The Impact of Research, Knowledge, Theory, and Scientific Method

Contrary to the knowledge gained from common sense and intuition, knowledge gained from research is more objective, scientific, and reliable. Research constitutes the academic and modern knowledge of the modern era. It can be conducted in any discipline and may lead to further research in related or unrelated fields. In terms of language learning, research can be conducted in the main categories of linguistics and language teaching or any subcategories of these particular fields. Depending on the nature of the discipline, different procedures may be implemented.

For instance, observation, questioning, and experimentation procedures may be implemented to elicit data for research purposes. Research, regardless of its discipline or purpose, is triggered by questioning a problem or a situation. After the questioning phase, a hypothesis is developed.

The rest of the research is organized and implemented to either accept or reject the previously developed hypothesis. Language teaching researches are not generally conducted in laboratory environments, yet, in real classroom environments or any places where language teaching takes place. When it comes to the types of knowledge in second language research, there are four types of knowledge, and they are knowledge as belief, knowledge as an authority, prior knowledge, and empirical knowledge. Firstly, knowledge as belief means a kind of knowledge that is based upon someone’s personal beliefs without being empirically tested. Since it is a subjective notion, this kind of knowledge is not considered a scientific fact but rather a personal idea.

Also, conclusions that are arrived at with common sense are regarded as knowledge a belief. The conclusions reached from some kinds of belief shouldn’t be considered established knowledge. Rather, it should be considered as a possible hypothesis for further research in the second language field. Second, knowledge as an authority means deriving knowledge from authority. The knowledge comes from an acclaimed person in an academic field. Also, a researcher may make use of some authorities in the field during the process of research development. In addition, a researcher may refer to the knowledge of another scientist to support a hypothesis as long as the knowledge is not considered a proven fact.

Third, prior knowledge means a kind of knowledge that is based on established principles of some scientific fields and art. At first, the knowledge is based upon these principles about some phenomenon, then creating our own knowledge with logic and reason. This kind of knowledge resembles knowledge as a belief, but this knowledge type differs somehow from belief. Priori knowledge is based on some other scientific studies held beforehand. Lastly, empirical knowledge is gained through experimentation, observation, and interaction with the real world. The process of gaining this kind of knowledge is sometimes regarded as a scientific method, but that’s not a fact. Because a scientific method doesn’t necessarily contain interaction with the real world.

During the process of any research in a second language area, empirical knowledge is gained with description, observation, and experimentation steps. Additionally, there are different kinds of research in a second language; basic/ pure/ theoretical research, applied research, and practical research. Firstly, pure research aims to discover a new theory or develop an existing theory. Secondly, applied research focuses on solving real-world problems that are asking an action. And finally, practical research focused on the problems having day-to-day nature. All kinds of research in a second language contain so many topics and questions. Each of them usually contributes to the review of the content and different categories’ structure. So, there is no unidirectional relationship between them. Even though there are not regularly clear-cut among these kinds of research, the division of them can be useful because of the field of language. Applied and practical research affect the development and review of theories and hypotheses that are progressed in basic research.

There should be a bidirectional relationship between them. In addition, the division is useful for figuring out the restrictions of the research product. In brief, information gained from research is more reliable, scientific, and objective than our intuitions and common sense. So the theories of the research are testable. In addition, research can be conducted in any discipline and may produce new theories or develop existing theories. Observation, questioning, and experimentation procedures may be implemented in research depending on the nature of the discipline. Additionally, there are four types of knowledge, and they are knowledge as belief, knowledge as an authority, prior knowledge, and empirical knowledge in second language research. There are also three kinds of research in a second language: basic/ pure/ theoretical research, applied research, and practical research. There is a bidirectional relationship between them, so they influence each other even though all of them are conducted independently.

Did you like this example?

261

11