What is research?

Summary

The script explores the diverse nature of research, from lab experiments to historical analysis, emphasizing its core aim: generating new knowledge. It explains the scientific method's cyclical process of questioning, hypothesizing, experimenting, and sharing findings to foster discovery. The script also highlights research's applicability beyond the sciences, illustrating with a literary scholar's thematic investigation. It encourages curiosity and hard work, suggesting anyone can contribute to research, whether through formal education or direct participation.

Takeaways

• 🧪 Research is often associated with laboratories and scientific experiments, but it also includes non-lab activities like historical research or consumer surveys.
• 🌟 The core of research is the creation of new knowledge or ideas, which can be tangible or intangible.
• ❓ Every research project starts with a question that has no known answer, which varies across different fields.
• 🔬 The scientific method is a cyclical process involving observation, hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and conclusion drawing.
• 📊 The results of research are shared with other scholars for observation, verification, and further inquiry, fostering an ongoing loop of discovery.
• 📚 The principles of the scientific method apply beyond the natural sciences, including in the humanities, where scholars analyze texts and cultural themes.
• 🎓 A career in research can be pursued through higher education, such as obtaining a PhD, but it's not the only path to involvement.
• 🏫 Even without a college education, individuals can contribute to research by participating in surveys or assisting with data collection.
• 🌐 Research offers opportunities to address significant challenges of our time, such as environmental conservation and public health monitoring.
• 🔑 Curiosity and hard work are key traits for anyone interested in engaging with research, regardless of their educational background.
• 🌱 Research is a broad field that welcomes diverse approaches and disciplines, emphasizing the importance of asking questions and seeking answers.

Q & A

What is the common goal shared by different approaches to research?

The common goal shared by different approaches to research is the creation of new knowledge or ideas.

What is the starting point of every good research project?

Every good research project begins with a question that has no known answer.

What is the first step in the scientific method?

The first step in the scientific method is making observations and asking questions.

What are hypotheses in the context of the scientific method?

Hypotheses are educated guesses that try to answer the research questions formulated by the researcher.

How do researchers collect data and produce results in the scientific method?

Researchers collect data and produce results by developing and conducting experiments.

What is the final step of the scientific method?

The final step of the scientific method is sharing the results of the research with other scholars for observation, verification, and further inquiry.

How does the scientific method apply to fields outside of the natural sciences?

The scientific method applies to fields outside of the natural sciences by following the same process of making observations, asking questions, formulating hypotheses, collecting data, and sharing findings.

Can someone without a college education contribute to research projects?

Yes, even people without a college education can contribute to research projects by participating in surveys or helping researchers gather data.

What are some tangible and intangible outcomes of research?

Tangible outcomes of research can include new drugs for curing diseases, while intangible outcomes can be new understandings of archival texts or social phenomena.

How does the process of research contribute to tackling major obstacles of our generation?

Research contributes to tackling major obstacles by generating new knowledge and ideas that can inform solutions in areas such as conservation of endangered species and monitoring of public health crises.

What personal qualities are important for someone interested in research?

Curiousity and hard work are important personal qualities for someone interested in research, as they drive the ongoing process of discovery and innovation.