Dear Wim, Ken and Rob,
My picture on this is fairly simple. It is perhaps a little different
from Ken and Rob's description but I've found it appears to apply (no
pun) in Engineering, Community Work and a fair few other disciplines.
They are differentiated on the basis of the intended purpose and applicabilit
y of the research, the associated approaches to developing the research
instrument, and the consequent limitations on the findings.
From this perspective:
Pure research: research undertaken to gather information about, or make
theoretical models of, situations about which little is known. This form
of research is undertaken without a clear idea of how exactly its findings
will be used. The focus of developing the research instrument is to gather
information in as generalalisable manner as possible and without taking
into account specific applications of the findings. Pure research produces
general theories that must be reworked to use in applied situations
Clinical research: research undertaken in a particular situation to solve
a problem in that situation. Clinical research is applied research in
a specific context. The findings of clinical research are specific to
the particular 'case' or project in which it is undertaken. The research
instruments are created to gather information specific to the problem
being addressed. The findings of clinical research cannot usually be directly
applied to other situations becasue of the specificity of the situation
from which information is gathered and the limitations of the research
instrument(s). (For example a full psychological model of 'Bill Smith'
cannot usually be justifiably applied to everyone).
Applied research: research undertaken that results in findings that are
useable across many situations. Applied research usually builds on the
findings of both pure research and clinical research. The intention of
undertaking applied research is to develop theories that can be used to
help practitioners predict the future in particular situations. One of
the main purposes of applied research is to minimise the amount of clinical
research that needs to be undertaken.
Examples:
Engineering -
Pure research: research into the behaviour of aluminium alloys suitable
for pistons - resulting in technical spefications for these alloys
Clinical research: Resolving a piston ring wear problem in a Volvo XXXX
- resulting in a solution to a piston ring wear problem specific to that
model of vehicle and particular circumstances
Applied research: Developing theories to guide the design of pistons -
resulting in models that engineering designers can apply to help them
design pistons for any vehicle. These models and theories may be built
on findings from both pure research into aluminium alloys and the findings
of clinical research into specific problem situations.
Community Work -
Pure research: research into the psychological behaviour of individuals
in groups resulting in psychological theories of human behaviour
Clinical research: research into problems with groups of people in a specific
public space in a particular city
Applied research: Developing theories about working with groups to guide
professionals designing community work interventions. These models and
theories may use the findings gained by both pure research into human
psychology and the findings of clinical research into specific problem
situations.
Best wishes,
Terry
_________________________
Dr Terence Love
Love Design and Research
GPO Box 226
Quinns Rocks
Western Australia 6030
Tel & Fax: +61 (0)8 9305 7629
Email: [log in to unmask]
_________________________
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From: Wim Gilles <[log in to unmask]>
To: Internet Mail::[[log in to unmask]]
Subject: applied research
Date: 7/20/01 10:31 AM
Dear subscribers,
One of Ken Friedman's interesting statements in his recent posting
"Puzzled by the long silance" puzzles me. It is the one about "applied
research.," a term I heard before, but never understood. Ken writes:
< The distinctions between clinical, applied and pure research are often
< neglected in design.
and
< Applied research is more common in design. This involves articulate
< reporting that permits application of findings to classes of clinical
< research.
One of the reasons why in design we neglect the distinctions between
pure, applied and clinical research might is perhaps the vagueness of
the applied variety. I have no problem with "pure research," or its
more descriptive equivalent "fundamental research." I can also
understand how "clinical research" differs from "fundamental research,"
namely that it probes particular instances or cases. But I am at a loss
how , in the case of "applied research," to apply "findings" (of what?)
not to clinical research but a (any?) "class" thereof.
I know the term "applied" as in "applied science" and "applied art."
Most of engineering - not engineering research - is applied science.
Applied art applies (pure or "free") art to products of industry. The
German equivalent of applied art is "Kunstgewerbe" and the Dutch:
"kunstnijverheid."
Perhaps Ken will give us one or two examples of applied research. Once
understood we may attempt to find a less confusing term for that type
of
research.
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Wim Gilles * Carleton University, School of ID, Ottawa, Ont. Canada *
e-mail address: <[log in to unmask]>
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