Basic ResearchResearch Methodology

Prepared By

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Manu Melwin JoyAssistant Professor

Ilahia School of Management Studies

Kerala, India.Phone – 9744551114

Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

Basic Research• Basic research, also

called pure research or fundamental research, is scientific research aimed to improve scientific theories for improved understanding or prediction of natural or other phenomena.

Basic Research

• Basic research is where

it all starts: new ideas,

fundamental theories,

unanswered questions,

and investigation into

something that doesn't

quite make sense.

Basic Research• The basic researcher is

driven by curiosity and a desire to explore unknown territory. Some ideas pan out, some don't, and that is all part of the process. Basic research includes theoretical research, but it also includes early-stage investigations in the laboratory or field.

Basic Research• It is also important to

remember that the applications of basic research may not be obvious when it is initially conducted. The utility of such research to real-world problems may not be revealed until much later when enough is known about an issue to apply the knowledge gained in the basic research studies.

Basic Research• For example, early neuroscientists

(e.g., Santiago Ramon y Cajal, as cited in Meyers, 2007) conducted basic research studies to understand how neurons function. The applications of this knowledge were not clear until much later when neuroscientists better understood how this neural functioning affect behavior... The understanding of the basic knowledge of neural functioning became useful in helping individuals with disorders long after this research had been completed."(McBride, D. M., 2013)

Examples• Examples of basic research in

psychology might include:– An investigation looking at

what whether stress levels influence how often students engage in academic cheating.

– A study looking at how caffeine consumption impacts the brain.

– A study assessing whether men or women are more likely to suffer from depression.

Basic Research• There is no clear dividing line

between basic and applied research—the two often overlap as they are both. Basic research projects do not have a specific commercial objective, but evolve into applied research as they uncover new materials or solutions to problems.

Basic Research• Applied research projects aim

to discover new knowledge related to a specific commercial objective. Applied researchers may investigate the basic principles underlying their products to identify the source of a problem or to construct a framework for discovering materials that successfully perform certain functions.

Basic Research• The exploratory nature of basic

research requires a high tolerance for uncertainty, an ability to deal with ambiguity, and perseverance to continue after a setback. Coming up with new ideas requires curiosity and the ability to recognize interesting and unusual areas to pursue.

Basic Research• Basic research projects

usually involve teams. These can include a primary investigator and his or her students and postdocs, groups of researchers from one discipline, or researchers from several interrelated disciplines.

Basic Research• Teams may involve researchers

in many locations around the world, communicating by videoconference and sharing data using online collaboration tools. Chemists may work with materials scientists, biologists, geologists, physicists, or medical doctors. They may also enlist the help of computer scientists, engineers, and instrument design specialists to help them develop the new capabilities they need.