What is Research?

Systematic investigative process employed to increase or revise current knowledge by

discovering new facts.

Research is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a
new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. This
could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new and
creative outcomes.

Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of

critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with
suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines.

Why We Do Research?

Research is a tool by which they can test their own, and each other’s theories, by using this
antagonism to find an answer and advance knowledge. The purpose of research is really an
ongoing process of correcting and refining hypotheses, which should lead to the acceptance of
certain scientific truths.

Research is the engine of progress and development for the individual and society in general. As
the history of mankind teaches us, research is also directed at the pursuit of knowledge that has
concrete applications in our everyday lives and is useful for economic well-being and improved
quality of life.

Derivation of Research

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'. The earliest recorded use of the term was
in 1577

What is Social Research?

Social Research is a method used by social scientists and researchers to learn about people and
societies so that they can design products/services that cater to various needs of the people.
Different socio-economic groups belonging to different parts of a county think differently.
Various aspects of human behavior need to be addressed to understand their thoughts and
feedback about the social world, which can be done using Social Research.

According to C.A. Moser : “Social research is a systematized investigation to gain new

knowledge about social phenomenon and problems.”

According to P.V. Young: “Social research is a scientific undertaking which by means of logical
methods, aim to discover new facts or old facts and to analyze their sequences, interrelationships,
casual explanations and natural laws which govern them.”

Objectives of social research

 To facilitate the understanding of human behavior.

 To acquire knowledge about social phenomena, events, issue, problems etc.
 To identify functional relationship existing in the social phenomena.
 To find out the natural laws that regulates or directs social phenomena.
 To standardize the society concept, e.g. culture, struggle, generation gap, social distance
etc.
 To formulate solution to social problems.
 To maintain social organization, remove social tension, misconception, etc.
 To develop social revival plan.

Why it is called Systematic Research?

Generally, research is the organized and systematic method of finding answers to questions. It

is systematic because it is a process broken up into clear steps that lead to conclusions.

As a very important part of the synthesis process, systematic reviewers assess the quality of the

studies they have found. They can then use this assessment to assign different weights to study
findings. Poor quality studies are sometimes downgraded in importance or excluded from the
review.
Scientific Research

Scientific research is the systematic investigation of scientific theories and hypotheses. A

hypothesis is a single assertion, a proposed explanation of something based on available
knowledge, for something yet to be explained. One that is subject to further experimentation.

Research conducted for the purpose of contributing towards science by the systematic collection,

interpretation and evaluation of data and that, too, in a planned manner is called scientific
research: a researcher is the one who conducts this research

Knowledge

Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or something, such as facts,

information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired through experience or education by
perceiving, discovering, or learning.

Knowledge can refer to a theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It can be implicit (as
with practical skill or expertise) or explicit (as with the theoretical understanding of a subject); it
can be more or less formal or systematic.

How Knowledge is Generated?

“Knowledge is generated through the interaction of critical and creative thinking.” Obliquely, the
statement defines knowledge as of an Idea which may be achieved from the mind, but something
of pre-existing idea it’s not. “Knowledge can be generated through the interaction of critical and
creative thinking.” would be a statement of which knowledge is defined as of something that
may be discovered through the interaction of both creative and critical thinking. According to
Khalil Gibran, “No man can reveal to you nothing but that which already lies half-asleep in the
dawning of your knowledge.”

May knowledge be defined as of something to be discovered but is else generated through the
engagement of one’s mind and a notion? Assume that one might “discover” an idea. Is it of being
in conscious of specific pre-existing concept? Knowledge may be discovered by being aware of
certain idea; this requires the application of both critical and creative thinking. Critical thinking
may achieve certain level of understanding; creative thinking motivates an idea of an
understanding of pre-existing concept. Both creative and critical thinking are necessary to
generate a “ripe” understanding of knowledge. Knowledge requires the well understanding of its
concept and basis. According to Plato, “The learning and knowledge that we have, is, at the
most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.”

Difference Between Information and Knowledge

It is easy to get confused about information and knowledge. People often use the terms
interchangeably, without knowing the fact that there are slight and subtle differences between
information and knowledge. These two are important concepts of knowledge management
system, wherein the former means processed data about someone or something, while the latter
refers to useful information gained through learning and experience.

When the data collected is filtered, it turns out as information. Of the filtered information, the
useful material, that is relevant to the subject, is called the knowledge.

BASIS FOR
INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE
COMPARISON

Meaning When the facts obtained are Knowledge refers to the relevant
systematically presented in a given and objective information gained
context it is known as information. through experience.

What is it? Refined data Useful information

Combination of Data and context Information, experience and

intuition

Processing Improves representation Increases concisousness

BASIS FOR
INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE
COMPARISON

Outcome Comprehension Understanding

Transfer Easily transferable Requires learning

Reproducibility Can be reproduced. Identical reproduction is not

possible.

Prediction Information alone is not sufficient to Prediction is possible if one

make predictions possess required knowledge.

One in other All information need not be All knowledge is information.

knowledge.