•To become research literate•To develop critical thinking•To generate knowledge•To come up with solutions to a certain problem

All the things we read and studied today are products of research and creative minds.

Based on PurposeBasic / Fundamental /

Theoretical or Pure Research—done for the purpose of knowing, understanding or explaining natural and social phenomena, to uncover general principles and develop a theory to explain such phenomena without direct or specific use at once.

Albert Einstein is a famous theoretical researcher and was a Nobel Prize Winner in Physics

Discovery – where a totally new or novel idea or explanation emerges and may revolutionise thinking.

Invention – where a new technique or method is created.

Reflection – where an existing theory, technique or group of ideas is re-examined possibly in a different organisational or social context.

Basic or Theoretical research is the most academic form of research that generates knowledge.

Basic Research—is regarded as the most academic form of research, since its principal aim is to make a contribution to knowledge, usually for the general good, rather than to solve a specific problem for a certain organisation or situation. This may take the form of the following:

Based on PurposeApplied or Practical

Research—done for the purpose of testing or applying an existing principle or theory with specific purpose of improving human condition.

A theory or concept can be ‘recycled’ in coming up with a much improved product like the vacuum tube and the microchips of today’s computer industry.

On-farm or field level research is a type of applied research for mass implementation of outputs.

An applied research can be in this forms:

Innovation—done in developing and coming up with a new, better or practical product, process or technique out of the existing ones. Product development & packaging research are part of this.

On-Farm or On-Field Level Research—done by testing the theories in the field or limited area of application prior to implementation in large-scale.

Developmental Research—done by applying the results of applied or practical research in a wider scope of analysis and interpretation prior to mass implementation or production of outputs or results.

Based on PurposeEvaluation or Assess-

ment Research—pursues to find out the worth, merit or quality of a certain object, program or project.

It can be needs assessment, theory assessment, impact assessment, efficiency assessment or implementation assess-ment depending in the stated purpose. Evaluation research is very important for the

proper allocation of resources and funds.

Based on PurposeOrientational Research—

done for the purpose of advancing an ideological position.

-upholds the concept that ‘reality cannot be grasped without the researcher’s bias’, which is caused by historical, political, sociocultural, ethnic or gender conditions.

-more focus on inequality, dis-crimination, empowering and emancipation of the marginalized groups or ideas to eliminate alienation and domination.

Orientational research is useful to hear the ‘voices’ of the poor and other marginalised groups.

Based on PurposeAction Research—based on

the concept that ‘action is both an outcome and a part of research’.

-focuses on solving local problems or immediate problematic situation for the practical concerns of the involved people.

-the researcher is changing what is being researched during the process of research, thus the work cannot be replicated or tested in other situations. This prevents general knowledge being developed and thus it cannot contribute to theory.

Problem

RESEARCHBasic, Applied,Developmental,Orientational,

Action

SCIENCEKnowledges, Theories

TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT

Problem, R&D and S&T continuum paradigm.

Thank you, because we have just finished Chapter 2

TUTOR MARKED ACTIVITYFor the integration of all concepts, please do the following activities:

1. Search for two published research papers related to your course in www.google.com (pdf format).

2. In no more than 500 words explain their peculiarities as basic, orientational, action, applied or assessment research.

Date of submission: