I'm looking to understand:
1) How can one distinguish between Natural Science Research, Scientific Research and Social Science Research.
2) Pure and Applied Science research - what does it mean and where does it fit in Natural Science Research and Scientific Research
Also if anyone has come across a paper/book/chapter which identifies with the journey from birth of research to the modern day trends.
Accordic to refference : http://www.innspub.net/types-of-scientific-research/ , the research is broadly classified into two main classes:
Fundamental or basic research is an investigation on basic principles and reasons for occurrence of a particular event or process or phenomenon. It is also called theoretical research. Study or investigation of some natural phenomenon or relating to pure science are termed as basic research. Basic researches sometimes may not lead to immediate use or application. It is not concerned with solving any practical problems of immediate interest. But it is original or basic in character. It provides a systematic and deep insight into a problem and facilitates extraction of scientific and logical explanation and conclusion on it. It helps build new frontiers of knowledge. The outcomes of basic research form the basis for many applied research.
The applied research solves certain problems employing well known and accepted theories and principles. Most of the experimental research, case studies and inter-disciplinary research are essentially applied research. Applied research is helpful for basic research. A research, the outcome of which has immediate application is also termed as applied research. Such a research is of practical use to current activity.
According to refference http://www.collier.sts.vt.edu/sciwrite/pdfs/boutellier_2011.pdf :
Natural sciences are defined as „disciplines that deal only with natural events (i.e. independent and dependent variables in nature) using scientific methods“. The aim of the natural sciences is to discover the laws that rule the world. There are historically three core areas of the natural sciences: chemistry, biology and physics.
Social sciences are viewed as those that deal with “human society, societal groups, individuals in their relationships with others or institutions of societies and material goods as expression of human cohabitation” .
The terms science and research are really not the same.
Science, any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. In general, a science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general truths or the operations of fundamental laws. https://www.britannica.com/topic/science
Research refers to the actual gathering of information. This can be by observation, and can mean even gathering information on the Internet. But when used in a scientific context, the rules are more rigid.
For hystorical evolution of scientific method see:
http://www.springer.com/cda/content/document/cda_downloaddocument/9781441974877-c1.pdf?SGWID=0-0-45-1032441-p174029978
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-method/
http://science.jrank.org/pages/6003/Scientific-Method-Historical-evolution-scientific-method.html
Pure science often uses a positivist approach, working with hypotheses, verification/falsification of theories, making controlled/controllable experiments that are reproduceable. Social science often has a interpretative approach, does not necessarily agree that there is an objective world, but that reality is a constructed reality. As a result there can be multiple truths, there is no possibility of verification/falsification, and there is also no effort to have controlled experiments, but effort is to research complex social phenomena in their complex environments.......
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