Basic research
Throughout this class, I have learned a lot regarding research from qualitative, quantitative to applied research. I have learned the differences between the research methods, the advantaged and limitations associated with each method.
Basic research is also referred to as fundamental or pure research. It is driven by scientific interest and curiosity. The need to conduct basic research is aimed at expanding knowledge and not to invent something. Therefore, researchers seek to answer why, how and what questions while increasing the comprehension of fundamental principles. Basic research is not done for any commercial value. Basic research often lays the foundation for applied research as it is considered the research that provides a wide range of understanding on all branches of science.
The use of basic research is advantageous because it expands the pool of knowledge in any discipline. The findings from the use of basic research can also be used in a broad range of areas and situations. The researcher using basic research in a certain study has the change to satisfy curiosity because this type of research often lacks strict deadlines. However, basic research has no practical implications; hence does not in any way help in resolving substantive issues.
On the other hand, applied research focuses on the specific questions aimed at solving practical problems instead of just acquiring information to expand knowledge. When doing applied research, researchers obtain new information that has specific objectives. A researcher using applied research will often seek to find ways to improve threat something rather than just understanding other things. In applied research, the researcher develops a hypothesis in which they test by experimenting and using empirical methods to help solve practical problems. When using the applied research, the most common approach is to go directly into seeking solutions to the problem instead of focusing on systemic inquiry. The types of applied research are such as evaluation research that analyzes the existing information and research and development that focuses on the development of new products of services for certain targeted markets. There is also action research that aims at providing practical solutions to specific problems. Applied can be seen in various disciplines, such as medicine, health, and education. In education, applied research can be used to solve problems such as solving bullying, integration of technology or curriculum issues within the education system. Educational applied research used a combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to get empirical evidence and valid conclusions.
The use of applied research has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of applied research are such that it helps solve specific problems across various settings. The new knowledge acquired in applied research can be used for commercial objective, services or products. However, the disadvantage of using applied research is that it cannot be generalized. The new information acquired from using applied research is often limited to the specific problem that was being studied which means that the researcher only has time to find the conclusions and results related to the