Research approach is the approach taken when researching any topic.
Research is basically the search for any kind of knowledge. Research is a human instinct as we are driven to find out about everything around us. Man has always wanted to research how the world works, where we came from, the process of nature and how our bodies function. As we have learned more and more about science, scientists conduct research to find out more. We are constantly learning and evolving and part of this is from our drive to learn. To learn we must research and find out as much as we can.
Research topics can vary as widely from researching the evolution of man to researching people's favorite sweets to researching what music is popular. Research can literally be anything and we do it in our everyday lives, sometimes without even realizing it.
- Types of research in science:
Research is often related to scientific studies and there is a process that most research will follow. This process begins with a loose thought from a scientist or student and this will often lead to observations and possibly reading more about the topic. If adequate research has already been done on the topic then research may end here but if the scientist wishes to know more, they will follow the usual structure. The scientist will then form a hypothesis which could be a question or a prediction and they will then organize an experiment to help support or prove their hypothesis. During the experiment, data will be collected and recorded and it will then be analyzed. It will often be placed into tables and graphs to present to other people and to support the findings. The findings may then be retested to back up the first set of data and then a conclusion will be formulated from the data.
A research approach can vary significantly depending on what is to be researched, if it is a scientific method, it would be appropriate to research similar methods or other scientists who have attempted the experiment. However, if the research was in to social policy for example, it would be better to carry out surveys, look into past surveys etc.
There are many different types of research approach, it is essential you consider what it is you would like to find out, and then decide on the most appropriate method of finding that out.
