What is research?

Research is a very general term for an activity that involves finding out, in a more or less systematic way, things you did not know. A more academic interpretation is that research involves finding out about things that no-one else knew either. It is about advancing the frontiers of knowledge and a systematic way to find an answer to a question.

Nicholas Walliman (2011) in Research Methods: the Basics  explains that research in the real world may be done for one or more of the following purposes:

1. Categorize. This involves forming a typology of objects, events or concepts, i.e. a set of names or ‘boxes’ into which these can be sorted. This can be useful in explaining which ‘things’ belong together and how.
2. Describe. Descriptive research relies on observation as a means of collecting data. It attempts to examine situations in order to  establish what is the norm, i.e. what can be predicted to happen again under the same circumstances.
3.  Explain. This is a descriptive type of research specifically designedto deal with complex issues. It aims to move beyond ‘just  getting the facts’ in order to make sense of the myriad other elements involved, such as human, political, social, cultural and contextual.
4.  Evaluate. This involves making judgements about the quality of objects or events. Quality can be measured either in an  absolute  sense or on a comparative basis. To be useful, the methods of evaluation must be relevant to the context and intentions of the research.
5.  Compare. Two or more contrasting cases can be examined to highlight differences and similarities between them, leading to a better understanding of phenomena.
6.  Correlate. The relationships between two phenomena are investigated to see whether and how they influence each other. The relationship might be just a loose link at one extreme or a direct link when one phenomenon causes another. These are  measured as levels of association.
7.  Predict. This can sometimes be done in research areas where correlations are already known. Predictions of possible future behavior or events are made on the basis that if there has been a strong relationship between two or more characteristics or events in the past, then these should exist in similar circumstances in the future, leading to predictable outcomes.
8.  Control. Once you understand an event or situation, you may be able to find ways to control it. For this you need to know what the cause and effect relationships are and that you are capable of exerting control over the vital ingredients. All of technology relies on this ability to control.

To get the lecture notes for this topic click the links below.    Introduction to Research methods in applied linguistics What is Research?