SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: CHARACTERISTICS, PROCESS, TYPES, EXAMPLES - SCIENCE - 2025

The scientific research is a process that generates knowledge from observation, establishing hypothesis, experiments conducted and results obtained. That is, it is a pre-planned study method that follows a series of well-structured steps.

The first step of a scientific investigation is the question or question that arises from the observation, a phenomenon or event. For example: What substances stop the growth of bacteria on surfaces?

Experiments in scientific research are rigorously controlled and structured. Via pixabay.com

The main objective of scientific research is to produce new knowledge; For this reason, the person (or researcher) conducting this type of research is creative, has critical thinking and a basic knowledge in the area that they want to explore or learn about.

Characteristics of scientific research

Among the characteristics of scientific research, its systematic nature, the possibility of verifying its results and the objectivity of its procedures stand out.

- It is original

Originality means how new the research is, that is, how new it is in some or all of its elements.

For example: a scientific investigation can be original in the orientation of the problem, the materials or equipment used, the procedure or in the subjects on which the investigation is carried out.

The greater the degree of originality of the project, the more scientific significance it can achieve.

In conclusion, originality refers to the novel or innovative elements that the research aims to find with its results.

- It is objective

Scientific research must be objective and impartial in order to provide valid results. This implies that the results should not be biased, that is, they should not be influenced by the researcher's previous judgments or by his subjective appraisals.

- It is verifiable

The final conclusions obtained through scientific research can be verified at any time.

In other words, verifiability implies that all research, along with its conclusions, can be verified by another researcher or a group of specialists, which gives credibility to the findings obtained.

We can take the example of an investigation whose results conclude that a type of substance, under certain conditions -such as concentration and exposure time- manages to eliminate bacteria from a metallic surface.

This research can only be considered verifiable if another scientist, under the same conditions, repeats the research and obtains the same results and conclusions.

- It is cumulative

Scientific research uses the findings of previous studies to support itself. In other words, researchers always use previous studies as the basis for their own work. In this way, scientific research constitutes a series of findings that support each other.

- It is predictive

One characteristic is that the knowledge obtained through scientific investigation can predict what will happen at a certain time.

For example: when the behavior over time of a population of insects is studied and it is observed that they are more abundant during the rainy season, it can be predicted in which season of the year the insect will increase its population in a certain region.

- Use a systematic method

One of the main characteristics of scientific research is the use of a systematic procedure called the scientific method. Through the rigor of this method, it is possible to minimize personal and subjective influences on the research.

The steps of the scientific method

- controlled

A scientific investigation must avoid chance, and the process must be supported by control mechanisms that allow it to obtain truthful results.

Chance has no place in scientific research: all actions and observations are controlled, at the discretion of the researcher and according to the object under investigation, through well-defined methods and rules.

Process, stages in scientific research

Scientific research may contain some or all of the following stages, which are developed successively:

- The observation

The first step in scientific investigation is the observation of a phenomenon, event, or problem. For these reasons, the researcher is generally a curious and observant person. Likewise, the discovery of the phenomenon generally arises due to unexpected changes in the natural process of the event.

Drawing of a researcher recording her research data. Via pixabay.com

- The problem

Observation leads to the formulation of several questions: Why? How? When? This constitutes the formulation of the problem. The problem must be perfectly delimited in terms of certain basic characteristics of the phenomenon to be studied.

For example: Why is the growth of Staphylococus aureus bacteria stopped by the fungus Penicilliun notatum?

In addition to formulating the problem, the researcher must indicate the scope and probable contributions of the research.

- Formulation of the hypothesis

To answer the question posed in the problem, the hypothesis is formulated. This term refers to a statement that is presumed to be true, even though it has not been experimentally proven. Therefore, a hypothesis is an unproven truth.

An example of a hypothesis would be: if the growth of the bacterium Staphylococus aureus is contained by the fungus Penicilliun notatum, then this fungus produces a substance that prevents the development of the bacteria.

As seen in the example, the hypothesis is a probable response to the observed phenomenon.

- Experimentation

The hypotheses are subjected to methodological processes to determine their veracity or, on the contrary, establish their nullity and reject it. These experiments and processes are rigorously structured and controlled.

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All the results and evidence obtained are analyzed in order to respond to the problem raised. The results and conclusions are then made public through conference presentations, scientific meetings or published in journals.

The results and conclusions obtained in scientific research are made public through scientific meetings or published in indexed journals. Via pixabay.com

Types of scientific research

Scientific research can be classified in different ways: according to the way in which the data was obtained, according to the analysis of the data and according to the time in which it was carried out.

According to the way of obtaining the data

These are classified as observational and experimental. The former only observe the process without intervening in it; while in the experimental ones the researcher manipulates some conditions or characteristics of the object of study and observes how they behave.

An example of an experimental study would be to determine the appropriate concentration of an antibiotic to stop the growth of bacteria. In this case, the researcher manipulates the antibiotic measurements.

According to data analysis

Accordingly, they are classified as descriptive and analytical. Descriptive studies use numbers and frequencies (percentages) to detail the population. For example: the number of a species of birds in a region or the percentage of girls and boys in a school.

On the other hand, analytical studies establish relationships between the characteristics studied, for which they use statistical methods. For example: comparing the number of boys and girls in a school to determine if the difference is significant.

According to the time in which the investigation is carried out

In this case, they are classified as retrospective or prospective. Retrospective studies analyze the behavior of phenomena in the past. For example: if you want to study the characteristics of a population, take the data from archives, censuses, demographic offices, among others.

In prospective studies, phenomena are studied towards the future, that is, the characteristics of the object studied are taken or recorded daily. This type of study is widely used in clinical research, since they minimize the risk of using outdated data in patients.

Importance

Scientific research allows us to analyze and learn about the different phenomena. In addition, due to the rigorousness of its methodology, conclusions, theories and laws are obtained that allow humanity a closer contact with reality.

Likewise, thanks to scientific research, it has been possible - among other great findings - to know, analyze and defeat important diseases that have harmed humanity.

Examples of scientific research

- The works of Louis Pasteur

Louis Pasteur in his laboratory. Via Wikimedia Commons

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) is the best example of how scientific research begins with a meticulously observed event and progresses to the formulation of theories and laws; This researcher was able to verify, through scientific research, that microorganisms multiply.

To demonstrate this, Pasteur used gooseneck flasks. These glass containers have a very elongated top and an "S" shape, which allows air to enter but prevents the passage of dust and other particles from the environment.

Then, he filled two containers with meat broth, one with a swan neck and the other with a short neck; later he boiled both jars to eliminate the microorganisms present in the broths.

At the time, Pasteur observed that the broth placed in the "S" shaped container remained intact, while the content in the short neck container easily decomposed.

In this way, Pasteur was able to demonstrate that the microorganisms did not form spontaneously inside the broth and that the decomposition of the broth in the short-necked container was produced by microorganisms that were found in the environment.

- The discovery of the structure of DNA

The DNA molecule. The double elix structure is observed. Via Wikimedia Commons

One of the most striking examples of the application of scientific research is the discovery of the structure of DNA. This find was made by James Watson and Francis Crick.

DNA is a molecule that is found in the nucleus of cells and carries the information necessary for the development and functioning of living beings. However, by the time of Watson and Crick the structure of this molecule was unknown.

The researchers posed a question, What is the structure of DNA? They knew all the theoretical and experimental bases on the subject, and used them to carry out a series of exhaustive and detailed experiments.

In this way, their experiments allowed them to conclude that the structure of DNA is similar to a spiral staircase that turns to the right. After 18 months of work, on April 2, 1953 Watson and Crick published their work in which the structure of the molecule is described in detail.

- Identification of the virus causing gastroenteritis,

Rotaviruses are viruses that cause intestinal infections (gastroenteritis) in children. They were discovered in 1973 in Australia by Ruth Bishop, when she was trying to decipher which was the causative agent of the disease in cases of gastroenteritis.

Bishop, through meticulous observation and using the technique of electron microscopy, was able to show the presence of the virus in biopsies of children hospitalized for gastroenteritis. Bishop published her find in 1973.

Themes of interest

Types of research.

Basic investigation.

Field research.

Applied research.

Pure research.

Explanatory research.

Descriptive research.

Observational study.

References

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2. Balakumar, P., Jagadeesh, G. (2017). The basic concepts of scientific research and communication. Retrieved on March 20, 2020 from: researchgate.net
3. Balakumar, P., Inamdar, MN., Jagadeesh G. (2013). The critical steps for successful research: The research proposal and scientific writing. Retrieved on March 19, 2020 from: nlm.nih.gov
4. Voit E. (2019). Perspective: Dimensions of the scientific method. Retrieved on March 19, 2020 from: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5. Scientific investigation. Retrieved on March 20, 2020 from: de.conceptos.