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Donna Marie F. Yap, RPh, MBA

17 June 2011

“There is No Hope of Doing Perfect Research.” Do You Agree?

This paper aims to convey disagreement with Griffith’s statement: “There is no hope of

doing perfect research” (Griffiths p. 97). Research involves the act of discovering new things,

revision of facts and theories, or utilizing such facts and theories with the aims of supporting or

debunking these. Research is performed using the collection of information or data related to the

topic at hand (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms). Simply, research

would mean “to search again” and implies the act of repeated examination of an accepted truth.

In this sense, perfect research should ultimately lead to exact answers, solving current problems

in society.

Research that have led to discoveries in the past have given the current and future

generations answers that have been constant and useful – such as the value of pi and other

algebraic equations, the speed of light and sound, time, the classification of elements in nature,

the discovery of cells, planetary movements, and many more. These are but a few examples of

products of perfect research, especially in the discipline of exact sciences that have provided

past, current and future societies exact and useful answers. Although some theories in this area

are raising controversies today, such as the application of either the Third Law of Motion of

Newton and the Principle of Conservation of Energy by Bernoulli in aerodynamics (Anderson

and Eberhardt), most concepts have held true through time.

Griffith’s statement is in line with the logical and inductive areas of research; therefore,

his statements lean towards research that involves the mental and social aspects of human beings.

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This facet of human existence, which involves individual and group attitudes and behaviors

undergo constant change, which is why researches performed in these areas are considered

‘imperfect’. On the other hand, the flaws of social, mental and behavioral research are often seen

when compared to a timeline of a certain phenomenon. Take for example the development of the

perception of work in society. During the pre-historic periods, work was an individual concern,

where one searches for food for personal consumption. This has eventually changed and led to

bartering and trade, creation of jobs and roles in the workplace and, fast-tracking into the future,

the development of a consumerist society and the exchange of work for monetary and personal

gain. In the industrial era, research primarily concerned methods in the workplace that would

increase production; scientific management theories for human resources have evolved. Looking

at that era alone, along with the social and political background of the society in that time, the

theories presented by Weber and their application has aided significantly in the mass production

of products that encouraged economic growth, as well as the fast manufacture of armaments that

were used in World War I. Looking at that time frame alone, his theories have contributed to the

deliverance of society’s immediate necessities.

Research therefore is an act that seeks to find a solution to society’s current needs; and

society’s needs and consequent satisfaction levels are dynamic. The perfection of a well-

executed research can be evaluated based on its contribution to the current societal framework.

This premise is the source of innovation and development – human’s evolutionary process that

aims to improve current ideals, products or services to advance and become differentiated and

competitive (Baregheh, Rowley and Sambrook). This means that research is not imperfect;

instead, the initial conditions by which the research has been considered in the first place have

changed resulting to the alteration in needs and satisfaction levels of society.

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An example of social and behavioral research that could be deemed perfect, so far, is the

work of the comprehensive educational model conceptualized by Slavin and Madden in the

1980’s and applied through the 1990’s. The Success for All Program has been widely accepted

that it has been adapted for use in 49 states and almost 2,000 schools within the United States, as

well as in five other countries (Slavin and Madden p. vii).

Griffith’s statement could initially bring about agreement; but such an opinion would

tend to consider comparing improvements through time instead of considering the social,

economic, environmental, physiological, psychological and political background that these

milestones have taken place in. Perfection of research should not be the central focus of

disparagement; instead, consideration should be given to the use and importance of results in

research to the current and future generations, as well as the satisfaction level it generates.

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Works Cited

Anderson, David F. and Scott Eberhardt. Understanding Flight. New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2009.

Baregheh, A., J. Rowley and S. Sambrook. "Towards a Multidisciplinary Definition of Innovation." Management Decision 47(8) (2009): 1323–1339.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E. New York: McGraw Hill Companies Inc., 2003.

Slavin, Robert E. and Nancy A. Madden. Success for All: research and reform in elementary education. Mahwah: Laurence Earlbaum Associates, 2001.