Reason for Research, Research Process and Research Methods - Assignment Example

Reason for Research Although the term research,' is a popularly understood one which hardly requires definition, popular understandings of its purpose and implication differ. Those from without the pedagogical and research communities, assume the terms to simply imply the processing of data, possibly the uncovering of new datasets, for the development of a new technology, medicine or science (Sekaran, 2003). The validity of the stated definition is unequivocal but within academia, it is insufficient insofar as it hardly begins to cover the significance and motivations of research. Within the parameters of pedagogical and research communities, research has the explicated purpose of investigating existent phenomenon for the articulation, or discovery of new knowledge and is wholly motivated by two primary aims. The first is to attain a greater understanding of the world around us, with the assumption here being that new' knowledge facilitates that. The second is the reshaping of the world and reorganisation of the framework within which human activities unfold for the explicated purpose of bring the reality closer to the ideal (Sekaran, 2003). Although, at first glance, the second cited aim may sound unduly ambitious and somewhat arrogant, closer inspection proves otherwise. Were one to briefly consider the fact that medical research has led to the evolution of technologies which have significantly lengthened average human life spans, or that electronic communications research has led to the evolution of the internet, we find that the gap between the ideal and the real, although vast, has been somewhat reduced. Moreover, were we to momentarily reflect upon the fact that scientific research has led to the evolution of instruments and technologies as would give us better understanding of the health of our environment, s a strategy for forestalling crisis, we would again concede that research is fulfilling is articulated aims of explaining and reshaping the world. On the basis of the above, one may affirm that the aims of research are to uncover new knowledge with the purpose of doing so being to improve the world and human life. Research Process The research process varies in accordance with the research field and the selected research methodology. Hence, as noted by Jackson (1994) within the parameters of scientific research, the process is primarily framed by the collection of primary data and experimentation while, within the context of a humanities' based research, the process is framed by the examination of secondary data in light of new developments, generally tending towards the theoretical and the explanatory and involving little, if any, experimentation (Jackson, 1994). In other words, the research process, defined as the methodology pursued (Jackson, 1994) differs in accordance with subject matter and selected research method. Although the research process is variable, the fact is that the process comprises a number of steps which, if the research subscribes to accepted academic standards and criteria, is cross-disciplinary. All research, as argued by Creswell (2003) proceeds from a specified research problem, an articulated research question and a hypothesised solution to the problem and response to the question. These three steps, research problem, research question and hypothesis, frame the research itself whereby all succeeding research activity is founded upon, and guided by them (Creswell, 2003). In other words, irrespective of research discipline and methodology, the research process comprises the three steps outlined. Based on the above elucidation of the research process, one may not that the process is inextricably connected to the earlier mentioned research reasons. As earlier stated, a research is motivated by the compulsion to uncover new knowledge and to resolve existent problems. These general research aims are narrowed down to a specific problem, question and hypothesis during the research process. Therefore, one may safely assert that the reasons for research and the research process are immediately correlated. Research Methods The interrelationship between research reasons and research process is carried over to research methods, whereby these three combine to define the concept of research, as a motivated examination of a particular phenomenon, conducted in accordance with an established process and framed by a specified method. As implied, therefore, the concept of research methods, or methodology, is not simply a componential element of research,' but defines the parameters of a specified research, concomitant with an articulation of the tools, strategies and theories which frame it (Creswell, 2003). Research methods reference the tools, theory and data collection strategies that a particular researcher adopts. As pertains to data collection tools, these could be either primary or secondary with the latter gathered through interviews, questionnaires and fieldwork and the former through previously published research (Creswell, 2003). Whether a researcher elects to base his study on primary or secondary data is usually determined by the discipline, the identified problem and the hypothesis to be tested. However, as Creswell (2003) notes, researchers are generally informed by both primary and secondary data, rather than one r the other. This is because reference to secondary data provides the researcher with a wider understanding of the state of the field and ensures that he does not waste his time by repeating earlier research and findings while primary data adds value to a research and enables it to make a constructive contribution to the field (Creswell, 2003). Therefore, rather than select a research method that is either desk or field based in its entirety, researchers general select a mixed method, combining between secondary and primary data. Apart from defining the data collection tools to be employed, the research method further articulates the nature of the data, as in whether it is quantitative or qualitative. However, as noted by Sekaran (2003), a large percentage of research exploits both quantitative and qualitative data and strategies due to the inherent interpretive value of each. In addition to the above, research methods further embrace the theoretical framework that will inform the research (Jackson, 1994). In essence, all research must proceed from and be based upon a specified theory or a select group of theories. Beyond guiding the research, theory contains such interpretive tools as would allow a researcher to shed light on particular aspects of his selected research problem and question, in addition to testing his hypothesis from new angles. Therefore, the use of theory is invaluable and the theory, or set of theories, that are used are defined within the research methods framework (Jackson, 1994). As explicated in the above, therefore, research methods may be defined as the methodological framework within which the research activity unfolds. Bibliography Creswell, J.W. (2003) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Method Approaches. California: Sage Publications. Jackson, P. (1994). Desk Research. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. Sekaran, U. (2003). Research Methods for Business. London: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Read More