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| Research Substance ISBN: 978-93-93166-22-7 For verification of this chapter, please visit on http://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/books.php#8 |
Etymology Of Research |
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Ms. Ranjana Prasad
Assistant Professor
B. Ed
Christian Training College, Lucknow
Lucknow Uttar Pradesh
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DOI: Chapter ID: 16085 |
| This is an open-access book section/chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. |
Abstract The
21st century is regarded as a technological advancement era with a lot of
research and development being done in many area. However, this technological
advancement is also a result of human curiosity and the desire to find out more
about the life we live today is the gift of research. So it becomes very
critical to understand the evolution of humans through research. For this, we
need to understand the etymology of research and its importance in human life,
and the components of research that make it a great one. This chapter discusses
it and tries to find a concrete answer to the creeping of research and its
branches in our lives.Keywords: Research & Development, Evolution, Technological Advancement, Components of Research, Etymology. Research and Its Roots Human curiosity leads to the development of research. Without research, it is impossible to bring novel ideas into action. Many big inventions and discoveries are the results of curious minds and diligent research work. Civilizations progress and evolve due to the curiosity of humans and the yearning to learn about questions arising in their minds. We would still be living in the past and struggling to survive if research had not been part of human progress. It is the blessing of research that we have progressed so much to live comfortable lives. It saved and improved many lives. So it is critical to understand research in-depth. The word research is derived from the French word "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 term was earlier used in 1577. The meaning "diligent scientific inquiry and investigation directed to the discovery of some fact" is attested by the 1630s. The general sense of "investigations into things, the habit of making close investigations" is from the 1690s. The phrase research and development for "work on a large scale toward innovation" is recorded in 1923. Research can be explained as an in-depth study of a problem using scientific methods. Before getting to the solution, the research passes through various phases. All the possible perspectives of the problem are analyzed in a systematic way. Earl Robert Babbie describes research as, “research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods.” One definition of research is the OECD, "Any systematic creative activity undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this knowledge to devise new applications.” Another definition of research is given by John W. Creswell, who states that "research is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to increase our understanding of a topic or issue". It consists of three steps: pose a question, collect data to answer the question, and present an answer to the question. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary says research is a "studious inquiry or examination; especially : investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.” Paul Felix Lazarsfeld, popularly known as the founder of modern research surveys, made considerable contributions towards statistical survey analysis, panel methods, latent structure analysis and contextual analysis. In the early 1930s, Lazarsfeld introduced research through the use of surveys by conducting a study of Marienthal, a small industrial town near Vienna which suffered from a high unemployment rate. In 1933, he published a paper titled “Marienthal: The Sociography of an Unemployed Community, which gives insight into Lazarsfeld’s ability to combine quantitative and qualitative approaches. By careful assessment of social conditions, life histories, family budgets, spending habits and daily routines, Lazarsfeld transformed qualitative data into quantitative analysis, a breakthrough in the field of research survey methodology. Characteristics of Research 1. Systematic approach is required for a good research work. 2. Good research requires researchers to follow good code of conduct and ethics to do observations and draw conclusions. 3. Various methods are used to analyze the results to conclude the research well. 4. Best data can be retrieved in the natural setting observation. 5. Data collected with utmost care will not yield any discrepancies. 6. Good research opens up opportunities for new research and ideas. 7. Accuracy plays an important role in data collection so that authentic results can be derived. Importance of Research Research along with science and technology has advanced a lot. Now, schools, colleges, students, teachers, and researchers are fully equipped and aware to seek answers to any type of question through research. Research has become an integral part of studies and is not restricted to researchers only. Research is an invaluable tool to understand complex issues. It stimulates critical thinking and nurtures the problem-solving temperament of the man. In today’s world, there is an overflow of information. There are so many sources that it becomes difficult to identify the truth. The use of research gives a multi-directional approach for validating information and determining the truth. There is no such thing as unexplored research. Be it business, education, entertainment, news, new discoveries, societal biases, psychological mental health issues, or social networking surveys. The list is endless. It takes a lot of research to get a reliable and valid result in any area. Components of Effective Research
 Clarity of Purpose As compare to early years of research,
today’s research is richer in terms of resources. The disadvantage of having
overload of information is that the research tends to get distracted from its
main purpose. Most of the topics are interrelated and if the purpose of the
research is not clear, the research may get mislead. So it is important for the
researcher to start with gathering of information about the topic and with
further efforts narrows it down to the precise purpose of the research. Crisper
the topic is, more valid and reliable results it yields. Once the purpose is
clear, the problem is formulated on which the research has to be
conducted. Now it becomes easy for the researcher to abstracting and
indexing of the journals, conference proceedings, reports and books can be
tapped as per the requirement of the purpose and problem. Planning
Once the purpose and problem are identified
for the research, the next step required is planning. All the resources
collected need to be segregated according to their requirements in the
research. A researcher has to plan in advance the steps to be followed in
his research. All the time research is vulnerable to getting lost and losing
track. The research is half done when properly planned and executed. Once planned,
the researcher tends to understand his resources, procedures, and how his data
form into shape.
Selective
Use of Resources
Narrowing the research makes it easy to
channelize the resources and start with the bifurcation of material required
for the research. Research is a vast area where it becomes very difficult for
the researcher to compose himself and stick to the resources required for his
purpose of research. Resources can be dynamic, so a researcher has to be very
selective in arranging the resources so as they can be used in an appropriate
manner in the research. Framework
It is the most important component of the
research. It is like the outer structure of the house on which it depends that
how reliable and strong the house will be. So the framework should essentially
have following elements: 1. Objective 2. Aim 3. Hypothesis 4. Methodology Objective of the Study If the objective is clear, the research will have a defined shape and destination. It defines the reason to do the research. 1. ‘A research objective is a clear, concise, declarative statement, which provides direction to investigate the variables 2. Generally, research objectives are about identifying or describing the variables, such as how they are measured. 3. An objective may be to identify the relationship between two variables or the difference between them. 4. A research objective is what the researcher hopes to achieve as a result of the research process i.e. what they expect to be able to accomplish at the end of the study. 5. The objectives of a research project describe what the study is intended to accomplish. 6. The objective should be closely related to the problem statement. Aim The aim of the research should be clear and achievable. The aim emphasizes what needs to be achieved within the scope of the research, by the end of the research process. Achievement of the research aim provides an answer to the research question. Hypothesis The speculations about the probable research outcome help in designing the hypothesis. A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a precise, testable statement of what the researcher(s) predict will be the outcome of the study. It is stated at the start of the study. Methodology There might be various ways to succeed in the
destination. So it depends on the researcher how he chooses to conduct his
research. It is often qualitative or review-based. It is typically quantitative
or statistical using various software. To gather data, which technique is
employed whether a rating scale, questionnaire, or test? How the info is
measured and therefore the results are derived from it. Whether results are
valid and reliable and are consistent with the methodology used
for the research. Findings Findings are crucial to the research. Most of the time, we confuse findings with conclusions. However, findings are the parts of the research process where we generate data, output, research results, development, or an idea or innovation. These findings play a critical role in determining whether the researcher needs to take his research further or step back and conduct it in a novel way. It is also possible to consider the findings as rough results or raw data after applying the research methods.
References 1. Babbie, Earl R. 2011. The Basics of Social Research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. 2. Creswell, John.W.(2017). Research Design: Sage Publication 3. Dudovskiy. John. Business Research Methodology. Formulating Research Aims and Objectives. Retrieved from https://research methodology.net/research-methodology/research-aims-and-objectives/ 4. Future Learn. Research questions, aims and objectives, retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/research- construction-management/0/steps/75090#:~:text=A%20 research%20aim%20expresses%20the,when%20it%20has%20been%20achieved. 5. Jansen, Derek (MBA).(June 2020). GRADCOACH. Retrieved from https://gradcoach.com/what-is-a-research-hypothesis-or-scientific-hypothesis/ 6. Leedy, Paul D & Ormrod, Jeanne. Ellis. Practical Research: Planning and Design: Pearson 7. McLeod, Saul. (2021, December 16). Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-a-hypotheses.html#:~:text=A%20hypothesis %20(plural%20hypotheses)%20is,the%20start%20of%20the%20study. 8.Merriam Webster. Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research #:~:text=Definition%20of%20research,or%20revised%20theories%20or%20laws 9. OECD Frascati Manual, Sixth edition. (2013). Glossary of statistical terms. http://www.oecd.org/innovation/inno/frascatimanual proposedstandardpracticeforsurveysonresearchandexperimental development6thedition.htm 10. Tucker, Frank.( 2017, September15th),. Research Methodology Plan, Retrieved from https://www.microhealthllc.com/research-methodology-plan/ 11. Wigmore, Ivy. Tech Target. Retrieved from https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/hypothesis |