The Art of Scientific Investigation: Expanding Knowledge, Solving Problems

Abstract

RSCH4050 Midterm Project Essay [Name] [University] 3 March 2024 RSCH4050 Midterm Project Essay [Name] Research is a decision-making journey. In this case, scientific research is a methodical and or a very systematic investigation aimed at generating knowledge, testing the existing theories, or answering questions through observation, analysis and experimentation (O’Leary, 2021). What does this imply? It means that the scientific research revolves around systematic experimentation, investigation and analysis primarily conducted to expand human understanding of the natural world, validating the existing theories and or developing new theories (O’Leary, 2021). As a decision-making journey, scientific research involves consideration of several steps like identification of a research question as a starting point where the researcher defines what is to be investigated or discovered (O’Leary, 2021). The second step is the literature review, where the researcher reviews the existing studies and literatures related to the topic of study to understand the current state of knowledge and identify gaps or areas that need further exploration. Formulation of a hypothesis or hypotheses step involves exploration of available literature reviews and proposing explanation for a phenomenon. Experimental design/data collection step enable researchers design observations, experiments, or surveys to collect data that either supports or refutes the formulated hypothesis. The fifth step in scientific research is data analysis where the researcher analyzes the collected data using quantitative or qualitative methods to make logical conclusions. The following step is the interpretation of results which calls for researchers’ attention to the collected data to offer its interpretation in the context of the existing knowledge and discussion of the findings implications. Lastly the interpreted findings are published in scientific journals after a thorough peer review to evaluate the validity and significance of the study (O’Leary, 2021). Basically, one can conclude that scientific research aims at contributing to the understanding of a phenomena, advancing knowledge in various field as well as providing strong basis for informed decision-making. Scientific Research Social Goals Advancement of knowledge is among the major social goals that research contributes to. Basically, scientific research expands human understanding and knowledge through systematic investigation on a phenomenon and researchers contribute to cumulative body of knowledge in their respective fields and areas. Another social goal is problem solving whereby, most applied research address real-world problems and challenges thus improving societal conditions and quality of life. Informed-decision making is another social goal as research studies provide evidence for informed and logical decision-making in different fields (O’Leary, 2021). Such fields include but not limited to healthcare, public policy, and education. Most policy makers and practitioners rely on research-based findings to make choices that affect individuals and communities. To this effect, one can confirm that scientific research helps inform decisions that affect the society at large. Educating future generations is another crucial social goal as research studies provide basic academic curricula that help students learn about established methodologies, theories as well as some latest developments in their chosen fields (O’Leary, 2021). Scientific research fosters a culture of lifelong learning and inspires curiosity fueling education at all levels from lower class learners to higher education while encouraging critical thinking, creativity and problem solving. According to O’Leary (2021), scientific research also promotes collaboration and global cooperation since it transcends national boundaries enhancing cooperation and collaboration among researchers from different nations and cultures. Fortunately, such collaborations allow for sharing of knowledge, expertise and resources enhancing progress towards common goals in the research field. Another social goal or benefit is that scientific research helps in preserving cultural heritage. While considering anthropology, archeology and conservations science, researchers in such fields help preserve and protect cultural heritage sites, traditions and artifacts ensuring that such treasures are passed from one generation to the other. Lastly, fostering economic growth proves another strong goal as scientific discoveries drive economic growth through development of new industries, job creation and increase in productivity. Basically, innovations resulting from scientific research fuels entrepreneurship and contribute to development of new services and products. Research Topic Selection Process There are various ways of developing or selecting a research topic. However, it is imperative to note that practicability of a topic defines its potentials to ensure successful research. To this effect, selecting a research topic involves curiosity and creativity, exploring existing literature and looking for inspiration (O’Leary, 2021). A successful researcher must identify his or her interests and passion which enhances curiosity to explore on topics that genuinely engage such individuals. The individual’s ability to remain creative will significantly impact the quality of a topic to settle on in the long run. The other step in selecting a research topic is turning to literature. Exploring existing literature gives the researcher an opportunity to conduct a literature review to understand gaps, controversies or areas that need further study, clarification, and exploration in such a researcher’s field (O’Leary, 2021). It is important for the researchers to familiarize themselves with the existing research to have clear insights on what has been done and where potential opportunities lie for new contributions (O’Leary, 2021). Such knowledge can help advice the researcher accordingly on the topic to research about. On the contrary, if the researcher fails to establish the importance of turning into literature, he/she might end up selecting a topic that is irrelevant or does not respond to any relevant social issue affecting humans on their daily lives. Looking for inspiration to come up with a doable research topic is also important while selecting a viable research topic. Inspiration may be drawn from personal insights and experiences, an observation, contemporary or timely issues and identifying stake holders (O’Leary, 2021). When a researcher remains attuned to such a world, they get equipped with the most viable topic to address in their project. Brainstorming a list of potential research topics based on the researchers’ interests and the gaps identified in the literature proves beneficial in the selection of a viable research topic. It is imperative for the researcher to consider feasibility of each idea in terms of available resources, access to data and own expertise or skills before settling down on a topic. After getting varying options from inspiration and personal interest, the researcher should go ahead and narrow down the available options to settle on the most logical one. This step calls for the researchers’ ability to evaluate each potential topic based on criteria like relevance, novelty, feasibility, and significance of exploring such a topic. It is imperative to consider the scope of each issue as to whether it can be effectively addressed within the constraints like time, resources, and word count of the researcher’s project (O’Leary, 2021). After narrowing down options and settling on a specific option, the researcher should formulate a research question that will guide the investigation. It is imperative to have a clear, specific, meaningful, and open-ended research question to allow for exploration and analysis of the selected topic. Topic Selection and Social Benefits Problematic internet use and mental health (youth’s stress) Since this topic involves day-to-day human experiences, the need to explore the topic remains supported by a variety of reasons. One is because of the prevalence of online social networks noting that this issue has become integral to contemporary society as billions of humans worldwide engage in online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among others (Carr, 2020). To this effect, understanding such engagements impact on mental health is important given their vast use and influence. It is through exploring this topic that will increase awareness and understanding of how online social networking platforms affect youths’ mental health as the study will uncover potential risks and protective factors which in return can help develop strategies to support youths navigate these platforms responsibly and safely. Another reason why one should explore online social networks on mental health and social well-being is because of the changing social dynamics. Due to online social networks, people have transformed their communication and interacting approaches not forgetting formation of relationships (Carr, 2020). In this regard, studying such impacts can offer researcher great insights into how such changes affect mental health and the social well-being. The insights will further help in formulating prevention and intervention approaches as understanding the impacts of online social networking on mental health will inform policy makers on the most effective programs to address this issue. Such programs can educate the youths, educators, parents, and mental health professionals on healthy/ethical online behaviors and provide support for those experiencing mental problems like aggression attributed to problematic internet use. Ultimately mental health concerns in the digital age are another potential reason why one should explore this topic. We are living in the digital age, and it has brought forth unique challenges on mental health that demands exploration. For instance, online harassment, social isolation, and potential for negative self-perception are among the major experiences of engaging with digital age amongst users. To this effect, investigating the connection between online social networks and mental health can significantly help address such contemporary concerns. However, it is also imperative to note that exploring this topic can help uncover the positive impact that social networking has on mental health to help this researcher study have at least one opposing argument on the topic. While exploring de-stigmatization as a social benefit of this topic, it is open that the research findings can help in highlighting the broader social environmental factors that contribute to mental well-being including online social networking. While addressing the positives of online social networking on mental health, Vaingankar et al. (2022) confirmed that framing mental health within the context of digital interactions can foster more open and supportive conversation about mental health and reduce stigma associated with seeking help. Methodology Selection Process The choice of the method to use will be determined by what will best answer the researcher’s well-defined question thus the need to be directed by best practices (O’Leary, 2021). What does this mean? While choosing a research methodology, the researcher must consider the nature of the research question, the scope of the study and the type of data needed. Based on the readings, quantitative methodologies like surveys and experiments suits best when the researcher aims at measuring and establishing variables and statistical patterns. Qualitative methodologies like interviews are suitable while exploring complex social phenomena to provide in-depth insight into human experiences. Lastly, mixed-methods methodology is suitable when researcher needs a comprehensive understanding on phenomena. While considering the nature of the current research question “how problematic online networking affects youth’s mental health,” this study will use qualitative method. Qualitative research allows for in-depth insights and understanding of social phenomena. What does this imply? It means that qualitative method aims at understanding the cause of a certain issue or a problem and the very best way to overcome such a problem. Unlike quantitative approach that is highly reliant on quantified data qualitative method approach to research highly reliant on qualitative data like words, images, experiences, and observations that are not quantified thus often tied to a set of assumptions related to relativism, social constructionism and subjectivism (O’Leary, 2021). It focuses on narratives and meanings. Basically, qualitative method works best in exploring social phenomena, human behavior or cultural practices which aligns with my topic of study as problematic networking is a social issue that affects mental health greatly. It uses open-ended questions, content analysis or observations to collect detailed data while analysis of the collected data involves identifying themes, patterns and meanings leading to a greater understanding of the underlying factors that shape an issue or topic under investigation (O’Leary, 2021). It is imperative to note that qualitative questions pay special attention on experiences and meanings while approaching a phenomenon under investigation. Appropriateness of the Methodology Selection The aim of my study is to understand the extent of effect that social networking has on general mental well-being of users. While establishing the need to be more specific on my research question, I wish to study the connection between social networking and aggression amongst youths since youths takes the highest percentage of students and to be honest social network addictions has become a major problem amongst this population (Unsar et al., 2020). The goal of my study is to understand the impact of online addictions on youths especially regarding stress which many youths express during their living. Youths tend to become moody when under the effects of social networking addictions in that some become violent or hostile when confronted by others even on minor issue. For instance, a student may be so reliant on media thus spend most of the time watching games, chatting online and even doing other things online thus fail to deliver to the demands of academics. In such a situation, the student may end up becoming hostile as cannot explain how or why he/she is not meeting the assignments demands only to realize that the media addictions have affected their mental health in a negative manner. To this effect, I wish to employ qualitative methodology to have a comprehensive exploration of this issue. Having a comprehensive analysis on this issue will allow me to have conclusions that I can generalize to the larger population of youths. Qualitative methods will help me explore youths’ experiences on social media and the effects such experiences have on their mental health. Since qualitative methods allow the researcher to use open-ended questions, I will use such a factor to explore the feelings of the victims since problematic networking is not news among youths whose control abilities proves limited due to their not fully amygdale which helps in making logical decision. Literature Review Introduction The main aim of this literature review is to analyze the connection between problematic media use and stress amongst youth as argued by different scholars. Such an analysis will be regarding the direct effect of social media addiction to youth’s mental health, academic performance, general social well-being as well as interactions amongst each other. The current study aims at examining the relationship between social media and stress amongst youths having noted that technology use is becoming increasingly embraced by youths most especially the college and university students (Carr, 2020). As much as technology makes life easy in relation to interaction/communication, researching among other areas, it is becoming a threat as youths cannot handle a life without internet leading them to embrace unethical media use adversely affecting their mental and social well-being in the long run. Social media addiction triggers stress amongst youths In all the five sources, it is open that social networking addiction triggers stress and depression amongst students (Oliveira et al., 2022; Unsar et al., 2020). Haand and Shuwang study examined the relationship between social media addiction and depression amongst students in Khost province of Afghanistan universities and noted a positive correlation with depression where depression significantly predicts social media addiction (Haand & Shuwang, 2020). On the other hand, Unsar and colleagues (2020) study examined the relationship between internet use and stress levels amongst university students and found out that the average duration of student’s internet use per week was over 20 hours. Thus, students stress levels and internet addiction levels increased with an increase in the duration of their internet usage. Lei et al. (2020) explored the relationship of Smartphone addiction with psychological health and neuroticism among university medical students. They noted that such addictions could lead to psychological problems to the most vulnerable group with the neurotic personality trait. Unfortunately, all these mental instabilities lead to poor academic performance which worsens the student’s mental state leading to internet addiction as students try to find solace to their negative experiences. Males are most vulnerable according to Lei et al. (2020). As much as Smartphones help students in research and communication, they also prove to be amongst the worst threat as their usage addiction adversely affect the well-being of such students. While employing DASS-21, the neuroticism-subscale of USMaP-I and SAS-SV, these authors measured psychological distress, neuroticism, and Smartphone addiction of the medical students. The results indicated higher Smartphone addiction for male students as compared to female students. Although my five sources offer clear insights on the extent of damage that social media addiction has on the mental health of youths/students, I have not noted any remedy to this social problem. I will do a thorough research on these five sources to examine whether recommendation is given to curb the media addiction problem amongst students. If I do not get the remedies from the above five sources, I incorporate another source to at least offer my target a remedy to social media addiction. I believe putting controls on social media/internet use amongst youths can serve as a viable solution. Conclusion I have noted the negative effect of social media on youth’s mental health throughout the five sources. All the authors acknowledge that uncontrolled media use leads to a certain form of media overreliance thus impacting youth’s mental well-being in a negative manner. This theme is of relevance to the current topic of study to express the extent of damage that problematic media use causes to the youth’s mental state. Unfortunately, no viable remedy has been suggested to curb the noted problematic media use among youth regardless of the noted effects that such overreliance has on the populations’ mental health. The need for further exploration on these sources or other sources is essential to offer an effective recommendation or intervention that can address this problem. Problem Statement The problem related to psychology is the effect that Problematic media use has on youth’s mental health. Uncontrolled media use leads to an addictive behavior whose effects on the users’ brains are adverse physical and psychological distress. Youths/adolescents are the most vulnerable as affected by social media addictions due to their inabilities to control and monitor their media use making them addictive to online social networking. Scholars like Nicholas Carr have expressed concerns on the extent to which media addiction changes the nature of human thinking, expressing threats to the incoming youths/adolescents whose thinking and reasoning has become glued to the technology (Carr 2020). While addressing the relationship between problematic media use and stress amongst youths, Carr (2020) confirms that youths have a tendency of overreliance on online social networking platforms. Based on Carr, even the least that a student can do like simple questions that proves direct, they tend to run to the internet to seek for answers implying that without internet many students can do nothing on their own. Unfortunately, too much reliance on online networking changes the youths’ minds to machine like as they try to accommodate too much content that the internet offers them. It is at that time that one realizes the damage that media overreliance causes the users mind as discomfort and stress starts to mount on such minds little by little. Haand and Shuwang, (2020) also argue that the problematic use of social networking sites proves a significant public health concern with adolescents expressing stress upon over-reliance on the internet. Based on these authors, youths tend to take advantage of the freedom they gain from their parents and guardians upon joining higher education institutions as others join business enterprises and employment ventures. Unfortunately, due to the nature of their developing brain whose ability to make...