Types and features of scientific research
The fundamental and applied scientific researches are distinguished.
1) Fundamental scientific research is a scientific theoretical and / or experimental activities, which are aimed at obtaining the new knowledge about the laws of development and relationships in nature, society, technology.
The aim of the fundamental computer science is the knowledge of the laws that describe the behavior and interaction of the basic structures of the computer systems and their models.
The fundamental research can be divided into free (pure) and target one.
The pure research has the individual character and is usually led by the prominent scientist, which is the supervisor of the research work. A characteristic feature of these studies is that they do not define in advance any purpose. But, in principle, the pure research is aimed at obtaining new knowledge and deeper understanding of the problems.
The target research is related to a particular object and is carried out to improve the knowledge of the underlying processes and phenomena, which are taking place in the industry, excluding possible areas of application.
The problems of the fundamental science are on the boundary between the known and the unexpected phenomena. Therefore, these studies have the vaguely ultimate goal. The selection of specific pathways of the fundamental research is often determined by intuition, experience, and the internal logic of the science expanding.
In turn, the fundamental science is constantly open to the new ideas and approaches. It contains the ability to reconsider the conventional ideas about the world, and, if necessary, reject them.
2) Applied research is a scientific and technical activities, which are aimed at acquiring and using knowledge for practical purposes. The objective of the applied science is to apply the results of the fundamental science in solving the cognitive and practical problems.
The development is a special area of research at the junction of applied sciences and industry, which are realized in the process of practical results of applied sciences in the form of technologic processes, designs, and materials.
Research elements
The path of scientific work:
— begins with the live monitoring,
— turns to the abstract thinking,
— continues with the practical implementation.
The research process involves the accumulation of facts, the creation of hypotheses and theories.
The fact is the basic concept, which is resulting from experience and experiments. The facts are systematized, generalized, logically comprehended. The facts become an integral part of the scientific knowledge, if they are systematized. They are systematized and summarized using their abstractions, i.e. their concepts or definitions.
The hypothesis is a scientifically grounded supposition, which is put forward to explain some of the processes. The hypothesis can be true or false after its checking. The hypothesis appears frequently as the original formulation, the next version of the law to be opened. It should be emphasized that the hypothesis plays a very important role in the development of any science, because it is a essential form of the development. Most of the scientific laws and theories have been formulated on the basis of previously made hypotheses.
The theory is the highest form of generalization and systematization of knowledge, i.e., it is the doctrine of generalized experience, practice. The scientific principles and methods are formulated in theory.
The scientific research is a form of the science development, the study of the relations between the phenomena in order to obtain the solutions, which are convincingly proven and useful both for science and practice.
The scientific research is a very broad concept that covers all processes from the idea to its realization in the form of new theoretical positions, development of new technologies.
The scientific research has the object and the theme. They are target of the research.
The logical way of experience is a way that allows on the basis of reasoning to explain the phenomena and processes in the field of research. This way contributes to the emergence of new ideas and challenges, a tracing solutions. It is based on the facts, which are obtained and the results of empirical studies.
The qualitative research has the following features:
— a high level of scientific conclusions and generalizations,
— high reliability of new categories,
— high-performance applications,
— the results provide the basis for new scientific developments.
The system of knowledge is the sum of facts, concepts, principles, hypotheses, laws, theories, which can predict events and manage financial activities. Such systematic scientific experience is characterized by a set of features:
1. Universality is a key feature of knowledge. It means that any scientific discovery is the total expression of human progress in the knowledge of the world. Science is social in its origin, development and use. The system of scientific knowledge belongs to everyone, so it can be used effectively only with the development of social labor, production, trade on a large scale.
2. Provability and reproducibility of the categories is important requirement for scientific knowledge.
3. Durability. The rapid aging of knowledge suggests a lack of depth and weak generalizations, inaccuracies of the accepted hypotheses and established laws.