What is research?

Research is a systematic process of finding new things, knowledge,and information. Research is defined as “A systematic investigation (i.e. gathering and analysis of data) designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge”. The research process entails ways and procedures performed by researchers to know the world in we live in. Presenting you with a simple guide to be familiar with the basics of research.

The word “research” is being wrongly used in daily life. Research in science obeys certain strict rules and protocols. Without following these rules or protocols research is incomplete or one could easily conclude that there is no research happening.

For the use of “research” word, one must look away from the looser meaning but in fact, he or she must adopt the word in its proper context. It’s the basic quality of research that it has established specific protocols and structures.

For example, often people talk about researching some topic on the internet or going through books in the library and people name it “research”. However, it is perfectly fine grammatically. But the term “research” for the above discussed cases in misleading and inappropriate. The term “literature review” will suit better here.

One must understand research in its proper context to succeed in sciences. Therefore, one must acquire adequate knowledge of research protocols and research process. The guidelines for carrying out research are not new. In fact, science has brought about these guidelines over years with the help of distinguished work performed by researchers, philosophers,and scientists.

For validation of research, one must check these guidelines carefully. If one cannot distinguish research from other material than findings of the research will not be taken seriously. Protocols can be of varying nature for different disciplines with a slight degree of change but the basic framework of research remains the same.

Aims of the research

Generally, aims of the research are;

• Perceive and narrate

• Estimate or predict

• Find out causes

• Provide details

Four steps of scientific research

Steps of scientific research are analogous to an hourglass. Where scientific research starts with the research question, narrows down to specific results and design of the results and concludes itself at the end with generalizing the outcomes for the real world.

Here is a summary of components of scientific research;

1. Set goals

The basic principal for conducting any kind of research is setting out specific goals. Setting out goals at the initial level does not only implies to scientific research but it is equally effective principal for conducting any kind of research.

Usually, all the goals that have been set take the form of a hypothesis.

For example, in anthropology, the researcher may not achieve the required goals but the researcher will be able to achieve still something that is similar to set goals. It’s because of the nature of the study. It can be about the culture of people or behavior of people about something.

All of the studies revolves around the goals. A researcher strives to achieve that goal. A study must conform to previously held researches and scientifically accepted basics. Interesting about science is that nothing is true. The scientific study focuses assumptions and theories at the top for setting out clearly defined goals.

2. Interpretation of results

Research requires extrapolation and interpretation of results. There is always a strong relation between gathered information (data) and why researchers or scientists think that why it looks as it does.

Many times, scientists present the reasons why data looks like this and then conclude the research upon its basis. A paper was written on history which only confirms the results and makes no analysis on the results should not be called “research” but it is a “review”.

Similarly, a writer who is responsible for writing a textbook for a school then he or she is not conducting any kind of research. In fact, the writer is re-documenting the old text and information. Now if the same writer tries to include his or her own opinion and makes analysis then the writer is conducting genuine research. Science used experimentation to study and explains a specific hypothesis or research question. In this process, a large sum of knowledge is accumulated which gradually becomes an assumption.

3. Replication and gradual accumulation

A clear procedure is necessary for verification and validation of results in any kind of research. But still, there is grey area for qualitative research mostly found in behavioral biology, anthropology,and social sciences. However, these researches in these fields cover most of the criteria.

Designing and planning of experimental method is an imperative part of a research and it should revolve around answering specific questions and predictions. This act will allow exact validation and verification of results by other researchers which will improve the chances of proving the assumption.

Most of the scientific researches hold an area and break it down into different pieces.

Breaking the larger area of the research into small pieces makes the research easily approachable and answers the questions by conducting experiments on small pieces. Otherwise, the whole process looks insurmountable and difficult to perform.

Research is thought to be true if it does not provide definitive answers. True research always provides answers which will give way to new researches to be carried out. Sometimes, results disprove the hypothesis but generate new ideas which are refined and already developed. That’s why research is a cyclic process for the generation of new ideas for other researches.

4. Conclusion

A term “research” is much stricter in sciences than in another discipline. In sciences, it uses the scientific method to generate research question and present analyzable results. Scientific research has a clear pattern of goals, scientific method, hypothesis,and results.

Simply, these results uncover the truth behind the things that happen in the world around us. The only clearly defined structure will provide a way for proven results which will be easily verifiable and acceptable.

Other disciplines such as economics and history also tend to follow the same strict procedure however certain things can be different in the process. These disciplines also contribute heavily to human knowledge but with different techniques and systems.

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