2. Requirements and Characteristics of Research

Core Characteristics of Research

True research is not merely looking up information or compiling facts; it possesses distinct traits that govern the pursuit of knowledge.

1. Iterative Nature: The research process is rarely straightforward or perfectly linear. A researcher often moves back and forth among various steps. For example, while developing a methodology plan, one might realize that entirely new subproblems need to be addressed before moving forward.
2. Cyclical (Helical) Structure: Research is almost never an absolute, one-shot effort that wholly closes the book on a problem.

- Hypotheses are rarely proven or disproved beyond a shadow of a doubt; they are just evaluated as "supported" or "not supported."

- Every discovery breeds new mysteries. The cycle functions like a helix (spiral), where exploring a topic spawns additional problems needing resolution. Research begets more research.

Philosophical Assumptions Underlying Research

One of the key requirements of conducting valid research is understanding what philosophical assumptions dictate the interpretation of the physical or social world. Researchers often subscribe (consciously or unconsciously) to different orientations depending on their fields:

1. Positivism

• Historically drives the natural sciences.
• Belief: Scientists can objectively uncover absolute, undeniable truths about cause-and-effect relationships.
• Requirement: Operates using strict, appropriate physical measurement tools to establish lawfulness.

2. Postpositivism

• Often seen in social sciences.
• Belief: True, absolute objectivity is an elusive goal because researchers inevitably bring biases to the table.
• Requirement: Progress is viewed as gradual and probabilistic. A researcher doesn't claim "I proved this," but rather "This increases the probability that it is true."

3. Constructivism

• Belief: Abandons the notion of absolute facts waiting "out there" to be discovered. The "realities" are simply human creations that help humans find subjective meanings.
• Focus: Investigations revolve around people's perceptions, group processes, interpretations, and cultural behaviors. Bias is acknowledged upfront.

4. Pragmatism / Realism

• A middle-ground stating that:

- (a) Absolute truths may exist (even if hard to pin down), and

- (b) Self-constructed human beliefs are simultaneously valid objects of scientific study.

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