Research Process
Research process deals with the ways and strategies used by researchers to understand the world around us.
The research process involves a dedicated system of scientific methodology that can be used by researchers to arrive at the right conclusions.
WHAT IS RESEARCH / THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?
What is the Scientific Method?
Definition of the Scientific Method
STEPS
Steps of the Scientific Method - The scientific method has a similar structure to 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, the hourglass widens and the researcher concludes and generalizes the findings to the real world.
AIMS OF RESEARCH
The general aims of research are:
Purpose of Research - Why do we conduct research? Why is it necessary?
ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH
Common scientific research elements are:
Characterization - How to understand a phenomenon
- Decide what to observe about a phenomenon
- How to define the research problem
- How to measure the phenomenon
Hypothesis and Theory
- The research questions before performing research
- Almost always based on previous research
- What answers do we expect?
- Reasoning and logic on why we expect these results
Observation or Experimentation
- Testing characterizations, hypothesis, theory and predictions
- Understanding a phenomenon better
- Drawing Conclusions
HISTORY OF SCIENCE
The History of Scientific Method
Who Invented the Scientific Method
Biology, Zoology, Medicine
Aristotle’s Zoology - History of Biology
Islamic Scholars and Biology - History of Biology
Islamic Ophthalmology and Islamic Medicine
Ancient Medicine - History of Medicine
Islamic Medicine - History of Medicine
Chemistry and Physics
Alchemy and the Philosopher's Stone - History of Chemistry
Islamic Alchemy - History of Chemistry
Chinese Alchemy - History of Chemistry
Ancient Physics - History of Physics
Psychology
Aristotle’s Psychology - History of Psychology
Islamic Psychology - History of Psychology
Mathematics
Ancient Mathematics - History of Mathematics
Babylonian Mathematics - History of Mathematics
Egyptian Mathematics - History of Mathematics
Archimedes - Greek Mathematics
Euclid - Greek Mathematics
Pythagoras - Greek Mathematics
Thales - Greek Mathematics
Heron of Alexandria - Greek Mathematics
Heron's Inventions - Greek Mathematics
Heron's Fountain - Greek Mathematics
Ancient Experiments - How to conduct them
-
Heron's Aeolipile Experiment
A steam engine that worked on exactly the same principle as the great machines of the industrial revolution and many modern electricity-generating turbines. -
Archimedes Screw Experiment
A device still used around the world as a simple and efficient method of moving liquids and solid particles. -
Build an Astrolabe - Navigation and Mapping the Stars
The astrolabe is an instrument that allows observers to measure the position of celestial bodies relative to the horizon, which allows accurate star mapping. -
Archimedes Displacement Experiment
Repeat the experiment that made a naked man run down the street shouting ‘Eureka! Eureka!’ -
Make Heron’s Fountain
How potential energy can provide power, using water and gravity, and air and compression -
Sundials
An Ancient Estimate the Time of the Day
Astronomy
Ancient Chinese Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Egyptian Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Greek Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Indian Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Ancient Mayan Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Mesopotamian Astronomy - Mesopotamia, Persia, and the History of Astronomy
Islamic Astronomy - History of Astronomy
Neolithic Astronomy - Mesopotamia, Persia, and the History of Astronomy
Applied Science History - Inventions
Building Roman Roads - Applied Science
Middle-Ages
Middle-Ages Science - Mesopotamia, Persia, and the History of Science
Renaissance
Renaissance Science - The Path to Enlightenment
Renaissance Architecture (PART I)
Renaissance Architecture (PART II)
Galileo Galileo - The Father of Modern Astronomy
Isaac Newton - The End of the Renaissance and the Beginning of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment
Enlightenment Geology - The Rise of Earth Science
Science and the Enlightenment (PART I)
Science and the Enlightenment (PART II)
REASONING AND LOGIC
There is no straight answer to the best reasoning to apply to the research process. Here are a few articles about different reasoning and logic when conducting the scientific method.
- Hypothetico-Deductive Method
- Falsification
- Testability
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning and the Raven Paradox
- Scientific Reasoning
- Causal Reasoning
- Abductive Reasoning
- Post Hoc Reasoning
- Defeasible Reasoning
Experiment-Resources.com (2008). Research Process. Retrieved 04 Feb. 2012 from Experiment Resources: http://www.experiment-resources.com/research-process.html
