What is Research?

The following is an overview of what research is as an activity.

Definition

Research is defined as a careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or a problem using scientific methods.  According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, “Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict and control the observed phenomenon. Research involves inductive and deductive methods.”

Inductive research methods are used to analyze the observed phenomenon whereas, deductive methods are used to verify the observed phenomenon.  Inductive approaches (where evidence for the conclusion is provided near the end of the project) are associated with qualitative research, and deductive methods (asserting a hypothesis and then undertaking research to test the theory) are more commonly associated with quantitative.

One of the most important aspects of research is the statistics associated with it, conclusion or result. It is about the “thought” that goes behind the research. Research is conducted with a purpose to understand:

• What do organizations really want to find out?
• What are the processes that need to be followed to answer the research question?
• What are the arguments that need to be built around the research question? 
• What is the evidence that will be required that people believe in the idea or concept?