The meaning of Research

THE MEANING OF RESEARCH

 "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?"
— Albert Einstein
What is Research?
             It is a RE-SEARCH, fresh inquiry into and seeking for something new and perhaps
better, despite the fact that better is a value word and therefore tabu in some academic mores.
Here originality comes in (Maxfield & Babbie, 2008).
Research (re-search) is a broad term which could briefly mean study, inquiry and search. Ideally,
research is a continuous process which involves scholarly investigation and experimental
(Creswell, 2007).
For a more technical definition, research is a “systemic inquiry for verified knowledge”. It is
shortly mean a “quest for truth” and discovering of verifiable data and learning. It is a careful
and deep study on a certain problem needing solution. It is a professional undertaking because it
is a challenging activity taking the responsibility of imparting and insight to the market of
research which is to bring imperative implication to the community of learned consumers of
research results.
Scientific Paper
 Science is the orderly collection of observations about the natural world made via well-defined
procedures, and modern science is an archive of scientific papers. A research project has not
contributed to science until its results have been reported in a paper, the observations in which
are accompanied by complete recipes (Katz, 2006)
THREE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH
Exploration
 Much of social research is conducted to explore a topic, that is, to start to familiarize a
researcher with that topic. As Babbie (2007) explained, this approach typically occurs when a
researcher examines a new interest or when the subject of study itself is relatively new.
Exploratory studies are most typically done for three purposes: (1) to satisfy the researcher’s
curiosity and desire for better understanding, (2) to test the feasibility of undertaking a more
extensive study, and (3) to develop the methods to be employed in any subsequent study.
Description
            Many social scientific studies aim at describing situations and events. The researcher
observes and then describes what was observed. Because scientific observation is careful and
deliberate, however, scientific descriptions are typically more accurate and precise than are
casual ones.   
Explanation
            The third general purpose of social scientific research is to explain things. Descriptive
studies answer questions of what, where, when, and how; explanatory studies address questions
of why.
Characteristics of research
            Weirsma (1995) gave five general characteristics of research which are commonly
observed in all types of study. These characteristics have brief descriptions which are as follows:
1.
1. Research is empirical (empiricism). By empirical, it means a philosophical
approach which tells us that human knowledge grows and is improved based on
varied experience. This human experience in any form must be generated to
benefit the person per se who learned a new knowledge for development and
generalization if its usefulness to mankind. The data out of experience may give
intensified meaning to the results of the study because it derives from human
encounter which are organized and philosophically analyzed to give meaningful
contexts.
2. Research should be systematic (systematic process). The process of all types of
research must be systematized. By systematic it considers an orderly process of
detailing the prime elements of research involved in the inventions of methods
and techniques in collecting data and its interpretation. A research is systematic
when it begins with defining the research problem, with presentation of findings,
and finally conclusions are built. This is achieved through a systematic approach
or sequential steps. This approach controls the jumping into conclusions within.
3. Research should be valid (validity). The word validity has various applications
in the field of investigation; that may affect the research instruments used, tests,
statistical treatment of data and the relevant result itself. The research is said to be
valid when its data or results are justifiable, present’s factual evidence
theoretically acceptable and conclusions tested are correct.
4. Research should be reliable (reliability). To assure the reliability of the study or
research, the result of the investigation is consistent when the same methods,
conditions are replicated in the same problems. Reliability could be internal or
external reliability. The former refers to the data and its interpretation while the
later is concerned with the location or setting of the study.
5. Research should take on a variety of forms (various kinds). Research
problems should not be limited to one common type of research method, it must
be carried out taking other appropriate types as the nature of the problem requires,
since there are various kinds of research which may be applied to solve the
problem, which in turn will complete the data on the problem.
Best and Kahn (1998) gave twelve characteristics of research based on its definitions, these are:
1.
1.
1. Research is directed toward the solution of a problem.
2. Research emphasized the development of generalization, principles, or
theories that will be helpful in predicting future occurrences.
3. Research is based on observable experience or empirical evidence.
4. Research demands accurate observation and description.
5. Research involves gathering new data from primary or firsthand, sources
or using existing data for a new purpose.
6. Although research activity may at times appear somewhat random and
unsystematic, it is more often characterized by carefully designed
procedures that apply rigorous analysis.
7. Research requires expertise.
8. Research strives to be objective and logical, applying every possible test to
validate the procedures employed, the data collected ends the conclusions
reached.
9. Research involves the quest for answers to unsolved problems.
10. Research is characterized by patient and unhurried activity.
11. Research is carefully recorded and reported.
12. Research sometimes requires courage.
Other characteristics of research are given by Tuckman (1999), these are:
1.
1.
1. it is systematic.
2. it is logical.
3. it is empirical.
4. it is reductive and replicable.
5. it is transmittable.
Classifications of Research
Various kinds of research were developed in accordance with its nature. Research has different
approaches and techniques which can be applied to any problem that is fitting to the nature of the
study. These classifications of research have the same purpose that is giving equal importance to
the needs of researchers in general. Equally, the following categories have come up with the
classifications of research.
1. Approaches in research
            1.a. quantitative research
            1.b. qualitative research
            1.c. mixed method research
2. Purposes of research
            2.1 basic research,
2.2. applied research,
2.3. action research, and
2.4. pure research.
3. Educational research
             3.1. historical,
3.2. descriptive, and
3.3. experimental.
4. Social research
              4.1. ethnography,
4.2. social survey,
4.3. phenomenology,
4.4. case study, and
4.5. fieldwork.