Basic research: characteristics, definition, examples

The basic investigation or fundamental seeks knowledge of the reality or phenomena of nature, to contribute to a society increasingly advanced and that responds better to the challenges of humanity.

East kind of investigation it does not seek the practical application of its discoveries, but the increase of knowledge to answer questions or so that this knowledge can be applied in other investigations.

Research is a technique that has allowed to modify theories or create different hypothesis types in the last decades. Every day man tests his knowledge in order to increase his understanding in any area, be it scientific, social, psychological or philosophical.

The concept of basic research changed the way of conceiving the world, evolved techniques and became the fundamental pillar of study and wisdom.

Definition according to authors

Roberto Hernández Sampieri

According to Roberto Hernández Sampieri, research is defined as"a set of systematic and empirical processes that apply to the study of a phenomenon".

Ander-Egg

According to Ander-Egg, this concept is about"a reflexive, systematic, controlled and critical procedure that aims to discover or interpret the facts and phenomena, relationships and laws of a certain area of ​​reality (...) a search for facts, a way to know reality, a procedure to know partial truths, or better, to discover partial non-falsehoods".

Kemmis and McTaggart

Kemmis and McTaggart in 1988 outline this tool as"the process of reflection in a specific problem area, where one wishes to improve practice or personal understanding. The professional in charge carries out a study to clearly define the problem and to specify an action plan. Then, an evaluation is undertaken to verify and establish the effectiveness of the action taken."

Zorrilla and Torres

Other authors such as Zorrilla and Torres define this concept as more scientific, given that they define it as"the search for knowledge and truths that allow describing, explaining, generalizing and predicting the phenomena that occur in nature and in society. It is a specialized phase of scientific methodology."

María Teresa Yurén

On the other hand, María Teresa Yurén explains that"an investigation becomes science when theories have been built in it (...) Scientific research starts with questions and culminates with the construction of very compact systems of ideas, namely, theories "

Main characteristics of basic research

Systematics

From the formulation of a hypothesis or research objective, data is collected within an established plan in an orderly and sequential manner.

Once collected, they are analyzed and interpreted to modify the theory and add new knowledge. In general, the methodology used is scientific.

The investigation must be carried out in a methodical way to guarantee that there is no bias on the part of the person doing it.

Objective

The conclusions of the work should not be subjective impressions, based on the appreciation of the researcher as an individual.

The results should be based on the facts that have been observed and measured. There must be an objective interpretation. That is, describe the situation as it is. All closure must be based on the data collected.

Accurate

Explaining the facts through words is usually a complex process, since it requires a language and a lexicon that is able to describe in detail the entire procedure used.

Sometimes and depending on what type of research is, you can use more specialized terms that help in the task of exposing the work.

In this case, it must be taken into account that only people who handle these words can understand it. Experts in the field recommend being the most accurate with the narrative.

Verified

One of the most important parts of the investigation is the hypothesis.

Sampieri conceptualizes them as a thesis of"what we are looking for or trying to prove and can be defined as tentative explanations of the investigated phenomenon formulated as propositions".

A hypothesis may be true or not, but the way in which they were verified should be stated in the text. According to this concept, thanks to these assumptions can prove feasibility and testing.

Sometimes the thesis may be wrong, but the methodology must point to a new theory that is more in line with reality.

Sampieri also outlines some peculiarities of the hypothesis: it must refer to a social situation and the variables must be precise, understandable and concrete.

In addition, there must be a clear relationship between the variables and the hypothesis, and must have references of reality that establish a connection between the thesis and its variables.

Based on real facts

An investigation arises from a problem that is part of the reality of a society.

At the beginning, the professional can have an idea of ​​the conclusions of the trial he is doing. However, the conclusions must be established under a verifiable method.

In pure studies should not leave room for personal interpretation or subjectivity, although whoever does it is a subject and, therefore, is burdened with their own opinions. Therefore, there are specialized techniques in data analysis.

Restrictions of an investigation

In some cases there may be a restriction when using the chosen methodology. When choosing a study, you should also analyze the limitations of the topic, either due to lack of information or for some other reason.

Methodology experts claim that a limitation consists of one aspect of the problem that can not be studied for a good cause.

When encountering this situation, the researcher must argue very well why one can not go further.

They refer to limits or boundaries of how far this work can go and this notion will depend on the objectives that are proposed.

It should also be taken into account that there are other types of prohibitions that are more related to the investigation as such or to the researcher itself, rather than to the problem.

For example, the lack of financial resources or time are situations that are linked exclusively to the subject.

This should not be confused with restrictions, which are external factors that serve as obstacles in development and that escape from the researcher's hands.

Examples of basic research

How the human brain works

This is a classic case of basic and pure research. Permanently, scientists delve deeper into the functioning of human beings with the aim of answering unanswered questions.

They seek in particular to evaluate how to enhance rationing, understand how man's relationship with his environment is and help eliminate conditions specific to the brain .

Using fruit flies drosophila , researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the United States developed a method to map the brain.

So, in an easy way, you could see the neural connections and the flow of real-time communications within live flies, helping to understand the neural circuits within the human brain.

Man's behavior

Sociology and psychology are also sources of research. Understanding what is the behavior of man before certain and certain moments is a genuine concern for many.

According to the Computational Social Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles, people who have a friendly relationship with each other have similar patterns of neuronal activity.

This indicates that similarity favors social cohesion, empathy and collective action.

Impact of technology on everyday life

The impact of technology It is a very common area of ​​study. With each innovation, professionals evaluate how this new tool can modify the planet and society.

Much has been said about the environmental consequences of the production of certain artifacts, but the consequences for human beings are also analyzed.

For example, in a recent publication commissioned by the British Airways company, a survey revealed a series of daily tasks that have been replaced by the increase in technology.

The survey of two thousand people said that carrying a portable CD player, having an encyclopedia and remembering telephone numbers by heart are actions that were left in the past thanks to the advancement of devices such as smart phones.

Consequences of the consumption of certain foods

Health is another market that offers scientists an innumerable universe of hypotheses to investigate.

The care of the human being, and the cure and prevention of diseases are a study objective of many professionals who seek to improve the quality of life of man

An investigation that was published in the magazine Cell Metabolism , foods and beverages with high sugar content are processed mainly in the small intestine and not in the liver, as previously thought.

This is in addition to the numerous studies that indicate that the consumption of sugar is harmful to the liver and that its excess intake produces obesity, increases insulin resistance and creates the conditions for the onset of diabetes.

References

1. Sampieri R. H. (2010). Investigation methodology. Retrieved on February 5, 2018, from esup.edu.pe
2. Soto, L. (2013). Pure and applied research. Retrieved on February 5, 2018, from mitecnologico.com
3. Hoffmann, T. (2017, January 10). What is basic research? Retrieved on February 3, 2018, from sciencenordic.com.
4. Your brain works just like your bestie, says study. Retrieved on February 5, 2018, from timeslive.co.za
5. British Airways survey reveals impact of technology on everyday tasks. Retrieved on February 5, 2018, from chwezitraveller.com
6. Railton, D. (February, 2018). Recuperator on February 5, 2018, from medicalnewstoday.com
7. Always wondered how the brain works? New tech is here to understand how the organ functions. Retrieved on February 5, 2018, from economictimes.indiatimes.com