Difference between BASIC and APPLIED Research in social sciences

1. BASIC AND APPLIED
RESEARCH
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DIFFERENCE
Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan
Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan

2. Basic Research
• Basic/Fundamental/Pure research
• Aims at exploring basic principles behind social phenomena.
• Enhancing our understanding regarding social phenomena.
• Improvement/development of theory.
• ‘What’, ‘Why’, ‘When’? of social phenomena.
• Focuses on generalization of research outcomes
• Uses more academic/technical terminology, language
• Example: A study of factors impacting students’ aptitude
Applied Research
• Aims at application of social research outcomes in a
practical sense
• Improvement of practices
• Focuses on ‘how’ to solve issues of practical import
• Reported in less academic, more understandable
style/language
• Example: A study find ways to improve classroom
teaching in a particular school.
Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Khan