Step 1 of 3
Purpose & Logic
Fundamental vs. Applied, Exploratory vs. Descriptive vs. Explanatory, and Inductive vs. Deductive reasoning.
Fundamental vs. Applied Research
- Fundamental Research: (also called pure or basic research) aims to expand theoretical knowledge without immediate practical application. It is curiosity-driven (e.g., studying black holes, general relativity).
- Applied Research: aims to solve practical problems and addresses real-world issues using existing scientific knowledge (e.g., developing vaccines, developing cloud computing architectures).
Exploratory vs. Descriptive vs. Explanatory Research
- Exploratory: Investigates new or poorly understood phenomena to generate initial insights and future hypotheses.
- Descriptive: Systematically characterizes phenomena or relationships to describe "what is" rather than "why".
- Explanatory: Seeks to understand causal relationships and explain "why" things happen by testing hypotheses.
Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Research: Moves from specific observations to general theories. It is a bottom-up, exploratory approach (Observation → Pattern → Hypothesis → Theory).
- Deductive Research: Starts with existing theory and tests hypotheses through structured measurements. It is a top-down, confirmatory approach (Theory → Hypothesis → Collection → Conclusion).