Introduction to research: What is research?

Last updated on 2025-05-02 | Edit this page

Overview

Questions

  1. What makes research different from everyday opinions?
  2. What does it mean for research to be “replicable”?
  3. Why is critical thinking important in research?

Objectives

  • Define research in their own words, and how it stands apart from other ways of knowing (e.g. opinion, belief, or anecdote)
  • Identify the defining features (characteristics) of credible research.
  • List reasons for conducting research, and the importance of research in various contexts.
  • Identify real-world examples of research in action.

Think Like a Researcher

Imagine you’re sitting in a university lecture hall. Every time you glance around, more students seem to be glued to their phones. Some are scrolling through social media, others texting, and a few seem genuinely disengaged from the class.

You start to wonder: Why is this happening? Is it boredom, habit, or maybe something deeper about how students are taught today?

Now pause—what if you wanted to understand this behavior, not just guess at it? How would you systematically investigate this problem in a way that produces useful insights?

Hold on to that question. By the end of this lesson, you’ll know how a researcher would approach it.

A Wise Researcher Once Said…

“Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. It involves inductive and deductive methods.” — Earl Robert Babbie, American Sociologist

Let’s break that down. “Systematic inquiry” means we don’t just ask questions and hope for the best. We follow a method, apply logic, and rely on evidence.

What Is Research, Really?

Research is the engine behind most of the advancements we see in medicine, technology, social policy, and even the arts.

At its core, research is a structured way of asking and answering questions about the world. It’s how we move from guessing to knowing.

Unlike casual observations or personal beliefs, research depends on: - Gathering data - Organising and analysing it - Interpreting it logically - Drawing conclusions that others can test or build upon

Key Characteristics of Research

Let’s look at what separates research from, say, a viral tweet or a hunch you have about something:

  1. Systematic Approach Research follows a clear plan or methodology. You don’t jump from question to conclusion—you walk through the steps carefully.

  2. Objective and Unbiased Good research minimises personal opinions or preferences. It focuses on what the data says, not what we want it to say.

  3. Empirical Evidence It uses real-world observations—things we can see, measure, or document—not just ideas or feelings.

  4. Replicability Someone else, following the same steps, should be able to reproduce your results (or at least understand how you got them).

  5. Critical Thinking Researchers must ask tough questions of their own work and be open to alternative interpretations.

Why Do We Do Research?

Not all research is done for the same reason. Depending on your goal, you might approach the same topic very differently.

Purpose Goal
Exploratory To investigate new or poorly understood phenomena.
Descriptive To paint a detailed picture of a population or situation.
Explanatory To figure out why something happens—cause and effect.
Applied To solve a practical, real-world problem.

Think of these like different lenses you can look through—each one helps you focus on a particular aspect of your research question.

Why Does Research Matter?

Research isn’t just for scientists or academics. It affects all of us.

  • In healthcare: It helps us understand disease and develop treatments.
  • In education: It helps improve how we teach and learn.
  • In policy-making: It ensures decisions are backed by facts, not just opinions.
  • In everyday life: It sharpens our critical thinking and helps us avoid misinformation.

Simply put: without research, we’re just guessing.

Illustrative Example: When Clean Water Becomes a Crisis

Let’s say a rural community starts experiencing a rise in cases of waterborne diseases. Some people think the cause is the local river, others blame poor hygiene, and some say it’s just a coincidence.

What would a researcher do?

  1. Start by clearly defining the problem: When and where are cases happening?

  2. Collect data: Water samples, health records, sanitation practices.

  3. Analyse patterns: Are certain water sources contaminated? Are specific villages more affected?

  4. Draw conclusions and make recommendations: Maybe the source is an open well near a farm using chemical fertilizers.

This kind of systematic, evidence-based process transforms a community crisis into an opportunity for real, impactful change.

Wrap-Up: Research as a Way of Seeing the World

To do research is to say: “I want to understand, not assume.”

Whether you’re investigating disease outbreaks, classroom dynamics, or the impact of climate change, the tools of research help you navigate uncertainty with clarity.

Test Your Knowledge!

Challenge 1:

A key characteristic of research is that it follows a systematic and structured process. (True/False)

True.

Challenge 2:

All research must include an experiment in order to be valid. (True/False)

False.

Challenge 3:

Which of the following is NOT a reason for conducting research?

  1. To satisfy personal curiosity.
  2. To improve decision-making.
  3. To confirm pre-existing biases.
  4. To solve real-world problems.

Answer: C.

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💡 Not all knowledge is created equal.

What sets research apart from everyday opinions or anecdotes is its structured, objective, and evidence-based approach. If you can’t explain how you arrived at a conclusion, it probably isn’t research.

Key Points

  • Research is a systematic, logical, and evidence-based process for asking and answering questions about the world.
  • It differs from opinion or belief because it relies on data, critical thinking, and clear methodology.
  • Good research is replicable, objective, and empirical—others should be able to follow your steps and understand your conclusions.
  • Research serves various purposes: it can explore new topics, describe conditions, explain relationships, or solve real-world problems.