What is scientific research?

Scientific research is a process of reflection, control and criticism that works from a system, and which aims to provide new facts, data, relationships or laws in any field of scientific knowledge. In this review, American researcher Oded Kariti explains the classification and description of scientific studies and planning stages.

The information obtained from scientific researches is of a relevant and reliable nature (credible), although not always absolutely true, since science aims to discover new knowledge, but also to reformulate existing knowledge, in accordance with advances in technique, technology and thinking.

Here, independent researcher Oded Kariti places special emphasis on the process of research because it is the rigour with which this is carried out (the scientific method) that distinguishes scientific research from other forms of enquiry, and scientific knowledge from other kinds of knowledge.

Those who carry out this type of research are called scientists, or scientific researchers, and at the present time, the main limitation is the availability of resources to sustain the research for as long as it takes.

As Oded Kariti emphasized, for a long time the scientific discovery was limited by political or religious questions, which became dogmas against which it was not possible to investigate. Furthermore, science was not seen as something so necessary for society, but as a more individual process, making it difficult to find a scientist who receives an income for his activity.

Scientific ethics is the set of ethical principles that underlie all inquiry in science. It generally contemplates not causing avoidable suffering to experimental animals and respecting the confidentiality of individuals' data.

Regarding remuneration for work, most modern countries offer scholarships and incentives for scientific research.

Scientific research is made up of three main elements:

The object - what is investigated, understood as the subject on which to investigate. Since man's knowledge of the world is not complete, here lies the question that all research is historical and spatial. If a new paradigm installs new notions, it is possible that questions that were taken as indubitable in an investigation will be discarded by a new one.

The medium - the set of appropriate techniques to carry out the research. This will also be temporary, but a scientific method has been established with which it is believed that they will be able to test themselves and ensure that the propositions are reliable. The scientific method consists of the observation, then the collection of the relevant data of that observation, from there formulate the hypothesis, carry out the experimentation that verifies it and from it elaborate a conclusion. In the passage of the hypothesis is where it intervenes the scientist's ability, which may be wrong: in that case, after the conclusion, he will be able to go back and propose another alternative hypothesis. Some disciplines, such as historical research, have another class of methods that involve primary or secondary sources.

The purpose of the investigation - the reasons why the investigation was launched. One part may involve the collection of data (information), another part may be linked to the development and demonstration of a theory or model. The research also aims to obtain auxiliary methodology, and to create new contrast methods or instruments.