Why do scientists say they are doing research when they are actually looking for something new?

Question

Im just pondering...

Answer 1

What you have to keep in mind is that many words we use in English come from other languages.

In this case, the terms 'research' and 'search' from from French. In old French, however, the prefix 're-' means to do something really intensely, so someone who is 're-searching' is looking for something really hard... not looking again at something, which is what it would be if the term were invented in English originally.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

It's the scientific method. First they observe. Then they hypothesize (make a guess regarding the cause of what they have observed), then they start researching and testing to see if their hypothesis pans out. If not, it's back to the observing part. If so, then they publish and colleges begin performing the same or similar research and testing. If the same results or conclusions are reached by many different researchers over a number of years, then the hypothesis graduates into a theory.

Answer 3

That is actually where evolution comes into view. Scientists are looking for bigger and better ways to evolve. Research is basically coming up with a hypothesis. Then conducting a theory that ends in a conclusion.

Answer 4

Scientists say they are doing research when they are actually looking for something new, that's because they only wanna prove that they are doing something really useful even when they are jobless.

Answer 5

Because they have to start somewhere. They take their existing data and see if they can find some proof that their theory is correct. They may later run tests based on that finding, but more specific to the question they're now trying to answer.

Answer 6

Lol. You will never find something new ;) Everything they've found has existed already for a LONG time.