KINDS OF RESEARCH 1. Observational Research
4. A Priori Research
The distinctive process involved in a Priori Research is deduction. Intellect plays the vital role in deduction. It moves from assumed cause to its effect. It has two levels; Pure Research and Applied Research.
4.1 Pure Research
A priori research-and occasionally even pragmatic research may be pursued unbiased by any possible use of its results. It may not be directed towards the solution of any practical problems of any known, immediate or ultimate utility. Ranganathan denotes it by the term 'Pure Research'. We can have pure research in any subject. Pure Mathematics is the field par excellence for pure research.
For, as Bertrand Russell aptly remarked; "Mathematical research is pursued without even caring to know whether it has or does not have any correlation inthe phenomenal world. A pure mathematician pursues his research without even caring to know whether its results are meaningful. "Pure Research usually establishes as a variety of tools and models. And when factual experience grows, society may find some of these models to be meaningful to some utlitarian purposes. The utility of pure research is not communicate but may be found only years or even centuries later. Nevertheless, these are highly significant as well as unexpected discoveries.
Under the term pure research, F.L. Whtiney includes two types of researches; Free Fundamental and Oriented Fundamental Research. The former type of research is pursued by an individual.
He has freedom for his invention. He tries out his own ideas as appeal to him. The aim of pure research is not found directly in the realm of specific human needs. In latter type, the research worker is concerned with knowledge and understanding of nature. But this field is limited. it is usually a team work. Such research is useful for both theoretical discoveries as well as for practical application.
Research As A Concept of Developing Knowledge
4.2 Applied Research
Applied research is pursued for some specific purpose outside its own domain, either for an immediate distinct utility with a specific human need or as an aid to the development of some other subject.
Applied Matheniatics, Applied Mechanism, Applied Cheniistiy, Applied Psychology and Applied Sociology are some of the examples of this type of research.
4.3 Developmental Research
It is the final stage where a new process discovered in Applied research are put to use for social and Economic benefits. The need for this type of research is now felt in almost all industries.
Many industrial houses are now having wings for Developmental Research.
In modern world, Applied Research dominates particularly in developing countries to find better, quicker and cheaper ways of doing things for the betterment of people. Nevertheless, a proper balance between Pure Research and Applied Research is necessary for social progress. Pure research is a search for broad principles and sthesis without any utilitarian objective, e.g. Frankin's discovery of electricity. This is more an intellectual pursuit arising from insatable intellectual curiosity. On the other hand, Edison's work, e.g.,
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projects and problems. Such research being of practicalvalue may relate to current activity or immediate practical situations. Now-a- days, practical orientation dominates in most fields of study.Robert M.W Travers in his work, 'Introduction to Educational Research', draws the distinction between pure and applied research.
Basic (or pure) research is designed to add to an organized body of scientific knowledge and does not necessarily produceresults of immediate practical value. Applied research is undertaken to
solve an immediate practical problem and goal of adding to scientific knowledge is secondary.
Pure research is primarily concerned with the fonnulation of a theory or a contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Its
66 Research Methodology major aim is to obtain and use the empirical data to formulate, expand or evaluate the theory. It aims at the discovery of knowledge solely, for the sake of knowledge. Applied research, on the other hand, is directed towards the solution of immediate, specific and practical problems. It is performed in relation to actual problems and under the conditions in which they are found in practice. The goal of applied research in terms of adding scientific knowledge acquires only a secondary position. It places importance on a problem here and now.
The applied research also utilises the scientific method of enquiry. Its methodology, however, is not as rigorous as that of basic research. Moreover, its findings are to be evaluated in terms of local applicability and not in terms of universal validity.
Pure research is original or basic in nature. An imaginative and painstaking research worker, with his lust for the search of truth, makes persistent and patient efforts to discover something new to enrich the human knowledge in a fundamental fashion.
Therefore, such research is also called as fundamental or pure.
Fundamental research may manifest itself as:
(i) Discovery of a New Theory: Fundamental Research may be entirely new discovery, the knowledge of which, has not existed so far. Such a discovery may flow from the researcher's own idea or imagination depending upon his/her ingenuity.
The researcher falling in this category is often born-genius, has a sharp intellect, has a hunger for new knowledge and eventually has an ocean of knowledge in his possession and from this ocean emerges a jewel, a light that enlightens the world. Galileo's, Newton's, Darwin's Dr. Ranganathan's contributions are fundamental in imagination and scholarship.
Since these fundamental contributions form the basis of different theories, such a research is also called as theoretical research.
(ii) Development of the Existing Theory: It involves an
improvement in the existing theory by relaxing some of its assumptions or by re-interpreting it or by developing a new theory, with the existing one as its basis. For example, theMalthusian Theoty of population was rendered almost useless in England itself because of new developments invalidating the assumptions of his theoty. By dropping out the invalid assumptions, researchers came out with new theories on population growth. There have also been attempts to reinterpret Maithasian doctrine trying to retain its validity By questioning some of the assumptions of Khjnesian theory, Friedman came out the new interpretations of the monetary phenomenon.
Theories developed by capitalists countries have often been attacked by the researchers of socialist block either re- interpreting or developing new theories akin to those already existing. There is a possibility of emerging new theories akin to those already existing.
Applied research on the other hand, is based on the application of known theories and models to the actual operational fields or populations. The applied, research is conducted to test the empirical content, or the basic assumptions or the very validity of a theory under given conditions. It often takes the form of a field investigation in social sciences.
Pure and Applied Research, however, are not distinct and separate activities. It is a team work of scientists activities. The difference is in emphasis, not in method or spirit. Each type is committedtothehigh standards of scientific objectivity and scholarship.
The researcher in each type of research attempts to defme the problem being studied with precision, to derive his hypothesis from a rich background of information related to the problem, to design the study so that it will result in a genuine test of hypothesis to
collect and analyse facts on evidence carefully, and to draw
generalizations objectivity and scholarship. The researcher in each type of research attempts to define the problem being studied with picision, to derive his hypothesis froma rich background of information related to the problem to design the study so that it will result in a üenume test of hypothesis to collect and analyse facts on evidence carefully and to draw generalizations objectively. Joseph Needham aptly comments: "There is no sharp distinction between 'pure' and68 Research Methodology 'applied' science., There is really one science with long term promise of application. The knowledge emerges from both kinds of science".
Basic research resembles the sowing, whilst judging of practical problems can be compared with the harvesting.