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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Definition of Research

Purpose of Research - Why do we conduct research? Why is it necessary?

Steps of the Scientific Method - The scientific method has a similar structur as an hourglass - starting from general questions, narrowing down to focus on one specific aspect, then designing research where we can observe and analyze this aspect. At last, concluding and generalizing to the real world.

AIMS OF RESEARCH

• Observe and Describe
• Predict
• Determine Causes
• Explain

ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH

Characterization - How to understand a phenomenon

• Decide what to observe about phenomenon
• How to define the phenomenon
• How to measure the phenomenon

Hypothesis and Theory

• The research questions before performing research
• Often based on earlier research

Prediction

• What answers do we expect?
• Reasoning and logic on why we expect these results

Observation or Experimentation

• Test characterizations, hypothesis, theory and predictions
• Understand a phenomenon better
• Conclusion

REASONING AND LOGIC

• Hypothetico-Deductive Method
• Falsification
• Testability
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning and the Raven Paradox
• Scientific Reasoning
• Casual Reasoning
• Abductive Reasoning
• Post Hoc Reasoning
• Defeasible Reasoning