Research
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Research is the process of finding facts. These facts will lead to knowledge. Research is done by using what is already known. Additional knowledge can be obtained by proving (or falsifying) existing theories or systems, and by trying to better explain observations. Research is an analytical, systematic, organized and objective process. This process should answer a question or hypothesis. In this way, it should increase the knowledge and information on a certain unknown thing which people wish to know better.
Contents |
[change] Academic research
Students do research to write papers. Reading a large number of books about a subject, and taking notes, is a form of research. Authors of nonfiction books do research so that their books will be correct.
[change] Scientific research
The Scientific Method is a common way to do research. Research is used to improve understanding of Biology, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry and many other fields. This makes it possible to discover new medicines, to make automobiles safer, and to make farms produce more food. Money for research comes from governments, private corporations, and charities.
[change] Short description
Research is characterized by being a process:
- Systematic: From the expression of an hypothesis or working objective, scientists gather some data according to a scheme that has been established in advance. Since the data are analysed and interpreted, the scientists change knowledge or they add new knowledge to that already existing one, and they start at the same time a new cycle of research. The systematic approach, used in research, is of the scientific method.
- Organized: All the members of a group of research have to know what they have to do during whole the work, to put into use the same definitions, standards and principles to all the persons that take the part in it. By achieving this state, it is completely necessary to write a protocol of research where scientists specify all the details in relation with the work.
- Objective: The conclusions obtained from the research have to base not on the subjective impressions, but on observed and measured facts. They are interpretation which avoids every prejudice which the persons responsible for the research would have.
[change] Activities
The basic activities of research are:
- To measure the phenomena.
- To compare the obtained results.
- To interpret the results in function of the current knowledge, considering the variables which can have influenced the result.
[change] Types of research
- Basic research. Also called fundamental research or pure research. They can be practised only in the laboratories.
- Applied research. It is the application of the knowledge in the practice, by putting into use, in the majority of the cases, in benefit of the society. An example are the protocols of clinical research.
[change] Connections among disciplines
Different types of research among disciplines, with a specific terminology, have been described:
- Multidisciplinary research: in this level of research the evaluation is realized from different angles, using different perspectives of discipline without bringing to the integration.
- Interdisciplinary research: this level of research relates to the creation of an identity of methodology, of theory and of concepts, by this which the results are more coherent and integrated.
- Transdisciplinary research: it goes more behind than the previous types and it relates to the process with the convergence among disciplines, accompanying by a mutual integration of the disciplinary epistemologies (Theory of Human Sciences).
