Research Definition and 998 Threads

Research is "creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of information to increase understanding of a topic or issue. A research project may be an expansion on past work in the field. To test the validity of instruments, procedures, or experiments, research may replicate elements of prior projects or the project as a whole.
The primary purposes of basic research (as opposed to applied research) are documentation, discovery, interpretation, and the research and development (R&D) of methods and systems for the advancement of human knowledge. Approaches to research depend on epistemologies, which vary considerably both within and between humanities and sciences. There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities, artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practitioner research, life, technological, etc. The scientific study of research practices is known as meta-research.

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  1. H

    Exploring Neural Responses to Stimuli: Mapping Behavior in Simple Life Forms

    Hello, I am a layman in biology with a good notion of method only. My background is in linguistics (don't run away yet), but my time has been spent over the last several years honing my understanding in a variety of fields. (Fool with time on his hands syndrome.) I wish to answer for myself...
  2. F

    Is anyone on physicsforums doing research in nuclear fusion energy

    I am an electrical engineering student doing my third year. I am interested in doing research in making fusion energy a commercial energy source by doing research in current techniques and also interested in creating new techniques for making fusion process continuous and efficient than current...
  3. K

    Statement of research interests help

    I just graduated (PhD) and I have not gotten a job yet (maybe I'm screwed!). I've noticed that many of the academic positions require me to submit a statement of research interests. I did some searching online and I've found some advice for the statement structure, but I still have some...
  4. C

    Research topic for dual energy x ray absorbtiometry (dexa)

    Can someone please provide me with some research topic ideas for dexa?
  5. S

    Measuring Infrared Irradiance for Solar Research

    I'm working on research into the feasibility of separating out the infrared rays above 1200 nm in sunlight for solar power generation. Since silicon cells do not effectively harness these wavelengths, we are experimenting with using interference coatings and a wave guide to separate these waves...
  6. S

    Research in Photonic Crystals worth it?

    Hi I am doing my Masters by research in Photonic Crystals and I want to do a PhD later as I dream of an academic. I wanted to know to if the field of photonic crystals offers opportunities for growth in the future. Will this field be actively researched in the future? Thanks
  7. D

    Physics Research in Physics: Combining Programming & Publishing

    I am a physics graduate and I have just spent two years researching about problems like dark energy and dark matter and didn't get anywhere, did not even manage to write a single research paper. I like writing and publishing research papers as many as I can because they give me the feeling of a...
  8. F

    Looking for research which encompasses both plasmas and fission.

    So far I've only found some leads into the use of magnetohydrodynamics theory in designing liquid metal cooled reactors. Anyone know of any other topics?
  9. 256bits

    Can the US Navy really make jet fuel from seawater?

    This could be chemistry, but I'll put it here. Research by the US Navy to make jet fuel from seawater. And it works. And all we thought they did was stare down the bad guys. http://www.nrl.navy.mil/media/news-releases/2012/fueling-the-fleet-navy-looks-to-the-seas
  10. T

    Offered research experience in Astro as a CC Student

    So, I've been in community college for a year now and my original plan was to get out of here in 2 years as fast as I could. Tonight, I just met with a part time professor here and I have the opportunity to take part in some research with him and another student (or 2). This honestly sounds too...
  11. evinda

    MHB How many different research teams can the director build?

    Hello! :rolleyes: I am given the following exercise: The director of a research institute has in possession $6$ mathematicians and $7$ physicists.A research program requires the participation of $3$ mathematicians and $4$ physicists.How many different research teams can the director...
  12. twistor

    Could this be of any importance for research nowadays?

    Could this be of any importance for research nowadays? http://arxiv.org/pdf/gr-qc/9710064v1.pdf Steps towards an axiomatic pregeometry of space-time Santiago E. Perez Bergliaffa, Gustavo E. Romero, Hector Vucetich (Submitted on 11 Oct 1997) We present a deductive theory of space-time...
  13. BeBattey

    Undergrad Research - Parabolic Cherenkov Detector

    So I'm a senior at a lesser known university, I 'believe' I did very well on my PGRE though I don't have my scores yet, and I've maintained a 3.7 average in my physics courses. The only thing holding me back from admission into a fantastic grad program is my complete lack of research experience...
  14. C

    Are There Opportunities in Physics Education Research in Los Angeles?

    Hello all! I'm a fourth year grade student in physics (specifically theoretical cosmology). Over the years I've become more and more interested in education. I even applied and was accepted as a STEM instructor for a local high school...which probably takes up more of my time than my...
  15. E

    Cannot get an REU and my school doesn't have any research

    What should I do if I haven't been accepted into any REUs I applied to, and my school doesn't offer any research for my major (mathematics)? Is there any other alternative to than just keep applying to tons of REUs?
  16. M

    Schools Prestige of a grad school vs. Research fit

    Hi, I've been accepted to a couple of schools for grad school. One of them being my undergrad institution where I have a great fit with an advisor I've been working with for the past two years. The other is the most prestigious school in my country, with an international reputation and great...
  17. C

    Undergraduate Research: To diversify or specialize?

    Hi friends, I realize that my question is probably not particularly clear cut, but I would like to hear some opinions on it. I am wondering, is it better as an undergraduate to diversify your research experiences, or to specialize? Would it be better to try out a number of different fields...
  18. L

    UCSB CCS vs Berkeley for Undergrad Research

    I'm going to enter college this fall, and I will have a choice between UCSB CCS Physics and Berkeley Physics. The way I see it: CCS offers me more research opportunities, smaller classes, more happy and social student body, probably a higher class rank (Cal is supposed to be more competitive...
  19. J

    What is conducting academic (Math) research like?

    What is conducting Math research like? What is a typical day/schedule like?
  20. L

    Micro/SEM research: Tools and Set up Help?

    Hey Everyone, A while back I had posted a question here looking for some research ideas for an undergraduate project utilizing the SEM. It had to be microbiology related as I am combing credits for two courses. My project is about testing different antibacterial methods against E. coli...
  21. S

    Where Can I Find Resources on Nuclear Research Reactors?

    Hello to all, i need some books, papers, related to nuclear reactors for research (e.g, classification , applications, spread worlwide, etc). Any sugestions are welcome. Thank for help!
  22. C

    Possible research topics for high redshift galaxies and AGN

    Hi all, I am nearing the start of my final year at university and part of that year is a large research project on a subject of our choice. My main interests lie within the formation and evolution of high redshift (z ≥ 1) galaxies and AGN. At this stage I am only starting to think about what...
  23. J

    Interested in PhD but no research experience

    Hello all, I'm interested in any advice anyone can offer me. I graduated with a BSEE a few years ago and then worked in an electronics role for a little over a year. I saved enough money while working to quit my job, travel for awhile, and ponder my future. Even while working, I felt the pull...
  24. Greg Bernhardt

    Is there a pattern of research sabotage at Yale?

    Unfortunately the main story appears to be under a "Science" pay wall. Here is a commentary and short summary on the disturbing event. http://observationdeck.io9.com/holy-****-this-sabotage-story-is-the-stuff-of-researc-1538150751
  25. M

    Radiation therapy research ideas?

    Hello everyone, I'm a radiation therapy 4th year undergrad student about to pursue some research in medical physics as a 4th year thesis project at a hospital. However I am really not sure what my thesis project should focus on. Because it is mandatory to conduct research on your original idea...
  26. B

    Engineering Internships: academic research vs. industry

    I am currently a mechanical engineering student planning to work in the aerospace industry. I am a likely candidate for two internship opportunities; one of them is at a smaller aerospace firm that builds target drones and the other is at a university doing nanosystem research. Which would be...
  27. N

    Can Open Source Cancer Research by Biohackers Lead to a Cure?

    I have looked around for a group of people who perform cancer research as a kind of open /crowd sourced project. Not paid researchers, but a group of people passionate about science and finding a cure. I have found some resources for this kind of research through organizations like COSMIC but no...
  28. P

    What makes undergraduate research publishable?

    Hi guys, I'm going to be starting my senior project in computational physics by next semester, and my goal is to do something publishable in the fields of either analytical or quantum mechanics. However, I'm having difficulty determing what exactly that could be; the idea is either so...
  29. U

    Doing very theoretical undergrad research?

    I'm a junior in university right now, hoping to attend grad school for physics. At my school, all physics students have a senior research project, and the professor that I'm most likely going to do my project with is a string theorist. The project is very theoretical (i.e. no computers; purely...
  30. A

    Exploring Real Materials with DFT: Ground-State Theory and Beyond

    Hello. I started studying DFT and using it for a bit of work I needed to do in College. I found it a bit interesting, because of the possibility of getting in touch with more "applied" science. However, after a time reading papers related to it I got a little disappointed. It seems to me that...
  31. V

    Navigating a Failing Research Project: Tips and Strategies

    >have zero interest for my subject, it's the UK so I can't switch, have managed to be a great exam passer >this term have one regular course + research project worth the credits of 3 regular courses >done close to nothing for first 3 weeks of term What are general tips for this sort of...
  32. S

    Schools REU or Summer Research at Own University?

    I am a sophomore physics major attending a top 20 research university in America. I have one year (including one summer) of research done with one professor at my own university (which led to a poster publication but nothing major as of yet), and am now in my first semester of work with a...
  33. A

    Is anyone else confused by the lack of car research online?

    My father's thinking of buying a new car and I'm trying to do research online to help him make the right choice. The issue is that I can't find any research whatsoever. All I get are subjective reviews (which seem to be just marketing ads) and anecdotes. I can't find objective information on...
  34. T

    Who picks your research topic for a PhD?

    For example, if your advisor specializes in gravity, but has a subfield specialty (like Horava-Lifschitz gravity) and most of their papers for the last several years are about that subspecialty, does that mean your thesis research will be about that, or could it be about any gravitational thing?
  35. M

    Undergraduate level research topic in physics

    I am a Final year (3rd year) student studying BSc Physics in India. My undergraduate course is getting completed in one month. As I want to pursue my career in field of physics, I like to do a project especially a theoretical project (kind of writing a junior level thesis) before joining...
  36. C

    Doing Mathematical Research: Questions Answered

    Okay, so I'm new here, but I have a few questions about research that mathematicians do. Firstly, what is it like to do mathematical research, and secondly how would I go about doing that? Currently, I'm just an undergrad in mathematics and my highest level of knowledge is just complex analysis...
  37. Y

    Exploring EE Research Fields for Postgraduate Study

    I've got one more year left to finish my undergraduate EE degree and I'm planning on continuing straight into a PhD. I've had the chance to work with a postdoc on remote sensing/space science research and I've really enjoyed it. I've also developed an interest in neuroscience and plasma physics...
  38. J

    What kind of people are suitable of doing research in quantum gravity?

    I am interested in both physics and biology but I have not decided which subject i will choose to do research in the future. I am now studying natural sciences in the university. When I was at high school, one of the biology professor that I met suggested me to choose biology and give up...
  39. M

    Data Needed for Impinging Jet Research

    llo, I am looking for some good reliable data of radial and axial velocities of an impinging jet on a perpendicular plate for Reynolds number of between 10,000 and 60,000. I am about to conduct my own experiment using an LDA to measure velocities but am looking for some good data to compare...
  40. Dishsoap

    Programs This is what happens when you hand math research to a physics major.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm all about research. I've been doing physics research for two years (not much, in the grand scheme of things), but I love it. I love programming which is mind-numbingly boring to most people, I love solving equations, I love being able to understand the universe around us...
  41. B

    Research During the Ordinary Semesters

    Hello Everyone, Last semester my professor and I engaged in some theoretical physics research, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, this semester, and I suspect my remaining semester, I am considerably busier, and I don't believe I will be able to partake in the research any longer. This...
  42. S

    Is a PhD obtained at 40 years old useless for research?

    Assuming the person is of capable intelligence, what research prospects are there for someone who obtained their PhD at 40 years old? I'd specifically like to hear opinions about PhDs of theoretical physics, experimental physics, pure mathematics, and theoretical computer science.
  43. T

    Programs Astronomy or Astrophysics degree and research.

    Hello fellow members of this forum, I am highly interested in Astronomy and Physics, and I plan to pursue a career in these fields. I am debating on whether I should try to study towards earning a B.Sc in Astrophysics or Physics when I graduate from high school in 2016 (then continue it...
  44. M

    A question on building research experience.

    Hi, I'm two years away from graduating with a bachelors and I am planning to apply to grad school. I know that research experience is important, but I haven't had any opportunities play out until now. I got offered a research assistant position, but the research is not on science. It is...
  45. T

    Exploring Creative Ideas for Bungee Jumping Research

    I have been doing a research around the physics behind bungeejumping and i need some new ideas. Some of the ideas i already have done are: 1) friction while bungee jumping 2) bunjee jumping (but in water instead of just air) ... i need some creative ideas for my reasearch. thank you, srijan
  46. M

    Latest research in multidimensional space.

    Their are three proven dimensions ( + time ) and we can only see two right? Google insists their could be more or even less. What was the latest research/expirements on multiple dimensions in the quantum world. What were the results? -(a question coming from someone understanding a 1/4 of...
  47. MathematicalPhysicist

    Theoretical research only based jobs

    As the title suggest I wish after I finish my higher degree to be involved in a research based career, as far as I can tell postdoc is for continuing in academia and also teaching, which I am not fond of. So which options are available without wanting to teach?
  48. S

    Theoretical Research Topics in Topological Quantum Computing

    Can anyone suggest any? I have all of the coursework for a PhD, So I'm not afraid of anything but I will have lots of questions.
  49. M

    Research Proposal for Postdoc in Geophysics: Tips & Guidelines

    I want to apply for postdoc(Europe),so I need to write a research plan.I do not know how much should I go into details.The subject is geophysics,also it will be different from what I have done for my PhD.Should I cite the people from Stanford for example.Like Mavko shows this ,I am going to...
  50. H

    Unpaid internship versus Research over the summer

    Hello, I am a math and statistics double major, and basically I have a guaranteed unpaid internship opportunity this summer. I have yet to send out applications to other organizations/REUs. While I am interested in the long term in consulting/finance and industrial modeling, I hope to get...
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