Introduction to Research Thus, by looking at the knowledge
interface between local knowledge
What is Research? against the universal, one will be able to see the contestations related to these RESEARCH is a systematic and exhaustive contexts. inquiry, investigation or experimentation with the aim of finding new facts What are 'universal' and 'traditional' (knowledge) in explaining the problems knowledges? associated with our day to day relations ‘Universal’, ‘Western’ or formal with our environments (social, natural, knowledges are those that are taught in political, economics, physical) to come up schools and found written in books, with working solutions in facing them. journals and scientific magazines. It deals in bringing in something new or They are products of research in novel through analytical reasoning, which ‘generalised form’ and generally made by the product is an organised knowledge. ‘experts’, researchers and academe. It is the crux of human development—a ‘Local’, ‘indigenous’, ‘folk’, ‘rural’ or human product that is generating more traditional knowledges are socio- and new products / ideas. culturally, geographically and politically What are Theories and Knowledges? multi-sited. They differ from culture to culture, as these are based from the When the logical relationships among experiences of people within their problems, experiences and reasons are geographical, political and social established and arranged systematically environments. They are also historically through a series of human interactions based. with their social, natural, physical, economics, etc. environments, this lead Building of know-ledges to THEORIES. Therefore, theories are products of research. Paradigm in the generation of theories and knowledges. Theories are used to solve ‘environmental’ phenomena and their When these bodies of knowledge are associated problems. They can be internalised by the human actor, they recycled, which may lead to the formation become a part of their traditions and of new ones in favour of the existing practices—culture. ones. The word "theory" most simply means "explanation."
Theories explain "How" and "Why"
Theori es something operates as it does. They are Deduction
made-up of concepts and principles for
Induction
ease of understanding them.
Patter Hypot When theories are compiled, related to or ns heses impinged with other theories, they form the human KNOWLEDGE or bodies of knowledge. Observ KNOWLEDGE is a central product of ations/ research, be it academic, formal, Data indigenous, local or practical. Be in different forms, they are reiteratively treated as both a resource and source of power and conflict among human beings. Knowledge is a product of research through the process of logical reasoning or rationalism. It can be done in two ways:
1. Deductive reasoning (i.e., the process
of drawing a specific conclusion from a set of premises).
2. Inductive reasoning (i.e., reasoning
from the particular to the general). The conclusion from inductive reasoning is probabilistic (i.e., you make a statement about what will probably happen). The so- called “problem of induction” is that the future might not resemble the present.
S&T a product of Research
If SCIENCE is a body of ‘organised
knowledge’ that we use in explaining our day to day relations with our environments and the problems associated with them (know-why), then it is also a product of RESEARCH.
When these organised bodies of
knowledge are put into useful objects, processes and or outcomes, then TECHNO-LOGY (know-how) becomes an outcome of RESEARCH.
R&D, the marriage of Research &
Development
If RESEARCH is the continuous search for
knowledge (SCIENCE) which are put together into important objects and processes (TECHNOLOGY), then the act of putting them together to improve human lives and his environments refers to DEVELOPMENT.