WHAT IS RESEARCH?

Research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. Once can also define
research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific
topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of
research as a careful investigation or inquiry especially through search for new facts in
any branch of knowledge.
Redman and Mory define research as a systematized effort to gain new knowledge.
Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from the known to the
unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery. We all possess the vital instinct of
inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confronts us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness
makes us probe and attain full and fuller understanding of the unknown. This
inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge and the method, which man employs for
obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research.
Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in a technical
sense.
According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problems,
formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organizing and evaluating
data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the
conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.
D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopedia of Social Sciences define research
as the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalizing to
extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in construction of
theory or in the practice of an art.
Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for
its advancement. It is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison
and experiment. In short, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic
method of finding solution to a problem is research. The systematic approach
concerning generalization and the formulation of a theory is also research.
As such the term research refers to the systematic method consisting of enunciating the
problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or data, analyzing the facts and
reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solutions(s) towards the concerned
problem or in certain generalizations for some theoretical formulation.
A voyage of discovery; A journey; An attitude; An experience; A method of critical
thinking; A careful critical enquiry in seeking facts for principles
An art of scientific investigation
Scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic
Process of arriving at dependable solutions to problems through the planned and
systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data
A systematized effort to gain new knowledge; a movement from the known to the
unknown
Search for (new) knowledge/ facts through objective, systematic and scientific method of
finding solution to a problem
Implicit question + Explicit answer + data to answer the question
Not synonymous with commonsense, but systematic, objective (purposeful),
reproducible, relevant activity having control over some factors

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An activity caused by instinct of inquisitiveness to gain fresh insight / find answers to

question / acquire knowledge.
In a broad sense, everyone does research, but dont write it up; without trustworthy and
tested published research available we are dangerously lost in the experience, opinions
and hearsay.
WHAT IS RESEARCH IN ARCHITECTURE?
Architectural research has been conducted throughout the history of architecture. The
development of particular structural forms and building materials over the centuries is
the outcome of trial and error of experimentation, systematic observation, and
application of such building principles to other building projects.
Conduct of architectural research outside the confines of specific building projects is a
much more recent phenomenon.
Climate and structural studies have been the focal point of research in the 1950s; sociobehavioural issues, design methods, and energy conservation in the 1960s and early
1970s.
Architectural history over the years moved from an almost exclusively art historical
models into a more conceptually expansive terrain that includes design theory and
criticism.
Interest in historic preservation is overtaken in the late 1980s by a concern for
architectural implication of deconstruction and critical theory.
GIVEN THE STAGGERING BREADTH, THEN, WHAT IS ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH?
James Snyder in his 1984 book Architectural Research suggest that research is "systematic
inquiry directed toward the creation of knowledge"
Two elements in the definition:
(1) The inquiry is systematic. Systematic inquiry suggest that there is a conscious
demarcation of how particular information is culled from the rest of our experience, how
it is categorized, analyzed and presented.
(2) Knowledge creation is frequently cited as characteristics of the research endeavour.
(Example: Grand theories of the sciences, such as Einstein's theory of relativity or
geological theories of plate tectonics.) New knowledge can also emerge in relatively
small increments and be attained through a variety of means, including: assessing the
outcomes of fusing two previously distinct functional building types; testing materials
through a series of built projects; and evaluating the success of particular building forms
in communicating intended meanings to different stakeholders.
THE IMPERATIVE FOR ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH
Architectural research is mightily important to the success and ultimate viability of the
profession, and should be pursued both for reasons of SELF-INTEREST and more
broadly for the COMMON GOOD.
The essential importance of research is that an ever-increasing proportion of
architectural practice involves unfamiliar circumstances beyond the expertise of
individual practitioners, and beyond the conventional wisdom of the profession as a
whole. This is the case:
(1) If the requirement of the project are extraordinarily complicated (perhaps a multi-use
complex or an innovative manufacturing plant).
(2) If unconventional aesthetic principles are being used in a setting involving conflicting
stakeholders (derived from poststructuralist or deconstructivist philosophy).

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(3) If the project is for a specialized user group whose particular requirements for the
physical environment are not well documented (such as people with spinal cord
injuries).
OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH
(1) To gain familiarity with a phenomenon or to achieve new insights into it (studies with this
object in view are termed as exploratory or formulative research studies);
(2) To portray accurately the characteristics of a particular individual, situation or a group
(studies with this object in view are known as descriptive research studies);
(3) To determine the frequency with which something occurs or with which it is associated
with something else (studies with this object in view are known as diagnostic research
studies);
(4) To test a hypothesis of a causal relationship between variables (such studies are known
as hypothesis-testing research studies).
MOTIVATION IN RESEARCH
(1) Desire to get a research degree along with its consequential benefits;
(2) Desire to face the challenge in solving the unsolved problems, i.e., concern over
practical problems initiates research;
(3) Desire to get intellectual joy of doing
(4) some creative work;
(5) Desire to be of service to society;
(6) Desire to get respectability.
WHY DO ARCHITECTS NEED TO UNDERTAKING RESEARCH?
(1) To get a degree
(2) To get respectability
(3) To face a challenge
(4) To solve a problem
(5) To get intellectual joy
(6) To serve society
CRITERIA OF A GOOD RESEARCH
(1) The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used.
(2) The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another
researcher to repeat the research for further advancement, keeping the continuity of
what has already been attained.
(3) The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that
are as objective as possible.
(4) The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design and
estimate their effects upon the findings.

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(5) The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance and the
methods of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data
should be checked carefully.
(6) Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and limited
to those for which the data provide an adequate basis.
(7) Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a good
reputation in research and is a person of integrity.
In other words, we can state the qualities of a good research as under:
(1) Good research is systematic: It means that research is structured with specified steps
to be taken in a specified sequence in accordance with the well-defined set of rules.
Systematic characteristic of the research does not rule out creative thinking but it
certainly does reject the use of guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusions.
(2) Good research is logical: This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical
reasoning and the logical process of induction and deduction are of great value in
carrying out research. Induction is the process of reasoning from a part to the whole
whereas deduction is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion which
follows from that very premise. In fact, logical reasoning makes research more
meaningful in the context of decision making.
(3) Good research is empirical: It implies that research is related basically to one or more
aspects of a real situation and deals with concrete data that provides a basis for external
validity to research results.
(4) Good research is replicable: This characteristic allows research results to be verified
by replicating the study and thereby building a sound basis for decisions.
ETHICS OF RESEARCH
As a profound social activity research connects us to those who will use it, to those
whose research we used, through them, to the research that our sources used; Hence
beyond technique, we need to think about ethics of civil communication
In addition to construction of bonds within any community, ethics deal with a range of
moral and immoral choices; Research challenges us to define individual moral
principles; Academic researchers are less tempted to sacrifice principle for a gain than
commercial researchers
Plagiarism, claiming credit for results of others, misreport sources or invent
results, data with questionable accuracy, concealing objections that cannot be
rebutted, caricaturing or distorting opposing views, destroy or conceal sources
and data important for those who follow
Beyond simple moral Do not to what we should affirmatively do, i.e., concern for the
integrity of the work of the community combined with narrow moral standards with the
larger ethical dimension
Research done in the best interests of others is also in your own

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TYPES OF RESEARCH
(1) Descriptive vs. Analytical
Descriptive research includes surveys and fact-finding enquiries of different kinds.
The major purpose of descriptive research is description of the state of affairs as it
exists at present.
In analytical research, on the other hand, the researcher has to use facts or
information already available, and analyze these to make a critical evaluation of the
material.
(2) Applied vs. Fundamental
Research can either be applied (or action) research or fundamental (to basic or pure)
research. Applied research aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem
facing a society or an industrial/business organization, whereas fundamental
research is mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a
theory.
(3) Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Quantitative research is based on the measurement of quantity or amount. It is
applicable to phenomena that can be expressed in terms of quantity.
Qualitative research, on the other hand, is concerned with qualitative phenomenon,
i.e., phenomena relating to or involving quality or kind.
(4) Conceptual vs. Empirical
Conceptual research is that related to some abstract idea(s) or theory. It is generally
used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing
ones.
On the other hand, empirical research relies on experience or observation alone,
often without due regard for system and theory.

From the point of view of time, we can think of research either as one-time research or
longitudinal research. In the former case the research is confined to a single time-period,
whereas in the latter case the research is carried on over several time-periods.
Research can be field-setting research or laboratory research or simulation research,
depending upon the environment in which it is to be carried out.
Research can as well be understood as clinical or diagnostic research. Such research
follows case-study methods or in-depth approaches to reach the basic causal relations.
Such studies usually go deep into the causes of things or events that interest us, using very
small samples and very deep probing data gathering devices.
The research may be exploratory or it may be formalized. The objective of exploratory
research is the development of hypotheses rather than their testing, whereas formalized
research studies are those with substantial structure and with specific hypotheses to be
tested.
Historical research is that which utilizes historical sources like documents, remains, etc. to
study events or ideas of the past, including the philosophy of persons and groups at any
remote point of time.

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Research can also be classified as conclusion-oriented and decision-oriented. While

doing conclusion oriented research, a researcher is free to pick up a problem, redesign the
enquiry as he proceeds and is prepared to conceptualize as he wishes. Decision-oriented
research is always for the need of a decision maker and the researcher in this case is not
free to embark upon research according to his own inclination.

RESEARCH APPROACHES
The above description of the types of research brings to light the fact that there are two
basic approaches to research, viz., quantitative approach and the qualitative approach.
The former involves the generation of data in quantitative form which can be subjected
to rigorous quantitative analysis in a formal and rigid fashion. This approach can be
further sub-classified into inferential, experimental and simulation approaches to
research. The purpose of inferential approach to research is to form a data base from
which to infer characteristics or relationships of population. This usually means survey
research where a sample of population is studied (questioned or observed) to determine
its characteristics, and it is then inferred that the population has the same
characteristics.
Experimental approach is characterized by much greater control over the research
environment and in this case some variables are manipulated to observe their effect on
other variables.
Simulation approach involves the construction of an artificial environment within which
relevant information and data can be generated. This permits an observation of the
dynamic behavior of a system (or its sub-system) under controlled conditions. The term
simulation in the context of business and social sciences applications refers to the
operation of a numerical model that represents the structure of a dynamic process.
Given the values of initial conditions, parameters and exogenous variables, a simulation
is run to represent the behavior of the process over time. Simulation approach can also
be useful in building models for understanding future conditions.
Qualitative approach to research is concerned with subjective assessment of attitudes,
opinions and behavior. Research in such a situation is a function of researchers insights
and impressions. Such an approach to research generates results either in nonquantitative form or in the form which are not subjected to rigorous quantitative analysis.
Generally, the techniques of focus group interviews, projective techniques and depth
interviews are used. All these are explained at length in chapters that follow.
PROCESS OF RESEARCH
(1) Formulating the research problem;
(2) Extensive literature survey;
(3) Developing the hypothesis;
(4) Preparing the research design;
(5) Determining sample design;
(6) Collecting the data;
(7) Execution of the project;

(8) Analysis of data;

(9) Hypothesis testing;
(10) Generalizations and interpretation,
and
(11) Preparation of the report or
presentation of the results, i.e.,
formal write-up of conclusions
reached.

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Sources:

The Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, Oxford, 1952, p. 1069.

L.V. Redman and A.V.H. Mory, The Romance of Research, 1923, p.10.

The Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences, Vol. IX, MacMillan, 1930.

Pauline V. Young, Scientific Social Surveys and Research, p. 30.

Robert C. Meir, William T. Newell and Harold L. Dazier, Simulation in Business and Economics, p. 1.

Marie Jahoda, Morton Deutsch and Stuart W. Cook, Research Methods in Social Relations, p. 4.

Bernard Ostle and Richard W. Mensing, Statistics in Research, p. 2

Karl Pearson, The Grammar of Science, Part I, pp. 1012.

Ostle and Mensing: op. cit., p. 2.

Carlos L. Lastrucci, The Scientific Approach: Basic Principles of the Scientific Method, p. 7.

James Harold Fox, Criteria of Good Research, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 39 (March, 1958), pp. 28586.

Danny N. Bellenger and Barnett, A. Greenberg, Marketing ResearchA Management Information Approach, p. 107
108.
st

Linda Groat and David Wang, Architectural Research Methods, 1 Ed., p. 6-8
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