How Does Scientific Research Progress?
Scientific research follows three main processes: i. Replication ii. Refutation iii. Self-correction i. Replication: Most scientific studies are replicative in nature. They just confirm for us the finding and conclusions of a previous research. Till the time and to the extent they are replicated, the findings stand reconfirmed. All acceptance in scientific research is, therefore, perennially provisional, and liable to refutation. No scientific progress occurs by replication. But scientific acceptance and stability of hypotheses is confirmed thereby, and to that extent. Most scientific research falls in this category. It is the bread and butter of scientific research. ii. Refutation: All scientific progress occurs only when a scientific theory, or finding, gets refuted. In this there is major shift in theorizing and shift of paradigms may be involved. Few studies can claim to be such, but those that do, bring about epochal changes in scientific thinking and outlook. It is the crowning g
