TY PE S
of
RESE A R CH
e sc ri p ti o n & Definition
D
Adrian Bil R. Palacio
Research Adviser
• Fundamental Research
• Applied Research
• Developmental Work
Fundamental Research
• a.k.a. “basic research” and “pure
research”
• carried out to increase
understanding of fundamental
principles
• Can be thought of as arising out of
“curiosity”
Fundamental Research
• Commonly carried out by
universities
• Basis for many commercial
products and applied research
• Done for the intellectual pleasure
of learning
• “expand man's knowledge”
Fundamental Research
• Mainly, concerned with
generalizations and with the
formulation of a theory
• Theoretical work undertaken primarily
to acquire new knowledge of the
underlying foundation of phenomena
and observation facts, without any
particular application or use in view.
Definition of Variables
• Independent Variables
- cause
- can be manipulated or allowed to vary
- predictor variable
• Dependent Variables
- effect
- should only vary in response to the IV
- criterion variable
• Extraneous Variables
- must be controlled to isolate the
effect of the IV on the DV
Fundamental Research
Experimental Designs
1.) Pre-Experimental 2.)Quasi-Experimental
3.) True-Experimental
Key:
R = random assignment for equivalent groups
O1,2… = observation of group x (recording of DV)
Oa,b…= observation of group y (recording of DV)
T = treatment (IV)
P = placebo (IV).
Question:
“Does protein supplementation
increase muscle hypertrophy?”
Pre-Experimental Designs
One Shot Study
T O 1
Pre-Experimental Designs
One Group Pre-test Post-test
O 1
T O 2
Pre-Experimental Designs
Static Group Comparison
T O 1
P
Oa
Quasi-Experimental
Designs
Time series
O 1 O 2 O 3 T O 4 O 5 O 6
True-Experimental Designs
Randomised Group Comparison
T O 1
R
P
O 2
True-Experimental Designs
Pre-test Post-test Randomised Group Comparison
O 1 T O 2
R
O 3
P O 4
Applied
Research
Applied Research
• Provides the data to help support,
guide, and revise the development
theory
• Done to test theories in the field to
achieve better validity
• Design to solve practical problems
of the modern worlds
Applied Research
• Do not need to reinvent the wheel
every time they start on a new
project, because groundwork has
been done.
• One might say that the goal of the
applied scientist is to improve the
human condition.
Applied Research
For example, applied researchers
may investigate ways to:
• improve agricultural crop
production
• treat or cure a specific disease
• improve the energy efficiency of
homes, offices, or modes of
transportation
Applied Research
• Basis of approach involved, cross
sectional research
• Can takes basic research further
based on the results, where
applicable
Research Continuum
Basic Applied
Theoretical? Quick Answers?
More Invasive? Less Invasive?
Laboratory Based? Field Based?
Tightly Controlled? Loosely Controlled?
Lacks External Validity? Externally Valid?
Focus on Mechanism Focus on Effect
More Reductionist Less Reductionist.
Research Continuum
Basic Applied
e.g. e.g.
Does Caffeine Ingestion Does Caffeine Ingestion
Improve Ca2+ binding Improve Athletic
with troponin? Performance?
-Would this Facilitate
Acto-Myosin Coupling?
-Would this aid
contraction?
Research Continuum
Basic Applied
e.g. e.g.
Does Caffeine Ingestion Does Caffeine Ingestion
Inhibit Glycogen Improve Athletic
Phosphorylase? Performance?
Does Caffeine Ingestion
Increase Lipid
Metabolism?
-Would this Spare
Endogenous Glycogen?
Research Continuum
Basic Applied
e.g. e.g.
Does Caffeine Does Caffeine Ingestion
Ingestion Stimulate the Improve Athletic
CNS? Performance?
-Would this Increase
Motor Unit Recruitment
-Would this Reduce
Perceived Effort?
“You never know what's
going to be useful until
you understand it.”
• Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek’s Microscope (1674)
- discover the cell using the invented
microscope
- coined the word “cell”
“Pay van Leeuwenhoek to grind more glass
lenses?”
• 1880 Cathode Rays – electrical discharges in
vacuum tubes
• discovery of electrons
• electronics industry
• radio, television, computers
• 1895 – Rontgen discovers X-rays
• the importance of X-rays in medicine is obvious
Developmental Work
Developmental Work
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