Outrider 3 - What is research?

Summary

In this video script, Tara Grabazon, Dean of Graduate Studies at Charles Darwin University, explores the concept of research, defining it as a systematic inquiry that develops knowledge. She emphasizes the importance of transparency, accountability, and the transformative power of research in various disciplines. Grabazon also discusses the different types of research, including exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory, and distinguishes between basic and applied research, advocating for the value of long-term, evidence-based inquiry.

Takeaways

• 📚 Research is fundamentally about developing knowledge, which can be theoretical or empirical, conceptual, or methodological.
• 🔍 Research is a systematic inquiry involving the formation of hypotheses, thesis statements, or research questions to collect, analyze, and draw conclusions from information.
• 🔄 Research is transformational, affecting social, economic, political, and intellectual aspects of life by creating an understanding of the world that was previously unknown.
• 🔬 The systematic component of research is crucial, requiring verification and peer review to ensure transparency and accountability.
• 🔗 Research dissemination is vital as it adds to new knowledge, forming the basis for new questions and the continuous transformation of knowledge over time.
• 🌐 Research aims to improve lives and environments, necessitating an understanding of what is working and what is not, based on evidence rather than opinion or experience alone.
• 🔑 Knowing what we know is essential for identifying what we don't know, which in turn triggers research questions and the pursuit of new knowledge.
• 📝 Literature reviews, referencing, and bibliographies are important in establishing the known state of knowledge and locating gaps for further research.
• 🔑 Research is not merely having an opinion or experience; it is based on rigorous, transparent study that contributes to the body of knowledge.
• 🔍 Three main purposes of research include exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory research, each serving different roles in understanding and solving problems.
• 🔬 The distinction between basic (pure) research and applied research is important, with basic research providing the foundation for the practical applications of applied research.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of research according to Tara Grabazon?

The primary purpose of research, as stated by Tara Grabazon, is to develop knowledge, which can be theoretical or empirical, conceptual, or methodological.

How does research contribute to transparency and accountability?

Research contributes to transparency and accountability through systematic inquiry, verification by others, and the peer-review process, which ensures that research findings are checked, robust, and honest.

What is the role of hypothesis, thesis statements, or research questions in conducting research?

Hypotheses, thesis statements, or research questions play a crucial role in research as they guide the collection, curation, organization, analysis, and shaping of information, leading to the drawing of conclusions.

Why is repeatability important in some research methodologies?

Repeatability is important in some research methodologies because it ensures that the results of an experiment or study can be verified and confirmed by others, adding credibility and reliability to the research findings.

How does research transform our social, economic, political, and intellectual lives?

Research transforms our lives by creating an understanding of the world that was not known before the research was conducted. It activates change and contributes to the improvement of lives, environments, and decision-making processes.

What is the significance of exploratory research in the field of research?

Exploratory research is significant as it often represents the first investigation into a particular problem or idea, shaping the framework for future research and enabling the development of subsequent research questions.

What is the difference between exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory research?

Exploratory research identifies and shapes problems or events, descriptive research provides detailed accounts of phenomena, and explanatory research investigates how variables interact, often revealing correlations and causality.

Why is basic research important despite not having immediate practical applications?

Basic research is important because it forms the foundation of knowledge upon which applied research and practical applications are built. It is essential for the long-term advancement of various fields and for solving complex problems that require deep understanding.

What is the impact of focusing solely on short-term outcomes in research?

Focusing solely on short-term outcomes can lead to the neglect of long-term, fundamental research that is crucial for understanding and addressing complex and large-scale issues such as climate change.

What does Tara Grabazon suggest as a commitment to research?

Tara Grabazon suggests that a commitment to research involves intellectual discipline, transcending the self, inquiry, asking questions, taking risks, and challenging what is known.

How does the script address the challenges faced by researchers in the current academic climate?

The script acknowledges the difficulties in developing a strong research career due to short-term contracts and casualization, emphasizing the importance of supporting researchers to conduct rigorous and impactful research over time.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Research

Tara Grabazon, Dean of Graduate Studies at Charles Darwin University, introduces the topic of research in the first video of the 'Outrider' series. She acknowledges the privilege of discussing research and emphasizes the importance of transparency and accountability in the field. Grabazon defines research as a systematic inquiry that develops knowledge, which can be theoretical or empirical, and conceptual or methodological. She also discusses the transformative nature of research on society and the need for hypotheses, research questions, and peer review to ensure the validity and reliability of research findings.

05:03

🔍 The Importance of Verification and Accountability in Research

In the second paragraph, Grabazon stresses the necessity of verification and accountability in research, highlighting the role of peer review in maintaining the integrity and transparency of research findings. She explains the importance of dissemination in adding to the body of knowledge and how research leads to the formulation of new questions. Grabazon also touches on the significance of knowing what is unknown to trigger research questions and the importance of evidence in driving decision-making in government and businesses.

10:04

🌟 The Three Purposes of Research

Grabazon categorizes research into three main purposes: exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory. Exploratory research is crucial for identifying and framing problems, often leading to high citation rates. Descriptive research provides detailed accounts of phenomena, while explanatory research investigates relationships between variables. She also differentiates between basic (pure) research, which develops knowledge from existing theories, and applied research, which focuses on practical applications and immediate outcomes.

15:04

🚫 The Challenges Facing Basic Research

The fourth paragraph addresses the current challenges facing basic research, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, where there has been a shift away from supporting disciplines that are perceived as not having immediate economic benefits. Grabazon criticizes this short-term focus and argues that applied research is built upon the foundation of centuries of basic research. She emphasizes the importance of good theory and the long-term benefits of supporting basic research for future generations.

20:05

🛠 Commitment to Research and the Role of Researchers

In the final paragraph, Grabazon discusses the commitment required for a research career, which involves intellectual discipline, inquiry, and the courage to ask questions that may not have answers. She acknowledges the current volatility in universities and the difficulties in developing a research career due to short-term contracts and casualization. Grabazon concludes by emphasizing the importance of research as a commitment to challenging existing knowledge and looks forward to focusing on the role of researchers in the next 'Outrider' video.

Keywords

💡Research

Research is defined in the script as a systematic inquiry that develops knowledge, which can be theoretical or empirical. It is central to the video's theme, as it is the process of creating new understandings and insights. The script discusses research's role in being transparent, accountable, and transformational, shaping our social, economic, political, and intellectual lives.

💡Researcher

Although not explicitly defined in the script, a researcher is implied to be an individual engaged in the process of research. The script suggests that researchers play a crucial role in advancing knowledge and are the ones who walk the bridge from the known to the unknown, embodying the spirit of inquiry and discovery.

💡Knowledge

Knowledge, as mentioned in the script, is developed, enhanced, and changed through research. It is the end product of the research process and can be theoretical, empirical, conceptual, or methodological. The script emphasizes that research aims to move knowledge forward and contribute to our understanding of the world.

💡Systematic Inquiry

Systematic inquiry is a structured and organized approach to asking questions and seeking answers, which is a fundamental aspect of research. The script describes research as a systematic inquiry involving the formation of hypotheses, thesis statements, or research questions, which allows for the collection, organization, and analysis of information.

💡Hypotheses

Hypotheses are proposed explanations or predictions that are tested through research. In the script, hypotheses are part of the systematic inquiry process, serving as a starting point for collecting and analyzing data to draw conclusions.

💡Thesis Statements

Thesis statements are central arguments or claims made in a research project that guide the direction of the inquiry. The script mentions thesis statements as a component of research that helps in organizing information and shaping it into a coherent argument.

💡Research Questions

Research questions are the specific inquiries that guide a research project. According to the script, they are essential for allowing researchers to collect, curate, organize, and analyze information, ultimately leading to new conclusions and knowledge.

💡Peer Review

Peer review is a process where research is evaluated and checked by others in the field to ensure its validity and quality. The script highlights the importance of peer review in maintaining the transparency and accountability of research, with a particular emphasis on double-blind peer review to ensure objectivity.

💡Dissemination

Dissemination refers to the spreading of research findings to the wider academic community and beyond. The script mentions dissemination as a part of the research process, where new knowledge becomes the foundation for new questions and further inquiry.

💡Exploratory Research

Exploratory research is a type of research that is often the first to address a particular problem or idea. The script describes it as configuring or shaping a problem, setting the stage for subsequent research and providing the framework for others to build upon.

💡Descriptive Research

Descriptive research focuses on describing the characteristics of a person, event, or phenomenon in detail. The script mentions it as a common approach in the social sciences and sciences, often involving 'thick description' and ethnography, aiming to understand the 'how' and 'what' of a subject.

💡Explanatory Research

Explanatory research investigates the relationships between variables or characteristics to understand how they connect and interact. The script describes this type of research as uncovering correlations and potentially causality, providing answers to 'why' questions and contributing to a deeper understanding of phenomena.

💡Basic Research

Basic research, also known as pure research, is the original investigation of a phenomenon based on existing principles, ideas, theories, and laws. The script discusses how basic research has been undervalued in recent times, despite its foundational role in all applied research and its importance for long-term knowledge development.

💡Applied Research

Applied research is knowledge generation that starts from a practical application and aims for immediate outcomes or responses. The script contrasts applied research with basic research, noting that while applied research is of interest to governments for its immediate practical benefits, the focus on short-term results can overlook the importance of basic research.

Highlights

Introduction to the topic of 'What is Research?' by Tara Grabazon, Dean of Graduate Studies at Charles Darwin University.

The importance of transparency and accountability in research and its transformative effect on society, economy, politics, and intellectual life.

Research defined as a systematic inquiry that develops knowledge, whether theoretical or empirical.

The necessity of hypothesis, thesis statements, or research questions in structuring research.

The role of peer review in verifying and maintaining the integrity of research.

The significance of repeatability in certain research methodologies, particularly in the experimental sciences.

The acknowledgment of non-repeatable research methodologies and their importance in creative and practice-led disciplines.

The three purposes of research: exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory.

The distinction between basic (pure) research and applied research, and their respective contributions to knowledge.

The current challenges facing basic research, such as the closure of disciplines and the focus on short-term economic benefits.

The impact of short-termism on the quality and depth of research, particularly in government and academia.

The importance of evidence-driven decision making in government and business, as opposed to decisions based on opinions or feelings.

The role of research in improving problem-solving and decision-making processes.

The contribution of each discipline to epistemology, ontology, and methodology, and the importance of interdisciplinarity.

The commitment to research as a discipline, intellectual endeavor, and a means of challenging existing knowledge.

The upcoming focus on 'What is a researcher?' in the next video of the series.

The closing thoughts on the power and importance of research, and the challenges faced by researchers in the current volatile academic environment.

Transcripts

hello I'm Tara grabazon and I'm the dean

of Graduate Studies at Charles Darwin

University and welcome to outrider 3.

what is research this request comes via

Ruth hi Ruth and Ruth asked two

questions of me for this video series

the first was what is research and the

second is what is a researcher now I

know this will come as a surprise to you

but this week we're looking at what is

research and in the outrider next week

we're exploring what is a researcher

these requests are a gift I would not

have come up with these requests or

ideas on my own so an enormous thank you

to Ruth and I'm also aware of the great

privilege it is to be able to talk about

this topic this is my 10th job in my

10th University in my fourth country and

now about a third of my jobs through my

life have been in research portfolios

that's a gift and that's a privilege and

it's a gift and a privilege that is very

rarely granted to women and very greatly

granted to women who have their initial

training in the humanities and the

social sciences there are many reasons

for that but I am aware as I speak to

you today about the great privilege I

have and the position I have to speak to

you about research and it's a privilege

that I have never and will never take

for granted okay so this is such a

provocative and fantastic question I'm

excited

afford it let's look at what is research

and this is a great way to start our

outrider series really to think about

okay well what actually is research and

it is a way into the discussion for

thousands tens of thousands of people

around the world and that's important

research must be transparent it must be

accountable and research must move so

let's do this at its most basic research

develops knowledge so there's your

definition if you just want a little bit

of a definition to move forward in your

life research develops knowledge right

so you can go and have a cup of coffee

now thanks for playing if you like

research and knowledge are like more

come and wise or Beyonce and Adele

knowledge is changed is developed is

enhanced

through research this knowledge can be

theoretical or empirical

it can be conceptual it can be

methodological

right so research develops knowledge

tick that's our first definition let's

now add some complexity to that

research is a systematic inquiry so

let's unpick that phrase a little bit

that involves the formation of

hypotheses thesis statements or research

questions let me tell you why because

thesis statements research questions

allow us to collect curate organize

information and then analyze and shape

that information and then we draw

conclusions from that analysis and what

we then do because research doesn't stop

just going oh this is what we found cool

what we then have to do is move that

research back into knowledge and

demonstrate how it can be implemented in

our social cultural economic but also

intellectual lives some methodologies

and research areas disciplines demand

that the research is repeatable so we do

something we do an experiment and that's

great but the result is only meaningful

if it can be repeated

we see that imperative a great deal in

the experimental Sciences but some

methodologies such as creative LED

creative based practice-led practice

based simply cannot be repeatable

doesn't mean they're they're not

research they certainly are but

different modalities to prove

transparency are activated like

positionality Theory or standpoint

Theory put another way research in all

disciplines creates an understanding of

our world and it's an understanding of

that world that was not known before the

research was conducted this is

transformational

so research is transformational of our

social economic political and

intellectual lives so research activates

change

okay the systematic component of

research is absolutely crucial

our research must be verified

and it must be checked and not checked

by us gonna always call whatever no it's

got to be verified and checked by others

and that's why peer review

is so crucial to the development of

research because we need to be checked

if we're not checked

then it's not knowledge and it's

certainly not research so from the most

Junior of academics PhD students

included in that definition right

through to our senior professors blind

peer review that means that the

reviewers don't know who you are and you

don't know who they are right so it's

something called double blind

double-blind peer review Keeps Us honest

keeps us real Keeps Us robust and most

importantly keeps our research

transparent and outward very important

without verification

and without accountability there is no

research

okay so dissemination is also part of

research as you've picked up we are

adding to new knowledge right that's

what we're doing we're developing new

knowledge and our knowledge then becomes

the foundation of new questions and the

iterations and transformations of

knowledge through research continue

through time right the point of research

is to improve the lives and the

environment of other people people other

human beings the environment other

animals for example and we have to

understand in the world what is working

and what is not working

so how do we do that

this Improvement in research is based on

knowing what we know

once we know what we know

we then have a pretty good idea that we

know what we don't know and when we know

what we don't know that's where research

is activated and we need to have some

sense of that unknowability and that's

what triggers research questions and so

forth now I know this is all sounding a

bit Donald Rumsfeld for which I really

really apologize but it's only when we

know what we know that we can know what

is unknown and therefore what is the

gift of research

and I find this so inspiring every

single day the gift of research is it

provides a bridge

a bridge from what we know to the

unknown and the role of researchers is

to walk on that bridge

The Knowing of the known

is confirmed through a literature review

so how do you prove you know stuff right

well you do a literature review you also

present references referencing and you

also present a bibliography

this is significant because having an

opinion

it's great and it's many things but

having an opinion is not research having

an experience

is not research having a particular

identity label is not research research

is based on knowing the state of

knowledge and then being able to locate

a gap

something which is unknowable and then

through rigorous careful transparent

study we're able to start to know

the unknowable and We Know It with rigor

with accountability and in some

disciplines repeatability research is

important to an array of other

Industries private and public

corporations a whole series of

businesses because what research

actually does

is it improves problem solving and it

improves decision making for Citizens

that's why it's so crucial research is

evidence driven it is accountable and it

is verifiable

now we see in governments around the

world particularly at the moment what

happens

when an opinion

an experience or a vibe

becomes more important than following

the actual research and following the

evidence and we see the impact of that

on decision making so decision making

particularly in government but I would

argue in all businesses should be

evidentially driven and that evidence is

configured and shaped by experts but

when all that stuff has gone yeah yeah

it's about a Vibe we can see the

consequences to the planet when Vibes

start to run policy each discipline has

a specific contribution to the

development of epistemology ontology and

methodology and that difference matters

it's important but if we melt the

boundaries between disciplines for a

moment

so yes every discipline has important

things to add to this conversation but

for a moment I just want to melt the

boundaries and borders between

disciplines and cut up research in a

different way to help our definition

all research all research has about

three purposes three ways of doing it

and most of us through our careers focus

on two of these it's very rare that

people have all three bases covered if

you will most of us do two of these the

first is exploratory research

exploratory research fantastically

important I've done a lot of this in my

career this is often the first research

that exists in relation to a particular

problem or event or idea so this is the

first refereed article and what

exploratory research does is in many

ways it configures a problem or it

shapes an event and does the great work

for the people that are to follow so if

like exploratory research are the real

outriders they go out there and they go

I've found something that's a problem

let's shape it for following colleagues

to create research questions and kick

this ball forward often exploratory

research does have the highest citations

right because this is the people doing

the hijacker getting the sort of

framework in place to sort of building

the house and then all the attention is

on the people that do the nice

decorating in the house after am I am I

angry am I resentful no I'm not no I'm

not but exploratory research very

exciting really interesting and again a

great way to spend your time because you

really are enabling the future of

research

the second type of research is

descriptive research we see this a great

deal in the social sciences and the

Sciences more generally and what this

does is it describes the characteristics

of a person an event a phenomenon it's

often called thick description we see it

a great deal in ethnography and a lot of

field work related methodologies thick

description this is really important

research yeah wow and it focuses on the

watch

and the how

of life

it really focuses on the why questions

but the how and the what really crucial

questions a lot of good deep

methodological work gets done here and

the final mode of research is

explanatory research explanatory

research This research is really

interesting

because it investigates how variables or

characteristics engage connect and mesh

so in this mode of research we start to

see particularly correlations emerging

so there's a correlation there fantastic

and if we're really lucky we start to

see some causality so this great way of

thinking and doing research starts to

build those relationships and render

those relationships meaningful so the

why questions are really answered here

and experimentation is particularly

dominant in this mode of research but

also a lot of theoretical work can exist

here as well okay the other way to cut

up research beyond our disciplines is

through looking at what's often called

the two basic types of research basic

research

and applied research basic

applaud

basic research is also described as pure

research which is really interesting and

this is the original investigation of a

person of an event of a phenomena it

develops Knowledge from existing

principles ideas theories and laws it

develops knowledge in a predictable

careful way acknowledging the history of

ideas it is sadly often these days

described as

non-commercial research

yeah it seemed to be not solving

practical problems

and those practical problems of course

it's all about here's an immediate

problem here's an immediate threat and

we require an immediate response to this

immediate problem

now as you can see basic research has

taken a real beating recently

particularly in Australia and Altera or

New Zealand so in the antibodies we have

really hammered as an intellectual

Community basic research and there will

be consequences of that for Generations

so what's happened in Australia New

Zealand is universities have made

decisions to close down a series of

disciplines like physics

like chemistry like philosophy and a

range of disciplines in the humanities

and in the Arts so just go we no longer

need that slice of knowledge so whenever

you see The Bachelor of Arts or The

Bachelor of Science threatened in some

form truncated or limited then what

you're seeing is a truncation of the

future of basic research

obviously a catastrophic

mistake

we have this assumption at the moment

that all research must be of immediate

economic benefit right so don't do

something unless there's some dough and

not do in the even medium term a dough

quickly right that's the new definition

of research and all of this forgets

that applied research commercial

research if you will

is based on

is founded on

centuries of basic research

so do you want your medical scientists

to not have expertise in chemistry

seriously you want medical scientists

making drugs without basic research in

chemistry do you want your engineers

to build Bridges build buildings

without physics

all this is going well now so there we

go so that's basic research I had

something to say I've said it the other

type of research is called applied

research applied research commences

knowledge generation from what's called

a practical application

now it generates knowledge with an

immediate response an immediate outcome

this I know it'll be a surprise to you

but applied research is of great

interest to National governments around

the world but the important research

the really crucial research of course is

not being supported in any way shape or

form because we're now in this

short-termism thing right so we need

this is the grant this is the Grant and

what's the outcome of the ground

and of course knowledge doesn't work

like that and research certainly doesn't

so all this focus on short-termism means

we're missing out on the big issues and

understanding what's going on

climate change anyone

all the urgency now

what was happening 30 and 40 years ago

yeah I always remember that great line I

think it was from Kurt Lewin that

remarkable German American psychologist

who specializes in organizational and

applied psychology and he stated quote

there is nothing so practical as good

Theory end of quote

nothing so practical is good theory I

live by that Max and Brilliant so as you

can see in this outrider session

research is powerful

research is important it's not personal

experience it's not emotion it's not

your lived experience it's not what you

think

it's not what you feel

research is

a demanding mistress

oh yes she is and yes the political the

social the ideological volatility around

our Universities at the moment makes it

really difficult

to have a strong research career

the best research and the best research

career is if you look at the great

Scholars that we follow we follow in the

footsteps of their careers developed

over decades

and that's because they were supported

to develop that research over decades

now through short-term contracts

casualization of contracts the

development of a research career is

increasingly difficult

but research

is important it's an important task

indeed it is a life changing task

a commitment to research

is a commitment to discipline

intellectual discipline

it's a commitment to transcending the

self

a commitment to inquiry

a commitment to asking questions

and taking the risk and showing the

courage

that we may not be able to answer those

questions

research is also a commitment

to challenging

what we know

but who activates such commitments

the answer is the researcher our focus

of the outrider next week I wish you

love light and peace

Tia