In education, applied research is used to improve teaching and learning methods by providing practical

solutions to pedagogic problems. On the other hand, basic research is used in education to develop new
pedagogic theories that explain different behaviours by teachers and students within the learning
environment.

Examples of basic research in education include: Examples of applied research in education include:

1. How does the human memory work? 1. A study to build students' interests in
2. How do children acquire new languages? religious studies.
2. A study to improve classroom interaction
between teachers and students.

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 Applied research helps health and medical practitioners to develop evidence-based solutions to
pressing health problems. On the other hand, basic research helps medical practitioners to gain insights into
different health issues such as the origin and symptoms of diseases and infections which can be useful in
developing a cure for such conditions.
Examples of basic research in health include: Examples of applied research in health include:

1. An investigation into the secondary 1. An investigation to determine the healing

symptoms of the Human Papilloma Virus properties of mushrooms.
(HPV). 2. An investigation to determine the side
2. An investigation into the symptoms of effects of alcohol consumption.
diarrhea.

Similarities of Basic and Applied Research

Data Gathering Methods-basic and applied research adopt similar data collection processes in order
to gather relevant data and arrive at the most objective research outcomes. They typically make use of
qualitative and quantitative data gathering methods such as interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and focus
groups to gather information and arrive at research outcomes.

Intersectionality- The research outcomes of basic research often serve as the bedrock for applied
research.

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning-Basic and applied research methods make use of both inductive
and deductive reasoning to support the research hypotheses. In deductive reasoning, the researcher moves
from the idea to observation, while in inductive reasoning, the researcher transits from observation to the
idea.

Identifying your Scientific Research Problem

The first and most important step in any research is

to identify and delineate the research problem.
The first and most important step in any research is to identify and delineate
the research problem: that is, what the researcher wants to solve and what questions
he/she wishes to answer. A research problem may be defined as an area of concern, a
gap in the existing knowledge, or a deviation in the norm or standard that points to
the need for further understanding and investigation.

A scientific problem is something you don’t understand but you can do an experiment to help you
understand. Scientific problems are usually based on observation of scientific phenomena.

Here are some advices to help you identify a scientific problem you can address by designing your own
scientific research:

Choosing a Research Problem / How to Begin

Step 1 Identify concepts and terms that make up the topic statement.

Under this scenario, the key process is turning an idea or general thought into a topic that can be
configured into a research problem. When given an assignment where you choose the research
topic, don't begin by thinking about what to write about, but rather, ask yourself the question,
"What do I want to understand or learn about?" Treat an open-ended research assignment as
an opportunity to gain new knowledge about something that's new or exciting to you related to
the overall subject of the course.
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 Step 2 Review related literature to help refine how you will approach examining the topic and finding
a way to analyze it.

• Review your course readings, particularly the suggested readings, for topic ideas. Don't
just review what you've already read but jump ahead in the syllabus to readings that have
not been covered yet.
• Search recently published book and, if appropriate, more specialized works related to the
discipline area of the course
• Browse through some current journals in your subject discipline. Even if most of the
articles are not relevant, you can skim through the contents quickly. You only need one
to be the spark that begins the process of wanting to learn more about a topic.
• Browse through some current journals in your subject discipline. Even if most of the
articles are not relevant, you can skim through the contents quickly. You only need one
to be the spark that begins the process of wanting to learn more about a topic.

Step 3 Look for sources that can help broaden, modify, or strengthen your initial thoughts and
arguments.

To build upon your initial idea, use the suggestions under this tab to help narrow, broaden, or
increase the timeliness of your idea so you can write it out as a research problem.

There are least four appropriate roles your related literature plays in helping you formulate how
to begin your analysis:

Sources of criticism -- frequently, you'll find yourself reading materials that are relevant to your
chosen topic, but you disagree with the author's position.

Sources of new ideas -- it is certainly acceptable [and often encouraged] to read the literature and
extend, modify, and refine your own position in light of the ideas proposed by others.

Sources for historical context -- another role your related literature plays in formulating how to
begin your analysis is to place issues and events in proper historical context. This can help to
demonstrate familiarity with developments in relevant scholarship about your topic, provide a
means of comparing historical versus contemporary issues and events, and identifying key
people, places, and events that had an important role related to the research problem. Given its
archival journal coverage, a good multidisciplinary database to use in this case is JSTOR.

Step 4 Assuming you have done an effective job of synthesizing and thinking about the results of your
initial search for related literature, you're ready to prepare a detailed outline for your paper that
lays the foundation for a more in-depth and focused review of relevant research literature

A good scientific research problem should have the following characteristics:

1. It should address a gap in knowledge.
2. It should be significant enough to contribute to the existing body of research
3. It should lead to further research
4. The problem should render itself to investigation through collection of data
5. It should be of interest to the researcher and suit his/her skills, time, and resources
6. The approach towards solving the problem should be ethical.
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Examples of scientific research/capstone topics for STEM include:
1. The role and impact of IT infrastructure Usage in the Healthcare industry
2. Application on the generation of mazes for computer games.
3. WEB service for building multi-dimensional polynomial regression by redundant description.
4. Journey to new, better energy industry.
5. Mathematical logic and its achievements.
6. Mathematical reasoning and proof in mathematics.
7. Mathematics in architecture. Plato body. Symmetry and harmony of the world around
8. Human impact on the biosphere and its results.
9. Evolution of the relationship between man and the natural environment.
10. Issues of rational use of agricultural lands.
11. Alternative sources of energy, prospects of their development..
12. The impact of education on obesity.