The scientific investigation It is a process that generates knowledge from observation, establishment of hypotheses, conducting experiments and obtaining results. That is, it is a previously planned study method that follows a series of well-structured steps.
The first step of a scientific investigation is the question or question that arises from the observation, a phenomenon or event. For example: What substances stop the growth of bacteria on surfaces?
The main objective of scientific research is to produce new knowledge; for this reason, the person (or researcher) conducting this type of research is creative, has critical thinking and basic knowledge in the area they wish to explore or learn about..
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Among the characteristics of scientific research, its systematic nature, the possibility of verifying its results and the objectivity of its procedures stand out..
Originality means how new the research is, that is, how new it is in some or all of its elements.
For example: a scientific investigation may be original in the orientation of the problem, the materials or equipment used, the procedure or in the subjects on which the investigation is carried out..
The higher the degree of originality of the project, the more scientific significance it can reach.
In conclusion, originality refers to the novel or innovative elements that the research aims to find with its results..
Scientific research must be objective and impartial in order to provide valid results. This implies that the results should not be skewed, that is, they should not be influenced by the researcher's previous judgments or by his subjective appraisals..
The final conclusions obtained through scientific research can be verified at any time.
That is, verifiability implies that all research, together with its conclusions obtained, can be verified by another researcher or a group of specialists, which gives credibility to the findings obtained..
We can take the example of an investigation whose results conclude that a type of substance, under certain conditions -such as concentration and exposure time- manages to eliminate bacteria from a metallic surface.
This research can only be considered verifiable if another scientist, under the same conditions, repeats the research and obtains the same results and conclusions..
Scientific research uses the findings of previous studies to support itself. In other words, researchers always use previous studies as the basis for their own work. In this way, scientific research constitutes a series of findings that support each other..
One characteristic is that the knowledge obtained through scientific investigation can predict what will happen at a certain time..
For example: when the behavior over time of a population of insects is studied and it is observed that they are more abundant during the rainy season, it can be predicted in which season of the year the insect will increase its population in a certain region.
One of the main characteristics of scientific research is the use of a systematic procedure called the scientific method. Through the rigor of this method, it is possible to minimize personal and subjective influences on the research..
A scientific investigation must avoid chance, and the process must be supported by control mechanisms that allow it to obtain truthful results..
Chance has no place in scientific research: all actions and observations are controlled, according to the criteria of the researcher and according to the object investigated, through well-defined methods and rules..
Scientific research may contain some or all of the following stages, which are developed successively:
The first step in scientific investigation is the observation of a phenomenon, event, or problem. For these reasons, the researcher is generally a curious and observant person. Likewise, the discovery of the phenomenon usually arises due to unexpected changes in the natural process of the event..
Observation leads to the formulation of several questions: Why? How? When? This constitutes the formulation of the problem. The problem must be perfectly delimited in terms of certain basic characteristics of the phenomenon to be studied.
For example: Why is the growth of the bacteria Staphylococus aureus is stopped by the fungus Penicilliun notatum?
In addition to formulating the problem, the researcher must indicate the scope and probable contributions of the research.
To answer the question posed in the problem, the hypothesis is formulated. This term refers to a statement that is presumed to be true, even though it has not been experimentally proven. Therefore, a hypothesis is an unproven truth.
An example of a hypothesis would be: if the growth of the bacteria Staphylococus aureus is contained by the fungus Penicilliun notatum, then, this fungus produces a substance that prevents the development of the bacteria.
As seen in the example, the hypothesis is a probable response to the observed phenomenon.
The hypotheses are subjected to methodological processes to determine their veracity or, on the contrary, establish their nullity and reject it. These experiments and processes are structured and rigorously controlled.
All the results and evidence obtained are analyzed in order to respond to the problem raised. The results and conclusions are then made public through conference presentations, scientific meetings or published in journals..
Scientific research can be classified in different ways: according to the way in which the data was obtained, according to the analysis of the data and according to the time in which it was carried out..
These are classified as observational and experimental. The former only observe the process without intervening in it; while in the experimental ones the researcher manipulates some conditions or characteristics of the object of study and observes how they behave.
An example of an experimental study would be to determine the appropriate concentration of an antibiotic to stop the growth of bacteria. In this case, the researcher manipulates the antibiotic measurements.
According to this, they are classified as descriptive and analytical. Descriptive studies use numbers and frequencies (percentages) to detail the population. For example: the number of a bird species in a region or the percentage of girls and boys in a school.
On the other hand, analytical studies establish relationships between the characteristics studied, for which they use statistical methods. For example: comparing the number of boys and girls in a school to determine if the difference is significant.
In this case, they are classified as retrospective or prospective. Retrospective studies analyze the behavior of phenomena in the past. For example: if you want to study the characteristics of a population, you take data from archives, censuses, demographic offices, among others..
In prospective studies, phenomena are studied towards the future, that is, the characteristics of the object studied are taken or recorded daily. This type of study is widely used in clinical research, since it minimizes the risk of using outdated data in patients.
Scientific research allows us to analyze and learn about the different phenomena. In addition, due to the rigorousness of its methodology, conclusions, theories and laws are obtained that allow humanity a closer contact with reality..
Likewise, thanks to scientific research, it has been possible -among other great findings- to know, analyze and defeat important diseases that have harmed humanity..
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) is the best example of how scientific research begins with a meticulously observed event and progresses to the formulation of theories and laws; This researcher was able to verify, through scientific research, that microorganisms multiply.
To demonstrate this, Pasteur used flasks of Swan neck. These glass containers have a very elongated top and an "S" shape, which allows air to enter but prevents the passage of dust and other particles from the environment..
Then, he filled two containers with meat broth, one with Swan neck and another with a short neck; later he boiled both jars to eliminate the microorganisms present in the broths.
At the same time, Pasteur observed that the broth placed in the "S" shaped container remained intact, while the content in the short neck container easily decomposed..
In this way, Pasteur was able to demonstrate that the microorganisms did not form spontaneously inside the broth and that the decomposition of the broth in the short-necked container was produced by microorganisms that were found in the environment..
One of the most striking examples of the application of scientific research is the discovery of the structure of DNA. This find was made by James Watson and Francis Crick.
DNA is a molecule found in the nucleus of cells and carries the information necessary for the development and functioning of living beings. However, by the time of Watson and Crick the structure of this molecule was unknown..
The researchers asked themselves a question, What is the structure of DNA? They knew all the theoretical and experimental bases on the subject, and used them to carry out a series of exhaustive and detailed experiments.
In this way, their experiments allowed them to conclude that the structure of DNA is similar to a spiral staircase that turns to the right. After 18 months of work, on April 2, 1953 Watson and Crick published their work in which the structure of the molecule is described in detail.
Rotaviruses are viruses that cause intestinal infections (gastroenteritis) in children. They were discovered in 1973 in Australia by Ruth Bishop, when she was trying to decipher which was the causative agent of the disease in cases of gastroenteritis..
Bishop, through meticulous observation and using the electron microscopy technique, was able to reveal the presence of the virus in biopsies of children hospitalized for gastroenteritis. Bishop published his find in 1973.
Types of research.
Basic investigation.
Field research.
Applied research.
Pure research.
Explanatory research.
Descriptive research.
Observational study.
Investigation project.
Choice of research topic.
Research objective.
Research justification.
Investigation report.
Scientific article.
General objective and specific objective.
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