Research

Research (also called scientific research) is a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to obtain new knowledge or verify existing knowledge. It rests on clear questions, reproducible methods, and results that other researchers can test again.

Research takes place in universities, research institutes, government agencies, companies, and non-profit organizations. Findings are typically published in peer-reviewed journals, meaning that other experts evaluate the work before it is published.

Types of research

Basic research seeks general understanding with no direct practical application. Applied research solves specific problems. Research is also divided into quantitative methods, which rely on numbers and measurements, and qualitative methods, which rely on interviews, observation, and textual analysis.

Steps of the method

The standard approach begins with a question or hypothesis. Next, a research design is created, data are collected through experiments, surveys, or records, and analysis is performed using statistical tools or textual interpretation. The final steps are conclusions and publication. Replication—testing the result again—is a way to verify findings.

Ethics and quality

When research involves people, informed consent, protection of personal information, and ethics committee review are required. Plagiarism, data fabrication, and concealment of conflicts of interest are serious violations of research conduct. Quality committees and publishing policies work to prevent these problems.