Neo-colonial approaches[edit]

Professionalisation [edit]

In several national and private academic systems, the professionalisation of research has resulted in formal job titles.

In Russia[edit]

In present-day Russia, and some other countries of the former Soviet Union, the term researcher (Russian: Научный сотрудник, nauchny sotrudnik) has been used both as a generic term for a person who has been carrying out scientific research, and as a job position within the frameworks of the Academy of Sciences, universities, and in other research-oriented establishments.

The following ranks are known:

• Junior Researcher (Junior Research Associate)
• Researcher (Research Associate)
• Senior Researcher (Senior Research Associate)
• Leading Researcher (Leading Research Associate)^[77]
• Chief Researcher (Chief Research Associate)

Publishing[edit]

Academic publishing is a system that is necessary for academic scholars to peer review the work and make it available for a wider audience. The system varies widely by field and is also always changing, if often slowly. Most academic work is published in journal article or book form. There is also a large body of research that exists in either a thesis or dissertation form. These forms of research can be found in databases explicitly for theses and dissertations. In publishing, STM publishing is an abbreviation for academic publications in science, technology, and medicine.
Most established academic fields have their own scientific journals and other outlets for publication, though many academic journals are somewhat interdisciplinary, and publish work from several distinct fields or subfields. The kinds of publications that are accepted as contributions of knowledge or research vary greatly between fields, from the print to the electronic format. A study suggests that researchers should not give great consideration to findings that are not replicated frequently.^[78] It has also been suggested that all published studies should be subjected to some measure for assessing the validity or reliability of its procedures to prevent the publication of unproven findings.^[79] Business models are different in the electronic environment. Since about the early 1990s, licensing of electronic resources, particularly journals, has been very common. Presently, a major trend, particularly with respect to scholarly journals, is open access.^[80] There are two main forms of open access: open access publishing, in which the articles or the whole journal is freely available from the time of publication, and self-archiving, where the author makes a copy of their own work freely available on the web.

Research funding[edit]

This section needs expansion with: funding for research in the humanities and other areas. Presently, only scientific research is addressed. You can help by adding to it. (April 2019)

Most funding for scientific research comes from three major sources: corporate research and development departments; private foundations; and government research councils such as the National Institutes of Health in the USA^[81] and the Medical Research Council in the UK. These are managed primarily through universities and in some cases through military contractors. Many senior researchers (such as group leaders) spend a significant amount of their time applying for grants for research funds. These grants are necessary not only for researchers to carry out their research but also as a source of merit. The Social Psychology Network provides a comprehensive list of U.S. Government and private foundation funding sources.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Groh, Arnold (2018). Research Methods in Indigenous Contexts. New York: Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-72774-5.
• Cohen, N.; Arieli, T. (2011). «Field research in conflict environments: Methodological challenges and snowball sampling». Journal of Peace Research. 48 (4): 423–436. doi:10.1177/0022343311405698. S2CID 145328311.
• Soeters, Joseph; Shields, Patricia and Rietjens, Sebastiaan. 2014. Handbook of Research Methods in Military Studies New York: Routledge.
• Talja, Sanna and Pamela J. Mckenzie (2007). Editor’s Introduction: Special Issue on Discursive Approaches to Information Seeking in Context, The University of Chicago Press.

External links[edit]

Hello friend how are you? Today with the help of this blog I am going to put some light on a very interesting and mind-boggling part of academics writing. I am talking about Types of research. You read it right. Today we are going to discuss more on this topic in a detailed manner. Research is a familiar word for the students who are doing post-graduation or PhD. Also to all my science-loving friends, you must be familiar with this word from a long time.

Research and science especially go hand in hand. When we talk about science, the other word which comes in our mind is research. Research helps in scientific discoveries. Every new medicine is a product of long research. But the word research is now not limited to the field of science only. In almost every discipline different types of research are present currently. Research is a vital part of the development and discoveries of new things in all academic subjects. From science to psychology every subject now has some and some kind of research work in it.

So today with the help of this blog I am going to talk about:

• What Research is?
• Two main types of research
• Difference types of research and a thin line of demarcation in them
• What research is not?
• Why is research helpful to students?

What Research is?

Research is a systematic inquiry on a specific topic. When you want to get the information on a particular topic, you take a process to enhance your knowledge. There are different types of research out there. But it depends on you what type you prefer.

A lot of casual researches these days begins with a Google query (“Who, what, how?”) and you will end on a Wiki page. Getting informative data is comparatively easy. The knowledge already exists. You just have to search a trustworthy source for it. Assessing credibility is the hard part.

Why is research helpful to students?

This question may come to your psyche while you are in your academic career. You often think that what is a need of doing a research work? Why universities want us to carry out research. Then read below to find your answer.

Answer of the question raised above

• It teaches them to inquire about things that are said and done, rather than accepting or rejecting them at face value;
• It teaches them to gather evidence for things that are said and done, before making decisions;
• Research teaches them how to gather that evidence, in ways that minimize bias;
• It teaches them to consider alternatives before making decisions;
• in the process, they learn to evaluate things that are said and done from the weaknesses and strengths of those arguments or events;
• therefore it increases the chances that their decisions are going to be helpful/realistic ones;
• It increases the chances that any advice that the student gives will be well-judged;
• It demonstrates that the experience of doing real-world research is different from the idea of how that research will go into the researcher’s imagination, and this insight is valuable. Humans are very prone to constructing ideas from nothing other than what is in their heads, and being able to compare that to reality is important for living a coping life.

So I hope you got your answer to the question of why you need to carry out research. Lots of students find research work difficult. They often get puzzled in this and end up in vain. Some students face selecting research approach from different types of research. To all those students I would suggest to look out for online assignment help websites. These websites are beneficial for students in several ways. They will provide you a well-researched research work in quick time. Moreover, your research paper is from the hands of the expert writer, so you do not need to think twice for it before submission.

Two main types of Research

Pure research is carried out to generate new human knowledge. To uncover new facts or fundamental principles you need pure research. The researcher wants to advance in a specific field, for example, neuroscience, by answering a specific question, such as “Why do humans sleep?” Pure research is based on experimentation and observation. The results of your research are published in peer-reviewed journals. This is science. Rigorous standards and methodologies exist to preserve objectivity and ensure the credibility of conclusions. (Things get squishy when corporations fund ostensibly pure research, as they frequently do.)

Applied research borrows ideas and techniques from pure research to serve a specific real-world goal. Goals are like creating a super soldier or improving the quality of hospital care or finding new ways to market any product. While ethics are as important,  and methods can be more relaxed. By this, I meant changing the questions you ask while doing a study, or making the most of an imperfect sample group because you’re tight on time. Your research is successful only to the extent that it adds to the stated goal. As with pure research, sometimes you accidentally discover something valuable you weren’t even looking for, and that’s a fantastic bonus.

Different types of research and a thin line of demarcation in them

So now you have understood about two main types of research in the above paragraph. But that is not enough. There are further types of research presentations. You may say these are the subdivision of above-mentioned types. Now you will learn about different types of research and basic difference in them.

Generative vs. exploratory research

This is the research you do before you know what you’re doing. This research leads to ideas and helps in defining the problem. Don’t think of this as just the earliest research. Even if you’re working on a current product or service, you might be looking for ideas. You need ideas for additional features. Generative research includes interviews, reviewing existing literature, and field observation,

Exploratory research, as the name says, intends to explore the research questions. It does not make to give conclusive or final solutions for the existing problems. Exploratory research is conducted with an aim to study a problem that does not have any solution yet.

The research is done in order to understand the nature of the problem. It is not done to provide conclusive evidence. But it helps in the better understanding of the problem.  When a researcher conducts exploratory research, he/she should be willing to change his/her direction when new data reveals.

Exploratory research never gives you the final or conclusive answers to your research questions. But it explores the research topic on different levels. It has been seen that exploratory research is an initial stage of research. Exploratory research provides a basis of conclusive research. It will help in making of research design, sampling methodology and data collection method. Exploratory research tackles new problems on which no research has been done.

Descriptive vs. Analytical

Descriptive research consists of surveys and fact-finding inquiries of various kinds. The major reason to carry out descriptive research is describing the state of affairs as it exists at present. When we do descriptive result in social science and business research, we use the term Ex post facto research for descriptive research work. The main feature of this method is that the researcher doesn’t have control over the variables; he can only report things like what has happened or what is happening.

Most of the ex post facto research projects are made for descriptive studies. In these studies, the researcher seeks to measure items. Examples are; frequency of shopping, preferences of people, or similar data. Ex post facto studies also count attempts by researchers to discover causes, even when controlling variables is out of their hands. The methods of research use for descriptive research are survey methods of every kind. It includes comparative and co-relational methods. Whereas, in analytical research, Research use facts or already available information. He critically evaluates and analyzes the material.

Applied vs. Fundamental

Research can be of two types. One is applied (or action) research. Second is fundamental (to basic or pure) research. Applied research works by finding a solution for an immediate problem. These problems are faced by society or by industry whereas fundamental research is primarily concerned with the formulation of a theory. “Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is termed ‘pure’ or ‘basic’ research.” Research which is more concerned with a natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics is fundamental research. Those research studies which are based on human behavior are also examples of fundamental research.

But applied research is based at conclusions. These conclusions are facing a concrete social or business problem. Applied research is to identify social, economic or political trends. These trends may affect a particular institution or copy research or marketing research. Thus, the basic aim of applied research is to find a solution to practical problems. Fundamental research is for finding information that has a broad base of applications. It is an add-on to the already existing scientific knowledge.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Quantitative research is recognized by its name. It is the measurement of quantity or amount. It is applicable to all things which we can measure in terms of quantity. Qualitative research is simply means quality. Something related to or involving quality or kind is qualitative research. For example, when we investigate the reason behind human behavior. This type of research is to discover underlying motives and desires, using in-depth interviews for the purpose. Other techniques of such research are sentence completion tests, word association tests, story completion tests.

Attitude or opinion research is also an example of kinds of qualitative research. Other examples are how people feel about a particular institution. Behavioral science has an important place for qualitative research. The aim of this research type is to discover the motives of human behavior. Through these researches, we can analyze the factors affecting behavior. This will further help in to motivate people to behave in a proper manner.

Conceptual research vs. Empirical research

Conceptual research is related to some abstract ideas or theory. It is mostly used by thinkers and philosophers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones. On the other hand, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is data-based research, coming up with conclusions which are capable of being verified by observation or experiment.

We can also call it as an experimental type of research; in such research, it is necessary to get the facts first, at their source, and actively to go about doing certain things to stimulate the production of desired information. In such research, the researcher must first provide himself with a working hypothesis or guess as to the probable results. He then works to get enough facts (data) to prove or disprove his hypothesis. He then sets up experimental designs which he thinks will manipulate the persons or the materials concerned so as to bring forth the desired information.

Such research is thus characterized by the experimenter’s control over the variables under study and his deliberate manipulation of one of them to study its effects. Empirical research is appropriate when the proof is sought that certain variables affect other variables in some way. Evidence that is gathered through empirical studies or experiments, is today considered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis.

When a student begins his research work, he often does not pay attention to different types of research. In my opinion, selecting a particular research type from types mentioned above of research is of vital importance. You cannot neglect your research work and get away with it. If you find difficulty in doing research, you can get in touch with our Australian assignment experts for academic writing.

What research is not?

Research work is not about asking people what they like and what not

When you begin interviewing people involved in business decisions, you will hear them saying what they like and don’t like. “Like” word doesn’t suits a critical thinker. On subconscious level, we all wish that things we do to be liked. So it’s easy to treat likability as a leading success indicator. But the concept of “liking” is as subjective as it is empty. Getting a like is a superficial mental state unmoored from any specific behavior. This means you can’t get any useful insights from any given individual reporting that they like or hate a particular thing.

Research is not a political tool

Don’t let your methods come out of a fake desire. By this, I meant to show yourself a smart or conform with other person’s picture of research. Often clients will argue for doing interviews in a usability lab even when it isn’t appropriate, just because it feels research. You’ll need to explain and brief them why interviews with method and purpose are more valuable and correct than having a social conversation with a random person.

In the best possibilities, you can bring up the real-world facts and insights you collect to bring an other’s perspective to internal debates and power struggles that threaten your ability to get good work done. At the very least, it’s up to everyone participating in the research to hold the line and not let interpersonal dynamics influence your findings. Watch out for those who would use information gathering for political purposes or as a popularity contest.

It is not a defense of opinions

Research is also not a defense of opinions. The aim of research work is to reveal and bring out the facts and truth on papers. You have to avoid a different situation with the opposite party’s opinions (unless you need to write a persuasive research paper).

Conclusion

So I hope after reading the above information, you may get a good hand over types of research. Let’s have quick recall of the things we have discussed in the blog. Firstly I have discussed the purpose of research for students. What importance does a research work held in a students life? After that, I have explained you the two basic types of research, i.e., applied research and pure research. Moving on further I have explained you the further types of research with a small comparison. In the end, I discussed what research is not. I hope this blog fulfilled the purpose and looking for your feedback. Kindly provide your feedback and help me to improve. Thank you for reading.

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