Scientific research is an art not a craft

As for the present, most scholars in social sciences express distrust in the humanistic approach to research, labeling it "unscientific". But what enduring social theory that has withstood the test of time did not have at least some remote origin in humanistic thinking? Remember we are studying human behavior, people's thoughts, words and deeds and their motivations and consequences. Without some ultimate, humanistic concern, we end up with only "head knowledge" about human beings, but it is "heart knowledge" that helps us to understand our fellowmen. The stated functions of theory and goals of research include exploring, describing, predicting and explaining human behavior at the intrapersonal, individual, interpersonal, organizational and social levels. How do we treat human beings as they are when we as scholars attempt to deny that we too are human?

Of course we have to mention the long-term dispute between scholars who respectively prefer qualitative and quantitative research methods. Such unnecessary disputes blind our vision of the essential question, and that is the "research question". First and foremost, graduate students must be trained to come up with a research question, both theoretically informed and empirically grounded.

What matters at all times in teaching research are the three A's: acquiring knowledge, applying knowledge, and advancing knowledge. As a student moves up the educational ladder from undergraduate to graduate to doctoral levels, the element of "advancing knowledge" should become stronger and stronger, granted that they have acquired enough knowledge and learned to apply it at the previous levels of study. Without an insightful research question, the mere skillful application of research methods will not lead to advancements in human knowledge in any field.

Students equipped with the 3-A's will have the 4-Is: interest, insight, industry, and innovation.

The author is a professor with the School of Journalism and Communication at Xiamen University.