Fundamentals of Scientific Research
The fundamentals of scientific research require defining science as an organized body of knowledge, employing a structured research design—which can be exploratory, descriptive, correlational, or explanatory—and centering the process around a clear and viable research problem. Crucially, all research must strictly adhere to ethical principles like honesty and confidentiality to ensure the integrity and social trust of the results.
Key Takeaways
Science and research are inseparable processes for generating verifiable and systematic knowledge.
Research design is the strategic plan that guides inquiry, ensuring the study's validity and reliability.
A clear and viable research problem is the core, defining the scope and orienting all objectives and methods.
Ethical principles guarantee data integrity, prevent plagiarism, and protect participant confidentiality.
What is the relationship between science, knowledge, and research?
Science is fundamentally defined as an organized body of knowledge aimed at formulating universal laws and comprehensive theories, a concept highlighted by philosopher Mario Bunge (2004). Research complements science by providing the systematic, procedural framework necessary to transform initial intellectual questions into verifiable, evidence-based answers. This symbiotic relationship ensures that knowledge generation is not only rigorous but also logically sound, relying on systematic observation and verification to continuously expand and validate scientific understanding across various disciplines and fields of study.
- Definition of Science: Science is a set of organized knowledge based on systematic observation, logical reasoning, and empirical verification.
- Research: It is a structured process that systematically transforms initial questions into verifiable, evidence-based answers.
- Research complements science by contributing essential procedures and methodologies for knowledge generation and validation.
How is research design used as a methodological strategy?
Research design serves as the essential methodological strategy or detailed plan that guides the entire inquiry process, ensuring the study's internal and external validity and reliability, as emphasized by Hernández et al. (2014). Selecting the appropriate design is critical because it dictates the precise methods for data collection, measurement, and subsequent analysis. Researchers must choose from established types—such as exploratory for initial insights, descriptive for detailing characteristics, correlational for relationship analysis, or explanatory for determining causality—and select an appropriate approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed) based on the study's specific objectives and the nature of the phenomenon being investigated.
- Purpose: The design acts as a strategic plan guiding the inquiry, ensuring the study's internal and external validity and reliability.
- Types of Design: Includes exploratory (initial investigation), descriptive (characterization), correlational (relationship analysis), and explanatory (causal determination) approaches.
- Enfoques (Approaches): Qualitative focuses on in-depth understanding; Quantitative uses numerical measurements; Mixed strategically combines both methods effectively.
Why is the research problem considered the core of scientific investigation?
The research problem is rightly considered the core of scientific investigation because it precisely defines and delimits the specific field of study, a crucial step noted by Sampieri (2014). A well-formulated problem must possess two key characteristics: it must be clear and precise to avoid ambiguity, and it must be viable, meaning it is practically feasible to investigate given available resources and time constraints. Its primary function is to provide a focused direction, orienting all subsequent research objectives, hypotheses, and methodological choices, such as investigating the specific question of how mobile device use influences academic performance in high school students.
- Characteristics: The problem must be clear, precise, and viable, meaning it is practically feasible to investigate.
- Function: It delimits the specific field of study (Sampieri, 2014) and provides focus for all subsequent objectives and methods.
- Example: A typical problem might ask: How does mobile device use influence academic performance in high school students?
What are the key ethical principles required in scientific research?
Ethics in research is paramount as it establishes the moral framework that guarantees the integrity and trustworthiness of the results while maintaining essential social confidence in the scientific endeavor. Key ethical principles include absolute honesty in the collection and handling of data, proper recognition of all sources to strictly avoid plagiarism, and respecting the confidentiality and privacy of all participants (Resnik, 2011). This commitment ensures that the pursuit of knowledge is responsible and non-harmful. Supervision, often provided by institutional review boards or university ethics committees, is vital, especially in sensitive educational contexts, to uphold these moral standards throughout the entire research lifecycle.
- Importance: Ethics guarantees the integrity of research results and maintains crucial social confidence in the scientific process.
- Key Principles: Includes honesty in data handling, recognizing sources to strictly avoid plagiarism, and respect for participant confidentiality.
- Supervision: Oversight is provided by university ethics committees, which is highly relevant in educational and sensitive research contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of science?
The primary objective of science is to formulate universal laws and comprehensive theories. This is achieved through the systematic organization of knowledge derived from rigorous observation, logic, and empirical verification.
What are the three main approaches to research design?
The three main approaches are Qualitative, focusing on deep understanding; Quantitative, relying on numerical measurements and statistics; and Mixed, which strategically combines both methods to achieve a more complete analysis.
Why is viability important when defining a research problem?
Viability ensures that the research problem can be successfully investigated. It confirms that the study is practically feasible within the constraints of available time, necessary resources, and access to the required data.
