The Use of Technology in Research

Copyright © 2005 Herbert J. Bernstein, All Rights Reserved

"Research is an active, diligent, and systematic process of inquiry in order to discover, interpret or revise facts, events, behaviours, or theories, or to make practical applications with the help of such facts, laws, or theories. The term research is also used to describe a collection of information about a particular subject." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research

• Research is an important tool used in applying the scientific method (hypothesis-driven science)
• Technology is useful in managing information
  • Sensing information
  • Recording information
  • Transforming information
  • Organizing information
  • Comparing information
  • Searching for information
  • Sharing information
  • Disseminating information
• Technology is useful in controlling experiments
• Technology is useful in analysing data from experiments
  • Find a solution -- a model that works
  • Fit models to data -- least squares, MEM
  • Statistical analyses
• Technology is useful in simulation
• Technology is useful in visualization
• Technology is useful in publication
• Technology is useful in collaboration
• Computers have become ubiquitous -- the universal tool
• Technology is useful in doing science safely
• Technology creates new risks
  • Black boxes transforming data in unknown ways
  • Statistocs used improperly
  • Electrical hazards
  • Mechanical hazards